Robert Horry calls the 2000-01 Lakers the best of three-peat run

Robert Horry won more NBA titles than Michael Jordan -- three with the Lakers and seven in all.

The retired forward reflected on his experiences with Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, former coach Phil Jackson and the Lakers during an appearance on Time Warner Cable SportsNet.

“The 2001 team was probably the best,” Horry said. “We went [15-1], which will never be accomplished again. You should have looked at us after we lost that first game [against the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA Finals], we were so disappointed. We were so hurt that we didn’t sweep everybody in the playoffs, because that was our goal.”

The league lengthened the first round to best of seven, instead of five, for the 2002-03 season-- increasing the number of wins necessary for an NBA title to 16.

Under the 15-win format, the 2000-01 Lakers hold the all-time greatest record.

Horry said his favorite series of the Lakers’ three-title run was against the Portland Trail Blazers in 2000.

“Everybody talks about the rivalry with Sacramento [Kings] but that Portland team ... that team was a monster team,” he said.

Horry noted that Scottie Pippen’s knowledge of Jackson’s triangle offense, with which he won six titles in Chicago with the Bulls, gave the Portland forward an advantage defensively against what the Lakers were trying to run.

“I like challenges, but even though Sacramento was a challenge, this was a challenge in the sense of that a guy on [the Blazers], a key defender knew exactly what we were doing, but we were still were able to overcome that obstacle and win,” Horry said.

The most famous shot of Horry’s career was his game winner against the Kings in Game 4 of the 2002 Western Conference finals.

“That shot kind of defined who I am as a player, being there in the clutch,” he said.

Horry also won two titles apiece with the Houston Rockets and the San Antonio Spurs.

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