Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant were co-MVPs of the 2009 NBA All-Star Game in Phoenix. (GETTY IMAGES)

No matter how much they try to detach from each other, Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant will forever be linked in Lakers lore.

The duo brought home three consecutive championships to the franchise and reached the NBA Finals four times in five seasons. The Shaq-and-Kobe era gave Laker fans a multitude of unforgettable moments, including the spectacular alley-oop play to clinch the Western Conference championship in 2000, the dominant 15-1 playoff run in 2001, and the sweep three-peat in 2002. Oh, they also had legendary battles off the court, which oftentimes overshadowed their accomplishments on the court. But that’s to be expected given the enormous egos both players possess.

At the end of the day, Shaq and Kobe are a part of a very important chapter in Lakers history.

Another page was added to that chapter in Philadelphia on Monday, Feb. 6, after Bryant passed O’Neal on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, moving into fifth place with just Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan, Karl Malone and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar ahead of him. The 33-year-old Bryant, the NBA’s leading scorer with 29.4 points, has 28,601 career points – all wearing the purple and gold jersey.

Bryant said it was an honor to pass O’Neal because of their history together.

“All the battles we’ve been in, the playoff battles, the duo that we’ve been able to form,” Bryant said after his historic night in his hometown, where he has been booed loudly on each visit. “When you (consider) the championships, it makes it a little more significant.”

Bryant’s record-setting night wasn’t lost on O’Neal. The Big Fella sent a congratulatory note to Bryant via Twitter and thanked Kobe for helping form one of the greatest 1-2 punches in NBA history. Shaq’s tweet:

O’Neal retired after the 2011 season. He no longer is interested in petty battles with his old foe Kobe, and if you notice he’s going out of his way to praise his former teammate every chance he gets. Shaq is smart enough to realize that he looks like a bitter old guy if he continued his pot shots at Kobe. Bryant will go down as the greatest Laker of all time and Shaq won’t be too far behind. They may not be great friends off the court, but they’re both realizing what they brought to the game when they set aside their differences, which they did for the most part.

Shaq’s message to Kobe appears to be genuine, and he has said on several occasions that Kobe is the best player he’s ever seen. Remember, it was Shaq who put his arms around a then 18-year-old Bryant when he air-balled those two shots in the 1997 playoff game against Utah. And it was Shaq who called Kobe “the best player on the planet” during the Lakers’ playoff series against San Antonio in 2001.

The Colorado sexual assault case in 2004 drove a huge stake into their relationship, which neither man has never gotten over. Kobe was mad at Shaq for “not calling him” after he was charged with rape while Shaq was upset with Kobe for “throwing him under the bus” with the statements he made to Colorado authorities about paying women to keep quiet, and Kobe dug himself an ever deeper whole when he unleashed on Shaq in his interview with Jim Gray.

Time heals all wounds, and that appears to be the case with both MEN. Yes, they are now men not boys. Over time, they have to realize that they have to let go of the past and move on. When it is all said and done and both are long gone from the game, Kobe will realize how important Shaq was to his legacy and Shaq will realize how important Kobe was to his legacy.

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

Clippers forward Blake Griffin excited Staples Center - and the World Wide Web - with his dunk against the Oklahoma City Thunder. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Before we go completely gaga over Blake Griffin’s thunderous dunk (or throwdown) over Kendrick Perkins, let’s take a step back and avoid being a prisoner of the moment.

Griffin’s aerial assault on Jan. 30 against the Oklahoma City Thunder was spectacular and deserved all the attention it received the past couple of days. But to proclaim it as the best dunk in NBA history, like many were calling it on Twitter, is a complete knee-jerk reaction and a little farfetched. There was a whole lot of hyperbole going around the Web when Griffin posterized Perkins. Even LeBron James, who has seen or done better dunks in the past, got caught up in the moment.

In case you haven’t seen Blake’s dunk, click here.

Was it the best dunk ever? Before you answer that question, slow your roll and check out these 10 dunks. They all may be equal to or better than Griffin’s slam.

10) BARON DAVIS LOWERS THE BOOM ON ANDREI KIRILENKO AND THE JAZZ

9) SHAQUILLE O’NEAL BRINGS DOWN THE HOUSE (AND THE BACKBOARD) IN NEW JERSEY

8) DWYANE WADE PUNKS KENDRICK PERKINS AND DOES THE CABBAGE PATCH

7) KEVIN JOHNSON POSTERIZES HAKEEM OLAJUWON IN A 1994 PLAYOFF GAME

6) LEBRON JAMES “WITH NO REGARD FOR HUMAN LIFE!” AGAINST THE CELTICS

5) SHAWN KEMP TOMAHAWKS THE WARRIORS IN THE 1992 PLAYOFFS

4) JULIUS “DR. J” ERVING ROCKS THE CRADLE ON MICHAEL COOPER

3) MICHAEL JORDAN SPINS BASELINE AND THROWS IT DOWN ON PATRICK EWING AT THE GARDEN

2) DOMINIQUE WILKINS: THE ORIGINAL HUMAN HIGHLIGHT REEL

1) VINCE CARTER LEAPS OVER 7-FOOT FREDERIC WEIS IN THE OLYMPICS

Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook form a lethal combo for the Oklahoma City Thunder. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant are arguably the best 1-2 combination in the NBA. But whenever you have two headstrong 23-year-old superstars on the same team playing for the same goals chances are they’ll have some disagreements.

That ugly scenario played out in a game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday, Dec. 28, as Durant and Westbrook were seen having a heated discussion on the bench during a timeout. It was the second public dispute between the two young stars, the first occurred during last season’s playoff series against the Denver Nuggets. The latest argument became a media sensation, especially on Twitter, and some tweets went as far as suggesting the Thunder should trade Westbrook.

Both players brushed off the incident and Durant told reporters on Thursday that the whole thing was blown out of proportion. “It happens every single day. Teams go through emotions, things happen,” Durant said. “It’s a competitive sport. Everybody’s not going to always come in and be happy every single day.”

Those who were calling for Westbrook’s dismissal should take a minute and think about the repercussions of such a move. Westbrook is a gifted athlete blessed with unbelievable quickness. The only other guard with the same athletic ability is probably Derrick Rose, the league’s reigning MVP. Rose and Westbrook are unique talents who don’t come around often. They don’t grow on trees and you certainly can’t buy them at some Canadian pharmacy.

Of all the basketball pundits who chimed in on the Westbrook-Durant situation it was the recently retired Shaquille O’Neal who had the most interesting take. “Sometimes rifts can be a good thing,” O’Neal said on TNT’s “Inside the NBA” prior to Oklahoma City’s home game against the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday. It was an interesting comment coming from a guy who endured a very contentious relationship with Kobe Bryant when they were teammates in Los Angeles. The arguments between Westbrook and Durant are minor aftershocks compared to the Shaq-and-Kobe feud.

O’Neal said former Lakers coach Phil Jackson afforded his players a two-minute “rift session” to air things out. Once that’s over and done with, Jackson then reels in the combatants and asks them to return to the circle and move on from the argument. It worked. Despite their disdain for one another, O’Neal and Bryant teamed up for three straight NBA championships and reached the NBA Finals four times in five seasons.

Before their messy divorce in 2004 when O’Neal was traded to the Miami Heat and Kobe was blamed for Shaq’s departure, O’Neal and Bryant made the Lakers the most lethal team in the NBA. O’Neal dominated the interior while Bryant lit guys up from the perimeter. So, for those who say two players who dislike can’t coexist, Shaq and Kobe dismissed that theory. They may not have jived off the court, but on the court they made a lot of noise.

Durant has said on many occasions that he supports Westbrook 100 percent and the feeling is mutual with Westbrook. Thunder coach Scott Brooks is also saying all the right things, suggesting that Westbrook is “special” and the team and the coaching staff are not ready to give up on the former UCLA star.

The Thunder could learn something from the Shaq-Kobe episode. Management would be foolish to give up on a tandem that averaged nearly 50 points per game last season. Brooks and general manager Sam Presti need to be patient with the highly emotional Westbrook and allow him to figure things out on his own. Durant and Westbrook get along just fine off the court. They just need to find that harmony on the court. Oklahoma City is ready to play for a championship, and Durant needs Westbrook to make it happen.

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

With the retirement of Shaquille O'Neal (left), Orlando's Dwight Howard now stand alone as the NBA's most dominant big center. (GETTY IMAGES)

Shaquille O’Neal playfully boasts that he is the last true dominant center in the NBA. He would even gloss himself with nicknames such as MDE (Most Dominant Ever) or Wilt Chamberneezy, an ode to the late great Wilt Chamberlain. But is Shaq right? Is he the last of the prolific big men who commanded double teams on a nightly basis, averaging 25 points per game and walking the path paved by all-time greats like Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing and David Robinson?

Last season, only three centers were in the top 20 in the league in scoring: Dwight Howard, Andrea Bargnani and Brook Lopez. And Bargnani is more of a forward than a classic back-to-the-basket big man who does most of his work in the paint. Howard had the highest scoring average among true NBA centers in 2010-11, but his 22.9 average fell short of the very high bar set by the Hall-of-Famers who came before him.

In the last 10 years, only two centers have been ranked in the top 10 in scoring. One of them, Tim Duncan, prefers to play power forward. Who was the last center to lead the NBA in scoring? It’s the man with more nicknames than Apollo Creed . . . Shaquille O’Neal. Shaq’s 29.7 scoring average in the 1999-2000 season earned The Big Diesel his second NBA scoring title. It was also the same season Shaq won the trifecta: regular season MVP, All-Star game MVP, and NBA Finals MVP.

So what has happened to the dominant big men?

“The game has evolved,” TNT analyst and former Indiana Pacer Reggie Miller recently said on NBA TV. “The notion that you had to have a dominant center to win championships is not the case anymore.”

Miller added, “Personally to me, the change really started in 1992 with the Dream Team and in ’96 with Dream Team 2 because if you look at the European big men they are not as dominant as a Shaq or a David Robinson or a Hakeem Olajuwon. They are more pick-and-pop players. Now that they’re in the NBA, that’s where the game has started to evolve.”

The center position, once thought of as the marquee position in basketball, has become an afterthought. If you scour current NBA rosters and find each team’s starting center, some of the names won’t strike fear in anyone: Marcin Gortat, Kwame Brown, Jason Collins, Roy Hibbert, Anderson Varejao, Samuel Dalembert, and Darko Milicic. Last season’s NBA finalist, the Miami Heat, reached the championship series with Joel Anthony as its starting center.

Successful NBA teams such as the Dallas Mavericks, Heat, Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics and New York Knicks have built their post-up strategies using hybrid big men such as Dirk Nowitzki, Chris Bosh, Pau Gasol, Kevin Garnett and Amare Stoudemire. They all could play center and play with their back to the basket, but all five would rather face the basket and shoot jumpers.

Former Atlanta Hawks player and current NBA TV analyst Steve Smith believes the zone defense has eliminated the value of a classic low-post player, and added that coaches at the youth level don’t teach post moves to young players.

“No one is teaching the big guys the fundamentals,” Smith said, “and we don’t glorify a guy rebounding, playing defense and playing down in the post. I think it’s a lost art.”

Shaq said while he was growing up he had guys like Ewing and Olajuwon to emulate, centers who played the position like it was supposed to be played. But these days, high school big men never develop an inside game because they don’t have a template to follow.

Will we ever see another Shaquille O’Neal? “With all due respect to Dwight Howard, we will never see [another Shaq] a guy who dominated from block to block,” Miller said. “It’s all about highlights now. It’s not about dominating. It’s about looking good.”

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

Shaquille O'Neal, who played for the Magic, Lakers, Heat, Suns, Cavaliers and Celtics, announced his retirement via the social media, ending his 19-year run in the NBA. (GETTY IMAGES)

Shaquille O’Neal officially announced his retirement on June 1, 2011. Leave it up to Shaq to make such a stunning announcement using the latest social media outlet. In his video post on Tout.com, Shaq said: “We did it. 19 years baby. I want to thank you very much. That’s why I’m telling you first. I’m about to retire. Love you. Talk to you soon.”

One of the greatest players in NBA history, and one of the most entertaining figures in the world, is officially calling it quits. In honor of the man with more nicknames than Apollo Creed and arguably one of the five greatest centers in the history of basketball, here are his 19 greatest moments for each of his 19 seasons. His glorious and colorful Hall-of-Fame career brought many great highlights in Orlando, Los Angeles, Miami, Phoenix, Cleveland and Boston. He won four NBA championships, three NBA Finals MVPs, one regular season MVP and countless outlandish one-liners. A look at his most memorable moments:

19) One of Shaq’s best attributes was his quick wit. He got a kick out of giving everyone nicknames, from teammates to opponents. He gave Paul Pierce the nickname “The Truth”; he was responsible for Dwyane Wade’s “Flash” moniker; and he tagged Tim Duncan “The Big Fundamental.” He also gave Kobe Bryant a nickname, but unfortunately we can’t publish it.

18) As a rookie in 1992-93, O’Neal brought the house down – literally – in Phoenix when he pulled down the entire basket stanchion on a follow-up dunk against Charles Barkley and the Phoenix Suns. It was Shaq’s coming-out-party since the game was on national TV and the NBA was dying to showcase a young bright star in case Michael Jordan retires and decides to play baseball. In the same season, the legend of Shaq grew even bigger when he shattered a backboard in New Jersey with the force of his dunk, and the shot clock clipped him on the head.

17) Shaq won the NBA Rookie of the Year in the 1992-93 season, helping turn the Magic into one of the biggest draws in the league. With Shaq front and center, Orlando went from a 21-win team to a 41-win team.

16) Who could forget Neon Boudeaux? OK, his performance in “Blue Chips” probably wasn’t Oscar-worthy but it pretty much summarized Shaq’s basketball career. It lacked substance at times, there were some bright moments, but overall it was extremely entertaining. “Kazaam!” and “Steel” on the other hand, were simply atrocious. Sorry, Shaq.

15) The Magic won the lottery again in 1994, trading the pick for guard Penny Hardaway. Shaq and Penny formed one of the best tandems in the league and, even though their union was short-lived, it brought the Magic to new heights, winning 50 games in 1993-94 and reaching the NBA Finals in 1995.

14) The best part about those Lakers championships during the Shaq-Kobe era was the postseason celebration. Nobody can get a crowd going better than The Big Entertainer. His rendition of “It Takes Two” in 2001 before 250,000 Laker fans gathered in front of Staples Center was easily the best championship parade in the history of parades. To cap things off, Lakers forward Mark Madsen did his little dance routine (or whatever he was doing) that left everyone in a frenzy.

13) Much has been written and said on how Hakeem Olajuwon “destroyed” Shaq in the ’95 Finals. Statistically speaking, The Diesel averaged 28 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists and 2.5 blocks, while Olajuwon averaged 32 points, 11 rebounds and 2 blocks in the Rockets’ four-game sweep. Sounds like a stalemate in terms of the one-on-one matchup. Just to show there were no hard feelings between the two big men, Shaq and Hakeem shot a Taco Bell commercial in the offseason. Watching the two of them ride a tandem bike was hilarious.

12) The highlight of the 2009 All-Star game in Phoenix was The Big Cactus taking the stage and performing a dance routine with “America’s Best Dance Crew” Jabbawockeez during the pre-game festivities.

11) As a member of Team USA’s dominant 1995 World Championship team in Toronto (also known as Dream Team II), O’Neal was named MVP of the tournament despite not playing heavy minutes. He also starred on the United States Olympic basketball team that won the gold medal in the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta.

10) On March 6, 2000, Shaq celebrated his birthday with a bang! Prior to the game against the Clippers, Shaq was upset the Clippers (the home team for that night at Staples) didn’t provide him with enough tickets. He unleashed his anger on the Clippers by dropping 61 points.

9) Before LeBron James’ much-publicized “Decision” in 2010, there was “Shaq Goes to Hollywood” free-agent saga in the summer of ’96. Thanks to the bright mind of L.A. Lakers general manager Jerry West, the balance of power in the league shifted from the East Coast to the West Coast when O’Neal signed a record-setting $120-million contract to move to L.A., and then the Lakers traded for 18-year-old high school phenom Kobe Bryant on draft night. It was the beginning of the Shaq-Kobe dynasty.

8) Game 7 in Sacramento in 2002 will go down in history as one of the best playoff games in NBA history. The Lakers and Kings played an epic overtime game at Arco Arena, with the Laker prevailing and advancing to the NBA Finals. But after the game, Shaq topped his on-court performance with an off-the-court, impromptu rap dedicated to Vladic Divac. Watch and listen:

7) After being traded to the Miami Heat in summer of 2004, Shaq promised Miami fans that he’ll bring a championship to South Beach. Two years later, that promised was fulfilled as O’Neal and D-Wade led the Heat, coached by the great Pat Riley, past Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks in the 2006 NBA Finals.

6) Shaq was named one of the NBA’s 50 greatest players of all time in 1997 despite having played in only five seasons. The recognition was debated by some basketball experts, but basketball writer Peter Vecsey defended the selection, arguing that O’Neal belongs in the conversation and was already well on his way to becoming one of the dominant players the league has ever seen. As usual, Vecsey was right.

5) The Diesel was extra motivated to play the 76ers in the 2001 NBA Finals because he was going up against Defensive Player of the Year Dikembe Mutombo, who likes to throw his signature finger-wag each time he stuffs his opponent. Shaq never dunked the ball harder in his life during the 2001 Finals, and dropped a few devastating elbows toward Mt. Mutombo’s chest and face. There was one play in which Shaq lifted Mutombo off his feet and exploded for a one-hand slam, showing his awesome power and agility. The Lakers rolled to their second consecutive NBA title, losing only one game in the playoffs. O’Neal captured his second Finals MVP trophy. He averaged 33 points, 16 rebounds and 3.4 blocks against a Sixer squad led by 2001 MVP Allen Iverson.

4) A young 260-pound Shaq exploded onto the basketball scene when he rocked the 1989 McDonald’s High School All-American game with one ferocious coast-to-coast slam dunk. It certainly got a huge rise out of ESPN’s Dick Vitale, who said during the telecast: “Oh! Oh! Oh! I can’t believe! I can’t believe it! That’s a 7-footer!” That play launched a two-decade basketball career is certainly worthy of a spot in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. O’Neal went on to star at LSU for three years before being drafted No. 1 overall by the Orlando Magic in 1992. He finished his NBA career with 28,596 points and shot 58% from the field, both marks are in the top five.

3) Shaq loved the whole Superman persona, and he finally fulfilled his kryptonian side when he pieced together one of the most dominant seasons in NBA history in 1999-2000 when he was named regular season MVP (near unanimous choice), All-Star Game MVP and NBA Finals MVP in leading the Lakers to their first NBA title since 1988. In the Lakers’ six-game series win over the Pacers in The Finals, O’Neal posted some jaw-dropping numbers: 45 minutes per game, 38 points, 16.7 rebounds and 2.7 blocks. During his acceptance speech for winning the regular season MVP, Shaq told the media that he would like to be referred to as The Big Aristotle.

2) The Lakers needed a fantastic finish to cap their stunning comeback in Game 7 of 2000 Western Conference finals against the Portland Trail Blazers and Kobe and Shaq provided that moment. Kobe dribbled to the top of the arc, crossed over Scottie Pippen, and drove to the hoop. Kobe floated a perfect lob pass that only O’Neal and his massive 7-foot-1 frame can reach. The alley-oop dunk punctuated the Lakers’ furious rally and ignited a run of three consecutive NBA championships.

1) Shaquille O’Neal showcased his talent as an entertainer and proved that he’s more than just a basketball talent when he appeared in a music video with the rap group Fu-Schnickens in the early 1990s. It was not only the birth of Shaq Fu, but it was also the beginning of a successful career that went above and beyond the game of basketball. It was a glimpse of what was to come for the next two decades. He was the first professional athlete to cross over to the rap game and be accepted as a true hip-hop artist and not just a novelty act. Shaq appeared with Fu-Schnickens on “The Arsenio Hall Show” in 1992, and from that point on he never stopped being an entertainer. O’Neal released four albums, including “Shaq Diesel” which went platinum. Shaquille’s popularity extends outside of sports. He is a successful entrepreneur, music and film star, and his larger-than-life personality that can lift up an entire planet. He is a true global icon.

Click here to read the best quotes from Shaquille O’Neal

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter at: twitter.com/onemanfastbreak.

The Boston Celtics are Shaquille O'Neal's sixth NBA team. (GETTY IMAGES)

Shaquille O’Neal has become exactly what he dreaded: a token NBA center.

This week, O’Neal agreed to terms with the Boston Celtics, his sixth NBA team and fourth in three years. He had previous stops in Orlando, Los Angeles, Miami, Phoenix and Cleveland. He will make the minimum salary of $1.4 million for the Celtics this season, a far cry from his $20 million contract last year. And he’ll have to come off the bench and back up Jermaine O’Neal – another center well past his prime. Talk about your fall from the NBA pedestal.

Shaquille O’Neal, the self-proclaimed MDE (Most Dominant Ever), the three-time NBA Finals MVP, The Big Diesel, The Big Aristotle and The Big Cactus, has turned into a novelty act. He took a massive pay cut and a reduced role just so he can have another shot at winning a championship. Check that! Just so he can ride on someone else’s bandwagon.

The player once known as the biggest and baddest player on the planet has accepted a small role with the Celtics.

Shaq loves being referred to as The Man of Steel, and despises the fact that Dwight Howard has “stolen” that moniker from him. But Shaq hasn’t been the Superman-like since 2006. He averaged a human-like 12 points and six rebounds last season for Cleveland and when the free agency period began on July 1 there were very little takers for the four-time NBA champion.

Shaq has said more than once that he doesn’t want to be remembered as a guy who hung on too long and played well past his prime. Well, I’ve got news for Shaq. Dude, you are officially hanging on too long.

Patrick Ewing hung on two years too long. He wore the colors of the Seattle SuperSonics and the Orlando Magic the last two years of his 17-year Hall-of-Fame career, the majority of it with the New York Knicks.

Hakeem Olajuwon hung on one year too long. He wore the colors of the Toronto Raptors in the final season of his 18-year Hall-of-Fame career, the majority of it with the Houston Rockets.

And Moses Malone hung on three years too long. He was a bit player for the Milwaukee Bucks, Philadelphia 76ers and San Antonio Spurs in the final three seasons of his 19-year Hall-of-Fame career, highlighted by five dominant seasons with the Rockets and four with the Sixers.

Great NBA players, or great athletes for that matter, just don’t know when to quit. It’s a sad commentary on today’s, as well as yesterday’s, professional athlete. Shaq, who turns 39 in March, has become THAT GUY. He has turned into the player he used to poke fun at when he used to rule the NBA planet. He has become that YMCA baller who hated running up and down fullcourt and preferred to play only 3-on-3 halfcourt. Shaq used to be THE GUY everyone followed. Now, he has become a follower.

Superman has turned into an overweight Clark Kent, and is no longer The Big Headliner on the front pages of the Daily Planet.

Shaquille O'Neal has yet to sign with an NBA team. (GETTY IMAGES)

August is nearly here and Shaquille O’Neal is still a free agent. Not many teams are jumping at the chance to snag The Big Diesel, who is reportedly asking for a two-year deal worth around $8 million. O’Neal will be 39 years old in March and his once imposing presence and larger-than-life reputation has become nothing but a distant memory.

If O’Neal posted his resume on Craigslist it would read something like this: Three-time NBA Finals MVP looking for work …. Funny, outgoing and likes to come up with nicknames …. Prefers to play for a winning program ….  can only work half a season, and preferably just 24 minutes a day  and no more than 150 minutes per week …. Salary: negotiable …. Medical benefits: needs full coverage because of preexisting condition …. Work experience (by city): Orlando, Los Angeles, Miami, Phoenix and Cleveland …. Unique skills: space eater, hard to move, very strong …. Hobbies: likes to rap and dance (part-time member of the hip-hop group Jabbawockeez: America’s Best Dance Crew) …. References: available upon request.

If he retires now, after 18 seasons, O’Neal will leave with four championships, three NBA Finals most valuable player trophies and 15 All-Star game appearances, and he is second all-time in field-goal percentage at .581.

All those numbers are certainly good enough to put him in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass., but they all could have been better.

Shaq says he wanted to leave the game with at least five championships. He won three with the Lakers and one with the Heat, which leaves him one short of his goal. O’Neal could have won more than three with the Lakers, but he wasted a lot of “company time” arguing with Kobe Bryant. He won just one regular season MVP (2000) and never played more than 79 games in each of his eight seasons in L.A.

Although he helped lead the Heat to an NBA title in 2006, it was Dwyane Wade who was named Finals MVP. The last time O’Neal was an MVP was his first year in Miami (2005). From that point on, O’Neal’s scoring average has dropped like the stock market.

His 28,255 points puts him fifth on the all-time list for now, but he could have easily surpassed 30,000 had he not missed more than 5,000 free throws. Last year, he averaged just 12 points and six rebounds – half of what he averages for his career.

There were reports that the Hawks were interested in signing O’Neal, but their interest has diminished. The Celtics, who are in need of big men, toyed with idea of bringing in Shaq to fill the void left by Kendrick Perkins, who is expected to be out until January after knee surgery. Boston ended up signing an O’Neal, but it wasn’t Shaquille. Instead, the Celtics and Jermaine O’Neal agreed to a two-year deal and if Rasheed Wallace comes out of retirement it would be foolish for the Celtics to go after Shaq.

The Spurs were in The Diesel’s radar, but the signing of Brazilian center Tiago Splitter, the best big man in Europe last season, pretty much ended a Shaq-Duncan pairing.

So which teams can afford to fit O’Neal into their plans? Here are seven possible destinations for Shaq:

– New Orleans Hornets: Shaq played at LSU and wouldn’t mind a return to the Bayou. The Hornets have Emeka Okafor as their starting center, but he’s not immune to getting dealt. If the Hornets decide to keep Okafor, O’Neal will have to swallow his pride, take a pay cut and be Okafor’s backup. Not likely to happen, unless Chris Paul tells management that he wants to play with Shaq.

– Milwaukee Bucks: The injury to Andrew Bogut may take a while to heal, so the Bucks are looking to rent a center for a few months. Head coach Scott Skiles still holds Shaq in high regard and has maintained a solid relationship with The Big Aristotle. Shaq would fit right in Milwaukee and be the strong personality in the locker room for the young Bucks.

– Oklahoma City Thunder: OKC acquired 6-11 center Cole Aldrich in the draft, but they certainly wouldn’t mind adding more size to their already very quick and athletic roster. However, Shaq will be a huge liability on both ends of the court and GM Sam Presti may be reluctant to bring in a big personality like the self-proclaimed MDE that would stunt the growth of 21-year-old leaders Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

– Atlanta Hawks: There is still an outside chance that O’Neal signs with the Hawks to bolster their very small frontline. But O’Neal must take less money or else this could be a deal-breaker.

– Boston Celtics: Ditto. If Shaq wants to have another shot at winning a championship ring, the Celtics may be his best opportunity. But, are the Celtics still interested?

– L.A. Clippers: Shaq back in L.A.? Wouldn’t that be something. This would be a longshot given the Clippers’ history of not being big players in the offseason, but bringing in a guy like Shaq would certainly upgrade the Clippers brand off the court. On the court, O’Neal would have to play behind Chris Kaman, but that’s easier said than done. O’Neal’s massive ego may not be able to handle that demotion. But if O’Neal agrees to play second fiddle and takes less money, it would certainly would inject some HGH into the Lakers-Clippers rivalry.

– Cleveland Cavaliers: Another longshot given Shaq’s wish of playing for contender. The Cavaliers’ championship aspirations went out the door as soon as LeBron James said “Good-bye to Cleveland” and “Hello to Miami.” O’Neal played with new Cavs head coach Byron Scott with the Lakers so playing for B-Scott shouldn’t be problem.

And should all of these teams pass on The Big Free Agent, there’s always a spot open with the Jabbawockees.

Shaquille O'Neal performs with the Jabbawockeez at the 2009 NBA All-Star Game in Phoenix. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

LeBron James needs to take a deep breath before making a decision on where to play next season. (NBAE/GETTY IMAGES)

The LeBron James free-agent watch is officially ticking.

The moment the Cleveland Cavaliers were eliminated from the 2010 NBA playoffs, all eyes, ears, cameras, binoculars, video players, Twitter followers and Facebook fan pages were fixated on LeBron James and his future. Did he play his last game as a Cavalier? Is he going to New York? Will he sign with Chicago? Is Miami big enough to house LeBron and D-Wade? Can Jay-Z convince LeBron to be the centerpiece of the Brooklyn Nets?

“I have no plans at this point. I’ve made no plans,” said James, who had 27 points, 19 rebounds, 10 assists and nine turnovers in Cleveland’s 94-85 loss to Boston in Game 6.

No one knows for sure where James will play next year. Even LeBron James is not sure where he’ll play next year. It’s all speculation.

“Me and my team will figure out what’s the best possibility for me,” James said. The “Team” James is referring to is his management group comprised of his longtime friends from high school.

Maverick Carter, James’ former teammate at Akron’s St. Vincent-St. Mary High School who currently is employed by Nike, acts as James’ manager. Two other friends, Randy Mims and Richard Paul, are also on James’ payroll. Mims currently serves as James’ personal assistant and road manager and Paul is a “close confidant.” According to The Associated Press, James and his three friends call themselves “The Four Horsemen.”

Sounds like LeBron and his buddies have been watching too many episodes of “Entourage.” Victory!

There Is No Place Like Home

As much as it pains Cavaliers fans their beloved team is out of the playoffs, the disappointment of how the Cavs lost in the conference semifinals could be the reason James stays in Cleveland because he doesn’t want his Cavs legacy to end on an all-too-familiar sad note.

James has lived in the state of Ohio since birth and carries Akron everywhere he goes (three of them to be specific). The man can recite Cleveland’s sad sports history in a heartbeat. He was 2 years old when the Browns allowed “The Drive” to happen and he was 5 when Michael Jordan hit “The Shot over Ehlo.” LeBron is a loyal guy by nature and it would be extremely hard for him to bail out on his people, especially at the way the season ended for the Cavs, and uproot his family to a different city.

Like a smart business man should do, James will keep his options open. He’ll fly from city to city, listen to offers and recruiting pitches from various teams before he makes a decision. He’s got an entire offseason to make up his mind.

“That fact that it’s over right now is definitely a surprise to myself. But it is what it is,” James told reporters. “A friend of mine told me after the game, ‘I guess you have to have to go through a lot of nightmares before you finally accomplish your dreams.’ And that’s what’s going on.”

Cleveland’s worst nightmare is seeing LeBron in another uniform. It would dwarf what Packers fans felt when Brett Favre ditched Green Bay for New York and then later Minnesota. Favre wasn’t the reigning league MVP when he skipped town.

The Cavaliers can offer James the most money and a hometown experience like no other. No athlete in Cleveland sports history, other than Jim Brown, has been more beloved than LeBron. Under the current salary cap restrictions, the Cavs make the most sense financially. The Cavs can offer a maximum deal of $125 million over six years, while other teams are maxed out at five years, $96 million. That’s $30 million on the table James would have to walk away from should he decide to play elsewhere.

“I love the city of Cleveland, of course,” James said. “Another disappointing season, to say the least, but at the same time we had a great time together. We’ll see what happens.”

Chi-Town, Jersey Shore, The Big Apple or South Beach

From a basketball standout, the Bulls are very attractive because they have a collection of young studs  in All-Star Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah. But going to Chicago would mean playing in the shadow of Michael Jordan. If James is willing to shoulder that burden, then Chicago becomes a real viable option. Another reason to consider Chicago is if the Bulls hire John Calipari as head coach. But Calipari, who tried to recruit James to play for Memphis, has done the NBA tour once before. Remember the Nets? All you need to know about Coach Cal’s NBA track record is this: he passed on drafting Kobe Bryant and took Kerry Kittles instead. Case closed.

The Knicks have been gearing up for the Summer of LeBron for two years and have gone all in with their chips, hoping the bright lights of the self-proclaimed basketball mecca and Mike D’Antoni’s run-and-gun offense would be good enough reasons for James to move to New York. But why would James go to a place where a championship is light years away? The only way the Knicks lure James to New York is to bring in not one but TWO superstars to play with him. It’s possible, but highly unlikely because the third wheel would have to take a pay cut.

The Heat and Nets are in the same predicament. Both franchises are tied in to what other free agents would do before James even begin to consider them. The Nets are a lottery team and their best selling point is LeBron’s good friend Jay-Z. Miami is attractive in many ways for James, but Pat Riley’s No. 1 priority is to re-sign Wade and rebuild the Heat roster. It would be nice if can get Wade and James to play in South Beach, but I’m not sure if both men are willing to share the spotlight at this stage of their young careers.

And Back to Cleveland

There are a ton of questions the Cavs need to address this offseason. Is this team, the way it is currently constructed, good enough to make a championship run? Will the Cavs bring back Shaquille O’Neal? Is this the end of the line for Zydrunas Ilgauskas? Can Mo Williams handle playoff pressure? Will the team retain Mike Brown as coach?

Expect sweeping changes in Cleveland. Shaq turns 39 next season and the Cavs are not likely to keep two aging centers on their roster. Ilgauskas could return, but he is also considering retirement. And despite two 60-win seasons, Brown is probably out as Cavs coach.

“I really don’t know everyone’s contract situation as far as years and things like that, but we had a great team. We had a really good team and we played hard all year. We just didn’t play consistent basketball, and that’ s why Boston is moving on. For the most part, as a team, we all get along and we had a great year,” James said. “As an individual, I’m gonna continue to get better throughout the offseason like I always do. And I’ll come back a better player next season.”

At the end of a very long offseason, when it is all said and done and “The Four Horsemen” have exhausted all of the party invitations and red-carpet treatment, James will probably stay with the Cavaliers. He’ll probably sign a shorter deal to keep the Cavaliers on championship alert.

What Happens Next?

Here are a few scenarios that could play out:

1) James stays in Cleveland but signs a 3-year deal; 2) Wade stays in Miami but signs a 3-year deal; 3) James convinces Chris Bosh or Amare Stoudemire to come to Cleveland; 4) Wade takes Bosh or Stoudemire (or Carlos Boozer) with him to Miami; 6) James forces Cleveland to hire Calipari, but GM Danny Ferry resigns; 7) Cavs are bounced again in the playoffs and James tells Cavs management to bring back Mike Brown and sign his St. Vincent-St. Mary’s teammates to NBA contracts.

The first domino could fall before July 1 so things could change. But after three years and LeBron is still without a ring, then we’re headed for a summer sequel in 2014. By that time, LeBron and D-Wade could be ready to share the spotlight and play on the same team. Which team? Stay tuned.

As for the actual celebrity game, there were few REAL celebs in the game with the exception of my man Chris Tucker, Michael Rapapport and Common, who has some game. They should seriously get rid of the Globetrotters for some female celebs. I’d invite Megan Fox and Jessica Alba next year!

Prior to the game, Shaquille O’Neal told ESPN’s Stuart Scott that he would donated $5,000 to charity if Mavericks owner Mark Cuban can make a 3-point shot during the celebrity game. Stu Scott wasn’t about to be upstaged by The Diesel as he matched called Shaq’s $5,000 and raised it to $10,000. Stu Scott must be well paid by the Worldwide Leader. Cuban wasn’t able to come through, and Shaq and Scott were able to keep their wallets intact.

Speaking of Shaq, he said that it was “nice to see Rick Fox and Robert Horry,” two of his former teammates in L.A. But then Shaq said he hadn’t see Fox in 10 years. Memo to Shaq, Fox was your Lakers teammate during the 2004 NBA Finals. Obviously, old age has corrupted The Diesel’s memory bank.

10. STEVE NASH, guard: Nash was a very good point man in Dallas and posted some very good numbers. But when he got traded to Phoenix, some media members must have developed some kind of Alzheimer’s because they voted him MVP…twice! Sure, his stats got better and his Suns teams were fun to watch. But Nash’s game hasn’t changed since Don Nelson made him a full-time starter. The knock on Nash is that he’s the only two-time league MVP who has NEVER gotten past the conference finals.

9. DIRK NOWITZKI, forward: Zeeee German has easily been the best European player the past 10 years and is still the only Euro to win the Maurice Podoloff  trophy as the regular season MVP. Nowitzki, who has redefined the power forward position as the “soft” forward position, can sometimes get lost in a physical battle but when he’s allowed to float near the top of the free throw line, he is one of the deadliest shooters the game has ever seen.

8. DWYANE WADE, guard: When Pat Riley drafted Wade in 2003, the fortunes of the Miami Heat turned for the better. Nicknamed “The Flash” by Shaquille O’Neal, D-Wade rose to prominence with his spectacular play in the postseason. He powered the Heat to the Eastern Conference finals in 2005 in only his second season, and then lifted the Heat to a NBA championship in 2006. His place his history was permanently etched when Wade captured the MVP of the Finals with a spectacular series against the Mavericks.

7. CHAUNCEY BILLUPS, guard: His career took off when Larry Brown became the head coach with the Pistons. At 6-3 and well over 200 pounds, Billups is one of the most physical point guards in the league. He overpowers smaller guards and he is deceptively quick enough to get past most PGs. Billups’ crowning achievement came in 2004 when he led the Pistons to a victory over the Lakers in the NBA Finals and was named the series MVP. Nicknamed Mr. Big Shot, Billups is one of the best clutch shooters when the game is on the line and his supreme confidence never wavers.

6. ALLEN IVERSON, guard: From 2000 to 2007, A.I. had all the answers. He was the most dominated little man in the game and a certain Hall-of-Famer. Iverson was an explosive scorer, a player who can had the great ability to overcome any type of defense. All defenders were at his mercy when he isolated at the top of the key. During the decade, Iverson hit the 30-point scoring average five times and was named the 2001 league MVP. He took the Sixers to the NBA Finals that year, but lost to the Lakers in five games. A.I. was also a polarizing figure off the court. He was the poster boy for the Hip-Hop generation with his trademark cornrows and countless tattoos. His “we’re talking about practice!” soundbite has become a timeless loop on SportsCenter.

5. LEBRON JAMES, forward: Even though he came to the party late, LeBron James has certainly left an indelible mark in just seven seasons. He was the most heralded and super hyped high school player to ever enter the NBA, and was tabbed the Chosen One by Sports Illustrated. King James has changed the culture in Cleveland after the Cavaliers made James the No. 1 overall selection in the 2003 draft. James’ arrival gave Cleveland sports fans a ray of hope, something that has been absent for years because of past failures by the Cavaliers, Browns and Indians. In his fourth season, James powered the Cavs to the franchise’s first appearance in the NBA Finals. Then, in 2009, James captured the league MVP, joining Jim Brown, Otto Graham, Brian Sipe, Al Rosen and Lou Boudreau as the only Cleveland pro athletes to be named MVP. LeBron will move up on this list if he ever wins a NBA title.

4. KEVIN GARNETT, forward: The Big Ticket has redefined the power forward position. Before KG, power forwards were like plow horses whose were main jobs were to protect the centers and the guards and, outside of a few guys like Kevin McHale, Charles Barkley and Karl Malone, did most of the dirty work. But Garnett had the unique ability to play inside and outside and could outrun most guards in the open court. From 2000 to 2005, KG’s stat line was 22-12-5. His length was also a huge weapon on defense as he could defend any of the five position players. KG was named regular-season MVP in 2004 and, after getting traded from Minnesota to Boston, won a championship ring with the Celtics in 2008 that pretty much sealed Garnett’s legacy. If it weren’t for the next guy on this list, Garnett would be the No. 1 power forward in the history of the Association.

3. TIM DUNCAN, forward: Nicknamed The Big Fundamental by Shaq, Duncan was a picture of consistency the past 10 years and the foundation of the San Antonio Spurs’ mini-dynasty. Duncan was named regular season MVP in 2002-03, earned NBA Finals MVP in ’03 and ’05, and a member of the All-NBA first team seven times. The Spurs were consistently one of the better defensive teams in the league because Duncan was such a great help defender. At times, Duncan was overlooked because his game is unspectacular. But let me ask this? Is averaging 20-plus points, grab 10-plus rebounds and block nearly two shots a game unspectacular? Thought so. My only knock on Duncan is that he was reluctant to play center because of the physical nature of the position. He was more finesse. But I’m not hatin’ on Timmy D. He will go down in history as the greatest power forward in the history of the game.

2. SHAQUILLE O’NEAL, center: Dominant. That’s the best way to describe Shaq, also known as The Diesel, Superman, The Big Aristotle, and The Big Shaqtus. Though he only won one regular season MVP award (2000), you could argue that Shaq was the best player in the Association from 2000 to 2005, and could have easily won five consecutive MVPs. He did, however, manage to win three consecutive NBA Finals MVPs. The only person to ever pull that off is the great Michael Jordan. O’Neal averaged 30.7 points and 15.4 rebounds in 23 playoff games in 2000, and averaged 30.4 points and 15.4 rebounds in powering the Lakers to a record-setting 15-1 mark in the 2001 playoffs. In his prime, and when healthy, no player in the league commanded such big attention as O’Neal did. Sometimes a double was not enough to slow down Super Shaq because he would simply overpower mere mortals who got in his path.

1. KOBE BRYANT, guard: Bryant scored 81 points against the Toronto Raptors in 2006. Meditate on that one for a few seconds…EIGHTY-ONE points! I never saw Wilt Chamberlain score 100 points in 1962, and no one seems to have any footage of that game. I’ve seen the box score but that’s it. I have Kobe’s 81-point game at Staples Center on my DVR and I still can’t believe a NBA player, while competing against paid professionals, can score that many points. Michael Jordan’s best scoring output was 69 points. Kobe surpassed that in the third quarter! Jordan is the ultimate barometer for today’s NBA superstar. His six NBA championships is considered the benchmark because, let’s face it, nobody is going to beat Bill Russell’s 11 rings. Jordan supporters say MJ was a once-in-a-lifetime player and there will never be another like him. ESPN’s SportsCentury series tabbed him the No. 1 athlete in the past 100 years. Well, obviously those people who said MJ is the greatest is completely ignoring Kobe Bryant.