Which team do you think would win in a series? Shaq and Kobe Lakers or Durant and Steph Warriors?

[SpreeChokeJob]

This team literally had a nickname for one of its player rotations, the “Death Lineup”. And it was instant fatality for whoever played against it.

Their bench had three potential all stars in Livingston, Iguodala, and West. So the pain continued when the starters took a rest.

A team would have to play mistake free possession basketball for forty eight minutes to have a chance.

[2klegend]

If they play with the physicality of early 2000s rule, Lakers win, especially the 2001 Lakers. Fox, Kobe, Fisher, Horry will body and tire out Steph and Durant while Shaq will feed on the inside. Kobe will cause a lot of defensive breakdown with his driving and diss and get Klay in foul trouble as Kobe is very crafty in drawing foul. Green will likely be in foul trouble guarding Shaq and if you can't stay on the court, you are ineffective.

Worth mentioning that the Rockets with CP3/Harden put the Warriors on the verge of elimination. I can't tell if the Warriors play down to the level of competition or the consequence of 3 or die system of both teams. What is interesting is the '01 Lakers clicking on all cylinders with inside and outside offense. Led the league with a 111 ORTG vs Warrior 113 but at a slower pace. Defensively, Lakers' 01 92 DRTG is a monster at trapping and disrupting the flow of the opponent offense.

[Stan]

OP is OBSESSED with this topic

[dshearn]

Well.... Really depends on the rules.....

I think the Dubs get out rebounded by a ton. I also don't think the dubs will be ready for the foul trouble they could end up in.

I think the biggest difference is the Lakers actually match up pretty good and had a solid defense in 2000. They have athletic players with size to compete. Things like 1st team defense Kobe on Curry would be an issue for the Dubs. Curry is not likely getting Kobe in foul trouble to boot. They had other above average defensive wings to throw at Durant and Klay to at least make them work. On top of that they have the only Rim protector in this match up.

I pulled the numbers from their playoff runs to refresh my memory, and I remembered Klay and Draymond are more dangerous then their numbers would suggest. Good yes, massive threats no....

Durant: 28.5
Curry: 28.1
Clay: 15.0
Green: 13.1
Iggy: 7.2

Versus:

Shaq 30.4
Kobe 29.4
Fisher: 13.4
Fox: 10.0
Grant 8.5

I think it comes back down to Size, and predicted foul trouble. Durant on the Warriors and Shaq on the Lakers. Teams though the years have done everything to slow down Durant from putting point guards on him to just meeting him with doubles at the rim. The warriors at least have Draymond to try and pull Shaq out the way. I like the odds of one of Horry, AC Green or Fox figuring how to make Durant work for his points alot more then I like D. Green on Shaq.

We just watched a series that had one team at a size disadvantage with the Brow having his way with Miami. I could see Shaq going all Wilt Chamberlin in a series the other team brought Draymond Green in to defend him. Seriously...50 a game? 60? You basically have a great defensive small forward on the most prime dominant bigman in the history of the association.

For the young guys, who didn't get to watch Shaq, there is no equivalent in today's NBA. The 3 point shooting you see today, was in part created by the NBA changing the rules because of guys like Shaq. So when you ponder this question (that there is no wrong answer too...its all just guessing) and you wonder why us old guys are all like...."but Shaq".... think of this scenario. Shaq a 7-1 300+ pounds verus 6-6 230 Green is even a larger mismatch then Lebron being defended by Patrick Beverly from a size perspective. If the other teams best option to stop lebron is Patrick Beverly how many points is Lebron scoring? Got that number in mind? Ok....now factor in that Lebron is not even top 50 in EFG%..... Shaq is top 10. Shaq is absolutely dominant doing his thing...and there is no one on that GS team that can stop him. He would score at will.

[ChantMVP]

Lets not forget that

-In 2017 GSW were in trouble against SAS until Kawhi got Zaza'd.
-In 2018 GSW were in trouble against HOU until CP3 pulled a hammy.

Whereas the Lakers atleast had one year where they demolished everyone with no difficulty.

As others have mentioned it largely depends on which era's ruleset we go by but in terms of dominance I would lean toward the Lakers.

[Peregrine01]

In today's game, I think it's the Warriors. With the way the game is called, Shaq's routine bulldozing post play probably gets him in constant foul trouble.

[JordansBulls]

Shaq and Kobe Lakers. They also had shooting.

[hoosierdaddy34]

I still believe that Shaq just fouls out the Warriors front line. And a guy like Horry isn’t going to stop Durant but he gives the Lakers a much better matchup than the Warriors have for prime Shaq.

[mtron32]

The Warriors because while the Lakers may arguably have the best player (Shaq), the Warriors have the 5 of the next 6 best players. Curry and KD are arguably as good or better than Shaq and young Kobe, and Klay, Green, and Iggy are better than anyone else on the Lakers.

Wasn't that the rationale for why the Heat would roll the Lakers?

[PKABOOICU]

Im sorry but KD and Steph are getting swept by a prime Shaq and Kobe.

[RoyceDa59]

The Lakers because Phil would coach circles around Kerr.


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[balrog27]

Shaq can average 40 like all his NBA finals maybe even more, but they'd lose.

[Joerezz7]

Lakers easily. Anyone who says Warriors had to just start watching basketball after the Lakers run and must’ve never watched Shaq play in his prime.

[rtiff68]

Lakers easily. Anyone who says Warriors had to just start watching basketball after the Lakers run and must’ve never watched Shaq play in his prime.

Are you old enough to have watched those Laker teams?

[snaquille oatmeal]

The Lakers because Phil would coach circles around Kerr.


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This right here ^^^^

Phil cannot be forgotten in this equation. Phil knew how to slow down the game and dictate the pace. He did it with Dallas, the Suns, the Spurs, and any team. This would be a huge advantage for the Lakers.

[Drygon]

No team can beat the Steph KD warriors. Not even sure the Jordan Bulls could beat them. They were cruising in the playoffs and if they felt like it they could have blown their opponents away. With three possible 40 percent three point shooters and a hack a Shaq, the math would really go wrong for the Lakers very quickly.

No team in basketball history can handle the Curry/Durant Warriors, especially not the Shaq Kobe Lakers.

WTF? 2018 Rockets pushed GSW to 7 games and were only a Chris Paul injury from reaching NBA Finals.

I've no doubt Shaq & Kobe (if they stay healthy) can finish off the job 2018 Rockets couldn't do.

Warriors easily... That Warriors team was the best team assembled in the modern era. They managed to get 73 wins and then switched Harrison Barnes to an MVP in his prime.

You mean a 73-9 GSW team that sacrificed their depth to get KD?

GSW also declined every year in regular season after KD joined, but that's besides the point.

[fanofthegreats]

No team can beat the Steph KD warriors. Not even sure the Jordan Bulls could beat them. They were cruising in the playoffs and if they felt like it they could have blown their opponents away. With three possible 40 percent three point shooters and a hack a Shaq, the math would really go wrong for the Lakers very quickly.

No team in basketball history can handle the Curry/Durant Warriors, especially not the Shaq Kobe Lakers.

WTF? 2018 Rockets pushed GSW to 7 games and were only a Chris Paul injury from reaching NBA Finals.

I've no doubt Shaq & Kobe (if they stay healthy) can finish off the job 2018 Rockets couldn't do.

Warriors easily... That Warriors team was the best team assembled in the modern era. They managed to get 73 wins and then switched Harrison Barnes to an MVP in his prime.

You mean a 73-9 GSW team that sacrificed their depth to get KD?

GSW also declined every year in regular season after KD joined, but that's besides the point.

2018 Warriors were never in danger of losing. They played down significantly to their competition and frankly often times got bored. You saw it when they ramped it up that they’d run teams (including Houston) out of the gym.

You say they got worse after KD? Look at how they performed in the postseason to get a true gauge of their dominance.

[fanofthegreats]

The Lakers because Phil would coach circles around Kerr.


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This right here ^^^^

Phil cannot be forgotten in this equation. Phil knew how to slow down the game and dictate the pace. He did it with Dallas, the Suns, the Spurs, and any team. This would be a huge advantage for the Lakers.

Lol what? Phil would deploy drop coverage vs the Kings pick and roll and it would murder them. Imagine doing that vs Steph.

None of those teams had the shotmaking that the Warriors have, it’s not close really. Phil’s schemes aren’t stopping the Warriors semi transition game where they murder you with their shotmaking.

Quite frankly, the Warriors are a better half court team as well.

[fanofthegreats]

I still believe that Shaq just fouls out the Warriors front line. And a guy like Horry isn’t going to stop Durant but he gives the Lakers a much better matchup than the Warriors have for prime Shaq.

Err. Horry is no matchup for Durant lmao.

[Pelon chingon]

02 Kings beat them both.