Even Ostertag Taking Shots at Shaq

Shaquille O’Neal can accept that he did not dominate Utah’s Greg Ostertag in the Western Conference semifinals, averaging 22 points and shooting 49.4%, relatively neutralizing what should have been a big matchup edge for the Lakers.

This, however, he may not be able to accept:

“Nobody thinks I’ve done anything all year,” Ostertag said. “Especially Shaq. But I guess that’s why he’s playing golf right now and I’m in the Western Conference finals.

“Hakeem [Olajuwon] is a classier guy. He’s just going to come out and play. He’s not going to be knocking guys all the time.”

The impression that he didn’t do anything all year is, of course, wrong. The one that he didn’t do anything for much of the year, that’s correct.

Ostertag’s inconsistency stretched to the playoffs, with a first-round series against the Clippers he mostly floated through. But he has recovered enough to be leading all players in the postseason in blocked shots, including nine in the deciding Game 5 against the Lakers.