The Last Dance, a documentary detailed Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls 1997-98 season, is set to premiere April 19th. The Jordan-led Bulls are regarded as one of the greatest teams of all time. However, an NBA legend and Hall of Famer center Shaquille O’Neal believes his Los Angeles Lakers team, which also features Kobe Bryant, would have ‘easily’ dominated the Bulls. Shaq went on to say he would ‘dominate’ against the Bulls’ front-court players and average 28 or 29 points per game. Who would win in an all-time Lakers vs Bulls matchup?
This interesting take by Shaq leaves many to wonder whether who would win.
Lakers vs Bulls: An All-Time Debate
Tale of the Tape
The Bulls and Lakers had impressive rosters that would match up greatly. Along with Jordan, the Bulls had a secondary scorer Scottie Pippen and an all-time defender in Dennis Rodman. Also, the Bulls roster featured prominent role players such as Tony Kukoc and Steve Kerr. The Lakers, along with Shaq and Kobe, had prominent role players as well, such as Robert Horry and Derek Fisher.
Both teams were juggernauts defensively, holding their opponents to around 43 percent in field goals. Both teams ranked in the top ten offensively. However, the Bulls, at their offensive peak average around 105 points per game. The Lakers averaged around 101. On the other hand, the duo of Shaq and Kobe was a better scoring punch.
Keys for Both Teams
The biggest factor for both teams is in fact, Shaq. The Lakers must feature Shaq as the number one option. He causes a match-up problem. The Bulls did run into Shaq in the playoffs when he was with the Orlando Magic in 1995. Shaq averaged 24.3 points and 13.2 rebounds per game and led the way to eliminate the Bulls in the second round. The Bulls big men will have to contest with Lakers Shaq, who’s game became polished at this time. The Bulls defense would have to emphasize slowing him down.
A key match-up in this game would be Jordan versus Kobe. Both mirror each other in numerous ways. However, in the late 90s, Jordan mastered the post-move, which could bother Kobe. Kobe’s game featured more flash. Given the striking similarities, they would have canceled each other out.
The wild card for the Bulls would be Rodman. Rodman proved to be a nightmare defensively. His defense on Shaq would set the tone. It is worth noting that Rodman was not on the Bulls roster during the 1994-95 season. The wild card for the Lakers would be Robert Horry. His knack for big three-pointers could open up things for the Lakers. He would have to emerge as the third scorer for the Lakers.
Who Would Win?
This is perhaps the most difficult matchup to predict. Both teams do the same things greatly. Their rosters were obviously made for championships. The winner for fans comes down to preference. The Bulls were more polished and technical and the Lakers were faster and athletic.
Shaq is the deciding factor. The great Bulls team from 1995-1998 never encountered a player like Lakers Shaq. Also, they would form a solid game plan, Shaq’s play would overshadow it. Because of his mere presence, the Lakers hold a slight advantage.
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