Funny stuff (video link swiped from DC Sports Bog) and miles more uplifiting than any hint DC’s talismanic leader/blogger might be taking on a “reduced role”.

While his Knicks hold a 49-48 halftime advantage over Orlando tonight, here’s your Isiah Thomas quote of the week regarding New York’s next opponent, courtesy of Newsday’s Ken Berger :

Miami is 0-4 with an overweight, 35-year-old Shaq averaging only 12.8 points and a foul every 6.7 minutes. He’s traditionally a slow starter, but the fact that Shaq hasn’t come close to dominating a possession, much less a game, already has people predicting his decline.

David Thorpe of Scouts Inc. points out that Shaq managed only eight points in 28 minutes against the Pacers last week despite rarely seeing double- teams. Even more stunning, O’Neal had no dunks in his first three games.

“It’s not going to stay like that forever,” Thomas said. “Shaq is still the most respected and the most dominant player in our league. When you talk about the Miami Heat, you say his name first.”

So there you have it. The Chuckster isn’t the only old schooler who doesn’t want D-Wade in his Five.