Los Angeles Lakers: 30 greatest individual performances in team history

Los Angeles Lakers: 30 greatest individual performances in team history: 12. Shaquille O’Neal treats the 76ers like kids

The 2001 NBA Playoffs were treated as the Lakers personal playpen. Scottie Pippen, Rasheed Wallace and the Portland Trail Blazers were destroyed in three games. One of their biggest rivals in the Sacramento Kings were no match for them this year as they swept them in the following round. Even Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs had no answers as they were swept as well.

But in the first game of the Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers, Allen Iverson snuck a game past them. To ensure that would never happen again, Shaquille O’Neal went completely scorched earth. The Hall of Fame big man scored 28 points and grabbed 20 rebounds. Those numbers alone would put him in consideration for a spot on this list but he solidified it when he dished out nine assists and blocked eight shots. Only four players in NBA history have accomplished a quadruple-double and Shaq almost placed his name amongst them.

As no surprise, the Lakers would go on to win that game and they dominated the 76ers for the rest of that series. While he had plenty of memorable moments throughout those finals, his Game 2 performance was simply his best one.