That OKC guard is making Shaq look very good. Where he was being dragged for dissenting from the popular MVP choice, Shaquille O’Neal’s contender for MVP is proving why Oklahoma City Thunder is the top-seeded team by taking them 94-92 over the Pelicans in Game 1 of the playoffs. Shai Gilgeous Alexander alone went 28 points in the game. Leave it to Chuck to cramp his style.

The TNT crew was savoring SGA’s clutch moment with the shot with 32 seconds left on the clock, when Shaq casually stated, “The MVP is so smooth.” He means Shai who’s his pick.  Charles Barkley wanted to be just as ‘cool.’ He quoted Stuart Scott and said, “Smooth on the other side of the pillow.” Except Kenny had to correct him the real quote is, “Cooler than the other side of the pillow.”

Barkley just gave Shaq the opening to tease him once more with, “Only dummies will mess up this quote.” Glossing over the fact that Chuck sort of agreed with Shaq’s MVP pick, that gave birth to another running joke this broadcast.

Those who would remember, the late sportscaster, Stuart Scott said that phrase to describe an NFL player keeping his calm in the face of an aggressive opponent. That does apply to Shai. His free through that put Thunder ahead at 93-90 even had the crowd chanting “M-V-P!” He’s officially an MVP finalist leading the youngest team to the top. There’s another race going on in Studio J though.

Victory will be sweeter for Shaq’s MVP

Chuckster’s single Scott misquote and the Oklahoma City thriller inspired a subtle race for one-liners through the highlights. Kenny quoted Chuck himself, “Dang that shoot!” for Chet Holmgren making a viable case for Rookie of the Year. Shaq sort of distracted them with “The blacker the berry, the sweeter the water.”

That one is still giving online users a chuckle. Shaq’s looking rather cheery ever since SGA was announced as finalist along with Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic. Since the start of 2024, O’Neal’s been pitting SGA over Doncic for MVP. His choice wasn’t the popular one at TNT and on social media but he stuck to it. He doubled down on it every week, citing Shai’s ability to come in clutch every game, involving his teammates, and an impressive stat-line.

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Before, he even had a whole debate with the Inside Guys on the MVP criteria. Now maybe Chuck’s coming around if he thinks SGA was “cooler than the other side of the pillow.” Who wins the MVP title though is as much as a nailbiter as this Thunder-Pelicans game. We’ll have to see if Shaq gets the last word.