The sheer fact that old and banged-up Sabonis fared so well against Prime Shaq is a proof that he will forever be considered one of the biggest "what if" in basketball history. In his prime, the guy was basically a Magic Johnson in a center body, with a 3pt shot.
Tn Yamaneko. Bill Walton....who knows a thing or two about basketball....said that Sabonis was "a 7'3", 300 pound Larry Bird!" And I personally believe Sabonis would have been the most fun to PLAY WITH!....With his passing, he could have gotten ME a couple of lay ups!...I would have missed them of course....on purpose...just so he coud get the put back!... It may sound cliche...but he really was "one of those guys" who makes everyone else better... The most "complete" game of any seven footer....ever...and I've seen them all...
Michael Powell -- "Tn Yamaneko. Bill Walton....who knows a thing or two about basketball....said that Sabonis was "a 7'3", 300 pound Larry Bird!" " I don't know of that is an apt comparison, given the wizardry of Larry Bird, but Sabonis obviously was gifted. He had more than just size. "The most "complete" game of any seven footer....ever...and I've seen them all.." Have you seen Wilt Chamberlain? Scoring, rebounding, blocks, assists (the only center to ever lead the NBA in assists in one season) and incredible strength and athleticism.
@@ORagnar Wilt was not as complete as Sabonis. Of course his scoring, rebounding, and blocks were better, but he was not as complete (his free throw shooting for example was terrible). For complete 7 footers you have to put Olajuwon up there with Sabonis. Sabonis has him on strength, passing, and outside shooting by a little, but Olajuwon still had that and much better defense, quickness, ball handling
@@2Times22 kareem is 17 years older and like sabonis changed the center role shooting from 3 kareem invented the Skyhook so both were revolutionaries for basketball. Kareem is still the first scorer in NBA...so please more balance!!!
Sabonis is a beast. I seen him many times playing in Spain but when he retired in Real Madrid and he decided go to Portland because he wanted to fulfill his old dream of playing in the NBA, i knew he would do fine even if he was broken as hell and a bit old because he is extremely talented and even playing at 50% of his real potential is enough to make a difference as you can see. Man, if Sabas could had had a normal career without injuries and was able to play for Portland in the 80s and im 100% for sure that he would have been dominated the league with only Olawujon at his level.
Lithuania also deserved the Eurobasket title in 1995 but fiba and the refs favoured Yugoslavia. After the match Lithuanian players, Sabonis included, were furious
If Sabonis had found a way to smuggle his way out of the USSR in the ‘80s (perhaps in a VERY large overnight bag) he would have gone down as one of the top three center centers of all time. He was playing like a 2020s big back in the ‘80s. Soviet surgeons had turned him into a shell of himself by the time he finally got to the League.
Sabonis is extremely skilled plus a really good 3, amazing court vision, power, finesse, and his footwork. Had he come to the states when he was a lot younger, NBA would've been different. Nobody comes close to matching up with him.
Sabonis is 33 and Shaq is 25 here, Sabonis used all his skill to contain Shaq. Imagine this duel the other way around in terms of age. Sabonis would demolish the aging Shaq. Skill wise the gap is huge, a testament to the raw and physical talent of Shaq. He could dominate without the skills. I still think that a prime Sabonis without injuries could beat Shaq, certainly in today's league.
@@ziginaigra he had a limited amount of skills. He didnt need to develop any because of his physical dominance, which led to him being destroyed by Hakeem and his awful free throw percentage
Sabonis was the best big man passer and one of the best centers in the history of the game. He was a 7.3 Larry Bird . He was a 7.3 small forward! He could have been a legend if he played in the NBA during his prime. Unfortunatelly he was 30 when he went to the Blazers, by which time he had many injuries. His story reminds me of Ralph Samson. Sabonis was the best passing center in NBA and could have been one of the top 10 centers ever if he played his whole career there. If Sabonis was able to play to Portland next to Drexler, Terry Porter, and Cliff Robinson, the Blazers would have won many titles. He was great. He could pass, shoot three pointers and he also had a great post game. Shaq on the other hand was a very good passer passer but couldn't pass the ball like a guard as Sabonis did, couldn't shoot three pointers and...free throws! But he had a great post game, and dominated the paint! If only Sabonis was 28 and not 34 years old in that game! Shaq was 25.
Did you see him play? He was no Larry Bird at all..a Center with some Larry Bird like skills yes..Sabonis is still the best center from Fiba bb and equal to the best from NBA i guess but no real game resemblance to Larry Bird..shooting the three and be a good passer with excellent bb IQ doesnt make you Bird..Bird was in the right place in the right time most of the game whitch was his biggest skill and constantly in motion..
Intelligent playmaker, skilled handling, FT shooter, 3P shooter, this guy was unreal for a 7'3, 280lbs center. There was never any other like him. Sabonis arrived to the NBA too late and too beaten by poorly managed injuries. People say the USSR wouldn't release him in 1986, when he was drafted by the Blazers but the union crumbled in 1989 and in that year he heads to Spain and stays there for 6 years! Why?
+VerdesVideos Why? because everybody at the time thought that he was finished by injuries... he was depressed, he gain weight and he had no confidence because his body was so punished. And then Forum Filatelico, a basketball team of Spain, hired him. Sabonis then recovered himself, specially in terms of confidence, Real Madrid hired him, won everything in europe and went to NBA
Actually it was mostly because news didn't travel so fast to the ussr and when he found out that he could have had a contract and play with blazers he had already had a contractual agreement with spain to play and he couldnt back out of it. It was mostly bad timing and the fucking ussr.
@@Bambo_waffle there is an old interview with sabas. he said blazers who had his rights, were calling, but never offered anything, so he got an offer from spain and took it. the rest is history. depression stuff is bs.
Это все не то. Вы бы видели, как Арвидас играл за Жальгирис (Каунас) в 1983 - 86, до серьезной травмы. Даже я, москвич, стал болельщиком той феноменальной литовской команды, игравшую не только на счет, но на красоту баскетбола. Но закат наступил быстро, мы не успели толком посмотреть.. У кого травмы, кто ветеран, как С. Йовайша, кто уехал на заработки за рубеж - а достойной замены не оказалось. Конечно, любая средняя команда НБА обыграла бы литовцев. Но это не описать словами. Не только набирание очков, выполнение установки тренера, а Сабонис именно играл, не только победно - а изящно, артист! Здесь это не так заметно.
Arvydas would fare so well even in today's NBA. High IQ, exceptional passing vision, and advanced offensive skillset because he can attack the rim or execute jumpshots
Jokic is a poor man's Sabonis. If the Blazers got him in his prime (before his knees collapsed and 3x surgeries on his Achilles and back problems) alongside Drexler, Porter, Kersey and Robinson the Blazers would've no doubt won several rings. And not only without the help of the refs like many franchises.. but the league wouldn't have been able to stop their sheer dominance. In fact, if Petro was allowed to play and develop alongside Drexler and Sabonis it would've easily been a dynasty for the ages. Like if the Celtics didn't lose Bias. Unstoppable. Unfortunately, Sabonis was so injured by the time he got to the NBA he was at maybe 50% capacity stats-wise, but as for athleticism far beneath that even, qualifying for a disabled parking permit based on his x-rays alone, according to his doctor. Still, he was simply *that* good. Doesn't get nearly enough credit. I always remember him being described as the Euro-league equivalent of MJ back in the 90's talent wise.
sabonis always reminded me of them older guys that play at the YMCA.. lots of skills.. really good passers and just deceptively good... respect to the Sabonis's of the world that still get out there and play basketball.. for one day when I get older, I'll be that guy too
Patrick O'LAUGHLIN - You are most likely American.Sabonis here is 33yr. and Shaq is 25yr.You should see Sabonis at the age of 19. He could run circles over Shaq,Pat Ewing and David Robinson.Then in the Soviet Union you couldn't go abroad to play.If he could at the age of 20 to play in the NBA league, would be one of the best centers of all time.What are you looking at here is an old Sabonis with a bunch of injuries and 40% of its possibilities, but is still a great player.That dunk at 4:49.would not be possible over young Sabonis.
Tonko Prčić You're crazy if you think this version of Shaq couldn't have dunked over a younger version of Sabonis who you fail to mention was also much lighter in the ass. I remember prior to Shaq coming to LA they mentioned how in peak physical shape he was in. He had only like 10% body fat at this time and was 300 pounds of muscle. NO other center besides maybe a prime Wilt physically could match up to Shaq. Now a younger Sabonis definitely was probably a better overall center than Shaq and was unguardable in his own right.
+John Quincy Astor - I thought especially in this situation at 5:00,not generally.Here is Sabonis older ,with many injuries behind him ,slow with 50% jumping ability he had .Of course,Shaq was monster that was difficult to keep anyone,but Sabonis was also a monster at his younger age.For example ,such a profile of player would be the undisputed number 1 on this year nba draft pick .I was Drazen Petrovic fun,but I have to admit that Europe has never had a center of such ability.
Tonko Prčić I was able to watch older videos of Sabonis in his prime and had he came to the NBA earlier he would've revolutionized the game. He had an inside game and an outside game and being like 7'3 and quick and nimble there was no real way to guard him. Plus he had eyes in the back of his head and could pass out of the post like Larry Bird. But physically, athletically and size wise I'm just saying Shaq was a totally different animal. From 95 to 2000 he probably was the most impressive physical specimen walking the earth. He was a king among men.
Shaq scored more points than Sabonis, despite being double teamed by Sabonis and Wallace...and the Lakers won....wtf you're saying Sabonis won? He is your countryman Ali? Just your biased opinion, nothing more. Cheer for your countryman, but never claim he is better than one of the best Centers in NBA history. Sabonis will not even crack top 10.
@@modestasgendvilas4779 nah. Shaq would eat Sabonis in his prime. Shaq was 25 here, not yet his prime. His prime was 2000 Shaq. Prime Sabonis will never touch that.
Geez, what a great match had Sabonis been a little younger. He was such a pure, pro. And even at this point, it wasn't that Shaq was really better but more that Sabonis couldn't play 40+ minutes like Diesel could then.
You can only wonder what would’ve happened if Sabonis would’ve joined when he was originally drafted in the 80’s and teamed him up with Drexler era Blazers
Unfortunately, in the NBA and before in the Spanish Basket Leaque we could only saw Arvidas Sabonis with his ankle very injured, a crippled Sabonis... Arvidas, at eighteen, was, probably, the best player I´ve ever seen...
In this duel. Sabonis have 33 years, alot of injury. Shaq is have 27 years Sabonis was not really atletic person, but he was smartest big man in Nba. Shaq was strongest big man in nba.
Sabonis was different. He could stand strong (not stronger) with Shaq and pull him out deep. He wasn't better than Shaq, but he was the best defense to guard him in Shaq prime.
That was a battle! Underrated ALL TIME matchup!! Back when Bigs and Paint Play ruled… This was also the start of that Laker Dynasty! Kobe was an observer !!! 😳 Sickest Era of Basketball.. oh yeah… Jordan played Utah during this playoff… 😂😂 🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐
I actually got to see a little bit of prime Arvydas when he was playing for the Soviet national team in the ‘80s. He absolutely oA wned The Admiral. This was back before he got hurt and Soviet team surgeons turned his minor injuries into catastrophic injuries. If you want to get an idea howq could Arvydas was look at how good his son Domantas is now & extrapolate. Domantas averaged 19/14/8 with 59/39/70 splits & lead the league in double-doubles & triple doubles. Arvydas could do everything his son does except he was 7-3/265, much more athletic & a far better defender. 😁😁😁
If Shaq would of Stayed in Shape like he was when he was with Orlando around 315 pounds Career would of been better than what it already is and it's already good. His defense was much better in Orlando...however in the playoffs while playing for the Lakers his defense was better than the regular seasons. He attempted more blocks in playoffs.
1:20, Shaq pushes and fouls OLD INJURED Sabonis and he still gets nothing but net on the hook shot. Most other centers would have not even been able to hit the backboard let alone get nothing but net if Shaq hit them.
People saying this was "prime" Shaq, lol. This is Shaq coming off a near career ending knee injury, look at the brace he's wearing people. Compared to his 3-peat years...in these playoffs he could hardly move or jump; and still dominated the series
It's not like Sabonis was the picture of health in the NBA, When Portland's medical staff looked Sabonis' Xrays before signing him their Dr was quoted as saying "From looking at the XRays's this guy could get a handicapped parking permit with no problems"
Sabonis could ball. Cool to see. And dunk by Shaq on him tho. Geezus. There's times where Shaq just over powers you and there's nothing you can do. Sabonis played good D on Shaq tho. You don't see no more big man battles anymore. Smh
Actually I think this version of sabonis is better against shaq cuz he's heavier. When Sabonis was younger he was skinnier and Shaq would have pushed him all over the floor.
he was tired of getting pushed around in the paint and started gaining weight that's what he said he sacrificed a long carrier for a short but dominating carrier
Shaq was bulldozing Yao Ming and he was 7 ft 5 inches at 310 pounds I cant believe some of you think Sabonis was better than Shaq.. Shaq destroyed all the Centers he faced at some point.. Just because Sabonis had a couple of good games against Shaq you guys think he's better.. 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
@Hendrik Verwoerd II Stop it ! Rodman was a great defender but overall he had no chance of stopping Shaq.. You will never ever see another Shaquille O'Neal
![Arvydas Sabonis [23pts/10reb] VS Shaquille O'Neal [27pts/8reb] - 1997](/img/logo.svg){kind=logo}
