Recently, Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue talked about his experience with the Lakers as a player at the time in a program.

“The 2001 Lakers were the best team in history, nobody could beat that team. We had Derek Fisher, Harper, Brian Shaw, Rick Fox, Grant, Kobe, O’Neal, Robert Horry. I don’t know how you’re supposed to defend O’Neal, you need to forget everything to double team him, that’s the most important thing, and nowadays getting to six fouls in a game goes to extra points.

“Under the rules now Kobe is freed up, you can’t get physical with him and you’re going to make it easy for him to get to the free throw line. In my opinion, any team that Kobe and O’Neal are on I don’t know how to beat them.”

“O’Neal is one of the funniest guys I’ve ever been around off the court, and the most important thing is that he really cares about people. On the court he’s the most dominant player I’ve ever seen, what can you do to him? He can back-break, he can pass the ball and dribble down the court at the same time, and I think it was all over when Phil Jackson came to the Lakers to create the structural system of the triangle offense.”