"2001 Shaq vs 2025 Nikola Jokic, what happens?" Shaq: "Slovenian chicken... Imma make his brothers want to fight me."

[Po pimp]

I’m gonna turn on 2k and get the 2000 Lakers against these Nuggets and see what’s good

I had a good start with Shaq. Two dunks, including an and one. Joker had a drive on Shaq for a layup. Shaq picked up his second foul on another drive by Jokic and had to come out the game. He had 5pts to Jokic’s 2. Jokic then proceeded to go ham against Horace Grant

I turned the game off before the 1st quarter ended and turned back to the Wolves-Nuggets game. Joker had like 12pts.

 

[shopthatwrecks]

Big country useta give shaq fits… and he said that shyt himself

 

[10bandz]

I mean, Shaq got swept by front lines/center rotations of Greg Ostertag and Adam Keefe

Hell, in the hypothetical where Shaq just kicks Jokic's ass from beginning to end... does Shaq still get a top 3 superstar hof shooting guard to take all the clutch 4th quarter shots and hit all the freethrows, flanked by dead-eye Horry and Fisher to hit all the series-saving shots? Pretty important, since being an unreliable front-runner who couldn't take the last shot (bc he couldn't shoot) was the big criticism levied against Shaq... a handi-cap that no longer mattered once Kobe became Kobe.

I get that it's been well over 20 years since "Shaq and Kobe" and over half the ppl in this thread never actually watched them play in real time nightly with the same microscope they use to dissect current teams and players...but for those of us who did... (and can recall that his career didn't just start in 1999/2000...) Shaq was great just like Giannis is great but oooh boy imagine how all of Giannis's shortcomings would disappear over time if he was traded to OKC and they went on to 3-peat with SGA as his "sidekick".

Absolute facts. These nikkas werent there and are never honest about the Kobe/Shaq partnership, and Shaq’s 90s front running.

 

[jaydawg08]

Jokic probably fouls out.. if he doesn’t he gives up 50

Shaq was a fukn BULLY on the block. Jokic would need backup bigs to foul Shaq, and if that doesn’t happen then half the Nuggets get in foul trouble

When Jokic gets in foul trouble who exactly is gonna switch on Shaq??… Fukn Aaron Gordon?!

 

[Primetime]

Absolute facts. These nikkas werent there and are never honest about the Kobe/Shaq partnership, and Shaq’s 90s front running.

Yup. Dudes are so insecure about their 90s icons and back then a lot of it stemmed from wanting to see Kobe humbled bc of the Jordan comparisons, but i digress. Fact of the matter is: Shaq had transcendent physical abilities but had virtually no offense outside of hook shot range. Which is fine, but then he also couldn't shoot free throws, which added to his rep as a front-runner who needed to be bailed out when things got close or teams packed the paint.

Dudes have selective memory with how he bulked up with LAL dunkin on Chris Dudley, flexin the Superman tatoo, but leave out how he was getting beat up and down the floor so bad by Greg cotdamn Osterstag in the playoffs that it had the NBC halftime crew questioning Shaq's commitment to defense/winning/conditioning. Which is all to say, Shaq is a top 10 all-time player but my gawd the shyt the coli would be sayin if his first 9 years in the league ('92-'99) played out the exact same way in this era with the overanalzying and social media; all the highs and lows ending with him always getting swept out the playoffs. each. and. every. time.

 

[Primetime]

double

 

[CHICAGO]

Big country useta give shaq fits… and he said that shyt himself

IT MADE FOR GOOD TV ENTERTAINMENT
BUT WASNT BASED IN REALITY....

Games Played Between Shaquille O'Neal and Bryant Reeves

This is the detail of NBA games in which Shaquille O'Neal and Bryant Reeves played against each other, including head-to-head record, stats average, game highs and game-by-game data both in the Regular Season and Playoffs.

www.landofbasketball.com

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[Don Homer]

Normal Response - Jokic and I would have some great battles, man. He's incredible

Shaq's very secure person response - i would kick jokic's ass so bad his brothers would wanna fight me





shaq been swept too many times in his career

 

[Saysumthinfunnymike]

Shaq never played anyone like Joker. Joker can sit out on the perimeter and cook, passing or get his... which includes 40% from 3

Does that not make Shaq a liability when Denver has the ball?

 

[Stick Up Kid]

Jokic would be Michael Doleac in Shaq's era

 

[#1 pick]

This would be a matchup for the ages. Prime Shaq was one of the best players in NBA history as is Jokic.

 

[#1 pick]

It would be a lot of this

Shaq didn't do this to the stronger centers of his gen like Big Country or Sabonis. He's not doing it to Jokic. He's gonna be unstoppable. That's just Shaq. He's unstoppable.

 

[#1 pick]

Yea
It’s like … ppl don’t realize basketball is 5 on 5 with double teams, zones, offensive fouls, switching and all that…


Lakers/Kings 2002 series, Vlade at 33 years old stayed on the floor 34mpg vs prime Shaq thru 7 games… and averaged 14ppg, 10rpg, 2apg as a tertiary option to Shaq’s 30ppg, 14rpg as the primary guy.

Jokic is infinitely times better a scorer, rebounder, and facilitator as Divac, is the primary option, and manipulates all things PnR, which for all of Shaq’s athleticism it didn’t transfer to PnR defense.

Assuming all things are equal with their teammates, both would have comparable stat lines but Jokic would have his near double-digit assists.

Let's say you replaced Trae Young with Kobe Bryant and moved Dyson to PG and kept Niang at the 4 and replaced OO with Shaq.

Daniels
Kobe
Risacher
Niang
Shaq

v.

Murray
Braun
MPJ
Gordon
Jokic

I think the Hawks will win in 5. Daniels, Risacher, and Niang at space. Kobe will have a lot of space to attack the lane, Shaq will cook. Defensively, they can cover the perimeter Shaq and Niang would be a liability of sorts. I would be tough man.

 

[Shadow King]

2 things can be true at once. Both will give each other a headache.

 

[CHICAGO]

Shaq didn't do this to the stronger centers of his gen like Big Country or Sabonis. He's not doing it to Jokic. He's gonna be unstoppable. That's just Shaq. He's unstoppable.

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