Hard to believe that the Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal duo could’ve missed their careers’ peak moment. The 2000-2002 three-peat run was arguably the Black Mamba‘s favorite phase in the league because of how much he loved winning. But a former Milwaukee Bucks star has claimed his team could’ve possibly put a dent in this perfect run. Appearing on the Knuckleheads podcast, former Bucks star Sam Cassell opened up on the likelihood of beating the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2001 NBA Finals.

Allen Iverson’s Philadelphia 76ers prevented the matchup between the Lakers and the Bucks in 2001. Speaking of the possibilities against the Lakers, Cassell stated LA could’ve beat them, but not that easily. “I think the Lakers may have beaten us but it wouldn’t have been easy because we could score the basketball. They didn’t have a matchup for me,” Cassell claimed on the podcast.

Cassell explained that Kobe Bryant could’ve neutralized Ray Allen, and Rick Fox may have tried but struggled to neutralize Glenn Robinson. But that still left him without an apt matchup, Sam claimed. However, he admitted to having no answer for Shaq, who was the key to the Lakers’ 3-peat.

It is worth mentioning that the Cassell, Allen, and Robinson trio was perceived as a threat by most teams. The fact that the Bucks defeated the Lakers in both their regular season matchups cannot be denied. That year, the Bucks finished with their best record since 1986 (52-30), claiming the 2nd seed in the East. But then how did the Bucks fall before Iverson’s 76ers in the Eastern Conference Finals itself?

The Knuckleheads Podcast co–host Darius Miles started the conversation with Cassell on the note that the Bucks got cheated upon during their match-up with the Sixers. Nonetheless, he clarified that he meant no offense to Iverson but the circumstances.

Giving a shout-out to AI, Cassell explained the reason for their loss was how well Dikembe Mutombo from the 76ers protected the rim. Apart from this, Scott Williams being suspended for Game 7 was another factor, Sam claimed.

The popular conspiracy theory around the 76ers and Bucks matchup in the 2001 playoffs

The theory claims that the 2001 Eastern Conference Finals series was rigged by the NBA. But why would the league do so against its own team? Well, a popular belief is that the league and the then broadcasting network for the games, NBC, did not want small market teams like the Bucks to face off against the Lakers in the Finals.

“… The bottom line is about making money… It behooves everybody for the league to make more money. And the league knows that Philadelphia is going to make more money with LA than we would…” Ray Allen had said after the Game 5 loss against the 76ers. Yet another argument often pointed out to back the conspiracy theory is the difference between free throws, technicals, and flagrant fouls of the two teams.

Interestingly, Bucks’ one of the two top scorers, Robinson, did not even make a single free throw until Game 5. And it was not just Allen but also the team coach George Karl, who claimed the series to be rigged. Consequentially, both of them faced a combined $85,000 fine after the series. Yet another suspicious move was Scott Williams’s flagrant foul 1 upgraded to flagrant penalty 2 and subsequent suspension from crucial Game 7 against the 76ers.

Meanwhile, those against the conspiracy theory argue the NBA wants more games in a series than fewer games with popular teams. So if the Bucks had the potential to force the Lakers to a Game 7, the NBA would’ve been more than happy. Now there is no conclusive proof of the arguments. Whether it be the Bucks’ possibility against the Lakers or the EC Finals being rigged. The only fact that stands true and has gone down in history is Kobe Bryant and Shaq’s 3-peat. 

Stay tuned for more such updates. And join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.