Imago
Credits: IMAGN
Imago
Credits: IMAGN
Emotions are running hot and cold in both LA and Dallas. The boos after the Mavericks traded Luka Doncic turned into cheers when Anthony Davis arrived. However, the hype quickly switched to dismay when the 10x NBA All-Star got injured. And not to mention, the trade decision is still getting trolled and scrutinized. It happened once again on TNT’s famous segment. And this time by none other than Shaquille O’Neal, as he roasted another Mavericks player.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
The best platform O’Neal uses to troll the hilarious happenings in the NBA is the Shaqtin-a-Fool segment on TNT. And he’s back with another five top moments, where the No. 2 spot went to Mavericks star P.J. Washington. The player was spotted doing an unnecessary hop while guarding Rockets player Amen Thompson.
This particular defensive move wasn’t effective and yielded no results, as Thompson successfully scored. However, it was the hilarious jump that caught Shaq’s attention, and he quickly pointed out the poor defense. “Number two, P.J. Washington Jr. You must have studied Chuck’s film on defense. Olé, olé,” Shaq trolled him for having learned defense from Charles Barkley. Chuck, during his playing days, wasn’t great on defense.
Top Stories
Washington is known for his defensive game. Earlier, when he joined the Mavericks, he had displayed truly great defense. He has a defensive rating of 111.7 this season. And while speaking of the Mavericks’ defense, the crew had to bring up the latest trade that is causing ripples across the league.
The clip of the game was followed by the interview clip of Mavericks GM Nico Harrison, where he explained the importance of defense in the team. “I believe that defense wins championships. I believe that getting an All-Defensive center and an All-NBA player with a defensive mindset gives us a better chance. We’re built to win now and in the future,” he said to Mavericks insider Tim MacMahon.
Imago
Dec 27, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington (25) against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Kudos to the editing team who edited a fake online portal which read, “welcome Harrison” and the trade being “complete”. As the cursor moved to “undo” the decision, a small cut out of Washington restricted it. “Niko, I love you, Niko,” O’Neal can be heard saying. This was serious editing skills! Why did he do that?
How serious is Anthony Davis’ injury?
Well, right from the beginning, the experts had massive concerns regarding the deal. One of the doubts that Chuck had voiced was for the Los Angeles Lakers. Both Doncic and LeBron James were ball-dominant players, and Chuck believed that teaming those two up was probably not the best idea.
Imago
Feb 8, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) falls to the court during the second quarter against the Houston Rockets at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
While many argued that the Dallas Mavericks were the most advantageous party here, others pointed out issues that could cause trouble for the team. One concern was Davis’ health. Davis had a history of injuries. He is great on defense and certainly a great choice made by Harrison. Davis can provide major help in leading the Mavericks alongside Kyrie Irving.
In his debut game for the team, he was great, hitting 26 points and 16 rebounds. However, a nightmare struck in the third quarter when he sustained an injury. Fortunately, he likely will not require surgery, as per insider Shams Charania. While that’s a good sign, Davis will seemingly require some time for proper rehab and recovery. For the Mavericks, who have suffered quite a few injuries this season, Davis will need to elevate their defense.
Written by
Edited by
Masaba Naqvi