This is the correct answer.
Modern NBA rules... the Spurs would be swarming all over Shaq while giving Kobe a little space to chuck his 32% three point shot up and staying at home on the weak side 3 point shooter. Shaq would still go off, but I think the Spurs contain everyone else, and limit Kobe to some pretty inefficient numbers with Kawhi and Green.
The Spurs were sleepwalking through most of that series. When they woke up, it wasn't a series. The Lakers were playing on full blast against the Kings and still lost until the Donaghy's stepped in and ensured the result.tbh I don't see how Spurfans can say "Well the Lakers went 7 against Sacramento" while forgetting they just went 7 to a Mavs team that the Lakers would've ass ed with their eyes closed.
Shaq would have a field day in the paint. Kawhi/Danny on a young Kobe may work. The question is if Shaq will be in the paint too long (3-second rule). I think the spacing of the Spurs offense would not be well defended by them as the Lakers had no premier defenders except for Kobe, but Kobe guarding Danny or Patty etc. would just have Kobe thrive on steals and fastbreaks. Imma say Spurs in 7 just because I think the team oriented offense and bench will be more important, but if the Lakers won, I'd honestly think Kobe picks up F-MVP for the same reason Kawhi did this year.
that's subjective tbh.
like I said before, letting Shaq go off works when you have a plodding big man (Sabonis, Divac, Ben Wallace, David Robinson etc) who can hold him to 35-40 on 55% shooting. If you single covered him with the 14 Spurs' big men he would go off for 80 on 98% shooting maybe missing one FG because he was tired of dunking and it slips out of his hand IMHO. But Pop wouldn't do that, he'd have to double.
'01 Lakers easily sweep the '14 Spurs and its not even close. A young God would break Green and Ginobili in half and drop 40+ on them very easily. Rick Fox would take Kawhi Leonard to school he would easily muscle him. A young Horry would shut down '14 Duncan I very confident he would lock him up. Shaq would destroy Splitter,Diaw,Baynes. Plus a young Fisher would go off on Parker. You guys are stupid and delusional not to see this.
Mavs were practically a 50 win team. '08 Celtics went seven games games against a 37 win Hawks team in the first round.
Also, Sacramento might've been inferior but it's all about matchups and Vlade Divac did as good a job on Shaq as anybody back then ever did 1 on 1. Against the Spurs, Shaq wouldn't have just gotten "his 30" if left 1 on 1 all game, he would get about 80. But Pop would eventually have to double, like every team back then did, and that's when their offense gets rolling. This isn't a knock on SA, since there is no reason to get a big, plodding center in today's NBA but the reality is that they just have nobody on their roster that would keep Shaq from dunking it 100 times a game
The only team that successfully would let Shaq/Kobe "go off" while shutting down everybody else, was Detroit but they actually had the personnel to do it.
Not a Spurs hater by any means, I think they're the 3rd best team since the Jordan Bulls (01 Lakers and 08 Celtics i put ahead)
What technology as well as strategies weren't being implemented in those times. Definitely no hack a shaq or small ball. There was also no tempo control. Then there's corner plays and the short roll. Most of all the half use of zone, living with the worst shooter taking shots, and now algorithms of screens.
Then factoring in the simple fact of off court fitness and the Spurs on those Lakers. Sorry.
you're preaching to the choir here
every good team will have a weird series. (
I'm just saying if Spurfan wants to rag on and on about the 7 game Kings series, then they have to live with the 7 game Mavs series. Can't have it both ways
This series boils down to one key match-up...
Danny Green vs. Rick Fox. Which Tar Heel wants the win more?!
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