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Lakers News: Steph Curry Says 2017 Team Would Beat 2001 Shaq-Kobe Squad

Warriors guard Steph Curry give his thoughts on a dream matchup against the 2001 Lakers championship team

Ryan Menzie

Lakers News: Steph Curry Says 2017 Team Would Beat 2001 Shaq-Kobe Squad
Lakers News: Steph Curry Says 2017 Team Would Beat 2001 Shaq-Kobe Squad /
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There's no argument that Steph Curry and the Warriors dynasty over the past decade is one of the greatest basketball teams we have seen. In the 2000's, the same can be said about Kobe, Shaq and the Lakers who dominated their respective era. 

Curry meant no disrespect when talking about one of the greatest teams, but it's still fun to speculate what the matchup could have been like. Shaq and Kobe dominated with their vicious one-two punch, but Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green revolutionized small ball in the NBA.  

In a recent interview, Curry talked about his confidence in his squad beating the 2001 Lakers in a hypothetical time machine matchup (quotes via Zion Olojede, Complex Sports).

"But at the end of the day, if you could match up in some alternate universe, us versus the 2001 Lakers, obviously we feel like we can win. I don’t know who would guard Shaq but I don’t know who would guard me and Klay either. We rockin’ with that. And three is better than two." 

In 2022, Curry had arguably his greatest season ever by breaking the postseason record for made 3-pointers, winning the first ever Western Conference Finals MVP, and winning the first Finals MVP of his career, along with his fourth championship. Curry's Warriors have won four championships in seven seasons, but still failed to accomplish one thing the Lakers did in the 2000's.

Kobe and Shaq were the first team to three-peat since Michael Jordan and his championship Bulls teams in the '90's. Kobe came close to a second three-peat with Pau Gasol, but ended up losing in the second round to the eventual NBA champion Dallas Mavericks. 

It would be a dream for NBA fans to see a clash of these titans as both teams deal with their own taste of matchup nightmares. Three is better than two, but Shaq and Kobe were the most dominant tag team duo in their era. 

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Ryan Menzie
RYAN MENZIE

Ryan Menzie | Lead Contributor Ryan is an LA Native who has grown up praising the greatest athletes LA has had to offer. A love for sports ranging between basketball, football, volleyball and golf, a future Sports Management Masters graduate, and being engulfed into organized sports since seven years old, the passion and love for sports never ends for Ryan. If the words he writes don't paint the full picture of his true fandom, he will find more ways than one to tell the story and be more than willing to open up a nice LA sports debate with you. Favorite Player: Kobe Bryant  Favorite Moment: Kobe Bryant Final Game. Too many moments to choose from between Derek Fishers 0.4 second buzzer beater, the Lakers 3-peat or game seven against Boston, but can't beat a final memory like Kobe's final game. 

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