Zingaki izinkathi uShaq aba nazo ezingaphezu kuka-30 ppg
Context:Ngosuku lokuqala leqembu emidlalweni yama-Olympic e-Atlanta, abezindaba bamemezela ukuthi u-O'Neal wayezojoyina iLos Angeles Lakers enkontileka yeminyaka eyisikhombisa, eyizigidi ezingu-121 zamaRandi. U-O'Neal wagcizelela ukuthi akazange akhethe iLos Angeles ngemali; lapho ekhuluma ngokusayina wabhekisa kumikhiqizo yakhe embalwa, ethi: "Ngikhathele ukuzwa ngemali, imali, imali, imali, imali. Ngifuna nje ukudlala lo mdlalo, ngiphuze iPepsi, ngigqoke iReebok". I-Lakers yanqoba imidlalo engu-56 ngesikhathi sonyaka ka-1996-97. U-O'Neal wenza isilinganiso samaphuzu angama-26.2 kanye nama-12.5 rebounds ngesizini yakhe yokuqala neLos Angeles; kodwa-ke, waphinde waphuthelwa imidlalo engaphezu kwengu-30 ngenxa yokulimala. I-Lakers yafika kuma-playoffs, kodwa yaqedwa emzuliswaneni wesibili yi-Utah Jazz emidlalweni emihlanu. Emdlalweni wakhe wokuqala we-playoff we-Lakers, u-O'Neal wathola amaphuzu angama-46 ngokumelene ne-Portland Trail Blazers, okuyiwona amaphuzu amaningi e-Lakers emdlalweni we-playoff kusukela uJerry West aba namaphuzu angama-53 ngo-1969. NgoDisemba 17, 1996, u-O'Neal washaya uDennis Rodman weChicago Bulls; Abalingani bakaRodman uScottie Pippen noMichael Jordan babamba uRodman futhi bavimbela ukungqubuzana okwengeziwe. I-Los Angeles Daily News yabika ukuthi u-O'Neal wayezimisele ukumiswa emsebenzini ngenxa yokulwa noRodman, futhi u-O'Neal wathi: "Kuyinto eyodwa ukukhuluma kanzima futhi kuyinto eyodwa ukuba kanzima".  Ngesizini elandelayo, u-O'Neal wenza amaphuzu angu-28.3 kanye nama-rebounds angu-11.4. Wahola leligi ngephesenti lamagoli enkundla angu-58.4, owokuqala wezikhathi ezinhlanu ezilandelanayo lapho enza khona. I-Lakers iqede isizini ngo-61:21, yaba ngowokuqala ePacific Division, futhi yaba ngowesibili eWestern Conference ngesikhathi se-NBA Playoffs yango-1998. Ngemuva kokunqoba i-Portland Trail Blazers ne-Seattle SuperSonics emizuzwini emibili yokuqala, i-Lakers yaphinde yawela ku-Jazz, kulokhu ngo-4-0.
UShaquille O'Neal waba nezinkathi ezintathu ezinamaphuzu angaphezu kuka-30 emdlalweni ngamunye, zonke ezaziseLos Angeles Lakers. Ube nesizini yakhe yokuqala neLakers ngo-1995-96, lapho enza isilinganiso samaphuzu angu-30.4 emdlalweni ngamunye. Ube nesizini yakhe yesibili ngo-1996-97, lapho enza isilinganiso samaphuzu angama-29.7 emdlalweni. Ube nesizini yakhe yokugcina neLakers ngo-2000-01, lapho enza isilinganiso samaphuzu angama-31.2 emdlalweni.