Of all the random nicknames Shaquille O'Neal has accrued over the years, one has to be the randomest: "The Big Deporter." Ever wonder where it comes from?
Here's the story: En route to the first of his four NBA titles in 2000, Shaq and the Lakers had to topple two basketball heavyweights of the day, Portland and Indiana, in the Western Conference finals and NBA Finals respectively. Shaq found himself matched up with a pair of international stars at the center position — the Blazers' Arvydas Sabonis and the Pacers' Rik Smits — and he flat-out humiliated them both.
Here are the numbers. In L.A.'s seven-game series win over Portland to win the West, Shaq averaged 25.9 points and 12.4 rebounds per game, leading all players in both categories. Sabonis countered with just 8.3 points and 5.6 boards per game — and he shot just 31.3 percent despite living in the low post.
In the Finals, Shaq took it to another level. He averaged 38.0 points, 16.7 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game. Those are numbers unheard of since the days of Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain. Smits managed just 10.0 points and 4.0 boards for the Pacers, who were dead to rights in six games.
After the postseason, both opposing centers joked about fleeing the country to rid themselves of Shaq. Turns out they weren't kidding — Smits retired that summer and returned to his native Netherlands, while Sabonis walked away from the Blazers a year later and played professionally in his home country of Lithuania.
Ironically, Shaq is now being brought to Boston to replace Rasheed Wallace, who retired after losing the NBA Finals to — you know it — the Lakers.
NESN.com will showcase one Moment of Shaq every day until the Celtics open the season against the Heat on Oct. 26 at the TD Garden.
Sept. 21: Shaq faces even more alleged hacking charges.
