2000 Shaquille O'Neal vs 1991 Michael Jordan

[laronprofit9]

Their First Championship, Finally Over the Hump





Shaquille O'Neal

Regular Season

29.7ppg/13.6rpg/3.8apg/0.5spg/3.0bpg on 57%FG/0%3P/52%FT/58%TS

Playoffs

30.7ppg/15.4rpg/3.1apg/0.6spg/2.4bpg on 57%FG/0%3P/46%FT/56%TS

vs

Michael Jordan

Regular Season

31.5ppg/6.0rpg/5.5apg/2.7spg/1.0bpg on 54%FG/31%3P/85%FT/61%TS

Playoffs

31.1ppg/6.4rpg/8.4apg/2.4spg/1.4bpg on 52%FG/39%3P/85%FT/60%TS

2000 Shaquille O'Neal
NBA Champion
NBA Scoring Champion
Regular Season MVP
NBA Finals MVP
All-Star Game MVP
All-NBA First Team
All-Defensive Second Team
Lakers 67-15

1991 Michael Jordan
NBA Champion
NBA Scoring Champion
Regular Season MVP
NBA Finals MVP
All-NBA First Team
All-Defensive First Team
Bulls 61-21

They were 27 years old entering their respective seasons. Jordan was entering his 7th season, and Shaq was entering his 8th season. Considered to be arguably the best in the league, Shaq and Jordan gave dominant performances seemingly every night, but they still haven't won the championship.

Entering their seasons with a chip on their shoulder, Jordan just suffered his worst and most-disappointing defeat in his career against the Pistons in a close 7-game series. While Shaq got swept out of the playoffs in embarrassing fashion by rival big-man Tim Duncan.

Phil Jackson arrived a season before for Jordan, and he had just arrived for Shaq. His coaching marked a turning point in each players' career. Under the triangle offense, Phil Jackson led the '91 Bulls and '00 Lakers to their best season record-wise under Jordan and Shaq.

Maybe among Phil Jackson's most remarkable accomplishments were allowing two rising stars in Scottie Pippen and Kobe Bryant to develop into the best side-kicks that Jordan and Shaq could ever hope for. Kobe Bryant was quickly becoming one of the best all-around players in the league. However, his biggest improvement under Phil Jackson would be his defense. While already being an all-star, Kobe earned his first-ever All-Defensive first team honor while playing for Jackson in his first year of coaching. Phil Jackson's arrival to the Bulls allowed Scottie Pippen to flourish into his 1st-ever All-Star team selection. Next season(1990-1991) Scottie would earn his first of many All-Defensive Team Selections . Scottie, like Kobe, was becoming one of the NBA's premier all-around players, and best perimeter defender of his time.

With a new coach Phil Jackson and blossoming teammates in Kobe Bryant and Scottie Pippen, Jordan and Shaq were finally ready to get the monkey off their backs. They posted up arguably the best season ever in their careers combing regular season, playoffs, and finals success. Their memorable performances earned them recognition among the greatest players of all-time.

Who had a more impressive and dominant season 2000 Shaq or 1991 Michael Jordan?

[Rondo'd]

Putting Shaq's 3 point % made me

[Birmingham1955]

Jordan by a mile.

He never played with a Kobe cailber player like Shaq did.

[laronprofit9]

Jordan by a mile.

He never played with a Kobe cailber player like Shaq did.

2001 Kobe and on was better than Scottie Pippen.

However, 2000 Kobe wasn't quite a superstar yet, he was borderline at that time. He could be considered a superstar if you include his defense.

2000 Kobe is very comparable to a 1991 Scottie Pippen as a sidekick.

[O.J A 6'4Mamba]

This is a very good debate. However, Jordan's clutchness really puts him a little bit different higher tier of immorality. Shaq you could just hack at the end of games.

[ShaqAttack3234]

Jordan by a mile.

He never played with a Kobe cailber player like Shaq did.

I'm not saying Shaq was better, but this is aweak argument. 2000 Kobe was nowhere near prime Kobe. Prime Kobe was/is definitely better than Pippen, but 2000 Kobe wasn't.

Not to mention that due to the injury, the Lakers got 15.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg and 4.2 apg on 36.7% shooting in the finals. His totals are lowered due to him leaving game 2 early so I'm not trying to make Kobe look worse, but that's completely irrelevant to how much help Shaq got in the finals. Of course, Shaq averaged 38/17/3 on 61% shooting and had double digit 4th quarters in all of the wins, including game 6 when he shot 6/6 from the field in the 4th to clinch a title and Indiana actually had a 5 point lead entering the 4th.

And after Kobe? Horace Grant was much better than Rice circa 2000. Rice was a good 3rd option in the regular season(though he shot only 43% and made just 1 three per game), but in the playoffs, dropped to 12/4/2 on 41% while still making around 1 three per game and even worse in the finals. Of course, he didn't impact the games outside of his scoring.

Grant provide defense, rebounding, underrated passing, a knack for putting himself in the right spot to finish off of Jordan and Pippen's passes and he was mobile back then.

If you want to cite reasons why Jordan was better, that's fine with me, I'm not going to debate that, but don't show your ignorance by suggesting Shaq had much more help, which is blatantly false.

[laronprofit9]

This is a very good debate. However, Jordan's clutchness really puts him a little bit different higher tier of immorality. Shaq you could just hack at the end of games.

I wouldn't say Jordan was at higher tier.

Shaq delivered one of the greatest Finals Performances of all-time that year. 38ppg/17rpg/2apg on 61%FG.

Jordan did the same with 31ppg/7rpg/11apg on 56%FG

You could argue Shaq was just as clutch. Plus there is unique advantage the Lakers get for other teams being forced to foul Shaq that Jordan didn't have.

[laronprofit9]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBseRlgoSLc

Michel Jordan

33pts/7rebs/13asts 15/18 fgs and 13 consecutive FGs made(NBA-Record).


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjETgzSbg9k

Shaquille O'Neal

43pts/19rebs/4asts 21/32 fgs followed by 40pts/24rebs/4asts 11/18 fgs

[catch24]

My favorite season from Shaq, but I'd have to go with Jordan. The clutch shots, playmaking, defense, and the ability to hit freethrows consistently seals the deal for me. Jordan was the better all around player, while Shaq, IMO, was more dominant putting the ball in the hoop.

[BFRESH44]

First three peat Jordan, and Peak Shaq circa 99-2002 are the two most dominant players anyone ever SAW. #Fact.

[magnax1]

Jordan by quite a bit. He was just a better player, could score more, pass better, a better defender. He was in his prime, and he is the best player ever, so it's not really that terribly close.

[SinJackal]

These years are good comparisons. That was the most impressive year for Shaq in the playoffs imo of his whole career. He certainly carried the Lakers. . .especially in the Finals. Replace Shaq with any other center in the league at that time, and the Lakers sure as hell don't win.

I don't think the whole FT thing for Shaq was really making him a more dominant scorer, Jordan was more efficiant (60% TS% vs Shaq's 55.6%). Who was more impactful defensively is impossible to determine since it's different positions.

Shaq destroyed people on the glass, Jordan created more for his team.

Very very difficult to chose between one of the two. I always tend to feel the impact of big men is more than guards, but Jordan was just smashing people that year.

Reluctantly, I'll go with Shaq since he won with less on his team that season. Shaq by a very slim margin. But just for that one run.

[Soundwave]

First three peat Jordan, and Peak Shaq circa 99-2002 are the two most dominant players anyone ever SAW. #Fact.

Agreed IMO.

I'd take Jordan simply because 4th quarter, close game ... I think he's a far superior player in that situation, and that situation inevitably arises several times if you want to win a title.

Shaq got swept and beat in the playoffs with some pretty stacked teams, Jordan never got beat in the playoffs once he had a solid team around him (we'll exclude '95 because he was not 100%, and that was a .500 supporting cast).

C- Paris Hilton (sub anyone in here)
PF- Malone
SF- Kobe
SG- Jordan
PG- Payton

Ain't losing to the Pistons in '04.

[1987_Lakers]

Give me Shaq. Gotta go with the dominant big man.

[Soundwave]

Jordan on the 96-2004 Lakers wins more titles than Shaq IMO.

They'd probably keep Elden Campbell ... though Elden was definitely no Shaq, he was far better than any center Jordan played with in Chicago.

C- Campbell > Cartwright/Longley
PF- Horry = Grant/Rodman
SF- Kobe > Pippen (sorry Pip)
SG- Jordan = Jordan
PG- Fisher > Paxson/Harper (slightly)

That team would probably win 7-9 titles IMO.