Man down! Man down!
The staff and crew at “NBA on TNT” erupted in uproarious laughter when former NBA player Kenny Smith administered a football block and shoved basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal through a giant Christmas tree.
Smith, the ex-Houston Rockets point guard, was about to run to the big screen behind the desk to dissect the first half of the Los Angeles Lakers game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022. As is customary, either Shaq or Charles Barkley will try to outrace Smith to the big screen. Smith has frequently lost those races, leading to jokes at Smith’s expense.
Smith was not having it this time.
When Shaq tried to sprint to the board against Smith on Tuesday night, the 6-foot-3 Smith rammed his left shoulder into the mountainous man that is the 7-foot-1 Shaq, and sent him careening into the Christmas tree on the set.
Kenny shoves Shaq. 😂😂
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) December 7, 2022
The TNT set exploded with laughter, including Barkley who exclaimed, “That was bad right there! That was bad right there!”
Smith told Shaq to “get your butt out of here.”
Shaq, who was shot putted through the tree to the point where only his feet were visible, remained on his back until fellow hosts Ernie Johnson and Barkley helped him to his feet.
Shaq, who was laughing at the indignity visited upon him, got up and dusted off his shoulders while decreeing to Smith, “Kenny, this means war,” several times.
