Kevin Durant/Shaquille O'Neal vs Kobe Bryant/Kevin Garnett

[Matt15]

Which duo would you rather build a new team around?

[No-more-rings]

Durant/Shaq.

[udfa]

Voted KD/Shaq

Kobe/KG would give a lot of stability because they were both great professionals and active leaders (even if their leadership style is questionable) and their personalities would mesh well. Kobe would lead the offense and KG the defense and they would terrorize their teammates together.

KD/Shaq is certainly the better pair of players but neither of them are reliable people to build a new team around. Shaq is a staggering load to manage both for opponents and his own team. KD has his own agenda and may leave you at any time despite having good or even great success together. But if you can just get them to play their 20s together you might well win 5+ titles.

[Jiminy Glick]

Durant and Shaq easily

[TurinTurambar]

Any time I've seen one of these "Vs." Threads that involves Kobe, it's always such an imbalanced matchup that I don't really see what the point is.

"Michael Jordan & Wilt Chamberlain Vs. Kobe Bryant & Bob Sura who ya got?"

[No-more-rings]

Any time I've seen one of these "Vs." Threads that involves Kobe, it's always such an imbalanced matchup that I don't really see what the point is.

"Michael Jordan & Wilt Chamberlain Vs. Kobe Bryant & Bob Sura who ya got?"

I don’t think that’s the general idea. There’s a good number on this board that think Kg is roughly on Shaq’s level or even better. I don’t agree that’s why i went KD/Shaq. But either way the gap between Kobe-KD and Shaq-KG can’t be that big.

[HBK_Kliq_33]

The gap on Shaq and KG is huge. Shaq can actually control a game with his offense and KG doesn't even know how to get to the freethrow line. Shaq is a legit go 2 scorer and KG is not. Even shotblocking Shaq was better than KG and Shaq was alltime great defender in 2000 as well! The only thing KG is better at is passing. Shaq was at the end of his prime in 2004 and still had a better playoff run than KG, imagine peak vs peak.

I see the gap being much closer in Durant\Kobe. Shaq's team wins this easy.

[TurinTurambar]

Any time I've seen one of these "Vs." Threads that involves Kobe, it's always such an imbalanced matchup that I don't really see what the point is.

"Michael Jordan & Wilt Chamberlain Vs. Kobe Bryant & Bob Sura who ya got?"

I don’t think that’s the general idea. There’s a good number on this board that think Kg is roughly on Shaq’s level or even better. I don’t agree that’s why i went KD/Shaq. But either way the gap between Kobe-KD and Shaq-KG can’t be that big.

I don't really know how to account for the unabashed love KG gets from Realgm. The truth is that he was an excellent player who was immensely valuable in a team setting, but who is well behind a good number of guys who dominated games individually in both the regular season and playoffs.

This game would turn into 1 on 1, and there's just nothing KG could do with Shaq. KG and Kobe would probably never get to touch the ball.

[Jiminy Glick]

Offensively Durant and Shaq are so much more dominant. They have an argument as the two most dominant scorers ever. If they were playing on the same team it would be very tough for teams to defend them.

[Threetimes10]

KG doesn't even know how to get to the freethrow line. Even shotblocking Shaq was better than KG and Shaq was alltime great defender in 2000 as well! The only thing KG is better at is passing. Shaq was at the end of his prime in 2004 and still had a better playoff run than KG, imagine peak vs peak.

1. KG knows how to make his free throws though.
2. Samuel Dalembert was also better at shotblocking than Kawhi Leonard.
3. KG is undeniably better at shooting/passing/defending.
4. Shaq was playing with prime Kobe. KG was playing with ..

[Asianiac_24]

Kobe/KG because they would dominate longer, and their personalities and game mesh very well.

[sikma42]

The one with Shaq. KG is a weak link out of the four.

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[HeartBreakKid]

The one with Shaq. KG is a weak link out of the four.

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Yeah, he doesn't score as much as the others!

[Dr Spaceman]

I’d take KG/Kobe because Durant would probably leave Shaq and join my duo.

Spoiler:

Also I prefer the fit with Kobe/KG.

[OdomFan]

Kobe & KG. Especially if you throw in a good play making point guard along with them. Doesn't have to be Jason Kidd but someone similar.

I don't think Shaq and KD would get along at all.

[kendogg]

Durant/Shaq would be beastly. Durant is long enough to get a better angle for lobs on pick and rolls as well as just off a Durant drive. In terms of 1v1 scoring ability it goes Shaq>Kobe>Durant>KG but the drop off between Durant and KG is huge while the other 3 are kind of close.

For defense yeah Kobe/Garnett have the edge on the perimeter no doubt. Around the rim though, prime Shaq is the best rim protector of the group. And he's also a brick wall. Nobody even tries to back down Shaq or dunk on him. That makes everyone else's job on defense that much easier. I'm not convinced that 2004 Garnett's defensive impact is much greater than 2000 Shaq's defensive impact, either. The numbers slightly favor KG but KG's defense was overrated (he's versatile but not that dominant), while Shaq is underrated (fear factor stopped a lot of players from even trying to go aggressive against Shaq, which doesn't show up in the box score). Prime Shaq was a total beast...KG was just more consistent throughout his career.

[wutevahung]

Kobe & KG. Especially if you throw in a good play making point guard along with them. Doesn't have to be Jason Kidd but someone similar.

I don't think Shaq and KD would get along at all.

Why would you need a good play making point guard when Kobe is an elite lead guard and KG is an all time play maker as a PF/C? Fisher type of player is definitely good enough here next to Kobe like he had been his whole career.