Shaq's Message to Robin Lopez: 'Put Somebody on Their (Expletive) Back'

In the latter stages of the Suns' 129-109 loss at Portland on Thursday, Shaquille O'Neal had finally seen enough of the easy baskets and laughter from the Blazers.

It was time to do something. And he did, first calling out and then chewing out rookie Robin Lopez, who apparently wasn't putting up enough defensive resistance with the game out of hand.

It took a little while, but O'Neal was finally asked about the incident on Sunday, and sure enough he didn't disappoint. So, what was Shaq trying to tell Lopez late in that game?

Put it this way, commissioner David Stern is not going to be happy about it.

"Put somebody on their (expletive) back," O'Neal said. "Don't let nobody oopsey-doopsey layup on you, then be laughing at you. You ever see me get dunked on? No. Because I put (expletives) on their back. Period.

"That's what I told him. If he's going to be a big man, be a big man. Don't be out there (expletive) around. Lay somebody on their (expletive) back. Wilt (Chamberlain) told me that. Bill Russell told me that. Hakeem (Olajuwon) told me that. All the great big men told me that.

"You lay someone on their (expletive) back. That's what I told him. I don't give a (expletive) who likes it. As a big man, that's what you've got to do. Can't let people do oopsey-doopsey layups on you, laugh at you.

"Do something. Either block it or lay them on their back. Period. That's what you've got to do as a big man. Don't flop. Lay them on their (expletive) back. That's what I was taught and that's what I'm trying to teach him, instead of being out there like a (expletive) loose tree, blowing in the wind."

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SACRAMENTO, CA - MARCH 29: Shaquille O'Neal #32 of the Phoenix Suns dunks the ball against the Sacramento Kings on March 29, 2009 at ARCO Arena in Sacramento, California. 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 2009 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Shaquille O'Neal

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SACRAMENTO, CA - MARCH 29: Shaquille O'Neal #32 of the Phoenix Suns dunbks the ball against Spencer Hawes #31 of the Sacramento Kings on March 29, 2009 at ARCO Arena in Sacramento, California. 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 2009 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Shaquille O'Neal;Spencer Hawes

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SACRAMENTO, CA - MARCH 29: Shaquille O'Neal #32 of the Phoenix Suns tries to put the ball in the basket against the Sacramento Kings on March 29, 2009 at ARCO Arena in Sacramento, California. 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 2009 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Shaquille O'Neal

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SACRAMENTO, CA - MARCH 29: Shaquille O'Neal #32 of the Phoenix Suns grabs the rebound against the Sacramento Kings on March 29, 2009 at ARCO Arena in Sacramento, California. 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 2009 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Shaquille O'Neal

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SACRAMENTO, CA - MARCH 29: Kevin Martin #23 of the Sacramento Kings passes the ball around Shaquille O'Neal #32 of the Phoenix Suns on March 29, 2009 at ARCO Arena in Sacramento, California. 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 2009 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kevin Martin;Shaquille O'Neal

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SACRAMENTO, CA - MARCH 29: Shaquille O'Neal #32 of the Phoenix Suns dunks the ball against Jason Thompson #34 of the Sacramento Kings on March 29, 2009 at ARCO Arena in Sacramento, California. 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 2009 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Shaquille O'Neal;Jason Thompson

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SACRAMENTO, CA - MARCH 29: Shaquille O'Neal #32 of the Phoenix Suns dunks the ball against Francisco Garcia #32 of the Sacramento Kings on March 29, 2009 at ARCO Arena in Sacramento, California. 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 2009 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Shaquille O'Neal;Francisco Garcia

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Sacramento Kings' Francisco Garcia, right, steals a pass away from Phoenix Suns' Shaquille O'Neal, left, during second quarter action of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif., Sunday, March 29, 2009. (AP Photo/Thearon W. Henderson)