This is not the first time Sha quille O’Neal’s right thumb has been damaged and in need or repair. I was at an Orlando-Miami game during the 1995-96 season when Matt Geiger hammered him across the hands before he left the floor to shoot. The direct splat caused Shaq to miss 28 games.
I got all bent of shape the moment it happened. From where I was sitting, It was overtly malicious. That’s how I wrote it and spoke it. As I recall, Geiger wasn’t even assessed a technical foul.
Flash forward to the 2001 Finals. The Lakers defeated the 76ers in five games. Occasionally O’Neal and Geiger, who was backing up Dikembe Mutombo, matched up. There were no incidents or accidents, hints or allegations. In fact, they seemed to get along just fine.
Geiger and I talked a lot during the series. One day I brought up the thumb episode. I told him I felt the hit was intentional. With no hesitation whatsoever, he pleaded guilty.
“Shaq had ‘bowed me earlier in the game,” Geiger said. “That was payback. I tried to hurt him. I slapped him as hard as I could.”
Glen Davis’ recent Shaq attack in no way appeared deliberate. He whacked him attempting to block a layup. Nevertheless, shortly thereafter, with O’Neal playing through the pain, Davis plainly and purposely yanked on it.
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Bet you didn’t know June and Dennis Collison, Darren’s parents, were Olympic downhill and slalom skiers. OK, so I’m kidding.
Truth be told, the Hornets’ rookie point guard, who went for 32 points and two assists in Friday’s loss against the Spurs (Darren is averaging 10.9 and 4.8 as injured Chris Paul’s stand-in) and dropped 35 three losses ago vs. the Mavericks, comes from elite track stock.
In 1970, Darren’s mother was ranked No. 10 in the world in the 400-meter sprint and placed second at the Pan American Games. June (maiden name Griffin) represented Guyana at the ’84 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Her personal-best time was 51.37 seconds in ’79 (indoor 52.88 in ’82)
Meanwhile, Darren’s father, a 200-meter runner, represented Guyana at the Pan-American Games. Dennis’ personal best marks were 10.1 (100m) and 20.3 (200m). Both parents were All-Americans at Adelphi University. The Athletic Director there was Larry Keating.
When Darren was being recruited by UCLA, where he played four years before being drafted No. 21 in ’09, their lead recruiter was a guy named Kerry Keating. June asked him if he was related to Larry Keating of Adelphi (now at Kansas). Kerry said it was his dad.
What NBA player’s parents really were Olympic skiers? Answer: Mindy and Moshe Beasley, Michael‘s mom and dad.
Naw, not really.
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Sources say plans are advanced to re-sign Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry and promote him to team president. Assistant GM Chris Grant will be elevated to the top spot . . . Aug. 15 is the date for the Garden’s International doubleheader. I’m told the fourth team is Puerto Rico, which will play China in the opener. The featured faceoff pits France and Team USA.
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Hasheem Thabeet‘s chances of benefiting from being demoted to the Dakota Wizards depend on one of two things: The Developmental League team must have a legitimate big-man coach — something the Grizzlies conspicuously lack . . . very strange since they possess(ed) a league a record four 7-footers. Or Dakota better have an expert transplant surgeon who’s adept at replacing hands that cannot catch.
You figure out the Grizzlies. They won their sixth straight road game Thursday night against the Joakim Noah-less Bulls, yet have lost their last eight at the Drop Box following last night’s 102-92 setback to the Spurs, who lost Tony Parker (broken bone in right hand) for a month minimum. A pitiless person would take this opportunity to point out Tiger Woods is enjoying a more successful home life.
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Is it me, or is another well-deserved contract extension right around south bend for Jim O’Brien? In case the rank and file hasn’t been keeping up with the vile and rank, the Pacers have been bumped off in 10 of their last 12 games. The franchise has gone so Westside and Down, Reggie Miller edited himself out of “Winning Time.”
How cherry and reasonably chipper is Tracy McGrady since becoming the crucial $22.48 million component in Walsh’s master plan? Sure, he’s smiling, there’s no pressure to carry the Knicks to the second round of the lottery. . . . Not sure if you’ve seen Stephen Curry play recently, but he is a powdered treat to watch.
“Don Nelson will really have to reach deep into his small ball bag of tricks to screw up this kid,” column contributor Geoffrey Gilbert e-mails.
The Lakers lost a mere 17 games ALL last season when they won the championship. This season, they’ve already lost 17 times. The Lakers lost 12 road games ALL last season, the NBA’s best record. This season, they’ve already lost 12 on foreign soil. Today, the Lakers, losers in two straight, play in Orlando, last season’s runner-ups. Not since they acquired Pau Gasol Feb. 1, 2008, have they lost three straight.
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Chris Duhon critics are not going to believe this, but D.J. Augustin, who went for 19 points last night in Charlotte’s 101-90 win against the Warriors, leads the league in scoreless games from the field (minimum four attempts) with SEVEN! Marco Belinelli is next with six and Ryan Anderson is third with five. Eleven players are tied with four — including Duhon, of course, whose benching the last eight games is the sole reason he’s not competing more strongly for the top spot.
Column contributor Lee Davis wonders (not, really): “How long would Mike D’Antoni have tolerated John Starks and Anthony Mason before exiling them?”
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While scrolling for truth and recognition for dubious deeds, I checked Avatar’s credits to see if my suspicions were correct and Carlos Boozer really was an extra. . . . Column contributor Bob Tufts reports the real reason Yankees pitchers Fritz Peterson and Mike Kekich swapped wives in 1973 was to create salary cap space. . . . David Paterson just called; wants to know where a governor goes to get a governor’s reprieve?
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Props to the NBA for scheduling Nets at Knicks last night. Showing concern for the ecology, the league graciously kept all the raw sewage contained in one location. While on the subject of the 7-55 Nets, it was comforting to see they found a place to squat (Newark) for the next two seasons. We find this fitting, ’cause if New Jersey doesn’t get LeBron James, at least it can sign Sharpe James.