Big game from Shaquille, and the Lakers needed it, having been

• down a significant amount at halftime;
• dropped to the seven spot in the Western Conference;
• defeated by the Kings the night before.

Kobe took only 11 shots and had 7 assists, which is the right attitude to take when Boston is fronting the big man all night.

Sunday's game against the Spurs is huge. It's looking more and more like that'll be the first round matchup, and while I think the Kings are the only real threat, the Lakers haven't beat the Spurs yet this year, and it'd be nice to see Shaq beat up on the Twin Towers a few times to make a point.