Short Description: Reggie Miller reveals the Pacers’ strategy in the 2000 NBA Finals was to stop Shaq and Glen Rice—not the young Kobe Bryant—highlighting a forgotten key to the Lakers’ first championship.
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Main Article:
In the pantheon of the **early 2000s Lakers**, the legacy is dominated by the titanic figures of **Shaquille O’Neal** and **Kobe Bryant**. Their legendary feud and on-court brilliance have come to define that three-peat dynasty. However, a recent revelation from NBA Hall of Famer Reggie Miller offers a crucial, often overlooked piece of context for the team’s first championship run. On the *Rushmore on X* podcast, Miller explained that during the **2000 NBA Finals**, his Indiana Pacers weren’t worried about the 21-year-old Kobe. Their defensive game plan was laser-focused on two other players: the unstoppable Shaq and the sharpshooting veteran, Glen Rice.
Miller’s strategic insight makes historical sense. While Kobe was a burgeoning star and a Second Team All-NBA selection that year, **Glen Rice** was a proven, elite scorer. Just two years prior, he received MVP votes and was a three-time All-Star. For a Pacers team constructing a Finals strategy, Rice’s reputation as a lethal offensive “dawg” posed a more immediate and calculable threat than the still-evolving genius of Bryant. This perspective reshapes our understanding of that **Lakers championship** roster, reminding us it was a more balanced ensemble in its initial title run before fully becoming the Shaq-and-Kobe show.
Ultimately, as Miller conceded with a laugh, the plan failed. Shaq delivered one of the most dominant **Finals MVP** performances ever, averaging 38.7 points and 16.7 rebounds. And Glen Rice executed his role flawlessly, shooting a scorching 63.2% from three-point range. Kobe, despite an ankle injury, still outscored Rice in the series. The Pacers’ focused strategy underscores a vital lesson in sports and business: correctly assessing the competitive landscape is critical, but failing to adapt to a rising force—like the young Kobe Bryant—can be just as fatal as misjudging the established threats.
Short Summary: Reggie Miller’s recollection of the 2000 Finals spotlights Glen Rice as a primary concern alongside Shaquille O’Neal for the Pacers, not Kobe Bryant. This nuance revises the simplified history of the early 2000s Lakers, reminding fans that their first championship was a team effort beyond the legendary duo. Rice’s elite shooting was a pivotal, though now often forgotten, component in securing that initial Lakers championship ring and launching the dynasty.
