Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Trending
    • Shaquille O’Neal Decides How Nikola Jokic Will Fare Against Him, Referencing How Dwight Howard’s Outstanding 2020 Performance on Nuggets Star
    • Los Angeles Lakers Are Set for More Big Moves as They Aim for Title in 2025-26 Season – ‘We Will Execute on Those’
    • Lakers GM Rob Pelinka Says Luka Doncic’s Remarkable EuroBasket 2025 Play is A Message to the League
    • Rockets Star Alperen Sengun Makes Turkey Teammate a Big Winner for What He Did to Giannis Antetokounmpo in EuroBasket 2025
    • Anonymous NBA Executive Claims Pat Riley Still Hates Lebron James for Leaving Miami Heat in 2014
    • Philadelphia 76ers Star Joel Embiid Have Taken Major Steps for Next Season as Insider Reveals Remarkable Change in His Body, Mindset
    • Jonathan Kuminga’s Agent Reveals Promising Offers from Other West Contenders as 7th Overall Pick, Warriors Front Office Remain on Stalemate
    • Damian Lillard Thinks Blazers Could Have Won a Title With 7x All-Star – ‘We Was One of the Best Teams My 2nd Year’
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Our Writers
    • Want to Write for Hardwood Heroics?
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Hardwood Heroics
    SUBSCRIBE FOR UPDATES
    • NBA
      • Eastern
        • Atlanta Hawks
        • Boston Celtics
        • Brooklyn Nets
        • Charlotte Hornets
        • Chicago Bulls
        • Cleveland Cavaliers
        • Detroit Pistons
        • Indiana Pacers
        • Miami Heat
        • Milwaukee Bucks
        • New York Knicks
        • Orlando Magic
        • Philadelphia 76ers
        • Toronto Raptors
        • Washington Wizards
      • Western
        • Dallas Mavericks
        • Denver Nuggets
        • Golden State Warriors
        • Houston Rockets
        • Los Angeles Clippers
        • Los Angeles Lakers
        • Memphis Grizzlies
        • Minnesota Timberwolves
        • New Orleans Pelicans
        • Oklahoma City Thunder
        • Phoenix Suns
        • Portland Trailblazers
        • Sacramento Kings
        • San Antonio Spurs
        • Utah Jazz
    • 2025 March Madness
    • COLLEGE BASKETBALL
      • ACC
        • Boston College Eagles
        • California Golden Bears
        • Clemson Tigers
        • Duke Blue Devils
        • Florida State Seminoles
        • Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
        • Louisville Cardinals
        • Miami Hurricanes
        • NC State Wolfpack
        • North Carolina Tar Heels Basketball
        • Notre Dame Fighting Irish
        • Pittsburgh Panthers
        • SMU Mustangs
        • Stanford Cardinal
        • Syracuse Orange
        • Virginia Cavaliers
        • Virginia Tech Hokies
        • Wake Forest Demon Deacons
      • Big 12
        • Arizona State Sun Devils
        • Arizona Wildcats Basketball
        • Baylor Bears
        • Brigham Young Cougars
        • Cincinnati Bearcats
        • Colorado Buffaloes
        • Houston Cougars Basketball
        • Iowa State Cyclones Basketball
        • Kansas Jayhawks
        • Kansas State Wildcats
        • Oklahoma State Cowboys
        • TCU Horned Frogs
        • Texas Tech Red Raiders
        • UCF Knights
        • Utah Utes
        • West Virginia Mountaineers
      • Big East
        • Butler Bulldogs
        • Connecticut Huskies Basketball
        • Creighton Bluejays
        • DePaul Blue Demons
        • Georgetown Hoyas
        • Marquette Golden Eagles Basketball
        • Providence Friars
        • Seton Hall Pirates
        • St. John’s Red Storm
        • Villanova Wildcats
        • Xavier Musketeers
      • Big Ten
        • Illinois Fighting Illini Basketball
        • Indiana Hoosiers
        • Iowa Hawkeyes Basketball
        • Maryland Terrapins
        • Michigan State Spartans
        • Michigan Wolverines
        • Minnesota Golden Gophers
        • Nebraska Cornhuskers
        • Northwestern Wildcats
        • Ohio State Buckeyes
        • Oregon Ducks
        • Penn State Nittany Lions
        • Purdue Boilermakers Basketball
        • Rutgers Scarlet Knights
        • Southern California Trojans
        • UCLA Bruins
        • Washington Huskies
        • Wisconsin Badgers
      • SEC
        • Alabama Crimson Tide
        • Arkansas Razorbacks
        • Auburn Tigers Basketball
        • Florida Gators
        • Georgia Bulldogs
        • Kentucky Wildcats
        • LSU Tigers
        • Mississippi State Bulldogs
        • Missouri Tigers
        • Oklahoma Sooners
        • Ole Miss Rebels
        • South Carolina Gamecocks
        • Tennessee Volunteers Basketball
        • Texas A&M Aggies
        • Texas Longhorns
        • Vanderbilt Commodores
    • WNBA
      • Atlanta Dream
      • Chicago Sky
      • Connecticut Sun
      • Dallas Wings
      • Indiana Fever
      • Los Angeles Sparks
      • Las Vegas Aces
      • Minnesota Lynx
      • NY Liberty
      • Phoenix Mercury
      • Seattle Storm
      • Washington Mystics
    • FREE AGENCY
    • NBA DRAFT
    • FANTASY BASKETBALL
    • BETTING
    Hardwood Heroics
    Home»NBA»Denver Nuggets»Shaquille O’Neal Decides How Nikola Jokic Will Fare Against Him, Referencing How Dwight Howard’s Outstanding 2020 Performance on Nuggets Star
    Denver Nuggets

    Shaquille O’Neal Decides How Nikola Jokic Will Fare Against Him, Referencing How Dwight Howard’s Outstanding 2020 Performance on Nuggets Star

    Rolly GaceloBy Rolly GaceloSeptember 21, 2025No Comments4 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Nikola Jokic, Dwight Howard, Denver Nuggets vs Los Angeles Lakers
    Sep 26, 2020; Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard (39) defends Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) during the first half in game five of the Western Conference Finals of the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    Hypothetical match ups are popular in the NBA is popular and Los Angeles Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal happily engages with it. He already gave Nikola Jokic his props for being the best center in the league for a long-time now saying he does not criticize him because the Denver Nuggets star is already on another level.

    WNBA, Shaquille O'Neal
    Dec 14, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Shaquille O’Neal arrives on the red carpet before the Emirates NBA Cup semifinal game at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images

    The two centers play differently. Shaq, tagged as the Most Dominant Ever, plays down low. Jokic is more of an outside player who scans through his surrounding to make the best possible play – either for himself or for his teammates.

    This difference is how Shaq thinks he can hold his own against the three-time MVP. He believes he can make the Nuggets star foul out if ever they play against each other.

    “[In the] playoffs, I would probably be 40 [points], 14 rebounds, three blocks. You know, he’s a different player,” O’Neal said.

    “However, if he’s going to guard me one-on-one, hopefully he’s not going to be in the game a lot because the first 10 possessions I’m going at him.”

    USATSI 26218708
    May 18, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) passes around the back of Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) in the first quarter during game seven of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

    Defense is one criticism being thrown at Jokic. He’s had problems in the playoffs against big men, including guard the likes of Karl Anthony Towns and even the Oklahoma City Thunder twin tower.

    Dwight Howard stopped Nikola Jokic in 2020

    O’Neal is not just pulling this take out of thin air. He has Dwight Howard as a reference.

    Nuggets and Lakers meet in the Bubble playoffs in 2020 with Jokic among the best players in the postseason. The Serbian star tore down defenses offered by Utah Jazz who had Rudy Gobert back then and then went past the physical Los Angeles Clippers.

    It was a different story when they met Lakers in the Western Conference finals. O’Neal thinks Howard exposed Jokic in that series.

    “If he was a post player and I would just have to focus on them, he wouldn’t get that much cuz I saw when he was playing in the post against Dwight Howard, he had problems,” O’Neal continued.

    USATSI 18015211
    Apr 3, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) controls the ball against Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard (39) during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

    “But because they run a lot of pick and rolls, you have to help on the guard; they throw it back, he shoots. But him guarding me, I’m averaging 40.”

    Howard was no longer in his prime when they met so that says a lot. Even Howard himself thinks he is better than Jokic if they are to compare their peaks. Jokic and Howard met 13 times and he averaged 16.8 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists against him.

    Shaq the dominant vs Joker the trickster? Who will come out on top?

    For the latest Basketball Content

    Make sure you are always updated on your favorite basketball players and teams. Follow us @HardwoodHeroics for the latest and trending news about NBA, college basketball, and more. Stay updated by reading more of our NBA articles by clicking here and college basketball by clicking here!

    Denver Nuggets Dwight Howard Nikola Jokic Shaquille O'Neal
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Avatar photo
    Rolly Gacelo

    Rolly Gacelo is a sports writer who has been writing for different topics in different industries since earning his Bachelor's degree in Journalism in 2009. He is also a professor of history in Far Eastern University. His specialty is the NBA but has also written for the NFL, MLB, and European soccer.

    Related Posts

    Los Angeles Lakers Are Set for More Big Moves as They Aim for Title in 2025-26 Season – ‘We Will Execute on Those’

    September 21, 2025

    Lakers GM Rob Pelinka Says Luka Doncic’s Remarkable EuroBasket 2025 Play is A Message to the League

    September 21, 2025

    Rockets Star Alperen Sengun Makes Turkey Teammate a Big Winner for What He Did to Giannis Antetokounmpo in EuroBasket 2025

    September 21, 2025

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Recent Posts

    • Shaquille O’Neal Decides How Nikola Jokic Will Fare Against Him, Referencing How Dwight Howard’s Outstanding 2020 Performance on Nuggets Star
    • Los Angeles Lakers Are Set for More Big Moves as They Aim for Title in 2025-26 Season – ‘We Will Execute on Those’
    • Lakers GM Rob Pelinka Says Luka Doncic’s Remarkable EuroBasket 2025 Play is A Message to the League
    • Rockets Star Alperen Sengun Makes Turkey Teammate a Big Winner for What He Did to Giannis Antetokounmpo in EuroBasket 2025
    • Anonymous NBA Executive Claims Pat Riley Still Hates Lebron James for Leaving Miami Heat in 2014

    Recent Comments

    1. Martha Schaffrath on “Urgent! Let Me Go There”: Sophie Cunningham Viral Pic With Jewel Loyd’s Mother Gets Lengthy Response Slamming Critics From Aces Guard’s Mom
    2. marijuana mercantile granite falls wa on “I Got Caitlin Clark On My Injury Watch”: Caitlin Clark Could Be The Next Indiana Star Suffering A Major Injury, Citing An ‘Indiana Curse’ That Brought Down Peyton Manning, Paul George & Tyrese Haliburton In Jason Whitlock’s Podcast
    3. Astha on Chet Holmgren’s Game 2 Revival for OKC Thunder Embodies the Grit His Younger Self Asked of Himself
    4. Richard on “The Race is Over” – Oddsmakers and Fans Declare Cooper Flagg as National Player of the Year Following Another Disappointing Night From Johni Broome
    5. RICHARD DALE AKERS on West Virginia Basketball: Mountaineers Squander Close First Half in Loss to #9 Red Raiders
    Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Service
    • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • Write For Us
    • Corporate
    © 2025 ThemeSphere. Designed by ThemeSphere.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.