Shaquille O’Neal put it all on the line before Wednesday night’s big play-in game between the Charlotte Hornets and Atlanta Hawks.
O’Neal was so certain that the Hawks would beat the Hornets, that he wagered an awfully painful bet.
'If Charlotte beats the Hawks, I will stick my hand in a Hornets nest' 😂
Shaq officially has skin in the game for tonight's play-in game @NBAonTNT pic.twitter.com/PGmFCJFMfQ
— br_betting (@br_betting) April 13, 2022
Speaking with his NBA on TNT crew, O’Neal said, “If Charlotte beats the Hawks, I will stick my hand in a Hornets nest.”
It was hard to tell how serious he was because the guys on that show are always joking around but it sounds like O’Neal was just one surprise victory away from a hand full of hornet stings.
Thankfully for O’Neal – and Atlanta fans – the Hawks took down the Hornets in a huge way and ended their season with a major 132-103 win.
The Road Ahead For Atlanta
The Hawks have taken out the Hornets but now they have a tough road ahead.
Because they were the ninth seed in the Eastern Conference, they have one more hurdle to pass before they secure a spot in the playoffs.
They will face off against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night.
The winner of that game will secure the eighth seed.
Atlanta has gone against Cleveland four times this season and has beaten them three of those times.
So their chances of beating the Cavs one more time are pretty high.
If that happens, the Hawks could focus on their next target: the Miami Heat.
The Hawks haven’t had the easiest regular season and they were a far cry from the team they were last season.
Over the last few weeks, the Hawks have shown renewed enthusiasm, power, and skill.
How long will that resurgence last?
NEXT: Hornets Continue An Unfortunate Streak With Play-In Loss