Shaquille O’Neal Scoffs At Kevin Durant-Steph Curry Centric Question

Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant (L) and Shaquille O'Neal (R)

Shaquille O’Neal isn’t really arrogant. He doesn’t consider himself among the best basketball players of all time. So, when he says he would win a battle easily, you better believe him. For years, he’s been asked if the Stephen Curry-led Warriors could defeat his iconic Los Angeles Lakers side, and he’s insisted that he would win comfortably. Add Kevin Durant to the mix, and Shaq’s answer still doesn’t change.

The 2016-17 Golden State Warriors vs the 2000-01 Los Angeles Lakers is a fantasy matchup many fans love talking about. Both dominated their respective eras. In ’01, it was Shaq and Kobe Bryant who, together, had taken the NBA by storm. In ’16, it was Curry and Durant.

Both were seemingly unstoppable teams. The Lakers, to this day, are the last team to threepeat, and the Warriors won 3 of 5 consecutive Finals that they made from 2015 to 2019.

Shaq, however, has always maintained that the ’01 Lakers would steamroll the Warriors. It’s not about having a beef with Steph — Shaq loves the Chef — but he’s also realistic. Whenever this debate comes up, he always asks the same question: Who’s guarding the Diesel?

In a recent overtime interview, he was asked who would win a 2v2 battle between him and Kobe vs. Steph and KD. In response, Shaq simply scoffed. “Who the f**** gonna guard me?” the four-time NBA champ asked. “Stop it, that’s the dumbest question I’ve ever heard.” 

Shaq admittedly has a point. As lethal as Steph is offensively, he doesn’t have all that much to show off on the defensive end. And there’s no way he’s matching Shaq in terms of physicality. KD, too, is a generational scorer, but there’s not a lot he can do to stop prime Shaq, or Kobe for that matter.

That said, Shaq was not the best person to navigate screens on the perimeter. He played in a different era, where scoring from downtown wasn’t something teams relied on. So, Steph and KD together could scorch the Lakers duo from the three-point line. Not to mention, they’re both quicker than Shaq.

It’s also not like there wouldn’t be a game plan to stop Shaq. Maybe in a 2v2, Shaq and Kobe prevail. But the ’01 Lakers vs the ’17 Warriors? That’s a whole story altogether. Draymond Green, in an interview last year, explained how the Warriors would simply man-mark Shaq by keeping someone in front of and behind him at all times. “I do think there were defensive schemes that we could have thrown at you to affect you,” Green said.

Shaq was still adamant he would win. He didn’t give a tactical breakdown like Green, but reiterated the fact that they would be going up against Hall of Famers in himself and Bryant. In the confidence game, Shaq is the true winner.

Post Edited By: Sameen Nawathe

About the author

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Somin Bhattacharjee

Basketball Editor Somin Bhattacharjee first discovered the game during the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Not long after, he turned to the NBA and found himself drawn to the Golden State Warriors — right at the start of Stephen Curry’s rise. Over time, the admiration turned into full-blown support for the team, one that continues even as the Curry era approaches its twilight. A true hoophead, Somin also follows EuroLeague basketball closely and enjoys exploring the game beyond the NBA. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. Since 2021, he has penned over 3,000 articles for TheSportsRush, covering everything from breaking news to sharp opinion pieces and detailed exclusives. He thrives on writing about in-game moments and the reactions that make basketball a uniquely emotional sport. Beyond basketball, Somin plays different sports including soccer and remains a passionate fan of Spanish football giants Real Madrid

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