And on that throne, there could only be one king.
On the first day of the playoffs, two Western Conference matchups tipped off first: the Los Angeles Lakers hosted the Sacramento Kings at Staples Center, while the Phoenix Suns traveled to San Antonio to challenge the Spurs.
Staples Center glittered with stars that night, with Hollywood celebrities taking up the courtside VIP seats early. Yet when the opening whistle blew, every eye focused on the two men clad in purple and gold.
The OK Duo displayed a terrifying level of dominance. Shaquille O'Neal was an unstoppable prehistoric beast in the paint. Divac and Webber of the Kings gave it everything they had, but before O'Neal's terrifying absolute power, their defense was practically nonexistent. Again and again, O'Neal established position inside, caught the ball, turned, and hammered it through the hoop with his signature thunderous dunks.
On the perimeter, Kobe Bryant was equally lethal. His drives cut like blades, while his pull-up jumpers were unerringly accurate.
Though the Kings' White Chocolate, Jason Williams, dazzled with flashy passes, Kobe's airtight Glove forced him into as many as six turnovers in the game.
The entire game was one-sided. The Lakers built their lead from the first quarter and held it all the way to the final buzzer.
In the end, the Lakers crushed the Kings 118-98, drawing first blood in the series.
Statistically, O'Neal went off for 42 points, 18 rebounds, and 4 blocks, while Kobe added 35 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists. For the Kings, Webber recorded 22 points and 10 rebounds, while Divac managed only 12 points.
After the game, the three renowned commentators at TNT's desk discussed the matchup.
"Unbelievable! Simply unbelievable!"
Marv Albert exclaimed, "Tonight's Lakers—or rather, tonight's OK Duo—were on an entirely different level. They may have