Robin Lopez goes for Griffin's head.

HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Playoff time is definitely here.

Brook Lopez Humiliates Brother.

HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: Brook just established bragging rights over his brother Robin for life.

Considering O'Neal previously had compared Bosh to a drag queen, as "the RuPaul of big men," Bosh hardly finds himself compelled to respond to the rehash. "I know the thing is entertainment," Bosh told the Sun Sentinel. "How are you going to get people to buy your book? "So I don't care about stuff that is said in the media or in books or pointed or directed toward somebody, because it's really just a tactic and nothing else. He's an author. He can write whatever he wants. If he sells a bunch, then congrats to him."

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: Chris Bosh is right. This is about Shaquille O'Neal selling books.

Nothing more; nothing less.

After all, Shaq has a legacy of attacking coaches, teammates, and even friends when it suits him.

Consider some of his foes: Penny Hardaway, Kobe Bryant, Phil Jackson (at times), Dwyane Wade (at times), Pat Riley, Terry Porter and Robin Lopez. 

The ultimate was the television Shaq Vs. Well, the future member of the Hall of Fame overheard Steve Nash discussing the concept with his people.

And he liked it. So The Big Fella stole it. A flat-out robbery.

A few days later, after working out the details with ABC, O'Neal casually announced he had a new reality show and Nash rightfully responded with anger.

So Bosh is happy to let O'Neal talk. That's all The Big Broadcaster will be doing from now on.

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Marcin said that on his first day in Phoenix he asked Robin if practice started on the court or with a video session. Robin told Marcin that he didn't know so Gortat went to the gym while Lopez went to watch video. According to Gortat, a coach came to get him and asked why he was late and Marcin said that he had asked Robin and was told he didn't know where practice was starting. The coach said everyone knew where they were supposed to be. Marcin took that as a sign of where things stood between himself and Lopez.

Gortat went on to talk about the opportunity that Lopez had to earn and keep the starting job.

"This guy (Lopez) had such a big chance, such a big opportunity, to play in the best league. When I was Orlando, playing behind Dwight (Howard), I was praying to get a chance to play and he (Lopez) has had this chance for two years and he didn't take.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Sport is competitive.

Every night teams compete, and every night teammates compete for playing time, touches, and shots, which determines the zeros on their contracts.

The tiff between Phoenix Suns teammates Marcin Gortat and Robin Lopez is about as surprising as the current pissing match between Commissioner David Stern and Union Head Billy Hunter.

The Suns weren’t winning, so Lopez and Gortat focused on the starting center position. And it got petty -fast.

Gortat publicly accused Lopez of sabotaging his first day with the Suns by intentionally telling him practice began in the video room when it began on-court.

However, the Polish post was just warming up. He then mocked Lopez for not taking advantage of the opportunity given to him by the Suns.

On the one hand, Gortat is about as wrong as you can get. He can’t call Lopez out to the media for what`s likely a miscommunication.

On the other hand, Gortat is right: Lopez, for whatever reason, hasn’t seized the moment and performed near expectations.

Of course, Gortat vs. Lopez isn’t going anywhere. Both want to start. Both are intense. Neither will back down. 

When the season begins, Coach Alvin Gentry should encourage competition, but can’t let his centers become a distraction like Brenadan Haywood and Etan Thomas with the Washington Wizards.

--Oly Sandor.

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Suns coach Alvin Gentry inserted center Marcin Gortat and swingman Jared Dudley into the starting lineup, putting Gortat into the spot of Robin Lopez, who had been groomed as a future franchise center, and Dudley in place of guard Vince Carter, who likely won't be with the Suns next season.

Gortat, 27, has received minutes and produced the numbers as if he were a starter and embraces the idea of a bigger role in the future. Sunday was his first start as a Suns center after receiving one previous start at power forward alongside Lopez.

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‘That’s probably been the biggest mystery for our team,’ coach Alvin Gentry said when asked why Lopez’s progression has stopped. ‘In actuality, we really thought that he would probably be the second-most-important guy on our team, especially if he took a big leap. I’m not real sure if it’s the injury or what, but he hasn’t been able to give us the consistent play that we thought we’d be able to get from him. We could use it. It’s something that has hurt us a bit. We haven’t really had much inside play. Gortat gives us some. Other than that, we’ve been pretty much resigned to the fact that we’re a perimeter team. That hurts you when you’re going to rely on jump shots night in and night out, even as good of a shooting team as we are.’”

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Robin Lopez, for the most part, has been an enigma for the Phoenix Suns.

He has the skill-set to be a solid player; however, his emotions and lack of confidence continue to hold him back.

Coach Alvin Gentry’s recent comments show that the Suns are finally running out of patience. Fortunately, they have a solution on the roster in Marcin Gortat.

The Polish post, acquired from the Orlando Magic in exchange for Hedo Turkoglu and Jason Richardson, does the things Lopez either can’t or won’t.

Gortat is active, physical, and productive. If this continues, he’ll replace Lopez in the Suns’ starting line-up.

And it can’t be soon enough. After all, the Suns, who sit at 10th in the Western Conference, are on the outside looking in at the playoffs.

So everybody must play their best. The Suns have no time for an enigma.

--Oly Sandor.

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HoopsVibe's Thoughts: Seven Seconds Or Less is getting defensive.

Literally.

Word is the Phoenix Suns are planning to start physical post Robin Lopez against the Los Angeles Lakers and finesse-four Pau Gasol in the Western Conference Finals.

Lopez, who is on the mend from injury, provides the Suns with their most physical presence since Raja Bell. Of course, a few years back, Bell made his bones against Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in the Western Conference playoffs. 

Will Lopez, an equally spirited player, get under the skin of the purple-and-gold like Bell?

Get at HoopsVibe News with thoughts in the comment box below.