This is going to sound like a made-up stat, but it is not: Russell Westbrook credited Shaquille O’Neal for more of his limited successes with the Lakers this season than he did his actual head coach, Frank Vogel.
Way back in February, Westbrook credited O’Neal for tips the legendary big man gave him during the team’s win over the Orlando Magic, saying that “Shaq was giving me some good advice about changing speeds at different times coming up the floor, which was very helpful not just in that game but as I watch myself moving forward and trying to continue doing that the rest of the year.