Shaquille O'Neal believes his Los Angeles Lakers, paired with Kobe Bryant, would sweep the 2017 Golden State Warriors.

What happened?

On *The Big Podcast*, Shaquille O'Neal engaged in a game of hypotheticals with Aries Spears.

Why it matters for Shaquille O'Neal

O'Neal confidently backed his own legendary squads against the modern basketball standard.

He asserted that Larry Bird's iconic 1980s Boston Celtics would fall short against Kevin Durant and the 2017 Golden State Warriors.

What comes next?

Shaq has always believed the '80s NBA wasn't as good as the Michael Jordan era and his own prime in the early '00s.

The 7'1" walking plot twist declared: "No" when asked if the historic Celtics could beat the Warriors.

O'Neal didn't stutter when he said: "We sweep them" in reference to his Lakers beating the Hamptons Five Warriors.

What makes the Shaq and Kobe Lakers different from Larry Bird's Celtics?
The Big Aristotle was confident that his Lakers, anchored by Kobe Bryant, would beat the Warriors.

The Lakers dynasty was stylistically too different to tell which way this make-believe scenario could go.

Ironically, a few years ago, Draymond Green sat on *The Big Podcast* and told Shaq the 2017 Warriors would beat his Lakers.

Shaq feels his Lakers dynasty would work against the prime Golden State led by Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson.

Yet he doesn't see Bird, one of the best three-point marksmen in history, overcoming the Warriors.

Coming from a guy who is notoriously protective of Michael Jordan's legacy, admitting the Warriors are better is off script.

No wonder Aries Spears was surprised.

Shaquille O'Neal acknowledged the unquestionable greatness of Hall of Famers Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish.

While he was inspired by watching Dr J and Bill Russell as a child, he has long maintained that the NBA before the '90s Bulls dynasty had physical limitations.

When Spears asked if the Bulls of the 1995-96 could defeat Durant's Warriors, O'Neal answered with a simple, "Yeah".

Funnily, Shaq's Orlando Magic had beaten that same Bulls squad a season earlier.

The confidence he got from beating his hero hasn't withered even three decades later.

He carried the same confidence to LA.

The Shaq & Kobe Lakers were different from Magic Johnson's Showtime Lakers that faced off against the Celtics thrice in the '80s.

O'Neal was one of the most athletic bigs in NBA history who forced opposing teams to recalibrate their roster to counter him.

Even the current Warriors want a guy like Big Diesel.

That, combined with his experience against the gritty defenses of the '90s NBA made him the self-proclaimed MDE.