"It's still great" - Shaquille O'Neal says the Warriors still have an excellent chance to win the series despite being down 3-1
Shaquille O'Neal is still optimistic about the Golden State Warriors' chances to advance to the next round, despite the defending champions trailing 1-3 against the LA Lakers in their Western Conference semi-finals series. The Warriors lost Game 4 104-101 on the road, failing to retake homecourt advantage in the series.
The Lakers have been just as good as the Dubs in making adjustments, making them a difficult opponent for Steve Kerr's team to get past. They are now only a loss away from failing in their pursuit of a back-to-back title.
However, Shaq thinks the Warriors have what it takes to overcome this challenge.
Here's what the Hall of Famer said on TNT's 'Inside The NBA' about this (via House of Highlights):
"Oh it's still great... You've got to put the champs away. Champs ain't gonna lay down. This ain't Memphis, the champs ain't gonna lay down. Steph Curry, greatest shooter in our game, missed those last two shots.
"You don't think he's gonna be pi**ed off? And he's a dog, when dogs get pi**ed off, they come ready to play the next game."
Golden State hasn't been down 1-3 in a series under Steve Kerr since their 2016 Conference Finals against the OKC Thunder. The Dubs came back in that contest and won the series in seven games.
However, the Lakers also boast enough experience to avoid slip-ups, especially with LeBron James and Anthony Davis leading their charge.
The Lakers have played with force and imposed their will against the defending champions. The Warriors also haven't looked as beatable in their previous playoff series. Their lack of depth and production from Steph Curry's supporting cast was a concern entering the postseason.
It's been their Achilles against the Lakers, who have received significant contributions from all over.
🤯
LAKERS TAKE 3-1 LEAD OVER WARRIORS! 😱🤯
LeBron: 27 PTS, 10 REB, 6 AST
AD: 23 PTS, 15 REB
Curry: 31 PTS, 10 REB, 14 AST https://t.co/ZXztG313ZK
Shaquille O'Neal brings up 2016 Finals loss as motivation for Warriors
Along with mentioning Steph Curry's greatness as a factor, Shaquille O'Neal believes the Golden State Warriors would want to avenge their 2016 Finals loss to LeBron James. LeBron-led Cavaliers were down 1-3 against Steph Curry and Co., but they still won the title.
Shaq believes the Dubs will have that on their mind as they begin their quest to overturn a 1-3 deficit against a LeBron-led team for the first time.
Here's what the Big Diesel said:
"They're [Warriors] are probably over there saying, 'You know what? Remember when we had them 3-1 and they came back? Now it's our chance to get LeBron back."
Shaquille O'Neal makes some decent points here, but there was a significant difference between the Cavs' 2016 and the Warriors' 2023 teams. LeBron James had a reliable supporting cast in that series, especially with Kyrie Irving playing just as well as him.
Golden State, meanwhile, has been over-reliant on Steph Curry to produce the goods. The LA Lakers have the defensive force of not letting Curry go off for a 50-point game like he did against Sacramento in Game 7 of the Dubs' opening-round series.
However, Shaquille O'Neal knows the environment and mentality of a championship-caliber team, having played on four championship-winning rosters himself. Golden State will likely be confident about their chances and come out swinging.
"There’s a confidence that we can figure this out."
- Steph Curry on the Warriors facing a 3-1 deficit
They are 19-0 against the Western Conference teams in the playoffs under Kerr, so it wouldn't be ideal to rule them out entirely.