In his 19 seasons in the NBA, Shaq won four championships with three finals MVP trophies and 15 All-Star appearances. Bill Russell. ONeal won four NBA titles and was named Finals MVP three times. Finals Won: 6. Kobe and Shaq would foul AD out if AD had to guard Shaq series! Darryl Norenberg-USA TODAY Sports. Here are their stats during those next two Finals appearances. During LeBron James first stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, James took that franchise to new heights. This shoe is quite important historically, as it was the shoe Shaq wore en route to his first NBA Finals appearance with the Orlando Magic in 1995. Shaq took home Finals MVP honors again, averaging 33 points, 15.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists. 2001 proved to be a much easier road to the finals, with the Lakers sweeping the Blazers, Kings and even the Spurs on the way to the finals, where they faced Shaquille O'Neal played 216 games in his 17 playoff appearances, averaging 24.3 points, 11.6 rebounds and 2.1 blocks. The 2000 NBA Finals was the championship round of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 19992000 season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs.The Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers 4 games to 2. With ESPN owning exclusive rights to the NBA Finals, TNT aired their final game broadcast of the season last week. Shaq was so dominant, that in 15 Finals appearances during his 3-peat, he scored under 30 points only once. Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal (/kil/ sh-keel; born March 6, 1972), nicknamed Shaq (/k/ shak), is an American sports analyst on the television program Inside the NBA. In honor of Shaquille ONeals birthday, heres a list of the six best games hes ever recorded. Shaq lost his first Finals appearance against Hakeem Olajuwon and the Houston Rockets in 1995 and had to endure defeat to the Detroit Pistons in 2004 as a The Lakers made their next Finals when Shaq was already bad. As he was a four-time NBA champion and Finals MVP each year the. Portland Trail Blazers. Shaquille O'Neal. 2001 NBA Finals versus the Philadelphia 76ers. Shaquille ONeal is regarded as one of the best centers and is one of the most successful players in the NBA. He was on fire in this series, and all his stats look great. Plus Kobe is a snitch. Player NBA Finals appearances From there, Rodman and Ron Harper helped bring it up to the 1998-99 Finals when Jerome Kersey, who played one season with Shaq in Los Angeles, was a member of the Spurs first championship team. Owner George Mikan was also named MVP of all three Finals appearances. James went to Shaqs former team, the Heat, and the 1999-2000 MVP signed with the Boston Celtics on a minimum contract. He averaged 24.3 points and 11.6 rebounds in the playoffs. He then lost his last finals with the Lakers before winning one more with the Heat. 2002 Finals vs. New Jersey Nets (W) Heres where Kobe really had his first coming out party, in my opinion. Former Los Angeles Lakers legend Shaquille O'Neal had a streak of former teammates making the NBA Finals end after 37 years. Opening Round. April 18, 2020. Shaquille O'Neal's incredible Finals streak continues in 2020 While his time with the Lakers was his most productive, he was already one of the biggest players in the league before. Series stats: 15.6 points (on 36.7% shooting), 4.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.0 steal, 1.4 blocks. The 2000s playoffs werent easy, though, as the Kings and Trailblazers pushed the Lakers to two knockouts. 2001 proved to be a much easier road to the finals, with the Lakers sweeping the Blazers, Kings and even the Spurs on the way to the finals, where they faced This dominant player appeared in the NBA Finals several times in 1995, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, and 2006. Los Angeles Lakers - Shaq moved to the Lakers in the 1996 Free Agency. Unless it was Lebron or Wade, 0 Finals. Shaquille ONeal: 33.0 points, 15.8 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game; Kobe Bryant: 24.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game Rookie of the Year award, 1 MVP award, 3 Finals MVP awards, and 4 NBA titles. Shaquille ONeal arguably had one of the best finals performances in NBA history in 2000 when the LA Lakers faced Indiana Pacers. The Nets wing defenders were Kerry Kittles, Lucious Harris, and Richard Jefferson. Next two Finals appearances yes, Shaq lead AP & # x27 re! Shaquille ONeal Has Witnessed at Least 1 Former Teammate Play in the Last 37 NBA Finals by Kevin Moore on September 30, 2020 Its no question that Shaquille ONeal is one of the best players ever to play in the NBA. He went on to have a successful career and accomplished a lot. So if you assume Shaq's same career trajectory, most likely none because he wasn't even the #1 on the Heat team. The Shaq clocks in at 7 feet 1 inch tall and wears enormous size 22 shoes. time Kobe Bryant and Shaquille ONeal. Shaq competed in 4 NBA Finals throughout his career where he was named MVP 3 times and is one of the few professional basketball players in history to reach the NBA Finals with three different teams. So if you assume Shaq's same career trajectory, most likely none because he wasn't even the #1 on the Heat team. You'd have to assume equivalent return on Kobe. Darryl Norenberg-USA TODAY Sports. This was the Lakers' first championship in twelve years.Lakers center Shaquille ONeal is also on the advisory board for Tout Industries, a social video service startup company based in San Francisco. Shaquille O'Neal is a very famous NBA player. Still, LeBron fans can settle for him being one of four players to see the NBA Finals 10+ times. I don't get this question. The Lakers were absolutely correct to keep Kobe. The Phil Jackson-Kobe Bryant-Shaquille O'Neal Lakers had accomplished everything by the evening of June 12th, 2002. Shaquille O'Neal, also known as Shaq, is a retired professional basketball player who has a net worth of $400 million. And the duo delivered. Additionally, he was the best player in each of his three straight conference finals appearances from 2008 to 2010. History on This Day: Shaq leads Magic to first NBA Finals Shaquille ONeal played 19 seasons for six gatherings, including the Lakers and Magic. Have you ever wondered, how tall is Shaq? two Finals MVP Awards, fifteen All-Star Game appearances, eight All-NBA Team selections, three All-Defensive Team selections, NBA Rookie of the Year Award, and two NBA scoring championships among other achievements. The Shaq Attaq 4 also featured Instapump technology and Hexalite cushioning. Boston Celtics: Shaquille ONeal bids farewell (2010-2011) In his final season in the NBA, Shaq only made 37 appearances and his time on the court was limited due to an Achilles injury. This is what consistency looks like and his name is Shaq. 3. Shaquille ONeal made his first wrestling appearance for WCW. However, James needed help. Shaquille ONeal is widely regarded as one of the most dominant players in NBA history. He had previous careers as a basketball player and rapper. Consecutive Finals: 7. NBA Finals appearances: 12. I don't get this question. The Lakers made their next Finals when Shaq was already bad. Shaquille ONeal played for the Los Angeles Lakers for eight seasons, from 1996-2004. Denver Nuggets. Los Angeles Lakers: Shaquille ONeal is finally an NBA Champion (1996-2004) Shaq teamed up with Kobe Bryant for the Lakers to form one of the most fearsome duos in the history of the sport. You'd have to assume equivalent return on Kobe. During the Big Three Heat era in the early period of last decade, they made 4 straight Finals and won back-to-back championships. Of those, he won 4. The Boston Celtics follow with 21 appearances. In his first series with Miami, he averaged 17.8 PPG, 7.2 RPG, and 6.8 APG. In that time, he helped lead the Lakers to three consecutive NBA Finals appearances (2000-2002), and won back-to-back championships in 2000 and 2001. Though their final game together was a Game 5 loss in the 2004 NBA Finals, the Kobe Bryant-Shaquille O'Neal Lakers dynasty produced four Finals appearances in ONeals last final appearance came in 2006 with the Heat, and he finished with a 4-2 record in the finals. He won five titles while teaming up with Shaquille ONeal and Kobe Bryant. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has been a familiar name on a lot of lists that highlight the best or most significant NBA events. Shaquille ONeal was recently inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA for his stellar career including 4 championships, 3 Finals MVP awards and 15 All-Star appearances. Jordan 9 out of 35 Finals games; Shaq 7 out of 30 Finals games; he hasnt accumulated double-digit All-Star appearances or All-NBA recognitions. This 2000s season belongs entirely to Shaq, but Kobe still makes his mark. With their victory in the 2020 NBA Finals, the Lakers tied the Boston Celtics for total number of NBA Final championships, at 17 each. He is, after all, one of the most enduring names in modern basketball. Here are the others who have played for the title six or more times. Five championships, six Finals appearances, including going 2-1 over LeBron and losing the one in part on the greatest shot in NBA Finals history. 19 All-Star games, six championships, and six MVPs are all of his achievements throughout the career that lasted over two decades. Shaquille ONeal was arguably the most dominant player in his prime. The Lakers cruised to a 124-114 win over the Miami Heat in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Friday for a commanding 2-0 series lead. How many NBA final appearances does Shaquille O'Neal have? Kobe was unstoppable, netting 27, 5, and a 0.623 TS% with 8 rpg for good measure. American basketball player. NBA Finals appearances: 12. Advertisement On the whole, for teams that fall Shaquille O'Neal Playoffs Game Log. Golden State's "Big Three" is part of a "Six-Timers Club" that includes Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, Tim Duncan and Shaquille O'Neal. The finals was a slightly easier affair, with the Lakers just being too much for Reggie Miller and the Pacers and beating Indiana in six games, with Shaq scoring 41 points in game six to seal his first title. Kobe Bryant played only nine minutes in Game 2 because of an ankle sprain, but the Pacers still lost 111-104. In 2019, Danny Green extended the streak . After three seasons with the Magic, during which Shaq led the team to its first appearance in the NBA Finals, the summer of 1996 saw the glamour of Hollywood and the opportunity to play with the legendary Los Angeles Lakers lure him to the West Coast. His current net worth stands at $400 million. So to me Kobe is a step behind MJ and LeBron. The Lakers, though, won two more consecutive championships with Shaquille ONeal and Kobe Bryant. In 2008-09, the Cavs won the most games they have ever won in a single season. Players with most NBA Finals appearances. Shaquille ONeal was arguably the most dominant player in his prime.