To commemorate the NBA’s 75th anniversary season, NBA.com Philippines launched Iconic Plays, a series that dives into special moments from the league’s 75-year history. We kicked off the series with Michael Jordan’s ‘The Last Shot’. In the second installment, Yoyo Sarmenta puts the spotlight on the unforgettable Kobe and Shaq alley-oop.
The Setup
It was the mother of all lobs. The best alley and the best oop. It's a play that has stood the test of time and has become a symbol of an era of basketball. It was Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal on the precipice of their greatness.
The fact that an alley-oop can perfectly encapsulate the early 2000s Los Angeles Lakers speaks volumes considering how much they produced highlights and historic moments.
Before the glitz and glamour, championship rings, including the dynamic yet complicated relationship of one of the game's best one-two punches, as well as the historic relevance of those Lakers, it was a play that catapulted them into basketball mythology.
In the 2000 playoffs, the Kobe-Shaq Lakers were on their way to winning their first title. However, they needed to stop the Portland Trail Blazers in the Western Conference Finals first. The Blazers had a talented lineup that featured Scottie Pippen, Rasheed Wallace, Steve Smith, Detlef Schrempf, Damon Stoudamire, Bonzi Wells, and a young Jermaine O'Neal.
The Lakers raced to a 3-1 before losing the next two games. In the deciding seventh game, the Blazers built a 15-point lead, 75-60, with a little over 10 minutes remaining.
The Lakers would have been the butt of all 3-1 jokes had they lost. We might not have witnessed the dynasty of Kobe and Shaq. But the Lakers came charging back, pulling off one of the most stunning comebacks in playoff history. And the alley-oop was the cherry on top of the come-from-behind victory.
You don't get a better description of the play than when Shaq himself recounted it in a Bleacher Report video essay as "the defining moment of our dominant run."
The Moment
The lob came at the tail end of a furious comeback. The Lakers were up by four, 83-79, and they had the ball with less than a minute remaining.
Kobe was defended by Pippen, who was still a prized defender at this point in his career. Kobe dribbled the ball at the top of the key, then made his move, using a deadly crossover to get past his man. The defense collapsed.
As Kobe got into the teeth of the defense, you could see Shaq pointing upward, signaling for a lob. Kobe flung the ball upward and Shaq crushed it through the net. It was the ultimate holy sh-- moment for a generation of hoops fans (save for Blazers fans).
It was chaos. It was pandemonium. The crowd went absolutely nuts inside Staples Center and fans all over the world shared the same shock and awe.
It was the perfect moment involving the two superstars who were going to shape the sport for the next decade. You couldn't have scripted it any better.
The Degree of Difficulty
The pass from Kobe might have been a little high or a bit to the right, but it made the catch and the finish more dramatic. Plus, it was easy to look past the fact that he was guarded by a defensive guru in Pippen, but it was impressive how the soon-to-be-called Black Mamba crossed Pip and got into the lane.
Shaq equally deserves a nod because he was able to get wide open, catch the ball just at the right time, and then dunk it all over the Blazers. The pass was the ultimate show of trust and respect between the two superstars. You could even argue that the alley-oop itself is like Kobe and Shaq. The relationship went on to be a little shaky and maybe a bit off to the side at times, but it was a partnership nonetheless. Somehow, everything came together and produced something beautiful.
The lob that defined a dynasty #BestOfLakersBlazers pic.twitter.com/B0mGaVRFz6
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) June 19, 2020
The basket, despite not being a game-winner nor a go-ahead basket like other memorable playoff heroics, was more than the traditional "dagger." Instead, it was more of a gut punch; an emphatic statement that the Lakers were going to vanquish the Blazers.
The necessity of the basket couldn't be overstated because it was merely a two-possession game with under a minute left. Also, because the Blazers were up by 15 just nine minutes earlier. It was a very potent and dangerous team filled to the brim with talent. Had the Lakers failed to score, there was more than enough time for a counterattack from Pippen and company.
Instead of winning, that Portland team now belongs to the long list of "great teams that didn't win a title." It was a legacy-altering play. The Lakers were obviously looking for the killer blow and that lob took the fight out of the opposition. From being on the brink of elimination, it turned out to be the dawn of the LA regime.
The Aftermath
Even without searching for the clip online, you might probably recall flashes of that play from memory. It was that iconic. You could remember the broadcaster with his legendary call of "Bryant.... to Shaq!" precisely as the big man smashed the ball through the hoop. And who can forget how Shaq maniacally ran down the court with a face like he just struck a mountain of gold before pointing to someone in the crowd?
The Lakers went on to win not just the 2000 title, but two more after, creating one of the most dominating dynasties in the modern NBA. If there ever was a “Big Bang” moment for them, this was it. Nobody was able to stop them for three straight championships after that alley-oop.
You can't think of Kobe and Shaq without thinking about this emblematic play. It's glorious basketball nostalgia at its finest. Even though there will always be a pang of sadness with Kobe's passing, there is also a never-ending cause for celebration and appreciation for one of the best feats brought by the two legends.
More than 20 years later, it rightfully belongs in Lakers lore. Even more so, it has a special place in the NBA's storied playoff history. It was the birth of one of the greatest teams the game has ever seen. It was basketball magic that generations of fans can always look back on.
