Entering the 2000s, O’Neal soon also found a level of respect for then-head coach Phil Jackson, as they were able to push each other’s buttons in the right ways towards three NBA championships. Although he was never consistently in shape during his career, O’Neal’s status as a physical specimen displayed on constant occasions.

One example came on Feb. 15, 2000, as the soon-to-be MVP pushed his limits in a hard-fought contest. The Lakers traveled to the United Center to face off against the Chicago Bulls, with a crowd of over 23,000 in attendance.

O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, A.C. Green, Glen Rice, and Ron Harper comprised the starting five for Jackson, as he and Harper both made their returns to a franchise they helped raise to championship status.

When it was all said and done, the game would end as a rather low-scoring one, with solid defense and poor shooting from the supporting cast affecting the outcome. Los Angeles got out to a 22-18 lead after the first, with the Bulls bouncing back in the second.

Ron Artest, Toni Kukoc, and Elton Brand were the main scoring options for head coach Tim Floyd, as they outscored the Lakers by seven to take a 49-46 lead into the half.

However, the Bulls had no match for O’Neal, as No. 34 had his way around the rim. Not only was he scoring at will in the paint, but he also owned the glass, finishing the game with 20 rebounds (15 on defense; five on the other side of the floor).

His presence in the paint led to foul trouble, with Kukoc and Brand being left to guard him once Will Purdue fouled out. The Lakers took a one-point lead into the final quarter, where their 1-2 punch would close out the game.

While O’Neal was the clear X-factor, Bryant also contributed 21 points, five rebounds, five assists, five steals and two blocks. The final quarter provided some offensive contrast, with both teams below 60 points through three quarters.

Los Angeles managed to reach 30 in the fourth quarter, creating separation on the way to their 38th victory of the season by ultimately blowing out the Bulls, 88-76.

O’Neal, who played 47 of 48 total minutes, finished with 29 points, 20 rebounds, one assist and two blocked shots. The 15-time All-Star proved to be too much to handle, in what turned out to be an MVP and championship season.

Lakers star Shaquille O’Neal also thrived at free throw line

Not only did he shoot 9-for-16 from the field, but he also shot an unprecedented 11-for-12 from the free-throw line. While the 20-20 performance was impressive, perhaps the more important feat was that O’Neal only sat out one minute the entire game.

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While Jordan is often cited as having the higher peak, James’ longevity is something to marvel at. In Year 23, James remains one of the best players in the league and is still chasing championships with the Lakers.

The Lakers are in the midst of an eight-game road trip and their most recent stop saw them in Chicago where Jordan crafted his legendary playing career.

Head coach JJ Redick believes James and Jordan are the best to ever step on a basketball court and explained how LeBron continues to stay great this late into his career, via Spectrum SportsNet:

“I’ve always said the greatest players in any era would be great in any era. It’s hard to compare eras and play styles and to me it’s even hard to compare stats. Jordan is 1, Bron is 1, Jordan is 2, LeBron is 2. However you wanna do it, to me they’re the two greatest players of all time. I think the biggest thing is just you hear stories about how LeBron prepares and never was his teammate, so didn’t get to experience it firsthand but now being around him the last year and half he’s a maniac. He’s maniacal about his approach and his preparation and every single day is centered around, ‘How do I prepare my body and my mind to play the next game?’ And I said the other night it’s the perfect example for any NBA basketball player of how to approach their career and their craft and that’s the reason he’s been able to do it for so long and do it at such a high level.”

Jordan’s run in the 1990s is the stuff of legend, giving Hall of Famers like Magic Johnson enough reason to pick him as the GOAT over James. However, LeBron’s body of work and his ability to keep pace with the current generation of stars isn’t anything to gloss over either.

As Redick noted, there’s really no wrong answer between Jordan and James in the GOAT debate and both players should be celebrated for what they mean to the game of basketball.

Scottie Pippen names Magic Johnson GOAT over LeBron James and Michael Jordan

Scottie Pippen got to see up close how great Michael Jordan was, but he has an interesting take on the GOAT debate. Instead of LeBron James and Jordan, Pipped named Magic Johnson as his GOAT though the Lakers legend isn’t mentioned in the conversation as often.

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Hayes scored eight points and grabbed four boards on 3-of-4 shooting in 23 minutes of action. He also had one of the defining moments of the win, throwing down a fastbreak Eastbay dunk — going between the legs — in the fourth quarter. Hayes was one-on-zero with the basket, but it’s still rare to see players attempt this type of dunk in game context.

The Lakers center spoke about the decision to go for the dunk and what he saw when he made the choice, via Spectrum SportsNet:

“I don’t even know. I just got the steal and I saw him out the corner of my eye for a second and then I saw Rui in front of him, so I knew he wasn’t running with me. So I was just like frick it, I’m gonna try it real quick.”

Surprisingly enough, this isn’t Hayes’ first Eastbay as a member of the Lakers. He threw down the same dunk on April 2, 2024. He was asked about his previous attempts and said that it’s nothing new to him to do it in a game:

“I mean, I’ve done it a few times in an NBA game before. Really, I just started doing it my sophomore year. You’re a kid, you’re in the garage, in the driveway on like the small hoop and you just try a bunch of dunks. I remember just trying it in like middle school and stuff and then I got to like my sophomore year, junior year of high school when I was actually dunking and I was like, let me try it real quick and got it. So now I’ve just been doing it.”

This time, though, Hayes definitely was worried about missing the dunk, and was thankful it went through.

“I thought I was about to get hung by the rim so bad and I thought I was about to get yanked out the game right away (laughs)… Luckily God was on my side and got that ball over the rim.”

Eastbay dunks in-game are a relatively rare sight. Hayes, though, seems committed to bringing it back every so often, creating an instant highlight in games that are typically nearing the end anyways.

LeBron James hopes Lakers are building momentum

James spoke after the Lakers defeated the Dallas Mavericks for their third win in four games, and said he saw it as potential momentum-building for the stretch run of the season. That feeling is likely even more amplified after defeating a Bulls team that had won four straight games, and doing so relatively comfortably.

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Chicago has been a middle-of-the-pack team during the 2025-26 season as they’ve been hovering around .500 and keeping pace in the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament race, but they can’t be taken lightly as they can score quickly. Such was the case in the first quarter as the Bulls got off to a strong start shooting the basketball, though it was the Lakers that eventually gained the upper hand.

Los Angeles looked like it would cruise to an easy win at halftime, but Chicago came out of the locker room swinging as they rallied to get within one point. Fortunately for the Lakers, they rediscovered their offense in the fourth quarter and went on to win 129-118 to earn their second consecutive victory.

Luka Doncic is the leading scorer in the NBA halfway through the regular season and he showed why against a Chicago defense that had no answers for him. Doncic was a menace everywhere on the floor, taking advantage of his defenders to either set up his own shot or find an open teammate.

Although the Bulls fought back in the third to threaten the Lakers’ lead, Doncic exploded to keep them at bay. With a bevy of 3-pointers and shots near the paint, Doncic kept Chicago from reclaiming the momentum in the second half.

Doncic finished the night as the game’s leading scorer with 46 points, but he also added 12 assists, and seven rebounds for good measure.

Since coming off the bench, Rui Hachimura has become an efficient scorer and that was the case again as he was the beneficiary of several open looks. Hachimura was nearly automatic from the perimeter, knocking down timely shots in both halves to keep the Bulls at bay.

Hachimura led all bench scorers with 23 points on 9-of-11 shooting from the field including 4-of-5 from the 3-point line.

Lastly, LeBron James looked as spry as ever as he was a terror in transition. James chipped in with 24 points, five rebounds and three assists.

To cap off the night, Jaxson Hayes had one of his best highlights of the season, stealing the ball and then putting it between his legs for a dunk in transition.

What’s next for the Lakers

The Lakers road trip continues on Wednesday against the Cleveland Cavaliers before they take on the Washington Wizards on Friday. They’ll then play the New York Knicks on Sunday.

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The Lakers’ season-long eight-game road trip has gotten off to a solid 2-1 start and they looked to keep that going in Chicago. They were able to do exactly that, building a big lead and never looking back in a 129-118 victory.

Neither team was playing much defense early but when the Lakers did, it allowed LeBron James to get out into transition for a pair of easy buckets. Luka Doncic then got in on the scoring with 10 quick points, including a pair of triples, after distributing to start the game.

Rui Hachimura, who seems to be getting comfortable in his new bench role, came in and immediately hit three shots to spark a Lakers run, giving them a 35-31 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Laker run continued into the second quarter with Hachimura and James staying hot to stretch the lead to double digits.

Chicago couldn’t stop turning the ball over as the L.A. defense began to lock in. Jake LaRavia and Marcus Smart took advantage by connecting from deep and the Lakers went into the halftime locker room with a 69-56 lead. After the Lakers went up by as many as 20 though, the Bulls closed the quarter on a 7-0 run.

The Bulls came out red-hot from 3-point range to begin the third quarter as the Lakers’ lead continued to evaporate. Doncic was trying to match them, but Chicago made eight of its first 10 shots.

Hachimura continued to hit open shots though and Doncic led another run for the Lakers to end the third, getting the lead back up to a comfortable 104-89.

Deandre Ayton got beat backdoor for layups twice early in the fourth quarter as the Bulls tried to get back in it. They got their deficit back down to single digits but never really threatened a comeback as Doncic hit a couple of triples to put the game on ice. Jaxson Hayes then had a dunk in transition that he put threw his legs to get the crowd on its feet.

As usual, Doncic filled up the stat sheet in the victory, finishing with 46 points, seven rebounds and 12 assists.

What’s next for the Lakers…

The Lakers will continue their road trip on Wednesday night when they take on the Cleveland Cavaliers. It remains to be seen if this is James’ last season in the NBA but if it is, that would mark his final game back in Cleveland.

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