Byron Scott understood that to win the 2002 NBA Finals with his Nets against the Lakers, it was crucial to contain the opposing superstar duo: Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal.
Black Mamba was somewhat subdued in the first two games of the series—at least compared to his typical performance. However, Shaq was a force to be reckoned with, quickly establishing himself as the standout player on the court. The center's overwhelming dominance raised significant concerns for the Nets' head coach.
"What can I say, guys? Too much Shaquille O'Neal. He's a monster. That's all I can say about him. I don't know what to do against him right now, admitted Scott, per the NY Post.
NBA superstars' influence
In the 2002 Finals, Scott was up against the franchise he once played for. In the mid-80s, the former 6'3" shooting guard was part of the legendary Showtime era. During that time, 'Lord Byron' won three rings and shared the court with NBA icons like Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. This experience surely provided Scott with more than enough insights into how crucial the performances of key players can impact the outcome of a game.
This sentiment was exemplified by O'Neal , who had won the last two Finals and was named Finals MVP both times. As the legendary 7'1" center pursued a three-peat, his confidence was sky-high, fresh off being named Western Conference Finals MVP. 'Diesel' had overpowered the Kings in a grueling seven-game series . However, he still had more in the tank—Coach Scott and his Nets were about to experience that firsthand.
Related: “He wasn’t looking at the rim, he was looking at the spots” - Dwyane Wade on how his game started looking like Kobe Bryant’s during the latter stages of his career
Shaq's brilliance against outmatched Nets
Big Aristotle was unstoppable when the Finals began at the Staples Center, racking up 36 points, 16 rebounds, and 4 blocks. The team from California clinched a narrow win with a score of 94-99 .
In Game 2 , the Eastern Conference champions, the Nets, seemed completely outmatched, particularly against 'Diesel.' As a result, their coach suggested a new defensive strategy to contain the Lakers' star, but it didn't go as planned.
"In the second half, we doubled him a little bit," Scott mentioned. "He kicked it out and got other guys involved."
As his teammates connected those passes, O'Neal dished out 8 assists in Game 2. To make matters worse for the Nets, his usual struggles at the free-throw line vanished; Shaq made 12 of 14 attempts. After posting stats of 40 points and 12 rebounds, he played a crucial role in the Purple and Gold'sGold blowout victory of 106-83.
At that time in NBA history, only two teams had successfully come back to win a series after falling behind 0-2. Unfortunately, Scott's team faced a similar outcome. Despite their efforts to beat the odds, the Nets lost in the Finals without a real chance.
After sweeping their opponents, the Lakers secured the championship for the third consecutive year. Once again, Shaq was named MVP, demonstrating his dominance with an impressive average of 36.3 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game.
Related: When Michael Jordan gave valuable advice to Shaquille O’Neal: “There are always higher expectations from year to year”
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