Los Angeles Lakers: Top 8 Kobe Bryant moments
By Jason Elbaum
6. Alley-oop to Shaquille O’Neal in Game 7 of the 2000 Western Conference Finals
It was a matchup between two budding rivals in the NBA as the Los Angeles Lakers took on a well-balanced Portland Trail Blazers team coached by Mike Dunleavy. The Blazers surprised the Lakers with an impressive performance in Game 6 of the series to set up a game that would determine who would represent the West in the 2000 NBA Finals.
Despite being the younger superstar on that season’s Laker team, Kobe Bryant took over this game and finished with 25 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists to go along with four blocks. However, it was one of these seven assists that lives on in the minds of Lakers fans around the world.
With the team ahead by four points with under a minute to go, Bryant slowly brought the ball up the floor knowing Los Angeles could ice the game on this possession. Kobe put a devastating crossover on NBA legend Scottie Pippen, forcing Shaquille O’Neal man to step up and help on the drive.
Kobe threw a lob over the defense to Shaq who grabbed it with his right hand and threw it down to send the Los Angeles to a second consecutive NBA Finals. Lakers fans will forever remember Shaq running down the floor with his fingers pointed at Kobe, thanking him for the perfect pass.