The 2001 Los Angeles Lakers vs the current Golden State Warriors debate is heating up and another former big man from the old era has given his take.
This week, Shaquille O'Neal said his old Lakers side would easily do away with the present Warriors crop, prompting a response from Steph Curry. And now, former Philadelphia 76ers star Dikembe Mutombo has weighed in as well.
Mutombo joined Rachel Nichols on ESPN's The Jump this week and was asked for his opinion, more so as he was caught liking the Instagram post asking fans who they'd pick.
RELATED: SHAQ SAYS CURRENT WARRIORS WOULD LOSE TO HIS OLD LAKERS SIDE
Surprisingly, the ex-center didn't back Shaq up.
"I love this young Golden State team, they're very different," he explained. "We played a different type of game. This type of game these young boys are playing, I don't think we can match up with them. It would take maybe a year of practice.
"I think Shaq is just talking."
"I think we'd easily win," O'Neal had told USA TODAY Sports.
"Other people might feel different, they (the Warriors) might feel different. But we had one of the best teams of all-time in 2001 when we went 15-1 in the playoffs.
"We would've gone 16-0 but A.I. (Hall of Famer Allen Iverson) went off on us and stepped over (former Laker) Ty Lue."
Curry was quizzed by ESPN on the matter ahead of Wednesday's loss against the Toronto Raptors and declared that Shaq was "dead wrong".
"Oh, he's dead wrong," the guard insisted. "Of course. We'd beat them. We can go back-and-forth all day."
What This Means
This debate could go on forever and we're likely to hear many more opinions regarding in the coming days/weeks/months.
But the Warriors will have to strengthen their case by winning that three-peat first. They are well on course to do so, having gotten back to their near-unbeatable selves. Yet there's a Raptors team in the East looking to deny them the honor after completing a season sweep this week.
Mutombo, though, would do well to prepare for the backlash from Shaq.