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Lakers Legend Shaquille O’Neal Reveals His Feelings Behind Team’s 2020 NBA Championship

Published 01/23/2021, 8:30 AM EST

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USA Today via Reuters

The Los Angeles Lakers won the 2020 championship and broke a decade long drought. The purple and gold were absolutely unmatched throughout their run in the playoffs and the victory paid the perfect tribute to Kobe Bryant. It was indeed a special one, as people like Shaquille O’Neal are still celebrating the triumph!

Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant dynasty

If it weren’t for the Kobe and Shaq duo, the Lakers’ franchise might not have been what it is today. They helped re-lift an organization and led them to a historic three-peat, which also marked them as one of the greatest to ever do it. In fact, whatever feud Kobe and Shaq had was left outside the game and never affected their chemistry on the court.

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As we know, several months have passed since the Lakers won the 2020 championship inside the bubble. In a recent interview Shaquille O’Neal was asked if he’s still rejoicing his former team’s glorious victory, to which he said:  “Yes and No. I am happy for the Lakers. I am happy for any team that wins.”

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“But I have a great long history with the Los Angeles Lakers. I was happy for LeBron and AD. Happy for Jeanie Buss, especially after all the things that happened last year. So, to really answer your question, the answer is yes,” Shaq added.

USA Today via Reuters

Can the Lakers pull off a repeat?

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The Lakers moved around a few players during the offseason, but they’re still primed for a repeat. The purple and gold currently hold a 12-4 record, and are tied with the LA Clippers atop the Western Conference.

Although they recently tanked a 19-point lead against the Golden State Warriors, the Lakers are still a solid unit. Moreover, LeBron James and Anthony Davis can’t afford to have off nights if they want to maintain their standing.

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The Lakers are definitely at the top of the title contenders list. However, the one team that could upset that are the Brooklyn Nets. But the Nets haven’t played much with the new Harden, Durant, and Irving trio yet. So, it is still just speculation. Do you think the Lakers have it in them to give Shaq another reason to celebrate?

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Written by:

Yashima Bhatia

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Yashima Bhatia is an NBA writer for EssentiallySports who specialises in providing nuanced predictions and updates for matches. She has a Bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communication. Yashima's love for playing the game came up at a young age, when the excitement of the games coupled with the intensity of the Playoffs had her hooked.
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