Kobe and Shaq Needed Each Other: The Numbers Don't Lie

(Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

I think a large percentage of the hoops loving world has been bamboozled when it comes to evaluating the Shaq, Kobe three peat Lakers.  It seems to me the perception of some is that those titles “belong” to Shaq and Kobe rode the “Big Stagecoach” to three Championships.  I think this is a gross misrepresentation of the facts. 

I think part of the problem is some of us have short memories and seem to have forgotten how dominant Bryant was and because of Kobe’s youth at the time, people viewed him as a precocious 21 year old kid and Shaq as the grown man leader of the team.

The age difference and large size of O’Neal made for an easy “Big Brother/leader, Little Brother/follower” box to put them in.  It’s funny how no one calls last years Celtic title “all” Garnett’s or “all” Pierce’s, reason being, I think people see them as peers.  

Taking a closer look at the stats of Shaq and Kobe and compare their numbers to each other and compare them to other greats you will see this was a PARTNERSHIP.

 These Lakers won three championships and I would agree that the first title in 2000 Shaq who was the league MVP, a veteran in the middle of his prime did the heavy lifting that season so if you want to characterize any of the three titles as “Shaq’s” this is the one. 

Even so, O’Neal and Bryant looked like a paring of Wilt and Mike with each of them capable of 40 point nights and incredible performances.

Title Run No. 1 1999-2000

In the 1999-2000 season, Shaq won the league MVP, All Star Game MVP, was named First Team All-NBA and Second Team All-Defensive.  Kobe was an All Star, Second Team All-NBA and First Team All-Defensive.  Since the playoff’s is where legends are made and people say O’Neal carried Kobe let’s take a look at the playoff #’s.

Playoff numbers (Shaq, Kobe, + next best Lakers)

Shaq            30.7 ppg   15.4 reb   3.1 ast  

Kobe            21.1 ppg    4.5 reb    4.4 ast

Glen Rice      12.4 ppg    4.0 reb    2.1 ast

Ron Harper    8.6 ppg    3.7 reb     3.2 ast

The season resulted in a championship and a Finals MVP for Shaq, he was the most dominant player and the clear cut leader of the team.  Both players did shine in the post season with Kobe playing quarterback you may recall the alley-oop pass to Shaq to win the Western Conference Finals against Portland. 

O’Neal led the team in scoring 16 games during the playoffs with games scoring 46, 43, 41, 41, 40 plus eight other 30 point games.  Bryant proved his offensive skill leading the team in scoring six times with highs being 35, 33, 32 and 32 again at the age of 21.

Title Run No. 2 2000-2001

Kobe Bryant’s game and confidence was on another level this season and this is the year the Lakers dynasty became a more evenly balanced two headed monster with Shaq and Kobe able to equally kill and destroy.

In fact during the regular season they were both in the top five in the NBA in scoring Shaq scoring 28.7 a night and Kobe 28.5.  They were again both All-Stars, Shaq First Team All-NBA and Kobe Second Team All-NBA and both made the Second Team All-Defensive Team.

In this post season they continued the balanced attack combo that featured the best perimeter player both offensively and defensively and the best interior player, most dominant force in basketball.

Playoff numbers (Shaq, Kobe, + next best Lakers)

Shaq              30.4 ppg   15.4 reb   3.2 ast 

Kobe              29.4 ppg    7.3 reb    6.1 ast

Derek Fisher   13.4 ppg    3.8 reb    3.0 ast

Rick Fox         10.0 ppg    4.9 reb    3.6 ast

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