On Tuesday night, both Stephen Curry and Nikola Jokic delivered unforgettable performances in their respective games. This prompted praise from Shaquille O’Neal, who highlighted the status of both stars in the NBA and predicted they would receive major honors in the future.
“Great performances by two first-ballot Hall of Famers,” said Shaq during an appearance on TNT on Tuesday night, after Curry scored 52 points in the Golden State Warriors‘ victory over the Memphis Grizzlies and Jokic led the Denver Nuggets with 61 points in their narrow loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
“I definitely enjoyed watching tonight,” O’Neal added, showing some nostalgia for moments like these. “You know, as a kid, this is what the NBA was all about. Great players stepping up and having super performances,” recalled the three-time champion with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Shaq also mocks Jokic
After lavishing praise on the performances of both NBA stars, Shaquille O’Neal also joked about Nikola Jokic, boldly claiming what would happen if he faced the Serbian center on the court, with both players in their prime.
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic.
“Slovenian chicken, or whatever he is,” Shaq quipped. “I’m pretty sure I’d have to be double-teamed. He probably wouldn’t get past me, and if he did, he wouldn’t be staying in the game for long. While he’ll try to shoot the three, I’d be right there to stop it. He’d end up shooting more twos than threes, I guarantee that.”
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Nuggets star Nikola Jokic surprises with praise for another All-Star after setting career-high
Candace Parker praises Stephen Curry
During the same debate on TNT, O’Neal’s co-host, Candace Parker, spoke about Curry’s impressive performance in Memphis. “I just think life comes at you fast, right? Beginning the season, we were writing off Steph Curry, we were saying he was slowing down, all of these things,” began the WNBA legend.
“He didn’t have a field goal against Memphis in December, in the same building. And then now he comes back and drops 50. I just think it’s incredible to watch him play on a nightly basis, the joy that he plays with,” Parker added.
