The Lakers retired Shaquille O’Neal’s number last night at Staples Center before going out and clobbering the Dallas Mavericks, putting some separation between themselves and one of their pursuers in the Western Conference playoff race.
It is a new era now at the Staples Center, nearly a decade removed from when Shaq was the alpha dog of the Lakers.
That role now belongs to Kobe Bryant, who presumably will pass it along to Dwight Howard — if he commits to staying in L.A. when be becomes an unrestricted free agent.
O’Neal has been particularly critical of Howard over the course of Howard’s career, and here is an explanation as to why from Hall of Fame sportswriter Mark Heisler.