Shaquille O’Neal on why Game 7 of the 2000 WCF was the only time he faced pressure: “Of course, they choked at the end”

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Shaquille O’Neal on why Game 7 of the 2000 WCF was the only time he faced pressure: “Of course, they choked at the end” originally appeared on Basketball Network.

No NBA player has been able to escape pressure. Beyond the glitz and glamor of their lives is the constant weight of expectations and public scrutiny. The bigger the name, the higher the stakes, and Shaquille O’Neal — arguably the most dominant player in NBA history — witnessed this firsthand.

But the pressure was more intense than ever during one playoff series for O’Neal.

“There’s many different types of pressure, there’s the nervous pressure, there’s the criticism pressure, there’s a performance pressure. I can remember one time playing against Portland, and we were up 3-1, and then they came back and tied it. So now we had to go through the Game 7. That was really the only time I faced pressure, and then, of course, they choked at the end,” the legendary big man said, taking a jibe at the former Portland Trail Blazers guard Steve Smith, who was also part of the discussion panel.

The controversial Lakers-Blazers Game 7

The Blazers and the Los Angeles Lakers, two top teams in the West in 2000, had the perfect mix of star power and renowned coaches on their sides.

The Lakers, led by O’Neal and Kobe Bryant, entered the postseason after being swept by the San Antonio Spurs in the second round in the 1999 playoffs. The Blazers, meanwhile, were one of the most balanced squads in the league after adding Scottie Pippen and Smith to the lineup.

Still, four games into the series, with the Lakers up 3-1, it didn’t look like Portland had any chance against the superstar duo wearing the purple and gold. However, they were able to win the next two games to tie the series and force a win-or-go-home game at the Staples Center.

Heading into the fourth quarter of Game 7, the Trail Blazers even had a 15-point lead. The Lakers went on a run, tying the game at 75 after Shaq and Kobe lit up the Staples Center with one of the most iconic alley-oop dunks. Ultimately, they outscored the Blazers 31-13 in the fourth quarter, securing a spot in the Finals.

Steve Smith cried foul

Some lapses were reported on the officiating front, and a narrative about the game being rigged was also making the rounds.

Smith was certain his team had been cheated in Game 7 of the 2000 WCF. Not mincing his words, he divulged how certain fouls on the Trail Blazers had been overlooked.

“I want to watch the fouls they didn’t call. From every f—ing angle. Rasheed (Wallace) got kicked out for staring (during the series). I’m still bitter about that. I tell Shaquille O’Neal that. He fouled me (with 30 seconds left). They didn’t call it. You can write that. I want to watch the f—ing play, he fouled me in virtual reality. It was Game 7,” he said.

While the Lakers were awarded 18 attempts from the free-throw line, the Trail Blazers only went to the line four times. What further raised suspicions was the nature of foul calls on bigs like Arvydas Sabonis and Rasheed Wallace, leading them to sit out for prolonged periods.

But the Lakers didn’t care. After beating the Trail Blazers, they went on to defeat the Indiana Pacers in the 2000 Finals, which marked the beginning of their iconic three-peat run.