That ending where Kobe gave up the layup for Shaq, and then Shaq paid him back with the beautiful alley-oop throw, and reverse dunk by Kobe is vintage Shaq-Kobe era. That smile afterwards by Kobe.. man that hits me in the feels.

Shaq would have had 70pts if he made 80% of freethrows

The quality of this throwback is criminally good. I feel like I’m a kid again being 6 always walking into my uncles room and him always having the basketball games on

Shaq had a bad start to this game, but he came back and dropped 61. It just goes to show how much having confidence and not getting in your own head helps.

Shaq was the most dominant force ever also rest in peace Kobe.

@1:29:06 - @1:29:27 Two of the greatest Lakers play of all time. Kobe passed the ball to Shaq, Shaq dunks. Shaq alley oop pass to Kobe. Kobe dunks. What a sequence!

shaq gets more applause for a free throw then a dunk 💀

14:58 was impressive, Shaq wasn’t just big and strong he was also athletic and agile

Does anyone else hear that guy when kobe shoots free throws at the beginning

*Shaq vs today’s “big men”* Shaq vs Embiid: Joel is too fragile and soft to handle physical contact. He’d get injured by the time Shaq puts his 350 lb body on him. BBQ Chicken. Shaq vs Towns: KAT is offensively skilled but his bully ball skills are cringe. BBQ Chicken Shaq vs Gobert: He has height, he has length but he’s wayyyyy too skinny. BBQ Chicken. Shaq vs Davis: I like AD but you’re too small for the Diesel. Just stick to playing power forward. BBQ Chicken. Shaq vs McGee: funniest matchup of all time. JaVale don’t want smoke with his master. BBQ Chicken. Shaq vs Allen: He has a fro, he’s blocked superstars and he wears a headband but you ain’t no Ben Wallace. BBQ Chicken. Shaq vs Adams: This is actually a great matchup. Superman vs Aquaman. I’m leaning towards Shaq tho. BBQ Chicken. Shaq vs Tucker: Do y’all really honestly think 6’5’ PJ Tucker is checking Shaq? BBQ Chicken. Shaq vs Green: Draymond just stfu. You ain’t shutting down nobody. BBQ Chicken.

Its amazing.. Lakers running a simple post up for Shaq again.. and again.. and again.. and the Clippers know EXACTLY what they're trying.. and they still cant stop it.

Kobe and Shaq were brothers. True brothers argue and still fund a way to reunite. Such an epic duo 🔥

You know it's a classic game just by the commentator's voice. 😂

Wow...what a throwback. We had Glenn Rice, AC Green and others on the squad...memories. Always nice to see Shaq and Kobe footage. Especially the afro Kobe.

It's funny to me how many calls there where. If u believe your grandpa u'd think there were 3 calls per game

Since I didnt watch basketball in this era, this is a treat for me to watch. Thanks for making it possible 🦋🦋🦋

Ac Green played basketball in three different decades. So weird he played with Kareem and Magic and Kobe and Shaq...

It's funny how as I was watching the first few minutes of this game, and before browsing through the comments section, it slipped my mind that Kobe isn't here anymore. 😢. Surreal...

I forgot what it was like to watch my Lakers back then. Fouls, missed free throws, and powerful dunk's. When The Big Aristotle goes up for a dunk you get out of the way or else!

People act like fouls weren't called before 2010, old heads try so hard to glorify the old days

It’s still unreal we haven’t gotten a Kobe game yet

“87 percent FT shooter” *misses*

25:58 Derek Anderson over Shaq at the rim. Beautiful. One of the most underrated players of that early 2000s period. Very classy player, monster dunker, well rounded polished game.

21:45 the moment when shaq got pissed and decided to show his idol what a machine he is.

Lamar so underrated Tbh ...

Lamar Odom and kobe in the beginning like ima trade for you in the future eh LOL

actually it turns out that shaq being shaq was entering this match dog-tired since he was planning his b-day so he decided to foul shave but when he saw his idol kareem sitting there telling the lakers how to defend seeing that he got into beastmode and absolutely wreked the lakers so bad.

Man I wish Lamar Odom had played PG as the main guy on a team his whole career. Imagine him as a career “point forward” in a Ben Simmons kinda role, surrounded by shooting in a pace and space system...would be crazy. Ben Simmons with a jumper...

PUT KOBE'S 81 POINT GAME!

1:29:06 - 1:29:36 Probably the happiest 30 seconds for both Shaq and Kobe during their career in Lakers

I just recently saw an interview where Shaq gives backstory behind this game. He was out all day before the game getting ready for hosting a big ass party, because he thought the game would be easy, didn’t expect to play much, skipped his usual nap before the game, (25:30 ~ he’s lookin tired).then he saw Kareem helping out the clippers head coach and that’s when he took it personal. After the game he went out that night and was bumpin the song “Bow Down” in a convertible while pulling up to the club. Had a lil twinkle in his eye while reminiscing on destroying the clippers on half a tank and then a big ol shaq party, can you imagine going to that party???? Peak nba culture.

1:32:40 A.C. Green is a pure soul and must be protected

Hey NBA, I love the 2013 Spurs vs Heat and the 2007 Suns vs Nets. Can you please show this other games as well? These were some epic superstar matchups... 1) 1994-95 Knicks vs Magic - Shaq vs Ewing at MSG 2) 1999-00 Heat vs Lakers - Shaq vs Mourning at AAA 3) 1997-98 Bulls vs Rockets - Olajuwon/Drexler vs Jordan/Pippen 4) 1997-98 Bulls vs Spurs - Duncan/Robinson vs Jordan/Pippen 5) Any matchups of Lebron/Wade/Carmelo/Durant and Kobe between 2006-2015 6) 2013 and 2014 Heat vs Pacers Classic Games 7) 2008-2010 Celtics vs Lakers Classic Games 8) 2007-2010 Lakers/Spurs and Suns Matchups 9) Any matchups of Shaq/Robinson/Olajuwon/Ewing and Mourning from 1994-2000. 10) Any matchups of Barkley/Drexler/Payton/Malone/Grant Hill/Penny/Kidd and Jordan from 1995-2000. Thank you!!!

Hearing Chick Hearn brings me right back to my childhood. One of the greats.

Looking back at this this was legendary true dominance from Shaq 💪😤

1:22 Who would've thought 10 years later they'd win back to back titles together.

36:12 that guy jumped so high that his head reached the rim.

The Lakers were practically playing at home😂

The sequence between 1:29:05 and 1:29:30 is just perfect basketball

If Shaq had the vigour and the rigour Kobe had, he would have been the greatest player to have ever played the game period.. you can see those moments when he wants to play - he’s unstoppable. Unfortunately he doesn’t constantly and consistently want to play..

Clippers Homecourt yet they cheering when Shaq made basket. It's great he won MVP on that year

Watched it live from my bedroom from tip-off. You could just feel it in your bones what this team was about. Unreal.

didnt shaq throw a huge party after this too😭

Odom was so good

Loved how Kobe was just throwing Shaq the ball at every opportunity at the end of the 4th quarter. He's like : "yeah, get that career high!"

Shaq and Kobe man that was beautiful to grow up watching. The most dominant duo ever!!!!

Damn I remember watching this game when I was teenager. How time flies

My mom was giving birth to me when this was happening. The doctor and my dad were more focused on the highlights😂

"Shaq isn't skillful.. he's 7' 3" and can dunk whenever he wants.." According to James Harden's logic.. Me: SMH

Mo Taylor was an underrated big

All those free throws, all those points, all those rebounds. But all I see is that dope oop to Kobe. High skills.

Kobe looked so young R.I.P brother

you could legit shave 30 mins off this game just from the absurd amount of little foul calls...so glad it’s not like that anymore

Imagine if this man worked out in the off season and kept getting better.. Could have been the best player ever

Fun fact: shaq was trying to get in faul trouble beacuse He spent all Day planning a party then He saw kareem his favorite player at the clippers bench telling them how to guard shaq after that He dominated

1:23 “aye bro you gotta play here one day”

Please bring us more stuff of the 2000s. Just an amazing time for B-Ballers 🙏🏼❤️

For the first 10 minutes I thought it was an Euroleague game, 9 points in the first 4 minutes, 5 faults, and 0 threes attempted. But it wasn't an Euroleague game, it was a NBA game 22 years ago. Btw, the real O'Neal vs Olowakandi battle, young Kobe8, young Lamar Odom...

The NBA really got $7.8B and they 14 ads on a video

Rip Kobe and Gigi ❤️🙏

This when Staples Center was brand spanking new and LA Clippers made their debut against the Lakers in same building

It's surreal to see players who played in the 80s in action again. I'm pushing 40 and this is super nostalgic!

I like these old school NBA games which shows the full game not the "full game highlights". WHY? because here you can actually see a player performs the whole game, you see them miss a shot, make turnovers, etc. You can watch how a player really plays.

I miss kobe man. I’m still in tears 😢

Shaq was a really underrated passer

That random guy laughing when Kobe was shooting his free throws at the beginning was so funny

My uncle Tyrone Nesby played in that game number 8 for the clippers...Rip kobe

Loved hearing Chick Hearn & Stu Lantz’s call! #RIPChickHearn #RIPKobe #HappyBirthdayShaq #LakersHeritage

@1:14:15 "he limps a lot" lol classic commentating, I miss that honesty.

Today’s basketball would destroy later years.

You had to not only worry about Shaq inside but then you had Kobe out in the perimeter who was a nightmare to guard also Also the sound of Shaq’s stomp at 4:05 is the sound of an absolute unit

Lamar odom looking like DALSIM 😂😂😂

It's crazy that this is literally 20 years ago.

Shaq's agility is crazy for his size

One of the my favorite matches of basketball I've ever watched. Shaq and Kobe were electric, and I have never even been a Lakers fan.

Fascinating to watch this, way more midrange jumpers and post-ups than nowadays. More variety between different kind of shots. The pace is slower, but even so I think this is more entertaining to watch than the current 3 point chuckfest.

So nice to hear Chick Hern and Stu calling a game. Good old days...

Shaq was something different they will never be another big man that play that 5 play that position better💪🏽

61 and 23 lmao. What an insane statline. Shaq was one of a kind

Look at all these drives to the basket! Look at players playing and not whining to the ref on every play. Kobe working. Shaq dominating. Lamar Odom running point and playing DEFENSE. I miss this era of the NBA.

Fun fact: Since it was Shaq’s birthday, he had it in his head that he wasn’t going to try very hard to save himself for his party that night….until he saw Kareem

This game has to hold the record for most charges called. Shaq handled every call well. Even when he didn't use his elbow and barely bumped his defender, the ref called a foul. And he still scores 61.

This my first year watching the nba finals - Bucks vs Suns. I love this game, the players feel more agile, and personally I just the impolite yet very entertaining commentary!

Give us the malice at the Palace!

This Shaq was like ” The Hulk. ”

That guy yelling at Kobe when Kobe was shooting free throws almost made me cry

My favorite nba duos for me Shaq and Kobe ❤️❤️❤️

Miss that dynamic duo 🐐

When the NBA gonna post some Kobe games?

Young Shaq, Frobe, Fisher, Fox, Horace Grant and Harper... yeah this was a tough team. I might feel older now in my 30's but getting watch these guys when I was young was worth some gray hairs and a mid life crisis coming up soon. From watching MJ was when I was kid, Kobe when I was a teenager and then LeBron, Dirk, Wade and Curry. As a NBA fan I'm spoiled.

Shaq shooting free throws lol😂

We want Kobe’s farewell game Like if they should 👇🏽

Man I miss Chick Hearn!!!!! The doors closed The lights are out The eggs are cool’n The butter is getting hard And the jello is jiggling!!!

kobe's pass to shaq at the end to get him that 61st point was honestly so precious

so many potential open 3pt shots missed 😂 crazy how this style would never fly in todays nba but man oh man is it fun to watch shaq playing in his prime

The Late Great Chick Hearn puts a classic in the refrigerator 1:26:30

My biggest takeaway from this is that shaq was a much better passer than I realized

I remember this game live as if it were yesterday. KCAL 9 Chick and Stu! Man time flies, Kobe rip. And the Diesel doing what the Diesel does! 😢

I remember this game, he also had a monster game against the wizards around this time…

Miss the shaq and Kobe duo🔥💯