Doris Burke Calls Out SGA-Ant Double Standard; Shaq Rips Gobert Again

Two NBA broadcasters. Two opinions. One supporting the Timberwolves. One insult. Sunday was certainly a good day for hot takes and irrational reactions during Minnesota's impressive road victory over the Denver Nuggets.

Let's begin with the good from Doris Burke before we get to Shaquille O'Neal's latest cheap shot at Rudy Gobert...

Burke, the esteemed NBA analyst, was on the call for ABC's broadcast when she said what everyone in the NBA world has been thinking for the last two-plus years: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander gets away with plays that others don't, and perhaps no one more so than Anthony Edwards.

When Edwards was called for an offensive foul — for extending his right arm to gain separation from Jamal Murray — the Wolves unsuccessfully challenged the call, to which Burke reacted in Minnesota's and the NBA's favor.

"I'm gonna be honest with you, and I know Oklahoma City Thunder fans are going to start hating on me right now. And feel free. How many times does Shai Gilgeous-Alexander get away with that exact kind of play, and other players in the league?" Burke said. "Because I see that nightly in the NBA and there's no whistle."

Doris Burke calls out SGA after Anthony Edwards gets called for a push-off:

"I'm gonna be honest, OKC Thunder fans are going to start hating on me right now. How many times does Shai Gilgeous-Alexander get away with that exact kind of play… and there's no whistle"

She COOKING pic.twitter.com/0h3yMXYsyh
— Hater Report (@HaterReport) March 1, 2026

Meanwhile, ABC's halftime show with Ernie Johnson, Jalen Rose, Charles Barkley, and Shaq featured Shaq taking another unsolicited shot at Gobert.

After replaying a clip of Donte DiVincenzo bricking a free throw and later telling the Wolves bench that he shoots free throws "like Shaq," Shaq let out some fire.

"I wish I was playing. I would flagrant his ass the next game. I promise you I would. That's the difference with these softies in this game now. I'm going to see you, DiVincenzo. Put some spaghetti in your face," Shaq said.

After listening to everyone else laugh at DiVincenzo's joke and Shaq's reaction, the big fella changed his mind about who he would retaliate against if he were still playing.

"Actually, you know, I like DiVincenzo. I'm going to take it out on soft-ass Rudy Gobert," he said.

Shaq was NOT messing with Donte DiVincenzo saying "I shoot free throws like Shaq." 😅

"I wish I was playing, too. I'd flagrant his ass to the next game." 😭 pic.twitter.com/RcO2G6UcwA
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 1, 2026

Shaq has been hating on Gobert for years. Just last summer, Shaq said he hates Gobert.

"I f****** hate Rudy Gobert," O'Neal said. "Because that m*****f***** is making $250 (million) and he don't deserve it, dog."

"As the President of the Big Man Alliance, if you making big money, play like a f****** big man. That's it. Play like a f****** big man," Shaq said in his 2025 summer rant. "Throw some 'bows, knock some people out, don't be letting little white dudes from Denver dunk on you and talk s*** to you and then you gotta grab them by the neck at the last second. Come on, bro. That's it. If you going to be f****** getting paid big money, play big."

For the record, the Timberwolves, with Gobert manning the middle, have owned the Nuggets. They've won seven of the last 10 games in Denver, eliminated them from the playoffs in 2024, and swept them during the 2024-25 regular season.

That's part of what made Sunday's game such a statement victory for Minnesota. Denver had won the first three meetings of the season, though the Wolves blew it against them on Christmas Day. Winning Sunday in Denver, when tied for fourth place in the Western Conference playoff race, was a reminder to the Nuggets that a few regular-season wins aren't enough to unseat Minnesota as the superior team.

"We talked about the importance of it yesterday. We basically flagged it as a playoff game for us," Minnesota head coach Chris Finch said. "They have the tiebreaker, so we gotta keep our nose in front of that," he said. "We were really itching to get back here and redeem ourselves."