Mike D’Antoni took over as the head coach of the Phoenix Suns at the tail end of the 2003-04 NBA season. He had a tall task ahead, taking a team that had coasted towards the middle of the pack for years and turning them into a contender. He took over during Shaquille O’Neal’s final season with the Los Angeles Lakers, as well, when they made their fourth NBA Finals in five years.
So D’Antoni had to figure out how to get past one arguably the most dominant player in league history, which led him to a revelation. He conceptualized a true five-out offense that played with pace, off-ball movement and the 3-ball to force players like Shaq into constant motion.
And while O’Neal was no longer in the division in D’Antoni’s first full season with the Suns, what was left was an offense that revolutionized the game of basketball. And the head coach credits Shaq for being so dominant that it required him to get creative, via the “On Point” podcast:
“A big driving force was Shaquille O’Neal was the center in Los Angeles, which is in our division. And we always said among ourselves, you can’t out Shaq Shaq. You can’t just trot somebody out there and think you’re gonna get the best of Shaq. So we had to figure out a way to beat him. And that was to speed the game up, take more 3s and spread them out, and then they give us a chance to win.”
The Suns won 50 or more games in each of D’Antoni’s four seasons at the helm. They were the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference for three straight years and got to the Conference Finals in back-to-back seasons. Those Suns teams, led by two-time MVP Steve Nash, changed the way the game of basketball is played.
And it all stems from how dominant Shaq was as a player. D’Antoni’s Suns never had to face him directly within the division, but the threat that they might have to was enough for the Suns signal-caller to change basketball forever.
Lakers hosting Suns and others as part of 2025 preseason schedule
The Lakers announced four games they will host as part of the 2025 preseason schedule.
Preseason tips off for the Lakers on Oct. 3 in Greater Palm Springs at Acrisure Arena when they host the Phoenix Suns. The Lakers organization has a rich history in Coachella Valley, where they held training camp in the Showtime era. They returned to the area in 2023 after a 26-year hiatus and will now play a preseason game at Acrisure Arena for the third straight year.
Additionally, the Lakers will host a pair of preseason games on their home court at Crypto.com Arena, including the Golden State Warriors on Oct. 12 and then Sacramento Kings on Oct. 17.
The Lakers will also host the Dallas Mavericks Oct. 15 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
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