Photo: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Shaquille O’Neal talked about the Miami Heat 2006 championship run on Instagram Live on Friday afternoon on the team official IG account. “Shaq” admitted that the Finals against the Dallas Mavericks was the start of his career decline.

“We were unorthodox. We were enigmatic. We were slightly, a little bit, problematic. We knew we could do it. [We] had a lot of trials and tribulations, and Pat [Riley] did a great job of putting all of that together. I think after we lost the two games, me and D. Wade had a conversation because I didn’t have my Shaq-like Finals.

I think that was the beginning of my decline, but it was ok because I still had other guys that were in the same position…[and] we had one guy that could put it all together,” “Shaq” continued. “So, I was like, ‘Hey, man, I’m getting quadruple and triple-teamed. What are yall going to do? What are yall going to do?’ And finally, I told D. Wade, ‘Don’t be nice. Don’t be nice. At this point, I’m going to be a role player. Do it.”

The Hall of Famer was averaging 13.7 points and 10.2 rebounds against the front-line of the Mavericks led by Dirk Nowitzki. After Miami fell behind two games in the first two contests, Dwyane Wade took over in Games 3,4, 5 and 6 to lead the Heat to the first NBA title.

“And then the unsung hero of that was Alonzo Mourning and UD and [James] Posey and guys like that. I remember Alonzo waiting for this moment his whole life, and then when Pat pulled me out, Alonzo said, ‘I got you big dog. You carried us this far. I’ll take care of it.’ And he played some of the best five, six minutes I’ve seen ever [in that Game 6]. It reminded me of when Bill Walton was getting older and he was playing for the Celtics, coming in blocking shots [and] getting key rebounds…

I was a hypocrite about him and Karl Malone and even Gary Payton…but Alonzo is one of the nicest people I’ve ever met in my life, and I never knew that…because we never talked [before we played together]…I know you’re talking to me, and my championship, me and D. Wade, but you got UD, especially Alonzo [and] Posey [that also deserve credit]. And I think the biggest thing that Pat did was, after we lost the two games, his movie was coming out, Glory Road, and we watched the movie…I felt something that I haven’t felt in a long time from watching a movie,” O’Neal said on the precious help him and “D Wade” received in the Finals.