“Imma lay their a** out… They don’t double me, I’m going for 60 without the free throws” - Shaquille O'Neal responds to Steph's take on his 2001 Lakers vs the 2017 Warriors, says they are the best team ever

Steph Curry believes the 2017 Golden State Warriors would best the 2001 LA Lakers, but Shaquille O'Neal thinks otherwise.

Curry made the assertion in an interview with Complex before his ESPY gig, saying the 2017 Warriors would defeat the 2001 Lakers in a seven-game series.

"If you could match up in some alternate universe, us versus the 2001 Lakers, obviously we feel like we can win. I don’t know who would guard Shaq, but I don’t know who would guard me and Klay (Thompson), either. We rockin’ with that. And three is better than two."

O'Neal disagreed, saying that the Warriors would get beat up, literally. He said that all the Lakers needed was to deny the 3-point shot and leave the rest to him in the paint.

"My team that went 15-1, that's the best team ever created, 'cause we should have gone 16-0. I say we can win that, because who's gonna guard me and Kobe (Bryant), right? They say, obviously, 'We feel like we can win. I don't who can guard Shaq, but I don't know who would guard me and Klay, either, and three is better than two.'

"Here's my rebuttal. Once they get hot, 'D Fish (Derek Fisher), send them to the hole, Imma lay their a** out. Steph, Klay and KD (Kevin Durant). Imma touch their a** all the way up.' And you know who gonna have a lot of points? The center."

After getting told that Draymond Green was the center of that 2017 team, O'Neal continued:

"Well, Draymond gonna have to get 30 points."

Spice Adams suggested that there'd be a drop-ff after Shaq and Bryant get 30 each, but the four-time NBA champ responded:

"It's not a dropoff, because they gonna have to double me. If they don't double me, I'm going for 60 without the free throws. So, that's my rebuttal. And, Steph, you still my favorite player, I love you, but that's my rebuttal. Tell your lovely wife and the kids I said hello.

"See, me and Steph, we boys, we can have this debate. It's a healthy, friendly debate. Steph knows I love him, and I know Steph loves me."

As expected, every winning team believes they would have bested anyone else. The debate for the best team has always been the 1995-96 Bulls and the 2015-16 Warriors.

The Warriors bettered the Bulls' 72-10 season, winning 73 games in the regular season. However, the Bulls went all the way, while the Warriors suffered a gruesome defeat to LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers despite a 3-1 series lead.

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Shaquille O'Neal and Steph Curry have both won four championships

Stephen Curry, left, of the Golden State Warriors greets Shaquille O'Neal

Greatness is often measured in rings, and both Shaq and Curry have enough to secure their spots on the all-time list.

Shaq played for 19 seasons and won four championships before retiring in 2011. The big man won three titles with the Lakers from 2000 to 2002 and won another four years later with the Miami Heat.

Curry, on the other hand, has won all four titles playing for the Golden State Warriors. Although he has only one Finals MVP award compared to Shaq's three, he is credited with revolutionizing the game.

Without Curry, one could argue that the Warriors would not enjoy the degree of success they have had since 2014-15.

In the last eight years, the Warriors have reached the NBA Finals six times and won four championships. In the two years they did not reach the finals, they completely missed the playoffs.