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Published 16:53 IST, May 15th 2020

Shaquille O'Neal claims 2000s Lakers team could easily beat Steph Curry, Michael Jordan

LA Lakers legend Shaquille O'Neal recently appeared on Frank Caliendo's podcast, where he discussed Steph Curry, the Warriors and Michael Jordan's Bulls.

Reported by: Devika Pawar
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NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal is confident that Los Angeles Lakers would be able to defeat Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors as well as Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls. The Bulls dominated the league in the 90s, whereas the Warriors appeared in five back-to-back NBA finals. Though the NBA team performed poorly this season, they could still make a comeback after Steph Curry and Klay Thompson return.

The Bulls had won six NBA champions with Jordan, while the Warriors bagged three titles with Steph Curry. Shaquille O'Neal played for the Los Angeles Lakers with Kobe Bryant in the early 2000s, where they won three straight NBA titles (2000, 2001, 2002). 

Also read | Warriors Steph Curry flaunts his footwork to Drake's Toosie Slide during COVID-19 lockdown

Shaq on Warriors: Shaquille O'Neal is sure that he can beat Steph Curry

Shaquille O'Neal recently appeared on Frank Caliendo's podcast, where he discussed Steph Curry, the Warriors and Michael Jordan's Bulls. O'Neal, who started his career when Bulls were dominating the NBA, believes he could beat both Bulls and Warriors with his Lakers team. He added that the Lakers would have let Curry drive to the basket a few times before they took him out.

O'Neal further explained that was how they dealt with guards who 'threatened to cause problems'. When asked if Curry would be able win in any other generation, O'Neal said that something like that was difficult to predict as there are not many players who could defend someone like him. 

Also read | Warriors star Steph Curry teaching his kids and watching old NBA games to get through quarantine

Shaq on Frank Caliendo's podcast

Also read | Lakers legend Shaquille O'Neal has a hilarious fall on live TV show, leaves NBA fans in splits

Shaq believes he would be the key to defeating the Bulls

During an interview with ESPN, Shaquille O'Neal confidently stated that he believes he would be the decisive factor in the Lakers defeating Jordan and the Bulls. He thinks he could take Luc Longley, Bill Winnington and Bill Cartwright, after which it would depend on his free shooting. Shaquille O'Neal thinks he would have averaged 28-29 points per game and the key to winning or losing would be his free throws. If he made them, the Lakers would win and if he did not, the Bulls would win.

Also read | Lakers legend Shaquille O'Neal requests NBA to scrap 2019-20 season and prepare for upcoming one

 

Updated 16:53 IST, May 15th 2020

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