Orlando Magic Daily
Fansided

5 games NBATV is missing from Sunday’s Orlando Magic Day

By Philip Rossman-Reich

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - 1993: Shaquille O'Neal #32 of the Orlando Magic goes up for a slam dunk against the New Jersey Nets during an NBA game at the Brendan Byrne Arena circa 1993 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1993 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - 1993: Shaquille O'Neal #32 of the Orlando Magic goes up for a slam dunk against the New Jersey Nets during an NBA game at the Brendan Byrne Arena circa 1993 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1993 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Shaquille O’Neal’s triple double

There is a specific image when it comes to Shaquille O’Neal. For most people, it is the behemoth who just overpowered opponents with his sheer size in a Los Angeles Lakers uniform.

There is a different O’Neal that seemed set to revolutionize the NBA. He, in fact, did revolutionize the NBA. And it is only in watching his Orlando Magic years that everyone can really see what potential lay within O’Neal.

He was not just a big guy who was difficult to move. He was an athlete who could terrorize everyone on the floor. He could get up and down the floor moving like a Mac truck and with the speed of one too. There was only one option — to get out of the way.

And when O’Neal was angry, he could put up some obscene numbers. Even when he was still a rookie.

There are not many “quintessential O’Neal” games. He was consistently dominant over every game.

So let me volunteer this deep cut that does not even get much mention in Magic lore — a triple-double he put up his second year.

Against the New Jersey Nets, O’Neal scored 24 points, grabbed 28 rebounds and blocked 15 shots. Take a moment to re-read that previous sentence.

That might quietly be one of the most impressive stat lines in Magic history. We probably do not talk much about this game because it happened so early in the season. And, to a certain extent, this kind of dominance was expected from O’Neal.

He ended up averaging 29.3 points, 13.2 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game. It makes sense he would randomly fall into a triple-double like this at some point.

Still pretty impressive and a game worth rewatching to remind everyone just how good O’Neal really was.