Stu Jackson — the NBA VP who decides who gets fined and when — doesn’t work on Christmas. So it may be a couple days until he gets around to fining Shaquille O’Neal. But he will.
Shaq fouled out in just 12 minutes of play Saturday, then afterwards said this, as reported by FanHouse.“We have two premier big men out there today. He is pushing, I’m pushing. Let us play,’' O’Neal said. “If I was fan, I would be pissed. You pay all that money for good seats and you have two of the best guys in the country sitting on the bench. That’s what happens when you have control freaks out there.’..
“I guess they (fans) come out to see No. 26 play (referee Bob Delaney wears 26). He was a great player out there today,’' O’Neal said. “They paid all that money to see No. 26 come play. My thing is, if you’re going to call it, call it the same way every time. Don’t pick and choose who you are going to call it against.’
Shaq’s sixth foul came when he and Dwight Howard were pushing on each other and Howard flopped for effect (he said he tripped).
And the fine is coming. Bet on it.