How were the 2001 Lakers so good?

[Amare_1_Knicks]

1999-2001 is arguably when Kobe peaked athletically and 2001 was just a year after Shaq's peak in 2000. Plus Fisher, Fox, and Horry were hitting their 3s at a crazy percentage.

Kobe peaked athletically at 21-23?

I think he did. Big difference between 01-03 Kobe and 06 Kobe in terms of motor, overall athleticism/ability to play above the rim.

[IG2]

Why would they not be "so good"?

2 top 5 players, which alone is unique enough and will make you instant title favorites. You add solid 3&D role players to that and GOAT level coaching and it's pretty much a done deal. And their 2 biggest challengers in the league (Kings & Spurs) were still some acquisitions away from being threatening. Kings didn't have Bibby yet and 2001 Spurs were starting a perimeter of Terry Porter, Antonio Daniels and Danny Ferry. I mean, come on.

[Ainosterhaspie]

From what I've seen, NBA players typically peak physically at around 27/28. At that point they begin a slow physical decline the next 5-7 years, which then accelerates.

However depending on the player, improvements to skill mastery can stave off the physical decline so that their overall play and impact remains about the same 3-5 years after the physical decline begins. They shift to greater reliance on skill and understanding of the game rather than raw athleticism.

By around 32 though their play steadily erodes and the deterioration accelerates each year.

[spicy6]

Having two of the top 10 players ever helps.

[NPZ]

The 01 Lakers were so good because in March they suddenly started running the best triangle that ANY Phil Laker team ever achieved. Plain and simple. Since they were able to "flip the switch" so decisively, it became a bad habit of theirs thinking that they could continue to do it every year. In 2001, Kobe wasn't freelancing, even his big playoff gms were in the flow of the offense. That was the best he and Shaq played as a duo and the best all the rest played around them, bar none. Saw the entirety of the Shaq/Kobe years and I'll take that claim to my grave. Plus Fisher was shooting on fiya in those playoffs. He was 15/20 from trey in the 4 gm SA series, which is the record for accuracy in a 4 gm series still. It was and may still be the record for makes in 4 games, not sure, but it was for a long time. They also got good play out of Horry and Fox. Fox's last decent year, frankly. He fell off a cliff in 2002. Sometimes teams have one of those years were everything goes right and that was one of those years. The only thing that got them that one loss was 11 days of rust between the West and Philly, imo, and they barely lost that one.

Maybe you don't wanna watch a 14 min recap, but if you do, this game here was typical. They merked the Blazers and got into their heads bad. Stole their goat as Chick said. LA hitting shot from everywhere in spurts happened a lot in those playoffs and it had to be frustrating to opps. Phil even trolled Porty by having Shaq shoot a tech which he made.

Watch on YouTube

;t=706s

[The4thHorseman]

Shaq was still in near-peak form (although his defense did slip a bit) and Kobe had one of his best seasons while still being content as the clear #2 guy

Great role players in Fisher, Fox and Horry

Solid vets in HoGrant and Hollywood Harper

Brian Shaw wasn't the worst backup point guard

Not sure if Kobe was the "clear number 2" guy.

By 2001, the pendulum was swinging possession by possession.

No one, including the Spurs, had an answer for Kobe by 2001.

Yeah the Spurs weren't stopping Kobe with the likes of 37yr old Terry Porter, 35yr old Avery Johnson, 34 yr old Danny Ferry and Antonio Daniels. Old and slow on the perimeter wasn't going to get it done for the Spurs that series.

[jehosafats]

2001 Lakers were the best team of all time

Surprised to see any Sacramento loyalist twist up their fingers to type that. 2002 WCF anyone?

[NPZ]

2001 Lakers were the best team of all time

Surprised to see any Sacramento loyalist twist up their fingers to type that. 2002 WCF anyone?

2001 occurred before 2002, that's the key.

[jehosafats]

Be that as it may, doesn't make it any less curious. The refs bailed out LAL that series.

[Sixerscan]

They had 2 of the top ~4 players in the league that didn't completely hate each other yet, a hall of fame coach and good role players that fit around them.

There also just weren't any other close to great teams in the league that year. Sixers had a bunch of injuries that took them down several levels, Spurs were in that in between period with the 99 team winding down and not having Manu or Parker yet so their depth was bad (Antonio Daniels was their 2nd leading scorer in the WCF!), Jazz were too old, Kings were a year away, Blazers were too crazy.

So it was this combination of a great team with no one to challenge them.

[Diamantidis]

Probably it has something to do with having two top 12 players of all time in their prime.
Next year there were signs of fatigue, like it always happens when a team goes for a 3 peat.
Also , I believe Shaq started declining a little bit that year.

[zimpy27]

It should also be mentioned that the NBA was a little low on talent around that time. The 7 years of drafting from 88 to 94 made it a relatively shallow pool from 96 to 02.

Kobe and Shaq were 2 of the top 5 talents in the NBA at the time, the question should be, why did they lose do so poorly in the RS. The answer appears to be that they didn't try on defense in the RS.

They went from 21st in defensive rating in the regular season to 1st in the playoffs.

[jokeboy86]

Just put this in the matchups thread, but I would've loved to see this squad against that 2001 Bucks squad with Robinson, Allen, and Cassell. Would've been fun.

[Sixerscan]

Just put this in the matchups thread, but I would've loved to see this squad against that 2001 Bucks squad with Robinson, Allen, and Cassell. Would've been fun.

Might have been a more enjoyable style of basketball than the slog that Sixers/Lakers was at times, but the Bucks had absolutely nothing as far as a solution to the Shaq problem.

[jokeboy86]

Just put this in the matchups thread, but I would've loved to see this squad against that 2001 Bucks squad with Robinson, Allen, and Cassell. Would've been fun.

Might have been a more enjoyable style of basketball than the slog that Sixers/Lakers was at times, but the Bucks had absolutely nothing as far as a solution to the Shaq problem.

Oh I get that, I just think that Bucks team just tries to outscore them than. I think they were ranked pretty high scoring wise that year, well at least higher than the Sixers.

[Sixerscan]

Just put this in the matchups thread, but I would've loved to see this squad against that 2001 Bucks squad with Robinson, Allen, and Cassell. Would've been fun.

Might have been a more enjoyable style of basketball than the slog that Sixers/Lakers was at times, but the Bucks had absolutely nothing as far as a solution to the Shaq problem.

Oh I get that, I just think that Bucks team just tries to outscore them than. I think they were ranked pretty high scoring wise that year, well at least higher than the Sixers.

Yeah they led the league in points per possession that year.

[khufure]

You must not have been around then. Prima Shaq was an absolute monster, unforgettable if you saw it. He'd dunk it with the entire enemy team on him and beat them up in the process with speed, length, and pure power.

Watch on YouTube

[The_Hater]

For one, the 2000-01 Lakers were well rested. Kobe and Shaq both took a bunch of games off and the team barely tried during the regular season. They especially coasted on defense. Apparently they had another gear.

That said, the Blazers, Kings and Spurs were the 3 biggest rivals of the Shaq/Kobe era and the Lakers trounced them 11-0. Very impressive.

[IG2]

From what I've seen, NBA players typically peak physically at around 27/28.

That's more so their basketball peak. A perfect culmination of their physical, mental and basketball skills. But late 20's is definitely not when at athlete peaks physically. If you look at some notable athletes in NBA history and what is generally considered their most athletic season, the ages range from early to mid-20's. No later than that.

1988 MJ (age 25)
2009 LeBron (24)
2003 Kobe (24)
2003 T-Mac (23)
2001 Vince (24)
1992 Pippen (26)
2019 Giannis (24)
2001 Iverson (age 26)
2005 Amare (age 22)
2014 Blake (age 24)

[JellosJigglin]

The 01 Lakers were so good because in March they suddenly started running the best triangle that ANY Phil Laker team ever achieved. Plain and simple. Since they were able to "flip the switch" so decisively, it became a bad habit of theirs thinking that they could continue to do it every year. In 2001, Kobe wasn't freelancing, even his big playoff gms were in the flow of the offense. That was the best he and Shaq played as a duo and the best all the rest played around them, bar none. Saw the entirety of the Shaq/Kobe years and I'll take that claim to my grave. Plus Fisher was shooting on fiya in those playoffs. He was 15/20 from trey in the 4 gm SA series, which is the record for accuracy in a 4 gm series still. It was and may still be the record for makes in 4 games, not sure, but it was for a long time. They also got good play out of Horry and Fox. Fox's last decent year, frankly. He fell off a cliff in 2002. Sometimes teams have one of those years were everything goes right and that was one of those years. The only thing that got them that one loss was 11 days of rust between the West and Philly, imo, and they barely lost that one.

Maybe you don't wanna watch a 14 min recap, but if you do, this game here was typical. They merked the Blazers and got into their heads bad. Stole their goat as Chick said. LA hitting shot from everywhere in spurts happened a lot in those playoffs and it had to be frustrating to opps. Phil even trolled Porty by having Shaq shoot a tech which he made.

Watch on YouTube

;t=706s

Watching this video takes me back to a special time man. Like when you hear a certain song and it takes you to a moment of your life. Or like how smelling funnel cakes or churros always takes me back to the first time I ever went to Disneyland as a kid. I watched that entire Portland series in my girlfriend's apartment in college (San Diego). Hearing Chick Hearn's voice hits me in the feels as I realize viewing basketball has never and will never be the same without Chickie calling games (my username is a tribute to him)

As you mentioned, the thing I remember about that postseason, other than Shaq and Kobe dominating, was Fisher being on absolute fire. He was straight up automatic. Imagine if they had that consistent sniper like the MJ/Pip Bulls always seemed to have with Hodges, Paxson, Kerr, etc. They had adequate spacers in Fisher, Fox, Shaw, Horry, but they weren't consistent. Glen Rice was supposed to be that guy but he was a bad triangle fit and wanted to be more than a specialist. Having that elite sniper would've made them unbeatable. Fisher's shooting that playoffs took them from dominant to unbeatable.

Thanks for sharing that vid. Took me back to a simpler time in life.