The NBA Playoffs are underway, and it’s already looking really good…that is, unless you’re a Memphis Grizzlies fan. How do you come back from that? That’s another story for another day. Today, it’s all about our man Shaq’s thoughts about a different series..
Playoff time means nothing if not predictions and second-guessing your bracket picks. No surprise then, that our favorite Inside the NBA crew is serving up hot takes hotter than a Miami sidewalk in July. For this first Playoff Edition (of hot takes, that is), our man Shaq wasted zero time before dropping a hammer on one of his old squads — the Orlando Magic.
On Sunday night, while discussing the opening weekend of playoff games, Shaq had a tough love moment for the franchise that helped launch his Hall of Fame career.
“Orlando will be lucky to win one game,” he said on-air. “I love the organization. But they’re not at full strength, and they don’t have the depth to keep up with Boston. If Franz and Paolo aren’t doing everything, it’s a wrap.”
The Magic had Celtics fans sweating a little in the first half of Game 1, taking a 47-46 lead into halftime on the back of a surprisingly hot shooting performance. But as Shaq predicted, the magic ran out. Orlando only managed 16 points in the third quarter and 15 in the fourth, falling hard 103-86.
O’Neal pointed to missing players like Jalen Suggs and Moritz Wagner as major issues, and he wasn’t wrong — the team just couldn’t find consistent offense once Boston locked in.
“They’re better at full strength,” Shaq explained. “But this version of the Magic? This is either a sweep or a gentleman’s sweep. I’m sorry, it’s just not their year.”
Twitter (or X, if you’re being fancy) exploded the moment Shaq made the call:
- 🧙♂️ @OrlandoFaithful: “Shaq really hit us with the fatality before Game 2 even tipped off 💀”
- 🍀 @BostonBleedsGreen: “Shaq said what we were all thinking. Let the sweep begin.”
- 🤦♂️ @MagicFanMike: “Shaq got inducted into the Magic Hall of Fame just to tell us we’re doomed on national TV. Respect.”
- 😂 @NBAHoopsJunkie: “Orlando led at halftime and Shaq still pronounced them dead. That man is cold.”
And just to balance it out, a few hopeful fans fired back:
- 🌈 @MagicMiracle2024: “We took the lead in Boston! Don’t count us out yet. We’re young but scrappy!”
- 🧢 @SuggsSzn: “If we can steal Game 2, it’s a whole new series. Don’t let Shaq’s prediction shake y’all.”
Meanwhile, other first-round matchups around the league kept the drama level high. The Nuggets took care of the Lakers in Denver, 115-100. The Knicks narrowly survived the Sixers 108-104, and the Timberwolves shocked the Suns 111-99.
But no matchup drew a more savage breakdown than Magic-Celtics, courtesy of the Diesel.
“It’s not personal,” Shaq said. “It’s just basketball. And Boston is serious about that trophy.”
Let’s see if Orlando can prove him wrong — or if Shaq’s “magic trick” this postseason is making them disappear.