Most NBA fans remember the feud between Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal in their respective primes. What most fail to consider is that despite their issues, the two Los Angeles Lakers icons had amazing success together, winning three championships in a row from 2000 to 2003. They also had their share of fun moments along the way.
One of them happened in June 2000 as the Lakers were preparing to face the Indiana Pacers in Game 3 of the 2000 NBA Finals. Bryant was nursing an ankle sprain he sustained in Game 2, but there was no cart available to wheel young “Bean” into the practice facility. Shaq did the next best thing, literally carrying the 6’6″ guard to practice on his back.
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“They didn’t have a cart or nothing like that,” Bryant said via New York Times. “And he didn’t want me walking in here without any crutches. So I hopped on his back and got a little piggyback ride.”
The Lakers were up 2-0 at that point and were looking to make it three in a row. O’Neal was unstoppable, averaging 41.5 points after two games. But “Big Diesel” knew that despite his overpowering performance, he needed Bryant to help him out.
Pacers take advantage of Kobe’s absence
Bryant missed Game 3, which gave the Pacers the opportunity to win. O’Neal tried to carry LA by himself, but his 33-point effort was not enough.
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“Young Mamba” managed to return in Game 4, which was key for the Lakers. This was the game where O’Neal fouled out and Bryant had to step up in overtime. “Bean” assured Shaq not to worry and told him he was taking over.
“Kobe looked at me, and without a worry in the world, he said, ‘I got you big fella. Imma take over,'” O’Neal recalled.
Bryant lived up to his word, accounting for 8 of the Lakers 16 points in the extra period. LA won 120-118, taking a commanding 3-1 series lead.
Game 4 was the turning point of the 2000 Finals
Although Shaq dominated those Finals, some, including Pacers guard Mark Jackson, believed Kobe’s Game 4 performance was the turning point.
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“They won a championship because he took over that game. Shaquille O’Neal averaged, I believe, 39 points and 17 rebounds in that NBA Finals run, but Kobe Bryant won that championship by winning that one game,” the 1988 Rookie of the Year stressed.
The Purple and Gold closed out that series in six games, with O’Neal being named the Finals MVP. Even though they didn’t always see eye to eye even then, Shaq’s and Bryant’s relationship was probably the best after that title.
It is possible that the feud between the two was still at the early stages at that point. It likely amplified in the years that followed when the Lakers started racking up consecutive championships and “Big Aristotle” gained more and more weight, which angered Bryant, who felt O’Neal didn’t match his work ethic.
One can only imagine how many titles the Lakers would have won in the Shaq and Kobe era if they stayed together. Success is sweet, but conflicts cannot be avoided, especially if you talk about two superstars who had huge egos.