Shaq vs Kobe on Christmas Day

[Andrew]

Kobe-Shaq again on Christmas as Lakers host Cavs

It should be a fine game and I have no complaints about a game featuring a couple of the top contenders from each conference being billed as a big game, but even with their recent history isn't the Shaq/Kobe stuff a little played out by now?

Orlando also plays on Christmas, hosting Boston in a matchup of the last two East champions. Miami at New York, the Clippers at Phoenix and Denver at Portland round out that day’s action.

[shadowgrin]

The league is running out of plot lines to make the game enticing, since they realized that their posterboy LeBron is a whiny bitch so the league is rehashing the old Shaq-Kobe angle.

[Doobie]

I think it's more LeBron- Kobe this year. Shaq may add something too it but I don't think that will be the main attraction. Heat at MSG on Christmas day, thats great for me.

[chocofrap]

ByNum and Shaq.. haha..

[benji]

Five games on Christmas? Thought they only did the two televised ones.

[Andrew]

I think it's more LeBron- Kobe this year. Shaq may add something too it but I don't think that will be the main attraction. Heat at MSG on Christmas day, thats great for me.

They'll bill it as that too but I wouldn't be surprised if they try to play up the Shaq/Kobe angle just one more time.

[Mayerhendrix]

I think it's more LeBron- Kobe this year. Shaq may add something too it but I don't think that will be the main attraction. Heat at MSG on Christmas day, thats great for me.

That's how I saw it for sure...that, or defending conference champions matchup. Shaq--Kobe has lost its charm, though I wouldn't mind an encore performance of "Yo Kobe -- Tell me how my ass tastes" in the pre-game show.

[bee-boy]

Damn this should be exciting. I hope the game is sorta like last time when kobe and shaq meet on christmas but i want kobe to hit the gamewinner this time around.

[Fresh8]

They'll bill it as that too but I wouldn't be surprised if they try to play up the Shaq/Kobe angle just one more time.

They're stuck with it (their history together) for the rest of their lives so would not be surprised if they're stuck with the 'Shaq/Kobe Matchup' advertising tag for the rest of their careers.

[Andrew]

I suppose so. Still, it's been five years. If they're going to make it about two players, Kobe/LeBron seems like the better subplot at this point.

[Fresh8]

I don't think Shaq/Kobe is relevant anymore either.

[Andrew]

It's relevant to a certain extent, it's a talking point and it's understandable that it would be hyped for that first game December 25th, 2004. But that game has long since come and gone, five years have past and both of their teams have beaten one another and they've both won a championship. Now, if this year's Finals come down to the Lakers and Cavs it'll resurface and that's fair enough because the stakes are much higher but I expect the Kobe/LeBron hype would be through the roof too.