Last week I posted a Facebook status that read: "As good as the Shaq-Kobe duo was, Kobe-Pau is better."
Within minutes I received a barrage of critical comments, including:
"That's just outrageously false."
"You're an idiot."
"[That is] almost as retarded of a statement as 'the Suns have a chance against the Lakers'."
And my personal favorite: "You are worse than the 'Fisher' 'Lies' girls."
With those sort of responses, you would think I said something along the lines of: "If LeBron James wants to take the fastest route to Championship Circle and Ring Road, he should sign with the Los Angeles Clippers" (the funny thing is: I truly believe that, but that is for a different debate).
In any event, it is undeniably understandable why many people may dispute my initial assertion.
After all, O'Neal and Bryant were the Adam Sandler and Rob Schneider of the Los Angeles Lakers teams that won three straight titles to begin the new millennium—teams that secured 67 wins during the 1999-00 regular season (the most by the boys in purple and gold since 1971-72) and finished the 2000-01 postseason 15-1 (an NBA record).
In doing so, the tandem developed a dynasty that could have very well crowned Shaq and Kobe the most prodigious one-two punch in franchise history and arguably the best that the NBA has ever seen.
There is no need to rehash the egotistical onslaught that occurred over time and ultimately unleashed O'Neal from L.A., nor is there a rational reason to point fingers more than five years after the fact, but the break-up was about as bad as a non-romantic relationship can get.
Fast-forward six seasons and the Lakers are two games away from forging their third Finals appearance in as many years—all because of the Will Ferrell and Vince Vaughn-like faction, better known as Bryant and Gasol.
Just as the Ferrell-Vaughn movies are funnier than those of the Sandler-Schneider variety, the Kobe-Pau connection is superior to the Shaq-Kobe showing.
For one thing, the original Superman (at least in basketball) and the Kobester never worked together with such skill, success and consistency as the Big Spaniard and Black Mamba do. With regard to the former, most of the time it was either O'Neal predominantly imposing his indefensible size and strength on the inside, or Bryant dexterously dominating on the perimeter and in isolation situations.
Sure, they stung the Portland Trailblazers with that unforgettable alley-oop in the 2000 Western Conference Finals, but Shaq and Kobe were more dysfunctional than present-day extremist Israelis and Palestinians alike.
When Gasol joined forces with Bryant and the Lakers in 2008, he was more than aware of Kobe's alpha-male attitude—so much so that Pau was more than pleased with taking a backseat in Bryant's stretch limousine.
If Shaq and Kobe would have adopted that approach any which way, they may still be racking up rings today.
Returning to reality, it was irrefutably obvious that Bryant and Gasol were both willing and able to successfully co-function from day one.
Today, the Kobe-Pau pick-and-roll (or pick-and-pop) is the most difficult collaboration to defend in the league.
O'Neal was (and still is) largely limited as a screener, whereas Gasol is as gifted as they come.
He is a threat to hit the 15-footer if he elects to remain on the outside, where he can also take you off the dribble; he is more agile and has better footwork than Shaq, both in the post and once he receives the pass after rolling toward the rim; if he decides to establish himself down on the block, he is essentially ambidextrous and can go as far as fading away if and when he faces up to the basket.
While O'Neal was (and again, still is) a proficient passer, Pau also prevails in the playmaking department. And perhaps most perceptible of all, he is a significantly superior free-throw shooter, which puts most opponents in the "pick your poison" position at the end of a game. Because Shaq was a liability at the line, the O'Neal-Bryant behemoth became much more unbalanced.
Aside from the in-game assessments, it is overwhelmingly apparent that the previous duo does not nearly have the same compatibility and common sense to "figure it out" as the current one continues to display.
But you do not need me to convince you of that observation, because Kobe concluded it first.
"As soon as he came here he fit in instantly," he told TNT's Craig Sager after Wednesday night's Western Conference Finals Game Two. "Since that point it's just been about making it even better and trying to perfect what we do together."
Bryant would have never said the same when he played with Shaq (and vice versa)—but with Gasol, it's a brand new, considerably better ballgame.
You can contact Josh Hoffman at JHoffMedia@gmail.com.
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