A poignant narrative: Shaq’s mind-blown reacted to draymond green how he is going to stop him and the…
Draymond Green, the Golden State Warriors forward, believes that he and his team could have halted the Shaq-led Los Angeles Lakers, despite Shaquille O’Neal being widely regarded as one of the most dominant players in NBA history.
During a recent appearance on The Big Podcast with O’Neal, Draymond Green expressed his belief that the Warriors could have contained Shaquille O’Neal, a four-time NBA champion, and emerged victorious against the Lakers.
While Green didn’t claim he could individually guard O’Neal, he did suggest that the Warriors could restrict Shaq’s impact through effective team defense. He mentioned employing a strategy of fronting O’Neal in the post, with Andrew Bogut positioned behind him.
Shaq immediately dismissed the idea of Andrew Bogut defending him and scoffed at Green’s suggestion of himself as the backup center defending O’Neal. Green then mentioned that Klay Thompson would be tasked with guarding Kobe Bryant. However, despite Green’s confidence, it seems the matchups might not favor his side.
Indeed, the landscape of basketball was vastly different in the early 2000s compared to today. Traditional lineups were the norm, and centers were primarily focused on dominating the paint rather than shooting threes. The concept of positionless basketball, which is prominent in today’s game, was still a distant prospect.
It’s true that Klay Thompson might have struggled to contain Kobe Bryant, given Bryant’s exceptional athleticism and scoring ability. The early 2000s Lakers teams were truly remarkable, evidenced by their impressive three-peat. Shaquille O’Neal’s dominance during his time with the Lakers is undeniable. In his best season in Los Angeles, he led the league in scoring with 29.7 points per game, accompanied by 13.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and three blocks per game in 40 minutes of play. O’Neal’s performance in the finals that season was particularly outstanding, averaging an astonishing 38 points and 16.7 rebounds per game while shooting an impressive 61.1 percent from the field in a six-game series victory over the Indiana Pacers.
Absolutely, Klay Thompson might have faced challenges guarding Kobe Bryant, given Bryant’s exceptional athleticism and scoring prowess. The early 2000s Lakers teams were indeed remarkable, evident from their impressive three consecutive championships. Shaquille O’Neal’s dominance during his tenure with the Lakers is undeniable. In his peak season in Los Angeles, he led the league in scoring with 29.7 points per game, accompanied by 13.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and three blocks per game in 40 minutes of play. O’Neal’s performance in the finals that season was particularly extraordinary, averaging an astonishing 38 points and 16.7 rebounds per game while shooting an impressive 61.1 percent from the field in a six-game series victory over the Indiana Pacers.
