The enormous holiday tree taking up real estate in the Inside the NBA studio exists as sort of a Chekov's Gun, as viewers understand that it will likely only be a matter of time until Kenny Smith knocks Shaquille O'Neal into it.
It's a bit of workplace violence that has happened so many times before and yet it feels like the first time every single year. Five days before the biggest gift-opening day of the year, O'Neal let his guard down just enough—and Smith lowered his shoulder just enough—to suddenly find himself under the tree yet again.
KENNY PUT SHAQ IN THE CHRISTMAS TREE AGAIN 🤣🎄 pic.twitter.com/n1iD0sNmKf
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) December 20, 2024
It's sort of incredible that O'Neal continues to find himself on the receiving end of this type of physical comedy—in the same way it's sort of incredible that professional wrestlers continue to allow themselves to get hit with folding chairs from behind. If a person didn't know any better they might suggest this recurring bit is staged.
Whatever truth lies at the heart of this annual tradition, we can all agree that O'Neal's ability to take a fall like at 52 is impressive. There's just so much of him to fall, after all.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as How Does Shaquille O'Neal Keep Allowing Himself to Get Knocked Into Christmas Trees?.