LUKE, I'M YOUR FATHER

It was interesting to see O'Neal and rookie Luke Walton of the Los Angeles Lakers laughing and joking during the second quarter of their win against the Raptors on Sunday, since Shaq is no fan of Luke's dad, Bill. That has caused some minor uneasiness between O'Neal and Luke this season, because Shaq isn't shy about calling Bill Walton -- a former great NBA player and now an outspoken broadcaster -- an idiot. Bill regularly has suggested O'Neal needs to get into better shape, and that obviously does not sit well with Shaq. "I don't get protective or try to fight back (when Shaq badmouths Bill)," Luke said. "I just say, 'That's your opinion.' "

Anyway, the interaction between Shaq and Luke on Sunday started when O'Neal set up Walton with a great feed for an easy bucket, and Walton was so impressed he couldn't stop grinning. The pair then spent the next couple of minutes taking turns giving each other pretty passes, and their faces clearly showed how much fun they were having. Shaq was full of compliments afterward, but typically, they were delivered in a manner that subtly trashed some of the other Lakers, and probably the injured Bryant in particular. "Luke is a great player, he's a great passer," Shaq said. "Some of the guys on our team need to learn from Luke."