Over the course of the matches, these Finals 2001 dropped in intensity. The fault, in particular, of a Philadelphia team certainly valiant, but far too limited around Allen Iverson, and especially of the power imposed by Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and the entire team Lakers.
If Game 1 was historic and exciting, Game 2 also superbly suspenseful and Game 3 hooked until the end, the O'Neal/Bryant duo then got their hands on the rhythm and Los Angeles Game 4 then Game 5.
Shaq's masterpiece
On June 15, 2001, the Lakers pivot completed his masterpiece with 29 points, 13 rebounds and 5 blocks in a game controlled by Phil Jackson's men (108-96). Enough to achieve the double, while “Shaq” is still elected MVP of the Finals with… 33.0 points (at 57% shooting), 15.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 3.4 blocks on average!
“I have two sons now and when all is said and done in my career, I will be able to show how bad I was.”, will declare the Californian monster. “I could open a history book and say there was a guy named Mike (Michael Jordan)another one named Magic (Johnson) or Charles (Barkley), then your dad: a guy named Shaq. »
In 2001, after his already gargantuan performance in the 2000 Finals against Indiana (38.0 points, 16.7 rebounds, 2.7 blocks and 2.3 assists per game…), the former Magic boss became only the third player to win two years in a row the Finals MVP trophy, after Michael Jordan (1991-1993, 1996-1998) and Hakeem Olajuwon (1994, 1995). Since then, Kobe Bryant (2009, 2010), LeBron James (2012, 2013) and Kevin Durant (2017, 2018) have also achieved this feat.
Shaquille O'Neal almighty, the Lakers (almost) invincible
The Sixers, however, tried everything to limit it. Their interiors went to the front, Dikembe Mutombo first, they took a lot of elbows and shoulders during five matches. In rotation, Matt Geiger and Todd MacCulloch have not been happier in their mission. As for the two-man catches, they gave nothing, except easy baskets for the Lakers' outsiders and assists for Shaquille O'Neal.
“I’ve never seen a better player than him in my entire life, really.”will assure Larry Brown, the Philadelphia coach. “He is not only the most dominant player in the league, but maybe even in history,” Eric Snow will advance on his side. “It may be hard to believe, but he deserves even more credit than he gets. »
Led by Shaquille O'Neal, but also by a gala Kobe Bryant during the entire playoffs (who only missed Game 1 of these Finals), the Lakers finished this 2000/01 season with a whopping 15 victories against a single defeat (93.8% success) in the playoffs. This is then the best record in history, ahead of the 12-1 of the Sixers 1982/83.
Only the Warriors in 2017, thanks to a first round played in the best of seven matches (compared to five until 2003), will do better afterwards: 16 victories and a small defeat in the playoffs (i.e. 94.1% success)…
