“They Had the Look of Defeat”: Former Kings Guard Claims Their Team Was Better Than Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal’s Lakers in 2002

Speaking on the All the Smoke podcast, former Sacramento Kings star Mike Bibby talked about the iconic 2002 NBA Western Conference Finals against the LA Lakers. Facing a team comprising Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant that has already won two straight rings, the Kings had fought their way back after losing Game 1.

Boasting the likes of Chris Webber, Peja Stojakovic, and Bibby himself, the Kings led the series 2-1 and 3-2 but ended up losing 4-3. They had finished atop the Western Conference and the Lakers ended up sweeping the New Jersey Nets in the Final to win the championship. Bibby claimed that he still could not watch the way Game 7 ended, and also his team was better than the Lakers that year.

“You obviously seen what happened in the game, but I mean we were definitely the better team that year I know that for sure. I still can’t watch the tip-out and shot, like I watch the highlights of it, but when it comes to that I will shut it off,” He said.

Bibby claimed that there were times during the series when the LA Lakers were convinced that it was all over for them. Claiming that he could see the looks of defeat on their faces, Bibby said that the Kings simply ended up “sh***ing the bed” in Game 7. 

“You could see the look on their faces that it was over. You know what I mean, and it’s good to see, like basketball players know, when you see that look of defeat, they had the look of defeat, and you could tell. We s**t the bed in game 7, but it shouldn’t have gone to game 7,” Bibby said.

While Bibby has no doubt over the fact that the Kings were better, he claimed that it was their own fault for letting the series go to a Game 7. The Kings had finished the regular season with a 61-21 record and had more than enough in their tanks to get past the LakeShow.

Sacramento Kings were the best team in the NBA, back in 2002

The Kings might not have had the star power the Lakers boasted of in the form of Shaq and Kobe. However, they had a well-thrashed-out team with multiple stars capable of scoring big.

This included the likes of Chris Webber and Stojakovic, the two players who averaged more than 20 per game. Mike Bibby himself was an important part of the team and averaged 13.7 points and 5 assists per game. The Kings had an able bench unit and two able young stars in the form of Jabari Smith and Gerald Wallace.

The result was that they were difficult to break down and proved to be the only major obstacle in the Lakers’ search for a 3-peat. After getting close in the Conference Finals, the Lakers went on to blow away the Nets in the Final, with Shaq winning his 3rd straight Finals MVP award.