The moment that changed O'Neal and Kobe's career with the Lakers!

Today, the 2000's Los Angeles Lakers with Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant are remembered fondly after the 3-peat to becoming one of the greatest dynasties in the history of the NBA.

But to get to that place, what was the defining moment of that Lakers team? Before they won title after title, the Kobe & O'Neal Lakers were a team looking to make a breakthrough, even at that moment, to avoid an epic collapse at the brink of the Finals.

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The moment was in game 7 of the 2000 Western Conference finals between the Lakers and Blazers.In one of the LA franchise's most significant sliding door moments, a double-digit comeback in the fourth quarter saved the Kobe & Shaq era and set the franchise on a path of dominance.

After the first three quarters, the Lakers almost threw the game away. Still, some timely contributions from Lakers role players and an all-around impressive display from a young Kobe and Shaq saved the Lakers from a disastrous future and became the start of a dominant era!

This week 22 years ago, the Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal Lakers won their first NBA title.

The moment that the Kobe & Shaq era greatness era officially began was twenty-two years ago this week. This championship was the first of three in a row, a young Kobe & Shaq destined to dominate the league and display some great basketball games.