The 2001 Los Angeles Lakers had one of the most dominant runs in playoff history. After sweeping through the entire Western Conference, Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant were shockingly handed a loss in Game 1 of the NBA Finals by Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers.
That one defeated served as a wake-up call and the Lakers were determined to get back to their dominant ways, and it was O’Neal who would lead the charge. After evening the series in Game 2, and gutting out a tough victory on the road in Game 3, the Lakers went into Game 4 looking to slam the door on any hope Philly had of winning the series.