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[Saba Sports News] Shaquille O’Neal isn’t likely to live down his recent blunder about the Detroit Pistons anytime soon—and Richard Jefferson is making sure of it.
During ESPN’s NBA Countdown ahead of Wednesday’s Pistons-Heat matchup, Jefferson took a pointed jab at Shaq for mistakenly naming Chauncey Billups as Detroit’s head coach on a recent TNT broadcast.
“Contrary to popular belief, Chauncey Billups is not their head coach. It’s JB Bickerstaff,” Jefferson quipped, capping it off with a wink at the camera.
Shaq’s mix-up went viral last week and drew criticism from fans and analysts alike, highlighting what many saw as a lack of attention to the Pistons this season. Jefferson’s shot likely wasn’t just about setting the record straight—it was a well-timed dig in the ongoing (and often subtle) rivalry between TNT and ESPN’s NBA crews.
The Pistons, meanwhile, are silencing critics on their own. They edged out the Heat on a Cade Cunningham buzzer-beater Wednesday, improving to 39-31—an impressive leap from last year’s 14-win campaign.
Detroit is thriving in its underdog role, and while Shaq may have overlooked them, Richard Jefferson clearly hasn’t.