How Many NBA Finals Did Shaq Play In?
Shaquille O’Neal played in a total of 8 NBA Finals. He won 3 of those Finals with the Los Angeles Lakers and one with the Miami Heat.
Shaq’s NBA Finals Appearances
Shaq played in a total of 8 NBA Finals, winning 4 of them. He first made it to the Finals in 1995 with the Orlando Magic, but they lost to the Houston Rockets. Shaq’s first Finals win came in 2000 with the Los Angeles Lakers, where they beat the Indiana Pacers in 6 games.
Shaq’s first NBA Finals appearance
Shaquille O’Neal made his first NBA Finals appearance in the 1995-1996 season with the Orlando Magic. The Magic were swept by the Houston Rockets, but Shaq still managed to put up some impressive numbers, averaging 28 points and 11 rebounds per game.
Shaq’s second NBA Finals appearance
Shaquille O’Neal made his second NBA Finals appearance in 1998, this time with the Los Angeles Lakers. They swept the Utah Jazz in four games, with Shaq averaging 28.3 points and 11.3 rebounds per game. He was named the Finals MVP for the second time in his career.
Shaq’s third NBA Finals appearance
In Shaquille O’Neal’s third NBA Finals appearance, he was a member of the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers were matched up against the Indiana Pacers, who had one of the best defenses in the league. Shaq was dominant in the series, averaging 28.7 points and 12 rebounds per game. The Lakers won the series in six games, and Shaq was named the Finals MVP.
Shaq’s NBA Finals Records
Shaquille O’Neal, also known as Shaq, is a former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Shaq played in a total of six NBA Finals throughout his career. He won three of those finals while playing for the Los Angeles Lakers and one with the Miami Heat.
Shaq’s first NBA Finals record
In 2000, Shaq became the first player in NBA history to average at least 30 points and 15 rebounds in an NBA Finals series. He accomplished the feat against the Indiana Pacers, averaging 32.4 points and 16 rebounds per game in the Los Angeles Lakers’ four-game sweep of the Pacers.
Shaq’s second NBA Finals record
In addition to his first Finals record, Shaq is also the only player in NBA history to win the Finals MVP award three times in a row. He did this while playing for the Lakers from 2000-2002. He is also the only player to ever win the award while playing on three different teams, as he won it again in 2006 with the Miami Heat.
Shaq’s third NBA Finals record
Including his four Finals MVPs, Shaq has a total of six NBA championships, which is the second-most in NBA history behind only Robert Horry. He also has a third Finals record that puts him ahead of some of the greatest players to ever play the game.
In Shaq’s eight Finals appearances, he averaged 28.7 points and 11.8 rebounds per game. Those are both better than Michael Jordan’s averages of 27.6 points and 6.7 rebounds in six Finals appearances.
Shaq’s NBA Finals MVPs
Shaq played in a total of 4 NBA Finals, winning 3 of them. He was named the Finals MVP in all 3 of those victories. In his 4th and final Finals appearance, he was not named the MVP.
Shaq’s first NBA Finals MVP
Shaquille O’Neal was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) after leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a four-game sweep of the New Jersey Nets. It was the first of three Finals MVP awards Shaq would win during his illustrious career.
Shaq’s second NBA Finals MVP
In 2000, Shaq was named the NBA Finals MVP for the second time in his career after leading the Los Angeles Lakers to victory over the Indiana Pacers. This was the first of three consecutive championships that Shaq would win with the Lakers, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest players of all time.
Shaq’s third NBA Finals MVP
Shaquille O’Neal was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player for the third time in his career after the Lakers’ 102-91 victory over the New Jersey Nets in Game 6 on June 12, 2002. O’Neal averaged 36.3 points, 12.3 rebounds and 3.8 blocks in the series.
