Who was the main option on the Laker's title teams- Shaq or Kobe?

Question

In the Laker's Three Peat, which player was the main option?

Neither player could have won without the either, but which player was more key to the team's titles? Basically, who led them to the championship?

During those three years Shaq averaged in the regular season (per game):

28.5 points/12.3 rebounds/3.5 assists/2.6 blocks while shooting 58% from the field

In the playoffs for those three years, Shaq averaged (per game):

30 points/ 14.5 rebounds/ 3 assists/2.4 blocks while shooting 55% from the field

Shaq played good, but not great defense, and won 1 MVP, and all 3 Finals MVPS

In the regular season for those three years, Kobe averaged (per game):

25.4 points/5.9 rebounds/5.1 assists/1.6 steals while shooting 47% from the field

In the playoffs, for those three years, Kobe averaged (per game):

25.7 points/ 5.9 rebounds/5 assists/1.5 steals while shooting 45% from the field

Kobe played great defense and was looked to perform in the clutch the majority of the time.

Answer 1

Main options:

Shaq, 1-3 qtrs

Kobe, 4th qtr and overtime if necessary

Here's the proof

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3lUtG5vL...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2tCu_mKU...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7Lp5aQq4...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJnWimeD_...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHT3Pb8qT...

Answer 2

Shaq had 3 finals mvps and was the #1 option

2000-2002 is known as the Shaq era!

Kobe fanboys are afraid to admit this!

Answer 3

Shaq was double and triple teamed so that gave Kobe better opportunities to score.  It was Shaq's team, Kobe could not have won without him.

Answer 4

Kobe is better than Shaq  

Answer 5

Shaq was a more dominate force than Kobe and demanded a lot of attention when he was doin his thing and that gave Kobe tons of room to operate. Still the number one option most of the time was Shaq........Kobe was an option too but when Shaq was being triple teamed or on the bench.  

Answer 6

shaq was the "driving force/ go to man" during the lakers 3 peat. granted kobe took most of the shots down the stretch and averaged more attemtps during the season but that can be explained by the fact that shaq was a horredous free throw shooter. and if he had the ball down low, a team could simply gamble(which was quite favorable) and foul shaq. shaqs inside dominance (he did avg more points in the season and in the playoffs) gave his teammates open looks and drew fouls on the opposistions big men. shaq went to the line more than 10 times a contest but his poor freethrow shooting really hurt his chances of being that go to guy down the stretch.

teams would double down and this would leave open looks for guys like george, fisher, fox, and even kobe to knock down shots.  

kobe, he too, would draw his fair share of fouls, but not to the extent of shaq. however his ability to make those big shots at the end made him the option at the end of games. simply put, kobe was the go to guy at the end, but shaq was the guy they went to if they were down 2, with lets say 5 minutes left.

defensively both were irreplaceable. shaq could hold his ground down on the block and kobe was a good defender as you mention(wasn't as good as he was now defensively). i think that shaqs ability to guard guys like tim duncan and occasionally a chris webber really made the lakers a great defensive team. guards would be afraid to drive into the line for they were seemingly afraid of shaq who consistently averaged over 2 blocks. defensively shaq is more valuable

so as i mentioned shaq was the go to scorer (besides in game wining/down the stretch situations) and his defensive presence alone strikes fear into the opponents guards. so in all shaq was the main option.

i feel that people have been "mesmirized" by kobes late game heroics that they forget about the scoring and damage shaq created. sure he never took that game winning shot but kobe would never had been able to take it had shaq not made a good defensive play or scored a pivatol bucket when it mattered

Answer 7

Shaq was, for example if kobe lost in the finals this year, but just imagine shaq when he was his best with the lakers and had pau gasol, lamar odom, and fisher. THEY WOULD HAVVE DOMINATED!

Kobe is more of a 1 man show why'll shaq is a true team player, not a fake team player like kobe

Answer 8

shaq was the main option but i believe that they both contributed equally and if either of them werent on the team the lakers wouldnt have won those championships, i believe it doesnt matter who was the main contributor as long as the championships were won

Answer 9

Kobe's team is called the dream team and Shaq's team is called  era team.

Answer 10

They both were good and they made eachother thats why since they left eachother  Shaq has won 1 tittle and Kobe has won 0 so they are both great for eachother  

Answer 11

KObe is the better all around player he can do alot more than shaq, uh FREE THROWS FOR ONE, and he can dribble and pass, shaq just knows how to dunk and block shots his defense was horrible

Answer 12

Kobe was still yound during those days but he did play as the leader with those numbers. I say it was Shaq/Kobe team like 51/49. But Kobe should have won at least on of those finals MVP. Why Shaq need 3?