NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal says the Los Angeles Lakers, who just won the Western Conference Finals, are hoping to face off against the Miami Heat for the championship.
“They’re just gonna sit back tonight, celebrate and say, ‘We’re going to play Boston or Miami,’ but something tells me they want the Miami Heat,” O’Neal said on TNT, after the Lakers won Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals.
“What tells you that?” asked Ernie Johnson.
“I’m not allowed to give you my source, but they want the Miami Heat,” O’Neal responded.
Lakers star LeBron James played for the Heat from 2010 through 2014, when he won two championships with the organization. This is the first time the Heat have made the NBA Finals since James' departure.
"We're going to enjoy it tonight, as we should, because this is not promised every year," James said. "There's only two teams that can advance to the Finals every year. That means pretty much 30 players that only advance every year to the Finals. We're going to enjoy it tonight, but we understand we have bigger fish to fry."
The Lakers have not publically commented on who they'd prefer to play, but the Heat can secure their place in the Finals tonight.
The Heat are currently leading 3-2 against the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. Game 6 tips off Sunday, at 7:30 PM.
[Via]
