8. Shaq 44 points, 21 rebounds, 7 blocks in Western Conference Semifinals
It seems like ages ago, but at one point, the Sacramento Kings used to give the Los Angeles Lakers fits. Meeting three straight years in the playoffs during the Lakers three-peat saga — Western Conference first round in 2000, semifinals in 2001, and the Western Conference Finals in 2002 — this was the Lakers one true Western Conference rival.
Armed with Chris Webber, Jason Williams, Peja Stojakovic and ex-Laker Vlade Divac, the Kings were a tough, hard nose team who despised the Lakers, players who they considered too “Hollywood.”
The Lakers are quite familiar with one sided rivalries, so it was nice to finally be on the winning side of one.
This was the first game of the 2001 Western Conference Semi Finals and Shaq delivered the goods. Finishing with 44 points, 21 rebounds, the Lakers made short work of the Kings, and the rest of the field that year, finishing with only one loss in 16 games in that storied playoff run.
To this day, Shaquille O’Neal and Hakeem Olajuwon remain the only two players with 40+ point, 20+ rebound, 5+ block performances in the playoffs. If the regular season is added, Patrick Ewing slides in with 44-22-7 in 1990.
Shaq’s other big games were similar, but his blocks this game sets this performances on another tier completely.
Next: Shaq Near Quadruple Double in the 2001 NBA Finals