“Do I Think or Do..”: When Shaquille O’Neal was Asked if Kobe Bryant and him Could Beat LeBron James-Anthony Davis

There is no denying that the LA Lakers are one of the most popular franchises in the NBA, tied with the Boston Celtics for the most no. of championships at seventeen. Over the years, we have witnessed the likes of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Jerry West, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kobe Bryant don the purple and gold uniform, with now LeBron James and Anthony Davis attempting to carry the legacy forward.

Thus the Lakers organization is home to one of the richest heritages in American sports, marked by several eras. Beginning from the Showtime Lakers to the dominant duo of Shaq-Kobe, and the most recent being LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

Speaking of eras, comparisons were bound to rise, and who better to address them than the ever-so-candid Shaq, who had an interesting reply when asked if the duo of James-Davis would defeat him and Kobe in a 2v2.

Also read: “They Are Gated Community Gangsters”: Shaquille O’Neal Aggressively Roasts LeBron James and Co. for Their Poor Start

Shaq hilariously leaves veteran host Jimmy Fallon tongue-tied with his confident answer on him and Kobe beating James-Davis in a 2v2.

Shaquille O’Neal reveals the greatest Lakers duo.

There is no denying that Shaq and Kobe complemented each other very well on the hardwood, making them one of the most deadly duos in NBA history. In their 8-years together, the two Hall of Famers went to 4 Finals, winning 3 of them in a 3-peat fashion.

Fast forwarding to the 2020 Bubble season, the Lakers were champions again, with the duo of James and Davis putting up a show. At the time, many were quick to declare the two superstars as the next popular duo in the league even earning comparisons to Shaq-Kobe.

When asked about the comparisons, though hesitant to answer the question, Shaq replied with an immediate ‘Yes.’ Nonetheless, it is difficult to argue the Big Diesel’s claim, given the statistics.

Shaq-Kobe vs James-Davis (Lakers success ratio)

In the 461 games that they played together on the Lakers, Shaq and Kobe had a 336-125 record, indicating a 72.9% success rate. These include 4-trips to the Finals and 3-championships.

Speaking of the James-Davis duo, the two superstars have played 116-games together, holding a 77-39 record indicating a 66.4% success rate, including the Bubble championship.

Also read: “Tough to repeat like Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant”: Anthony Davis hungry for more championship success with LeBron James and the Lakers