Los Angeles Clippers assistant coach Brian Shaw explained why he doesn’t think the Golden State Warriors with Kevin Durant are in the same tier as the 1996 Chicago Bulls or the three-peat Los Angeles Lakers.
“It’s hard to say because I think Jordan and Kobe cancel each other out. They still wouldn’t have anybody to deal with Shaq. The role-players for both teams were good. That’s one we have to wonder about. It’s definitely the Lakers and the Bulls teams 1A or however you want to look at that, and then the Warriors after that.”
Shaw then got into details on why he thinks the Warriors would fail to match up well, as their modern style would further aid someone like Shaquille O’Neal in a hypothetical matchup, along with them not having any defenders at the level of Michael Jordan.
“The Warriors had nobody that could deal with Jordan and they had nobody that could deal with Shaq. But the game is different. Teams now get away with shooting as many three as they do now because there’s nobody in the league like Shaq. Probably Joel Embiid is the closest. However threes they’d be shooting, we’d throw the ball inside to Shaq. He would foul everybody out, there’s no answer to that.”
Shaw seems to edge heavily towards the three-peat Lakers but wasn’t making a bold admission that they’re outright better than the Bulls. If you analyze the three teams from the lens of Shaw, you can see the merit in his argument. But there is no comparison for the pace and offensive efficiency with which the Warriors played in 2017 and 2018.
Which Team Would Come Out On Top?
The three-peat Lakers won three consecutive titles from 2000 to 2002, making the Finals and losing in 2004 before Shaq left the team. The duo of Kobe Bryant and Shaq was virtually unstoppable, as Shaq was in his prime and easily the best player on the team. His presence allowed Kobe to further develop his game as a rising guard, becoming the default clutch option for the franchise.
The 1996 Chicago Bulls won the first title of the Bulls’ three-peat from 1996 to 1998, but everyone agrees that the 1996 version of that team was a class apart. They won 72 games and the title in one of Michael Jordan’s greatest seasons. This was Dennis Rodman‘s first season with the team while Scottie Pippen continued to play as an All-NBA level forward.
The 2017 and 2018 Warriors went back-to-back with Kevin Durant leading the franchise. KD and Stephen Curry may form the greatest duo in NBA history in terms of pure skill, but this team was also strengthened by Klay Thompson’s historic shooting and Draymond Green’s DPOY-level defense. It’s hard to evaluate this dynasty, as they won the 2015 title before blowing a 3-1 lead in the 2016 NBA Finals after going 73-9 without Durant, beating the 1996 Bulls record for most wins in a season.
All three teams have a case of coming out on top, but I’d lean towards the Bulls. They’re still one of the most complete NBA teams we have ever seen. They may not be able to answer for Shaq, but Jordan in his prime was still better than the version of Kobe on those Lakers titles. The overall depth of the Bulls gives them a heavy edge in this conversation.
The Warriors could have a fighter’s chance with the best offensive game, but their defensive system anchored by Draymond would likely fall apart while being attacked by either Jordan or Shaq.
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