LOOK: NBA greats Shaq O’Neal, Scottie Pippen feud on Instagram
It is on.
It’s the Instagram equivalent of a furious one-on-one as two NBA legends get into a hall of fame-worthy banter.
It started when Shaquille O’Neal, arguably the most dominant center of the 2000’s, posted on the photo-sharing site the all-time Los Angeles Lakers would beat the all-time Chicago Bulls “by 50.”
Scottie Pippen, arguably the most versatile forward of the 1990’s, responded, saying O’Neal was caught up in “hypotheticals” and reminded Dr. O’Neal he won six rings with the Bulls.
READ: Pippen: I was LeBron James before LeBron James
In O’Neal’s first post was a collage of two of the teams’ all-time starters.
Los Angeles had Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, Elgin Baylor, O’Neal, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Chicago had Derrick Rose, Michael Jordan, Pippen, Dennis Rodman, and Horace Grant.
Things started getting a little testy on Tuesday (Manila time) when O’Neal, posted an edited picture of Jordan and Pippen with the latter’s face replaced with Jordan’s and the hulking center saying Jordan did most of the work.
“Sorry Scottie Pippen, I don’t believe in hypotheticals either, but I’ve seen most of those Finals you did ok, but this guy did most of the work,” O’Neal said, unedited, in the post with the hashtag “youwereok” just to rub it in. “Steve Kerr and Ron Harper deserve most credit than you, remember I were Batman you were Robin, I was Puffy you were Mase.”
O’Neal even said Pippen the “#BESTSIDEKICKEVER” with a picture of the Bulls legend on a T-Mobile Sidekick.
READ: Scottie Pippen tells story of Michael Jordan’s return 20 years ago
Pippen then brought out the free-throw card.
“Easy big fella… if only you were as good at free throws as you are talking smack!”
Speaking of sidekicks, Pippen posted a collage of O’Neal’s many tandems with Penny Hardaway in Orlando, Bryant in Los Angeles, Dwyane Wade in Miami, Steve Nash in Phoenix, and LeBron James in Cleveland.
“Speaking of being a sidekick… If I recall correctly you know a thing or two about that as well.”
Then things just got ugly with O’Neal calling Pippen “Scottina Pippen” with a random Scottina getting tagged.
O’Neal also gave a history lesson when he and Kobe overcame a 17-point deficit in Game 7 of the 2000 Western Conference Finals.
“See what happens Scottie Pippen when Michael Jordan ain’t protecting you, you lose a 17-point lead in the fourth quarter,” O’Neal said in his post.
Grant, who played with the two superstars, tried to inject some peace between the two.
“I’m with Scottie Pippen but I’m very fortunate to have played with both and lucky to call Scottie and Shaq friends.”
Pippen then dropped the hammer with a picture of him wearing his six rings, two more than O’Neal, with a pool behind him and a garden behind it.
“Game over Shaq. All that’s ever mattered to me is winning and we did plenty of that in Chicago.”
O’Neal, however, would have none of it as he edited a picture of Pippen and pasted it to a picture of a fiddle.
“Scottie Pippen, yes the great Michael Jordan got you six rings, but you will always be remembered as Mr. 2nd Fiddle. Behind him and second behind me. Game ain’t over till I say so. Stay in your place. 6-time NBA chumpion.”
This feud is still far from getting resolved. IDL
[View the story “Scottie Pippen-Shaquille O’Neal feud” on Storify]
