Shaquille O'Neal has criticized Dwight Howard in the past and did so again on Tuesday when he said the Los Angeles Lakers' big man has been too nice in his career and must stiffen up.

"He's too nice," O'Neal said. "I'm a connoisseur of giggling and playing and all that and making you laugh and playing with the fans, but when I cross that line, I'm ready to tear your face off. I don't care who it is. You could put one of my aunts or uncles out there, and I'm going to give him these elbows in their chest and I'm going to throw it down in their face. That's what you have to do.

"He's just too nice. If I was him, I would get into the same mood I was in."

O'Neal said Howard has never reached out to him for advice and he does not want him to.

"He should have known all of this when he signed with L.A.," O'Neal said. "He should have known what he was getting into. My advice to him is to look pressure in the face and give it the one-two combination and knock it out."