The relationship between Del Harris and Shaquille O'Neal has never been great, and in light of the Lakers recent struggles it turn another turn for the worst.

The L.A. Daily News is reporting that in the wake of yet another loss last week, this time to Orlando, O'Neal said the Lakers played "like when Del Harris used to be our coach, with no fire and no enthusiasm."

Harris, now an assistant coach with the Mavericks, was not one to let a dig ride without retaliation, did so Tuesday via the Dallas Morning News.

"It seems that Shaq apparently is speaking for himself, because guys like Eddie Jones and Nick Van Exel and Rick Fox and Derek Fisher and Kobe Bryant, those guys only play one way," Harris said. "They play with passion all the time. If he was holding out on us, then it's amazing we won that many games."

"(I) never did anything but support Shaq. He's got his rings, and I don't know why he would say this. It's unfair."

"Shaq missed 30 percent of the games when I had the pleasure of coaching him," Harris added. "And we won 62 percent of those games he missed. At that time, Kobe was 18 or 19 years old and wasn't able to get us 40 (points) a night. If we played without passion, it must have been good coaching, right?"