During his illustrious career, NBA icon Shaquille O’Neal was a formidable presence on the court. With numerous accolades and multiple NBA championships to his name, the Los Angeles Lakers legend has achieved remarkable success. However, there is one aspect where Shaq has faced challenges: his performance in elimination games.

Despite being widely regarded as the most dominant player in the game, the 51-year-old has received criticism from a Philadelphia 76ers legend. Following a thrilling game 6 victory by the Boston Celtics over the Miami Heat, which resulted in a tied series and the necessity of a game 7, O’Neal faced criticism from the Philadelphia 76ers legend. Who is this prominent figure from the 76ers who believe Shaq’s value is overestimated? Let us find out.

A Philadelphia 76ers legend takes a jab at Shaquille O’Neal

Ernie Johnson has established himself as a well-known figure in the NBA media industry for an extensive duration. Presently, he finds great fulfillment in his role on Turner TV’s “Inside the NBA” segment, alongside his colleagues, including Shaq. One of Johnson’s regular segments on the show, titled “EJ’s Neto Stat of the Night,” involves sharing intriguing statistics about NBA players and teams. In a recent episode, he presented his co-hosts’ statistics specifically related to their performances in elimination games.

Shaq has a notably low winning record in elimination games, having won only 6 out of 12 and averaging 25 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 assists in those games. In contrast, his co-host Kenny Smith boasts an impressive record of 10 wins and 3 losses in elimination games. At this juncture, a former Philadelphia 76ers legend seized the opportunity to criticize Shaq, labeling him as “overrated.”

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Philadelphia 76ers legend Charles Barkley holds a better record than Shaq while facing elimination. The 1993 NBA MVP has a 14-12 record while averaging 22 points, 13 rebounds, and 4 assists. After noticing his co-host’s poor record, Barkley started poking the 7’1 legend. Barkley says “Shaq you got only 10 rebounds?”. Barkley also called him “overrated” to which Shaq questions “How am I overrated?” The Chuckster replies “6 and 12”, to which Shaq adds “and 4 rings.”

The Philadelphia 76ers Legend’s ringless NBA career

Charles Barkley, a renowned basketball player with a Hall of Fame career, achieved numerous accolades such as MVP honors, All-Star recognition, and All-NBA honors. However, the one significant achievement that eluded him throughout his NBA career was an NBA championship. Barkley’s team faced the formidable Michael Jordan and the Bulls when they reached the NBA Finals once. Despite Barkley’s outstanding performances in the Finals, he fell short of securing the championship.

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In a bid to enhance his team’s championship prospects, Barkley accepted a reduced salary during his tenure with the Houston Rockets, allowing the addition of Scottie Pippen to the roster. Unfortunately, this endeavor did not yield the desired results. In his later seasons, Barkley lost his prime, eventually retiring without a championship ring.

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