The Big Apple, by the Hudson River. Amid the dense concrete jungle of Manhattan, the glow of Madison Square Garden remains undimmed.
Today's streets of New York were bustling early, like a grand festival had arrived.
This was not just because the fourth game of this year's NBA Finals was about to start, but also because it could very well be the swan song of the greatest player in NBA history.
Shaquille O'Neal walked into Madison Square Garden, where the place was dazzling, filled with celebrities. No sooner had he sat down, than Shaq spotted New York's legendary center Patrick Ewing.
In the '90s, the wars between these two giants left the Eastern Conference's paint smeared with blood. The naturally talented Shaq looked down on Ewing, and Ewing did not like Shaq's youthful arrogance.
But now, the two men, neatly dressed in suits, simply exchanged smiles and shook hands with hugs.
"Patrick, I never thought the day would come when you'd be fatter than me," O'Neal joked.
