Kevin Garnett Explains How Shaquille O’Neal Used His Weight To His Advantage During Lakers Three-Peat

Kevin Garnett explained how Shaquille O'Neal adapted to his body struggling to keep up with the high pace of playoff basketball during the Lakers ' championship run. KG revealed that Shaq would actually put on weight on muscle, as it allowed him to take a beating during the games, and continue to dominate using his size.

“You didn’t play against Shaq. And what you think he was out of shape for, actually Phil gave him a formula to build up. Phil Jackson gave Shaq a formula because he was wearing down in the playoffs, and he wanted him to build up. And we call it build-up to get beat down."

"So that when you lift weights - this is why Michael Jordan started lifting weights - because the physical aspects of the game is so bearing that you’re getting you’re a** kicked every night getting hit, you have to lift… Shaq took the formula to build up."

"Kobe was like ‘You need to be in better shape’. And he was like ‘Nah, I’m finna make these centers pay when they come down here, and I’m going to be bigger than everybody’. When you’re a commentator, and you’re sitting there, and he’s not running faster than Olin Candy, or he’s not running faster than the next center, that ain’t Shaq’s power."

"Shaq’s power is brute strength. Once he got to the Lakers, he was on some Superman, Iron Man, putting everybody in the basket and that was all predicated off of Phil telling him to build your stuff up so that you’re stronger coming down the playoffs.”

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Garnett clearly has experience playing against Shaquille O'Neal during this time. Garnett led the Timberwolves to the Western Conference Finals in 2004, where he and the Timberwolves had to take on the Lakers, with Shaq on the roster. Shaq was no longer the dominant presence he once was, but despite that, he and the Lakers overcame them to go to the NBA Finals.

Related: 2000 NBA Award Winners: Shaquille O'Neal Won The NBA Championship, Finals MVP, MVP Award, All-Star MVP Award And Scoring Title

Shaquille O'Neal Was A Beast During Lakers' Championship Runs

Few can argue just how good Shaquille O'Neal was during his time with the Lakers, specifically during their championship years between 2000 and 2002. O'Neal was the leader of the Lakers on the court, using his dominant stature to lead the Lakers to several wins en route to three NBA championships.

In the 2000 NBA playoffs, Shaq averaged 38.0 points, 16.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.7 blocks, and 1.0 steals per game as he led the Lakers all the way to the NBA championship, overcoming the Indiana Pacers to win the NBA championship. O'Neal was named the Finals MVP for the first time in his career, something that would become a familiar sight for fans.

The following year, in 2001, Shaq's numbers stayed similarly dominant in the NBA Finals, as he averaged 33.0 points, 15.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 3.4 blocks, and 0.4 steals per game, as the Lakers won their second consecutive NBA championship. Once again, Shaq's incredible numbers allowed him to win his second consecutive Finals MVP.

Shaq's third NBA Finals performance for the Lakers was arguably his most dominant showing on the stage. He averaged 36.3 points, 12.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 2.8 blocks, and 0.5 assists to help the Lakers complete a sweep over the New Jersey Nets, thus winning his third Finals MVP.

Overall, in his three NBA Finals series with the Lakers, Shaq averaged 33.6 points, 14.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.4 blocks, and 0.6 steals.

O'Neal was the last NBA center to win the NBA Finals MVP , as no player has been able to take the position to the heights that Shaq did in his time with the Lakers. In fact, he and Michael Jordan are the only two players in NBA history to win three consecutive NBA Finals MVP awards .

While some may have criticized Shaq for his size, and his inability to move up and down the court like he should, there is no denying that Phil Jackson's formula worked, and led to great success for the Lakers during those years.

Related: Kobe Bryant vs. Shaquille O’Neal NBA Finals Comparison

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