Tyronn Lue, a man who has experienced success with some of the greatest teams in NBA history, recently shared his thoughts on an age-old debate: Which team was the best of all time?
Speaking on The Draymond Green Show, Lue boldly claimed that the 2001 Los Angeles Lakers—featuring Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant at their peak—would outmatch both the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers and the Kevin Durant-led Golden State Warriors.
“Man, I just don’t see nobody like beating the Lakers team. Like I said, when it got KD, I got to go back and reassess. What I’m saying is the biggest factor is like, it’s Shaq. Like, you know what I mean?”
“I’m saying you can’t stop him. Like you can’t guard him. You know what I mean? And you had, God rest in peace, one of my guys, Mutombo, like I said, Defensive Player of the Year. You know, Shaq averaged 36, and 14 at series or something.”
“But like, I mean, it just wasn’t no answer for Shaq. You were to double-team Kobe, or Kobe had a rough night, whatever. There’s just, there’s no answer for Shaq, and you could foul him, but now you got three centers playing the game, so now you’re third and fourth string center and playing against Shaq, because everybody else was going to foul out or get into foul trouble.”
“And now you in a bonus with, you know, six minutes of going every quarter. Like it just, I just don’t see an answer for Shaq. And that’s like, that’s what people don’t talk about and understand is his dominance was unmatched.”
While Shaq anchored the Lakers with his interior dominance, Kobe Bryant’s scoring and versatility made them a two-headed monster. In the 2001 playoffs, Kobe averaged 29.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game. His performances in the Western Conference Finals against the Spurs were especially spectacular, where he put up 33.3 points, 7.0 assists, and 7.1 rebounds per game.
The 2001 Lakers’ playoff dominance sets them apart from almost every team in NBA history. They went 15-1 in the postseason, sweeping the Trail Blazers, Kings, and Spurs en route to the NBA Finals. Their only loss came in Game 1 of the Finals against Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers, a game in which Iverson delivered a legendary 48-point performance.
The Lakers’ dominance wasn’t just about winning but the manner in which they did it. They outscored opponents by an average of 12.8 points per game during the playoffs, showcasing their ability to dismantle elite teams on both ends of the floor.
While Lue’s 2016 Cavaliers overcame a 3-1 deficit against the 73-9 Warriors, and the KD Warriors went on to dominate the league with their unprecedented combination of shooting and versatility, Lue still sees the 2001 Lakers as unmatched.
While the Warriors’ motion offense might present challenges for Shaq defensively, his impact on the offensive end was game-breaking. With Shaq drawing double-teams, Kobe punishing defenders on the perimeter, and a supporting cast that included clutch shooters like Derek Fisher and Robert Horry, the Lakers would have been a nightmare matchup.
The question of which team reigns supreme will always be subjective, with arguments swayed by personal bias, nostalgia, and the changing nature of the game. The 2016 Cavaliers had the greatest comeback in Finals history. The KD Warriors revolutionized basketball with their shooting and unselfish play. However, as Tyronn Lue asserts, the 2001 Lakers had an undeniable aura of invincibility, driven by the sheer dominance of Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.
In the end, comparisons across eras are impossible to settle definitively, but Lue’s passionate defense of the 2001 Lakers adds another layer to the timeless debate.
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