Shaquille O'Neal News: Pro Sports Daily

Shaquille O'Neal returns to Cleveland, to start rehab on thumb

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March 16

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Shaquille O'Neal returned to the Cavaliers practice facility today. O'Neal, who has been out since injuring his right thumb at Boston on Feb. 25, did not speak with reporters, but according to general manager Danny Ferry, O'Neal met with doctors and will be starting the early phase of his rehabilitation. Since his surgery in Baltimore on March 1, O'Neal has been at his home in Florida. His exercise was restricted, as doctors took a conservative approach to his recovery. It is unlikely he will be traveling with the team because he needs a specific type of hand physical therapist here. Coach Mike Brown said he was happy to see O'Neal and is fine with his treatment plan."

Minus Shaq, Cavaliers are picking up the pace

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March 14

Boston Globe

"The Cavaliers, whom the Celtics face today in Cleveland, have picked up the pace of their play without Shaquille O'Neal. And Celtics center Kendrick Perkins is among those who believe the Cavaliers have improved since O'Neal sustained a thumb injury in a Feb. 25 visit to Boston. "I think they're better,'' Perkins said. "They can run more. You've got Anderson Varejao, who is more of an active body, he gets LeBron [James] open a lot, opens up the paint for them. "Obviously, Shaq could help them, but I think they're better, they're a more fast-paced team.'' The Celtics led the Cavaliers by as many as 11 points before O'Neal departed, but were routed, 108-88, in the teams' last meeting. The ..."

Thumbs up for Shaq-less Cavs

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March 14

Boston Globe

"In two games against Cleveland, the Celtics have not had many problems going against Shaquille O'Neal as the Cavaliers' center this season. But, after O'Neal departed with a thumb injury late in the first half of a Feb. 25 matchup, the Cavaliers dominated the Celtics in taking a 108-88 victory. O'Neal will not be available when the teams meet in Cleveland Sunday, and that could makes things difficult for the Celtics, according to center Kendrick Perkins. Asked how different the Cavaliers are without O'Neal, Perkins replied: "In my opinion, I think they're better. They can run more, you've got Anderson Varejao, who is more of an active body, he gets LeBron (James) open a lot, opens up the ..."

Shaq has successful surgery, is expected to return for playoffs

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March 2

Akron Beacon Journal

"O'Neal injured the hand against the Boston Celtics Thursday night. Team officials estimated that he will miss eight weeks, meaning he will miss the rest of the regular season and should be back during the playoffs. ''The doctors were very pleased with the surgery this morning. He will be in a splint for the next two weeks,'' Cavs General Manager Danny Ferry said. ''From there, he starts the process of physical therapy so that he can be at full strength and back on the court during the playoffs.'' Cavs coach Mike Brown said O'Neal's teammates had the expected reaction. ''They were down and sad for Shaq as an individual, but it's part of the game. I think everybody understood that,'' Brown ..."

Shaquille O'Neal's thumb surgery successful, Cleveland Cavaliers expect him to miss 8 weeks

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March 1

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Shaquille O'Neal is out of surgery and it was successful, which is the good news. The bad news is that the procedure Dr. Thomas Graham and Cavs team physician Dr. Richard Parker performed Monday morning in Baltimore on O'Neal's right thumb ended his regular season. In announcing that O'Neal was out of surgery, the Cavaliers finally put a timetable on O'Neal's recovery. The team expects him to miss approximately eight weeks. That two-month window would likely knock O'Neal out of the first round of the playoffs as well as the 22 remaining games in the season. "The doctors were very pleased with the surgery this morning," Cavs General Manager Danny Ferry said in statement. "He will be in a ..."

Cavs' O'Neal to have surgery

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March 1

Akron Beacon Journal

"The Cavaliers' abundance of big men has turned into a blessing for the team. Coach Mike Brown has gone from not having enough minutes for every big man on his roster to seeing the opposite, as center Shaquille O'Neal's injured thumb will keep him out for six to nine weeks, according to sources with knowledge of the situation. An MRI revealed surgery was needed on what was initially diagnosed as a significant right thumb sprain. The 7-foot-3 center traveled with the Cavs' head team physician to the National Hand Center in Baltimore, where he will undergo surgery today performed by specialist Dr. Thomas Graham. Head team physician Dr. Richard Parker of the Cleveland Clinic will assist. That ..."

Jamison looking even better to Cavaliers with Shaq's injured thumb

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March 1

Cleveland Plain Dealer

columnist Bud Shaw

"Shaquille O'Neal's surgery should force the Cavs into the continued pursuit of Barkley Ball for the forseeable future. Charles Barkley doesn't actually have the trademark. He just pretends to on television. The Large Mound of Expound's call for Cavaliers' head coach Mike Brown to speed up the pace of play isn't specific to O'Neal anchoring the middle. He's been calling for it for, oh, only about three years now. The Cavs need O'Neal to win a title, make no mistake. If he misses eight weeks, though, he could still return during the postseason. In the meantime, you'll see more of the style of play on display in the second half against Boston Thursday. Barkley looked all-knowing in ..."

Baby: I'm getting bad rap

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March 1

Boston Herald

"Glen Davis thinks he's been the victim of some creative video editing. The Celtics forward has been criticized because of footage that shows him pulling on Shaquille O'Neal's right thumb while playing defense in Thursday night's loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. O'Neal left the game midway through the second quarter after being hit on the right thumb when Davis blocked his shot. The controversy developed after TNT replays, as well as ESPN highlights, focused on Davis pulling at the same thumb. Davis objected to the suggestion that he was trying to injure O'Neal, saying the clip was taken before O'Neal hurt his thumb. "I was like, 'That's false,' " Davis said. "They edited that. That was ..."

Shaquille O'Neal could miss rest of season for Cleveland Cavaliers with thumb injury

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March 1

New York Daily News

"Suddenly, the possibility of LeBron James leaving at the end of the season is not the Cavaliers' only problem. Shaquille O'Neal will undergo surgeryÂ Monday to repair his injured right thumb and could miss the rest of the season. The Cavs will have to adjust to life without their big man starting tonight against the Knicks. O'Neal was diagnosed yesterday at the Curtis National Hand Center in Baltimore, where he learned he will need the surgery. The initial diagnosis at the Cleveland Clinic over the weekend was that Shaq had suffered a sprained ligament Thursday in the Cavs' win in Boston. But yesterday's exam revealed a tear, which typically sidelines players for 6-8 weeks. There are seven ..."

Shaquille O'Neal will have surgery to repair injured right thumb, likely out for rest of regular season

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March 1

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Cavaliers center Shaquille O'Neal will have surgery on his sprained right thumb on Monday morning in Baltimore, which likely will mean he will be out for the remainder of the regular season. Though the Cavs did not place any timetable on O'Neal's return, injuries of this nature that require surgery typically take six to nine weeks to heal. In 1995, O'Neal suffered a torn ligament in the thumb that caused him to miss 22 games for the Orlando Magic. There are seven weeks remaining in the regular season. The Cavs obtained O'Neal in a trade with the Phoenix Suns last June in order to counter the height problems posed by the Boston Celtics, Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers in the playoffs. ..."

Shaq heading to Baltimore to see hand specialist, Cavaliers still not setting timetable for return

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February 28

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Shaquille O'Neal's thumb injury continues to appear rather serious. O'Neal and Cavaliers head team physician Richard Parker are planning a trip today to Baltimore to get another opinion on the sprained right thumb. O'Neal had an MRI late Saturday at the Cleveland Clinic, which the team said confirmed that he'd suffered a sprained ligament after being hit Thursday night during the Cavs' victory in Boston. The team is still not putting a timetable on how long it will take O'Neal to recover. It may be waiting until the course of action is settled, which may be part of the reason for the trip."

Boston Celtics' Big Baby crosses the line by trying to injure Cleveland Cavaliers' Shaquille O'Neal

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February 27

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Old School in the NBA meant the School of Hard Knocks. Even then, however, there were unwritten rules. "When I played, you wouldn't go after a guy on purpose," said Cavaliers television analyst Austin Carr, who played from 1971 to '81. All but one of those seasons was with the Cavs. Carr said Boston's Glen "Big Baby" Davis bent the unwritten rules the same way he tried to twist Shaquille O'Neal's already-injured thumb Thursday night in Boston. "I thought what 'Big Baby' did showed the kind of character, or lack of it, that he has," Carr said. Like most viewers of the TNT telecast, he had no problem with the original injury, when Davis' flailing hand cracked Shaq's thumb as O'Neal ..."

Team doesn't know if it's thumbs up or down with Shaquille O'Neal

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February 27

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"The hard news on Shaquille O'Neal's thumb, be it good or bad, is going to wait a day. The Cavaliers center missed Friday's game at Toronto after suffering a sprained right thumb Thursday night in Boston when he was smacked on the hand by Celtics forward Glen Davis during a shot attempt. The team decided to wait until it gets back from the road trip for O'Neal to have an MRI and confirm just how bad the injury is. The team is scheduled to fly home Saturday afternoon. Cavs coach Mike Brown said doctors have defined it as a "severe" sprain, and the team's official injury report called it "significant." Either way, it doesn't sound good."

Shaq hurt as Cavs defense unshackles

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February 26

Boston Globe

"The Cleveland Cavaliers did not seem to need Shaquille O'Neal in the lineup last night. The Cavaliers were trailing the Celtics by 11 points before O'Neal sustained a right thumb sprain early in the second quarter. After that, Cleveland outscored the Celtics, 77-46, on the way to a 108-88 victory. But, even though the Cavaliers' offense seemed to be moving in slow motion, their defense shackled with O'Neal, they are eager for him to return, according to LeBron James. "We play faster without Shaq in the lineup,'' James said. "We run into more pick and rolls. But Shaq, we need him out there. He's going to take as much time as he needs to get back. We need him out there because, in the ..."

Browns' Rob Ryan has a super time supporting Cavaliers' Shaquille O'Neal against Magic's Dwight Howard

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February 21

Cleveland Plain Dealer

columnist Bill Livingston

"Talkative is what the football Ryans are. It comes with the heredity, says Rob Ryan, one of James David "Buddy" Ryan's football-coaching, diabolical defense-devising, trash-talking twin sons. It comes with the environment too. Ryan is the defiant, bravado-filled defensive coordinator of the Browns. "You have to be a little touched to play defense and maybe even to coach it," said Ryan. It even comes with the changing seasons because, although the Super Bowl is over, there's always basketball. Into Sunday's simmering "Battle of the Supermen" between the Cavaliers' Shaquille O'Neal and Orlando's Dwight Howard, Rob Ryan happily jumps -- his eyes coolly appraising the combatants, his heart ..."

Is Cleveland big enough for Amare & Shaq

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February 15

ESPN.com

"On Sunday, ESPN.com's Chris Broussard reported that the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Phoenix Suns had seriously discussed a trade that would send Amare Stoudemire to Cleveland for J.J. Hickson (and the expiring contract of Zydrunas Ilgauskas). As Broussard reported, the Cavs had made the offer and the ball was in Phoenix's court. In the meantime, I've spoken to sources connected to the Cavs, the Suns and other teams around the league, and while they confirm that the Stoudemire trade discussions between Cleveland and Phoenix are at a serious stage, they also describe a fluid situation, with trade discussions taking place on multiple fronts."

Shaquille O'Neal's outburst perplexes Orlando center Dwight Howard

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February 13

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Magic center Dwight Howard says he's not trying to cause any trouble.All-Star Weekend is supposed to be a break from the regular-season rigors, though it rarely is. And on Friday, Howard couldn't escape the events of Thursday night in Cleveland, when his Orlando Magic lost to the Cavaliers. More to the point, Howard couldn't get away from the statements Cavs center Shaquille O'Neal made about him. After he held Howard scoreless for the final seven minutes of the Cavs' 115-106 victory, O'Neal voluntarily ripped open some old wounds with Howard and his affinity for Superman. It wasn't really about comic book characters, but more about egos and respect as O'Neal clearly feels like Howard ..."

Shaq takes his whacks at Dwight Howard and Stan Van Gundy

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February 13

Orlando Sentinel

"Magic C Dwight Howard was annoyed by Cleveland C Shaquille O'Neal's comments after the Cavs' victory against Orlando on Thursday night. O'Neal, who took digs at Howard and Magic coach Stan Van Gundy last season, picked up his barrage again. He again took Howard to task for stealing or borrowing his title of " Superman." "You tell me who the real Superman is," O'Neal said. "Don't compare me to nobody. I'd rather not be mentioned. I'm offended. "You're all giving away titles, it's crazy." LeBron James said, "The whole Superman thing kind of bothers him." Shaq also tweaked Howard and the Magic for using double-teams against him at times."

Much-hyped Shaq-Howard battle falls short

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February 12

Akron Beacon Journal

"When Orlando Magic star Dwight Howard stood at the free-throw line in the second quarter Thursday night, the Cavaliers' always clever scoreboard elves posted a photo of a University of Michigan player striking the Heisman pose. It drew only a smattering of boos. Perhaps the fans at Quicken Loans Arena didn't need a gimmick to remind them of the Howard they most recently love to hate. It was Dwight Howard who dashed the Cavaliers' championship dreams last season in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals. The then-23-year-old center dazzled with the best game of his four-year career with a 40-point, 14-rebound performance to send the Magic to the Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. ..."

Much-hyped Shaq-Howard battle falls short

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February 12

Akron Beacon Journal

"When Orlando Magic star Dwight Howard stood at the free-throw line in the second quarter Thursday night, the Cavaliers' always clever scoreboard elves posted a photo of a University of Michigan player striking the Heisman pose. It drew only a smattering of boos. Perhaps the fans at Quicken Loans Arena didn't need a gimmick to remind them of the Howard they most recently love to hate. It was Dwight Howard who dashed the Cavaliers' championship dreams last season in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals. The then-23-year-old center dazzled with the best game of his four-year career with a 40-point, 14-rebound performance to send the Magic to the Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. ..."

Against Orlando's Dwight Howard, the Cavaliers' Shaquille O'Neal takes the cape

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February 12

Cleveland Plain Dealer

columnist Bill Livingston

"The Cavaliers traded for Shaquille O'Neal with his height, bulk and Superman arm tattoo mainly to break the spell of the Orlando Magic. Ever since LeBron James left the court in Orlando in a sulk after the sixth and last game of last season's Eastern Conference finals, which is when Dwight Howard turned into the Man-Child of Steel and sent the Cavs home for summer vacation, Cleveland has been looking for a way to neutralize the inside-out game of the Magic. So there Howard was, the "impostor" Superman, in O'Neal's term for him, looking levelly in the eyes of LeBron's Big Sidekick as the pair stood in the center jump circle Thursday night at The Q. This wasn't the pretense of dislike in the ..."

Cavaliers' Shaquille O'Neal speaks out on Superman 'impostor'

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February 12

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"There's only one Superman in the NBA, according to Shaquille O'Neal, and he doesn't play in Orlando. Despite those Superman commercials on TNT and ESPN featuring Magic All-Star center Dwight Howard, the original Superman is alive and well and living -- and thriving -- in Cleveland. He's doing so playing straight up against his opponents, without the benefit of double teams. "When I was coming up and there was Pat Ewing and Hakeem [Olajuwon], I never doubled anybody," O'Neal said after helping the Cavaliers dismantle the Magic, 115-106, Thursday night at The Q. The Cavs extended their winning streak to a franchise-record-tying 13 straight games. "You tell me who the real Superman is. Don't ..."

Shaq Vs. returns this summer

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February 11

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Shaquille O'Neal didn't get enough of competing against some of the best athletes in the world, so he'll return for six more episodes this summer on his Shaq Vs. reality series on ABC. Maybe Shaq will have better luck this coming summer. Last season, despite being given a handicap advantage, O'Neal wound up losing each week."

Shaq steps up for Cavs

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February 9

Akron Beacon Journal

"Cavaliers center Shaquille O'Neal has had to step to the forefront a little bit earlier than planned. With point guards Mo Williams and Delonte West out with injuries, O'Neal has been counted on to pick up the scoring slack. O'Neal, whom the Cavs acquired in an offseason trade, has returned to the form of last year, when he averaged close to 18 points and nine rebounds for the Phoenix Suns. Since Williams and West were injured in back-to-back games, O'Neal has averaged 17.1 points and 7.1 rebounds and the Cavs have gone on an 11-game winning streak, their longest of the season. O'Neal's bump in production wasn't supposed to happen this soon, coach Mike Brown said. O'Neal was brought in to ..."

Life in Cleveland is 'perfect,' says the Cavaliers' Shaquille O'Neal

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January 31

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Shaquille O'Neal is a happy man. Just ask him. In a revealing interview after the team's shootaround Friday noon in Indianapolis, O'Neal said his transition to Cleveland and the Cavaliers has been "perfect." "The organization is top class," he said. "You guys [the media] have been great. [The Cavs public relations personnel] have been great. It has been perfect. It's actually good that I chose to come here. The nightlife in Cleveland is so-so, which is good for a guy like me. When I was in Miami, the nightlife was great. When I was in L.A. ... "Now if there's nothing to do, stay home. So I get a lot of rest." Relax, Cleveland. Remember, he lives in Richfield. It's not like he lives in ..."

O'Neal's wisdom has impact on LeBron

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January 30

Akron Beacon Journal

columnist Patrick McManamon

"Mike Brown calls him ''the big fella.'' But Shaquille O'Neal used to call himself ''the Big Aristotle.'' So when O'Neal dispenses wisdom it's smart to listen. Because it comes with impact, and import. About 11 games ago, O'Neal pulled aside the league's reigning and soon-to-be-repeat MVP and offered some advice. ''I said,'' O'Neal recalled Friday, ''You know what? I heard somebody said that Kobe [Bryant] will never let his team lose. He has that will. ''I know you have that, but now it's time for you to show that you have that.'' O'Neal said that little message - ''I'm like that big brother that's been there'' - provided the impetus for an 11-game stretch of LeBron James excellence that ..."

Shaquille O'Neal is happy in helper role with Cavaliers

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January 30

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Shaquille O'Neal has been the Big Aristotle and the Big Shaqtus, but he has yet toa nickname for himself in Cleveland. In the meantime, he is happy to play the role of big brother to LeBron James . O'Neal said James' recent play has been "fabulous." Maybe the big fellow had a little something to do with that. "It's our job to make him a great player," O'Neal said after Friday morning's shootaround at Conseco Fieldhouse. "I was taught that by the great John Wooden a long time ago. He said the true definition of a great player is how you make your teammates around you. "I'm always having little secret conversations with LeBron. I told him a couple of weeks ago, 'You know what? I ..."

LeBron James and Shaquille ONeal lead Cavs to 94-73 rout of the Indiana Pacers

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January 30

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"LeBron James was so dominating in the Cavaliers' 94-73 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Friday night in Conseco Fieldhouse that he actually got a point and a rebound while sitting on the bench. James took himself out of the game with 2:29 left in the fourth quarter. At the time, the box score said he had 22 points, nine rebounds, 13 assists and four blocked shots. But 40 seconds later, the box score said he had 23 points, 10 rebounds, 13 assists and four blocks. According to a Pacers official, the stats crew failed toCleveland State product Cedric Jackson into the box score in place of James, so Jackson's statistics were briefly credited to James. By the end of the game, the ..."

Mo Williams, Shaquille O'Neal left off All-Star team

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January 29

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"LeBron James will start his sixth All-Star Game on Valentine's Day, but for the fourth time he's going to be representing the Cavaliers alone. Neither Mo Williams or Shaquille O'Neal were among the seven reserves selected by opposing head coaches to represent the Eastern Conference at the event in Dallas, the NBA announced Thursday. The decision does not come as much of a shock, neither were considered favorites. Point guards Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls and Rajon Rondo of the Boston Celtics were voted in ahead of Williams. Chris Bosh of the Toronto Raptors and Al Horford of the Atlanta Hawks were voted in as big men ahead of O'Neal. Wings Gerald Wallace of the Charlotte Bobcats, Paul ..."

Shaq tells skeptics to "skepticize this"

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January 24

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Thoughts following the Cavs' 100-99 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder: * There are a lot of things to talk about after this game, but Shaquille O'Neal compels us to start with this: The Cavs gave him the most touches he's had this season, partially because the Thunder doesn't have a center to match up with him and partially because he had to take some of the load with three players out. He responded by scoring 22 points (um, 6-of-15 at the foul line). And then he said this, in case anyone questions whether he still can get it done: "The only skeptics than can skepticize me are the skeptics that have been where I've been." No idea what it means, but it sounds good. * Setting aside the ..."

Shaq says he'll get LeBron to dunk if NBA's stars join the field

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January 20

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Shaquille O'Neal knows fans are disappointed LeBron James seems to be skipping the Slam Dunk Contest. But he has a solution, albeit a long-shot one. O'Neal promised to talk James in to taking part in the event over All-Star Weekend in Dallas next month if a couple more high-profile stars will join him. "As his manager, I will only allow LeBron to do the dunk contest if Vince Carter comes back out, if Kobe [Bryant] comes back out and if another big name comes back out," O'Neal said. "And if we can get a big prize and half of the money go to the people of Haiti and the other half to the winner." James said last year he'd do the contest but hedged in recent months. He didn't commit last week ..."

Shaq's big shoulders help lift Cleveland Cavaliers past pesky Toronto, 108-100

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January 20

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"There's a decent chance the Cavaliers could end up playing the improving Toronto Raptors in the playoffs in a few months. Whether it is the Raptors, who hit The Q as winners of 10 of their last 13 games Tuesday night, or not, it is pretty clear that when that time comes the role of Shaquille O'Neal is going to grow. It wasn't exactly a playoff style game, but the Cavs' 108-100 victory with O'Neal as a valuable difference maker showed how such an affair might unfold later. LeBron James was remarkable in his across-the-board production. Mo Williams shrugged off a shoulder injury and his recent slump with a strong all-around performance. But it was O'Neal who provided the wedge that brought ..."

Shaq's big shoulders help lift Cleveland; scores 28,000 career point

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January 20

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"There's a decent chance the Cavaliers could end up playing the improving Toronto Raptors in the playoffs in a few months. Whether it is the Raptors, who hit The Q as winners of 10 of their last 13 games Tuesday night, or not, it is pretty clear that when that time comes the role of Shaquille O'Neal is going to grow. It wasn't exactly a playoff style game, but the Cavs' 108-100 victory with O'Neal as a valuable difference maker showed how such an affair might unfold later. LeBron James was remarkable in his across-the-board production. Mo Williams shrugged off a shoulder injury and his recent slump with a strong all-around performance. But it was O'Neal who provided the wedge that brought ..."

Cavs' big duo aims for title

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January 14

Salt Lake Tribune

"Twenty minutes after a recent 99-97 loss to the Denver Nuggets, Cleveland's Shaquille O'Neal stood alone in front of his locker deep inside the Pepsi Center. While two dozen media-types crowded around LeBron James, interrupting each other with questions and holding their breath during every response, O'Neal dressed in relative privacy 30 feet away. Yes, life is different these days for Shaq, also known as the Big Aristotle, also known as the greatest player of the post-Jordan generation. The center of attention since his high-school days, O'Neal is now a 37-year-old piece to the puzzle. The Cavaliers acquired Shaq last summer, when they sent Ben Wallace, Sasha Pavlovic, a second-round ..."

Aching Turiaf guts it out with Shaq on deck

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January 11

San Francisco Chronicle

"Ronny Turiaf stayed bent at the waist and grimacing in pain on the defensive end while nine other players raced the other direction several times during the Warriors' 108-101 win over Sacramento on Friday. When he grabbed the game-clinching offensive rebound with 1:38 remaining, he called a timeout because there was no way his sprained left knee was going to allow him to go up with a putback attempt. "Every time he goes down, you just hold your breath and hope he gets back up," Stephen Curry said. Turiaf gutted out 29 minutes through knee and ankle pain against Sacramento, recording eight points, three rebounds and four blocks in an effort that inspired teammates. Now, they'll be asking ..."

Cleveland Cavaliers' Shaquille O'Neal sees minutes fall but not effectiveness

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January 11

Contra Costa Times

"Tonight, Cleveland Cavaliers All-NBA forward LeBron James makes his lone appearance in Oakland this season. This time, he's got his new sidekick in center Shaquille O'Neal. Never mind the Hall of Fame-bound O'Neal is approaching 38, plays fewer than 23 minutes a game and is on pace to set career lows in points, rebounds and field goal percentage. Any matchup against O'Neal is still a big deal against the under-sized Warriors. Just ask center Ronny Turiaf. He said he told teammate Vladimir Radmanovic that he regretted playing defense in the first game against O'Neal last season. Turiaf said O'Neal punished him after that. "I regret playing good defense against Shaq one game last year," ..."

The Shaq Effect: O'Neal delivers needed muscle as Cavaliers outduel the Lakers' big men

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December 26

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Friday was why the Cavaliers got Shaquille O'Neal. O'Neal finished with 11 points and seven rebounds in 22 productive minutes of the Cavaliers' 102-87 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday afternoon. But it wasn't the specifics of that line as much as the effect he had. He was the centerpiece in a big lineup that featured him with, alternately, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Anderson Varejao, Jamario Moon and/or J.J. Hickson, the Cavs were able to neutralize the Lakers' size advantage and pretty much dominate from start to finish. With O'Neal matching Pau Gasol's 11 points and six rebounds, the Cavs trio of O'Neal, Ilgauskas and Varejao outscored Gasol, Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom, 22-21, ..."

Fewer points aren't raising Shaquille O'Neal's ire

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December 22

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"With the way his role with the Cavaliers has shaped up, it has been hard to tell whether or not Shaquille O'Neal is in a slump. Without being a featured member of the offense and playing the fewest minutes of his career, there's no doubt O'Neal is handling a significant role adjustment that will come with an adjustment in statistics. Heading into his return to Phoenix Monday night, O'Neal was averaging seven fewer minutes a game than when he was an All-Star with the Suns last season. Not once has the veteran complained about his role or that he's getting almost three fewer shots per game than a year ago. His positive attitude hasn't wavered since the first day of training camp. However, ..."

Suns host Cavaliers for 1st time since Shaq's departure

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December 21

Arizona Republic

"The Suns are not going to advance in the playoffs without the ability to play up to the level of good teams. They also proved they will not be in the playoffs without faring decently against the NBA's better half. The Suns missed last season's playoffs after going 15-28 against teams that finished .500 or better. Monday night's game at US Airways Center offers a large reminder of that failure. It's large in the form of Shaquille O'Neal, making his first return since the Suns traded him in June. It's large in that Cleveland is a top team by which to gauge the Suns' true standing among the NBA's elite eight. This season, Phoenix (18-9) is a respectable 5-7 against teams with current winning ..."

Banged-up Shaquille O'Neal comforts fans with eye-catching humor

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December 13

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"In the wee hours of Saturday morning, Shaquille O'Neal sent out a message of reassurance to the Cavaliers and his fans. "Eye see you all," he wrote from his Twitter account, THE_REAL_SHAQ, at about 2 a.m. Accompanying the words was a close-up picture of his noggin with the focus on his left eye, perhaps a bit swollen and reddened, but otherwise seeming to match its right-sided twin. After a poke by Portland center Joel Pryzbilla in the third quarter of Friday's victory over the Trail Blazers sent O'Neal to the Cleveland Clinic, he wanted to let everyone know that he might have been knocked out of the game, but he's not out for long. O'Neal is questionable for tonight's game against the ..."

Banged-up Shaq questionable tonight

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December 13

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"In the wee hours of Saturday morning, Shaquille O'Neal sent out a message of reassurance to the Cavaliers and his fans. "Eye see you all," he wrote from his Twitter account, THE_REAL_SHAQ, at about 2 a.m. Accompanying the words was a close-up picture of his noggin with the focus on his left eye, perhaps a bit swollen and reddened, but otherwise seeming to match its right-sided twin. After a poke by Portland center Joel Pryzbilla in the third quarter of Friday's victory over the Trail Blazers sent O'Neal to the Cleveland Clinic, he wanted to let everyone know that he might have been knocked out of the game, but he's not out for long. O'Neal is questionable for tonight's game against the ..."

O'Neal suffered a bruised left eye, not expected to miss time

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December 12

Cleveland Plain Dealer

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"It is hard to attach the word underrated to any sentence that includes the name LeBron James, but that may indeed be the case when in comes to the Cavalier star's rivalry with his counterpart from Portland. Even before Friday night, James and Trail Blazers' franchise player Brandon Roy already had some good matchups, including a game in 2008 when James scored over Roy in the final seconds for a one-point win. This edition wasn't quite as exciting, but the young stars did stage a quality fourth-quarter battle that should have satisfied the national television audience. Both were controlling the ball and everything the offense did while coming up with some clutch defensive plays. In the end, ..."

Rockets frustrate James, Cavs

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December 10

San Antonio Express-News

"Shaquille O'Neal had been shut down. LeBron James was kept relatively in check most of the night Wednesday. The Rockets had kept the Cavaliers in the halfcourt, started quickly and led by as much as 18. There was, however, one more piece of business to address. Eventually, the Rockets had to put the ball in the basket down the stretch. James had driven the Cavaliers back to within five when the Rockets hit back with one more sweep of scoring, pulling away for a 95-85 win, their sixth win in Toyota Center in James' seven seasons. James had 13 fourth-quarter points to finish with 27, but Cleveland matched its fewest points in a game this season, hitting just 30 of 75 shots and spending much ..."

With Shaq and a beefed-up bench, there's plenty to like about the Cleveland Cavaliers

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December 8

Cleveland Plain Dealer

columnist Brian Windhorst

"It isn't an exact milestone, but at 20 games, Cavaliers are at the quarter-pole of the season. It is about now that teams usually start to take stock of what they have and what they need; what they are doing well and where they need to improve. As the Cavs prepare to face the improved Memphis Grizzlies Tuesday night, they are 15-5 and currently on a four-game winning streak. That has them one game behind the Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics for the best record in the Eastern Conference and a 5.5-game lead in the Central Division over the Milwaukee Bucks. That is two games behind the pace from last season, when the Cavs were 17-3. So what are lessons that have been learned so far? James is ..."

Bad time for big-time flop

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December 7

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

"Sure, the NBA needs marketing help. Its "Where Amazing Happens" slogan is almost as appealing as a New Jersey Nets courtside seat. Occasionally, though, it applies. Take Sunday, for example. That Shaquille O'Neal was called for traveling 22 seconds into the game wasn't exactly it, even if it did qualify as something you don't see every decade. Even if a routine NBA game is subject to more craziness that your typical sporting event, amazing, in this particular case, was a 29-0 run by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Not only that, but a 29-0 run in which LeBron James was barely involved. Not only that, but a 29-0 run instigated by a guy impersonating Delonte West. Not only that, but a 29-0 run that ..."

'King James' and Shaq come to town

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December 6

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

"Brandon Jennings will meet another player who has scored 55 points at the Bradley Center when the Milwaukee Bucks return to their home court Sunday. Brandon, meet King James. LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal and the Cleveland Cavaliers provide the opposition for a rare Sunday matinee, and the Bucks will have center stage on the Wisconsin sports scene, at least for a day. The Green Bay Packers will be resting up for their Monday night clash with the Baltimore Ravens, so it will be about pro basketball on this Sunday with a tip-off time of 2 p.m. "It's going to be a big game with LeBron, Shaq and Mo Williams coming back to town," Bucks guard Charlie Bell said. "There's no Packer game, so it's ..."

Notes: Shaq solid in 1st game vs. Suns

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December 3

Arizona Republic

"Cavaliers center Shaquille O'Neal picked Suns guard Steve Nash off the floor before playing against his former Suns teammates for the first time Wednesday night. O'Neal put down Nash gently, and the Suns reciprocated that treatment during the game, a 107-90 Cavaliers victory. O'Neal played only 21 minutes, but he was Cleveland's leading rebounder with nine and scored 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting. He scored the Cavaliers' first points of the game when he hammered his replacement, Channing Frye, under the basket for a score on a deep post-up. O'Neal later posted up Amar'e Stoudemire for a dunk, got a rebound and posted up Frye again while showing some uncharacteristic effort in chasing ..."

Suns don't blame Shaq for down season

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December 2

Arizona Republic

"The Suns don't want to say they are better off without Shaquille O'Neal, especially when they are about to face him Wednesday night for the first time since his off-season trade to Cleveland. The Suns' record speaks for them. They can tiptoe around stating the benefits of O'Neal's absence, but the change in success, speed, spirit and synergy is undeniable. The Big Cactus was fun but made for a prickly presence because his size - and personality - can be overwhelming. Even his surprise All-Star season and good health left Phoenix shy of the playoffs, although many Suns wonder what would have been if Amar'e Stoudemire had not been lost for the season's final two months. Ultimately, the Suns ..."

O'Neal bears no animosity toward former teammates

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December 2

Akron Beacon Journal

"Shaquille O'Neal goes up to the basket during preseason game against the Charlotte Bobcats at Quicken Loans Arena on Oct. 6. (Phil Masturzo/Akron Beacon Journal) INDEPENDENCE: Shaquille O'Neal has no hard feelings about playing the Phoenix Suns tonight at Quicken Loans Arena. The Cavaliers acquired him in an offseason trade with the Suns. O'Neal played a season and a half with the Suns, but often looked out of place in their uptempo offense. O'Neal said that he's glad to see the Suns playing well. ''I still have a bunch of friends on the team,'' he said. ''They're playing well, but for us, it's just another game against a good team. It will be a good test for us.'' The Suns have the NBA's ..."

Star of this night was Bobcats

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November 28

Charlotte Observer

"LeBron, begone. For one night, the Charlotte Bobcats were the big story in Friday's 94-87 win against Cleveland. For one night, Gerald "Crash" Wallace (31 points, 14 rebounds, a half-dozen spills to the floor) outplayed LeBron James (25 points, six rebounds, six turnovers). For one night, Shaquille O'Neal looked 200 years old, and the Bobcats looked fully caffeinated and completely engaging. For one night, before their first sellout crowd of the season, everything was right in the Bobcats' world. These are the sort of nights that make you think the Bobcats (6-9) can really do something with this season. They sprinted to a 24-point lead during the third quarter, held Cleveland off during a ..."