One of the biggest “what ifs” in NBA history surrounds Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. The dynamic duo of the Los Angeles Lakers had a tumultuous relationship during their eight seasons together. But that does not mean they didn’t have each other’s backs when it truly counted. In fact, Shaq recently shared a video on his Instagram story, talking about the time the Black Mamba stepped up in his absence 23 years ago.
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To set the scene, it was Game 4 of the 2000 NBA Finals. The Lakers were taking on the Indiana Pacers, led by future Hall of Famer Reggie Miller. Down 2-1, this was a crucial game for the Pacers, as they hoped to claw their way back into the series. It was in Game 4 that they were presented with the perfect opportunity after Big Diesel fouled out. Frustrated, Shaq felt he had given the Pacers a turning point. Fortunately, in came Kobe, who, despite not being at 100% both in Game 2 and Game 3, led the Lakers to victory.
Shaquille O’Neal shares video of himself commending Kobe Bryant for his performance in the 2000 NBA Finals
Game 4 Kobe Bryant wasn’t exactly the picture of health. Having just played eight minutes in Game 2, the Black Mamba suffered an ankle sprain, forcing him to miss all of Game 3. As such, when Game 4 rolled around, not many expected him to contribute too much, which was the case.
Bryant endured a horrible start to the match, scoring just six points in the first half and even picking up his fifth foul in the third. Nevertheless, he showed off his now-famous Mamba Mentality and played on. Finally, his prowess was put on full display after Shaquille O’Neal fouled out.
Taking the team on his back, Kobe ended the game with 28 points on 14 field goals made. This helped the Lakers extend their lead to 3-1. A pivotal moment in the series, that Shaq once again commended 23 years later. Remembering the then-21-year-old Kobe’s performance, The Big Aristotle shared his thoughts on his Instagram story.
“Kobe looked at me, and without a worry in the world he said, ‘I got you big fella, Imma take over!'”
Shaq shares story of Kobe carrying the Lakers in Game 4 of the 2000 NBA Finals pic.twitter.com/2H1lzqdHB0
— tragicpatek (@tragicpatek) September 22, 2023
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This is just one of the many examples of Kobe’s incredible grit and greatness. He was a player willing to leave it all on the court, regardless of his own situation. And it is for this reason that he is regarded as a legend in the NBA.
Kobe admitted his regret of not being able to patch things up with Shaq
At this point in time, the beef between Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal is now infamous. Toward the end of his tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers, Shaq had many problems with Kobe, resulting in his $101,000,000 departure to the Miami Heat. In hindsight, this was a grave mistake on both players’ parts, and they both agreed.
In his final career season, the Black Mamba shared his regret of not properly dealing with the situation. And how he wished he could have patched things up before they went south.
Fortunately, a while after his retirement, the two legends sat down for an interview, where they began to patch things up. Putting an end to years of grief.
