Image via Complex Original
Shaquille O'Neal built his historic NBA career on brute force and strength in the post with dunks coming from left and right. All of that work on the block led to 28,596 points which is the sixth highest amount of points scored in NBA history. Of the 11,330 field goal made in his career, 1,874 of those makes were dunks according to Basketball Reference. On top of that, he managed to shoot 58 percent from the field which expresses how efficient he was. O'Neal was known for his abuse of rims and opposing defenders that left many foes unwilling to even contest a shot.
Some of Shaq's highlights included breaking rims on a couple of occasions as well as his embarrassing facials over big men such as Shawn Bradley and Dikembe Mutombo. From his All-Star Game posterizations of David Robinson and Hakeem Olajuwon to his great alley-oop dunk that sealed the Western Conference Finals in 2000, take a look at the Most Vicious Dunks of Shaq's NBA Career.
15. Meadowlands Celebration
Date: 6/12/2002
Game: Lakers @ Nets
Victim: Aaron Williams
The three-peat was so sweet for the Lakers. One reason for the easy sweep of the Nets in the 2002 NBA Finals was O'Neal's dominance over the Nets' inferior frontline of Todd MacCulloch, Jason Collins, and Aaron Williams. He averaged 36.3 PPG on nearly 60 percent from the field on the way to his third straight Finals MVP.
14. Putting Zo and Grandmama on a Poster
Date: 11/9/1994
Game: Magic @ Hornets
Victim: Alonzo Mourning and Larry Johnson
Dunks like these are what made it clear that O'Neal was a better center than Mourning. The two of them later joined forces and won a championship with the Miami Heat. So everybody wins.
13. Schoolin' the Youth
Date: 1/16/2006
Game: Heat @ Lakers
Victim: Andrew Bynum
This was a passing of the torch moment...except for the whole altercation part after Bynum purposely bumped Shaq. Who knew that O'Neal would eventually end up calling Bynum the best big man in the NBA? Could he have been any more wrong?
12. The Big Aristotle Regains Supremacy
Date: 1/17/2003
Game: Lakers @ Rockets
Victim: Yao Ming
There was a ton of drama involving the pending matchup between Shaquille O'Neal and a then-rookie Yao Ming. Yao showed some flashes of brilliance, but Shaq flexed his muscle with this phenomenal facial that put the 7'6" Rockets center in his place.
11. Left-Handed Stuff
Date: 2/13/1994
Game: 1994 All-Star Game
Victim: Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon experienced a nightmare dealing with Shaq during the 1994 NBA All-Star Game. He did however regroup against O'Neal and his Orlando Magic with a sweep in the 1995 NBA Finals.
10. Embarrassing Gheorge Muresan
Date: 3/22/1996
Game: Magic @ Bullets
Victim: Gheorge Muresan
Shaq shitted on Gheorge Muresan three times in one game. The 7'7" giant was one of the top shot-swatters at the time, but that didn't stop O'Neal from embarrassing him in quick fashion.
9. Clowning Shawn Bradley
Date: 2/29/1996
Game: Magic @ Nets
Victim: Shawn Bradley
Pretty much everyone and their mom has dunked on Shawn Bradley, so it's no shocker that Shaquille O'Neal managed to power one through over the Stormin' Mormon.
8. Get off Me
Date: 3/28/1999
Game: Knicks @ Lakers
Victim: Chris Dudley
Shaq literally shoved Knicks center Chris Dudley to the ground and everyone got a kick out of it except for Dudley. Props to him for wanting some sauce after being tossed like a piece of garbage.
7. Bringing the Hammer Down
Date: 4/24/1998
Game: Trail Blazers @ Lakers
Victim: Kelvin Cato
What was Kelvin Cato thinking? When the Shaq Daddy is running at you full steam, you get out of the way. Just ask his teammates from his Phoenix days.
6. Breaking the Backboard
Date: 2/7/1993
Game: Magic @ Suns
Victim: The Backboard
Sir Charles was quick to dip out of there. This finish put everyone in the NBA on notice and forced them to make stronger baskets. No one was safe in the NBA.
5. Submarining the Admiral
Date: 11/13/1997
Game: Lakers @ Spurs
Victim: David Robinson
The Admiral might've cried himself to sleep.
4. Taking Care of Business
Date: 6/15/2001
Game: Lakers @ 76ers
Victim: Dikembe Mutombo
Dikembe Mutombo was able to shut down nearly every other NBA center, but it's okay to say that he took an L when playing against Shaq in the 2001 NBA Finals. Mutombo got everything from dunks to 'bows in the face. Hopefully he got that face checked out by a doctor after the series.
3. All-Star Game Showcase
Date: 2/11/1996
Game: 1996 All-Star Game
Victim: David Robinson
Let's just say Shaq had a slight dislike for the Admiral at one point in his life. He has his reasons.
2. Get out of the Way
Date: 4/23/1993
Game: Magic @ Nets
Victim: The Backboard
This was the second time that Shaq broke a backboard in a span of three months. The NBA knew after all of that, they had to make considerable changes to backboards.
1. Goin' to the Finals
Date: 6/4/2000
Game: Trail Blazers @ Lakers
Victim: Rasheed Wallace
This may be the signature play of the Lakers mini-dynasty three-peat. The Lakers were down by 13 to start the fourth quarter of Game 7 of the 2000 Western Conference Finals, but Shaq, Kobe, and the Lakers put together an amazing 25-4 run. Kobe's alley-oop to Shaq sealed the game, the series, and ignited the Lakers on their way to their first championship under Phil Jackson.
