Did Shaq & Kobe put a 50/50 impact in winning those 3 titles?

Question

Can I get a hell no! Shaq's impact was waaaay larger. Kobe was just another role player that could get replaced. Shaq getting ALL 3 Finals MVPs & winning a 4th title without Kobe is proof that it wasn't a 50/50 impact. Anyways, check out thier stats in those 3 finals:

2000 NBA Finals
Shaq: 38 ppg & 16.7 rpg (final mvp)
Kobe: 15.6 ppg & 4.6 apg
Shaq has a double double & almost double Kobe in ppg. That's not 50/50. That's 80/20 Shaq.

2001 NBA Finals:
Shaq: 33.0 ppg, 15.8 rpg, 4.8 apg (final mvp)
Kobe: 24.6 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 5.8 apg
Shaq has another double double, almost average 10 more points then Kobe, & he has almost the same amount assist. That's not 50/50. That's 75/25 Shaq!

2002 NBA Finals:
Shaq: 36.3 ppg, 12.3 rpg, 3.8 apg (final mvp)
Kobe: 26.8 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 5.3 apg
Shaq has another double double & averaged more points then Kobe. That's not 50/50. That's 65/35 Shaq!
See there, Shaq is, was, & always will be the reason Kobe have 3 rings.
KOBE BRYANT SUCK!

Answer 1

Only a Kobe fan would tell you differently. The rest know that Shaq carried them and that Kobe was just there for the ride on Shaqs coat tails. Of course its a team effort and credit has to be given to Glen Rice, D Fish, Fox, and the rest. But put it this way, put D Wade or McGrady or another great guard on the team and the Lakers win those championships also, as you saw last year with the Heat. Until Kobe can prove he can carry a his own team to a title, he can not be put in the same catergory as Shaq.

Answer 2

First of all, I do believe that Shaq played a bigger role in those titles, but after each year Kobe's part became bigger and bigger. And Kobe was definitely not a replaceable player, remember what he did to Sac and San Antonio in 2001 when they were 15-1 in the playoffs? Come on. If you want to play the numbers game then look at his stats for those series. This guy is only giving the Finals Stats, when Shaq gets to destroy the East and Kobe is dead tired after playing over 40 min a game for the whole season and playoffs. Besides, numbers are not as important as they seem, just ask Iverson.

Kobe came through with many game winning shots, just as he does now, and countless defensive plays. Oh, and wasn't it Kobe who penetrated the Blazers D and gave Shaq that lob that capped a 15+ point comeback in game 7 that sent the Lakers to the finals in 2000? And who got the ball in the final 2 minutes when hack - a - Shaq came into play? Find me a replacement for Kobe that would have drained all those shots when it really mattered, because other than Jordan, who was past his prime at that time, and Wade, who wasn't even in the league yet, there is not one other player I would want with the ball in that situation.

But just to try and answer the question: it changed by year and by series but a rough estimate would be:

2000 - Shaq: 70% Kobe: 30%
2001 - Shaq: 60% Kobe: 40%
2002 - Shaq: 55% Kobe: 45%

And this is kind of a pointless question because you can never forget about the rest of the team, especially in 2000. Robert Horry, Glen Rice, Ron Harper, Derek Fisher, Brian Shaw, Horace Grant, Devean George, and the most underrated role-player of the last 10 years, Rick Fox.

Shaq and Kobe could not have won anything without the rest of the team, and of course Phil Jackson. They played together for 4 years and couldn't even make it out of the first round before Phil came along. Shaq may have won another ring in Miami, but I'd like to see what % Shaq's impact was last year, because it would be way less than 50 and Wade's would be at least 70%. Not to mention great veteran role-players and a Hall of Fame coach.

Certain players have a huge impact on winning championships, but they are always, I repeat always, playing with other highly talented players and being coached by the best. Since '91 only 5 different coaches have won 16 championships. So think twice before you blurt out a foolish statement like "Shaq won it for the Lakers", because it's a hell of a lot more complicated than that.

Answer 3

Shaq's my favorite player by far but i'm still gonna defend Kobe.
Shaq was easily the best player in the league by far when he won those 3 championships. But to call kobe a role player is stupid and ignorant. What about the 2 games against the pacxers when shaq fouled out and the games went into overtime. Kobe put up 8 in one game and then 12 in another.
They played the east where there wasnt a dominant big man. Your only point could be Dikembe Mutombo and look what shaq did to him. So to utilize shaq was phil jacksons call.
yes it was 50/50. Kobe played a more vital role in the playoffs before he played in the finals.
The east was heavily favored with guards but not in the west.
Duriong the finals he played iverson who was a shooting guard at the time, Reggie Miller when he was still an all star, and jason kidd when he was a true defensive specialist (even though i think kerry kittles played defense on Kobe).
How come jordan never even won a playoff game until scottie got there.
do u honestly think he would have won 6 rings without scottie(a hall of famer).
The Bulls may have had one of the best teams of all time.
Possibly The greatest player of all time, One of the greatest 6'th men(Kukoc), Pippen, One of the greatest coaches, And 2 other all stars (BJ Armstrong, and horace Grant)
But They would have lost to the Magic with shaq and penny or the knicks with ewing and starks if scottie wasnt there.
Kobe wasnt the main player but he sure as hell wasnt a role player. maybe 55/45. Playoffs are trully important

Answer 4

NOBODY carries a team to a title on their own, not Shaq, not Kobe, not Jordan, not anyone. The best player in the history of the game couldn't win it all without future hall of famer Scottie Pippen by his side. And if all Shaq needed was some other good guard he would have won a title with Penny. Kobe and Wade weren't/aren't decent role players, they are the two best guards in the game! And please tell me how a player currently averaging 30/6/6 sucks. In fact, I'll make it a question so you can have all the space you need to tell the world how such a player sucks. Good luck with that.

Answer 5

If it was'nt for Kobe fueling the comeback vs Portland in 99-00
...thier would'nt even be a dynasty....plus Kobe was a facilitator during there championship years...he sacrificed personell #'s and awards for Rings!!!!....and people call him selfish..LOL..to easy....AROOOOOOOOOO!!!

and what's your point look back at history...all championships had two great player's..50/50.at least Kobe could get a winning record and get more playoff wins without a (top 50player of all time)..Jordan only had 1 win without PiP...Pip should have been the MVP of those Bulls teams!

Answer 6

the ingredient is, Pippen ought to rebound shoot and guard. Pippen guarded the final guy on the different team till that individual performed middle of PF. Kobe had to try this. He has to guard 2000 Finals: Reggie Miller / Mark Jackson 2001 Finals: Allen Iverson 2002 Finals: Jason Kidd / Vince Carter Jordan had the liberty of Pippen guarding the final guy to guard power. And via the way, your team is down via 2, who might you supply it to? Shaq interior the paint the place he is going to get hacked and with a bit of luck make one in each of two loose throws or Kobe doing iso? maximum might take Kobe tying or going for the win. end of tale. Shaq is a huge participant and Kobe did not do it on my own however the ingredient is. There mixture is quite like the Wade and LeBron mixture. Very parallel. One gets all the credit in the event that they win (Wade) and the different gets the blame in the event that they lose (LeBron)

Answer 7

60 40 more towards Kobe, Shaq got the props because he kissed the media's @ss all day everyday and Kobe didn't play that game. Kobe lets his game speak for itself.

Answer 8

make it 40/40, 10 for the other players and 10 for the coach

Answer 9

come on this is getting old. I can't stand kobe, but you guys are getting on my nerves. shaq was by far the main reason the lakers had 3 championships. who cares.

Answer 10

how about that kobe shooting 50+ points in 3 games straight?

and he shoots the ball so much bc people encourage him to, even phil jackson.