When discussing the greatest teams in the history of the NBA, there are a lot thrown out as potentially being at the top of the list. But without a doubt two squads that are always in the debate are the early-2000s Los Angeles Lakers led by Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant, and the late-2010s Golden State Warriors led by Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.
The debate between these two squads is truly a fun one as they are such completely different teams built for different eras. Shaq was at his absolute peak dominance with Kobe growing into an unguardable perimeter threat with a ton of excellent role players. But the offensive excellence of Curry, Durant and Thompson, three of the greatest shooters to ever step foot on an NBA court presents its own challenges.
Green recently appeared on The Big Podcast with Shaquille O’Neal and the two went back and forth over who would win in a hypothetical series between the Lakers and Warriors. As is to be expected, Shaq scoffed at Green’s ideas on how they would contain him and Kobe, via NBACentral:
Draymond Green says that if the championship-winning Warriors were to play Shaq’s Lakers, he would not allow Shaq to get the ball
Shaq: “Who guarding Kobe?”
Draymond: “Klay”
Shaq: “?”
(? @bigpodwithshaq / https://t.co/rYZwqlcCGO) pic.twitter.com/6YG0uak4Us
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 22, 2024
The look on Shaq’s face when Green suggested that Thompson would be tasked with defending Bryant is simply priceless. In fairness to Green, Thompson at his best was one of the best perimeter defenders in the league, not to mention the team also had Andre Iguodala to throw at Kobe as well. No one was capable of stopping Bryant, but the Warriors would at least have options, while the same can’t be said for containing Shaq.
But on the other side of that, the Lakers would have to figure out a way to contain the constant movement of the Curry and Thompson and Green’s playmaking, not to mention one of the greatest pure scorers ever in Durant. It truly would be a clash of styles if the Lakers and Warriors could ever face off.
A debate between two players who were on the teams themselves is never going to give a real conclusion, but the discussion itself is a spirited one that Green and Shaq will likely continue to have forever.
Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal believes GOAT conversation should involve Kobe Bryant
Shaquille O’Neal has found himself speaking out a lot on things he feels strongly about recently and one of those subjects remains the GOAT conversation. Shaq once again re-iterated his belief that his Lakers teammate Kobe Bryant deserves to be in that convo alongside LeBron James and Michael Jordan.
Shaq wouldn’t go so far as to proclaim Kobe the greatest ever, but simply feels that debate should involve all three legendary players and everyone can make their choice then.
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