In his eight seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, Shaquille O’Neal established himself as one of the most dominant players in NBA history. He won the league MVP award and helped lead the Lakers to the first of three straight world championships during the 1999-2000 season, and his performance that season was arguably the most dominant of any player ever.
In the 2001 NBA Finals, he and his Lakers went up against the gutsy Philadelphia 76ers. While the 76ers were anemic offensively, they had the Defensive Player of the Year, center Dikembe Mutombo.
Perhaps some thought Mutombo could contain O’Neal and give Philly at least a puncher’s chance at winning it all. But O’Neal said on his podcast, “The Big Podcast,” the plan was for Mutombo to guard him one-on-one, and he saw that as disrespectful.
“I like him, but it’s like a new rapper coming in and saying, ‘T.I.’s not a great rapper.’ Don’t disrespect me,” said Shaq. “During the Finals, Uncle Jerome (Crawford, O’Neal’s bodyguard) comes in and goes, ‘Hey, man, Mutombo says he’s Defensive Player of the Year, he don’t need no double-team.’ Don’t disrespect me by saying you gonna play me one-on-one. I take that as a sign of disrespect. So I’m looking at the paper, ‘I’m Defensive Player of the Year, I can play Shaq one-on-one.’ It’s a sign of disrespect. It’s like any new (expletive) rapper coming in and saying, ‘That (expletive) T.I. did ain’t all that.’ So I get it and the first play of the game I look: The (expletive) double ain’t coming. I said, ‘Oh OK. I’m knocking his (expletive) teeth outta his head…'”
The Sixers won Game 1 of that series despite 44 points and 20 rebounds from O’Neal, as Allen Iverson erupted for 48 points. Although they were competitive for much of the rest of the series, they ultimately fell to Los Angeles in five games.
O’Neal simply eviscerated Mutombo by averaging 33.0 points, 15.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 3.4 blocked shots a game in the series. At times, his sheer physicality was too much for the 7-foot-2, 260-pound Mutombo to handle.
.@SHAQ isn't wrong 👀
This is what he did in 2001 NBA finals vs the legendary rim defender Dikembe mutombo. 🔥🔥
– 33 PPG
– 57 FG%
– 15.8 RPG
– 4.8 APG
– 3.4 BPG
– 28 Pts, 20 Rebs, 9 Asts, 8 Blks in GM2
– Finals MVP 🏆pic.twitter.com/Q0w8bUYjtK— FreeDawkins (@DawkinsMTA) January 4, 2021
While the Sixers earned praise across America for their heart and never-say-die attitude, the Lakers earned the Larry O’Brien Trophy and established the foundation for another dynasty.
