Yao Ming Surprised Shaquille O’Neal And Blocked His First Three Shots While Easily Scoring Three Buckets In Their First Meeting

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Yao Ming’s arrival on the NBA stage in 2002 was one that drew a lot of interest around the league. Some felt he could be a force, with the kind of touch he had for a man his size, while others felt he would be over-matched. The 7’5″ giant from China had a slow start to life in the NBA, but after a month or so in the league, he started to come into his own.

His biggest challenge in that rookie year wouldn’t come until January when Yao had to face Shaquille O’Neal, who was coming off 3 straight Finals MVP awards. O’Neal had stirred some controversy by making some questionable remarks about Yao previously, which led to him being accused of racism, to which he apologized. That led to some added tension in their first meeting and if O’Neal had underestimated his Chinese counterpart before the game, he very quickly found out that Yao was capable of hanging with him, as he dominated their early exchanges. 

Ming blocked 3 shots from Shaq while also scoring thrice on the other end as he overwhelmed O’Neal early on. Shaq being Shaq meant he composed himself and started doing what he always used to back then, which is dominating the game. He would finish with 31 points on 13-26 shooting, but the Rockets still ended up winning the game in overtime. 

Yao would cool off after this hot start as he ended the game with 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 blocks, but he had made quite the first impression and gained O’Neal’s respect in the process. The two could have had one of the great big man rivalries of the 2000s, but Shaq wasn’t quite the same after 2002-03 and while Ming would enjoy some success in the coming years, injuries hampered him as he only played 8 seasons in the league. It is a pity that we didn’t get to see these two giants face off more often, as it would have been a sight to behold.

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Gautam Varier is a staff writer and columnist for Fadeaway World from Mumbai, India. He graduated from Symbiosis International University with a Master of Business specializing in Sports Management in 2020. This educational achievement enables Gautam to apply sophisticated analytical techniques to his incisive coverage of basketball, blending business acumen with sports knowledge.Before joining Fadeaway World in 2022, Gautam honed his journalistic skills at Sportskeeda and SportsKPI, where he covered a range of sports topics with an emphasis on basketball. His passion for the sport was ignited after witnessing the high-octane offense of the Steve Nash-led Phoenix Suns. Among the Suns, Shawn Marion stood out to Gautam as an all-time underrated NBA player. Marion’s versatility as a defender and his rebounding prowess, despite being just 6’7”, impressed Gautam immensely. He admired Marion’s finishing ability at the rim and his shooting, despite an unconventional jump shot, believing that Marion’s skill set would have been even more appreciated in today’s NBA.This transformative experience not only deepened his love for basketball but also shaped his approach to sports writing, enabling him to connect with readers through vivid storytelling and insightful analysis.
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