"I don't know who would guard Shaq, but I don't know who would guard me and Klay either" - Steph Curry boldly claims 2017 Warriors would beat 2001 Lakers
Steph Curry has proclaimed that the 2017 Golden State Warriors, comprising himself and Klay Thompson, would beat Shaquille O'Neal's 2001 LA Lakers.
Curry is set to host the 2022 ESPY Awards, with the Golden State Warriors nominated for the Best Team category. The 2022 Warriors may have won a title, but the 2017 Warriors is regarded as the best of their dynasty.
In an interview with Complex, Curry discussed a hypothetical matchup between the 2017 Warriors against another legendary team - the 2001 LA Lakers. That Lakers team sailed through the playoffs, losing just one game en route winning back-to-back championships.
If the two teams face each other in a hypothetical seven-game series, the reigning NBA Finals MVP would bet on his team to win:
"Between the '96 Bulls and the hypotheticals of a seven-game series," Curry said. "The 2001 Lakers and that hypothetical series, or every other hypothetical series that people say we should've lost because of an injury or because of whatever the case may be, those conversations are trivial."
Curry continued:
"But at the end of the day, if you could match up in some alternate universe, us versus the 2001 Lakers, obviously we feel like we can win. I don't know who would guard Shaq, but I don't know who would guard me and Klay either. We rockin' with that. And three is better than two."
"I don’t know who would guard me and Klay" 👀
Steph says 2017 Warriors > 2001 Lakers in a series.
We talked to @StephenCurry30 about "Night Night", running it back next, the NBA scrambling and more: bit.ly/3PjpTrY https://t.co/OmlWrRQoRf
The 2017 Warriors boasted a trio of world-class scorers in Curry, Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant. They also had two great defenders - Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala. JaVale McGee, David West and Shaun Livingston were the key role players.
Meanwhile, the 2001 Lakers were led by Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. They are arguably one of the best duos in NBA history. They won three straight championships, something the Warriors dynasty has not accomplished. They also had role players, such as Derek Fisher, Robert Horry, Rick Fox, Horace Grant and Ron Harper.
Steph Curry on winning his fourth championship
The rest of the NBA is trying to match up against the Golden State Warriors once again. After a brief absence at the top, the Warriors shocked everyone by winning another championship last season. Steph Curry proved his doubters wrong by winning a title after Kevin Durant left the team in 2019.
Steph Curry also won his first Finals MVP, the only award missing in his illustrious resume. Despite the Warriors losing key players in the offseason and adding new ones, the four-time champion is confident about their chances of going all the way next year.
The Warriors replaced Gary Payton II and Otto Porter Jr. with Donte DiVincenzo and JaMychal Green.
"There's a different vibe when you're watching free agency," Curry said. "And you're just trying to make sure you can come back with as much cohesion as we did to end the year so that we can run it back. We have confidence that if this team is who we are, we can beat anybody. And we've obviously proven that, so that helps."