1999–2000 Los Angeles Lakers season
| 1999–2000 Los Angeles Lakers season | |
|---|---|
NBA champions | |
Conference champions | |
Division champions | |
| Head coach | Phil Jackson |
| General manager | Jerry West |
| Owners | Jerry Buss |
| Arena | Staples Center |
| Results | |
| Record | 67–15 (.817) |
| Place | Division: 1st (Pacific) Conference: 1st (Western) |
| Playoff finish | NBA Champions (Defeated Pacers 4–2) |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
| Local media | |
| Television | Fox Sports Net West, KCAL |
| Radio | AM 570 KLAC |
The 1999–2000 NBA season was the Lakers' 52nd season in the National Basketball Association, and 40th season in Los Angeles.[1] It was also the Lakers first season playing in their new arena, the Staples Center. During the offseason, the team re-acquired former Lakers forward A. C. Green from the Dallas Mavericks, and signed free agent John Salley. Green won championships with the team in the 1980s. More significantly, the Lakers hired former Chicago Bulls coach Phil Jackson, who would go on to help the team win 5 NBA Championships over the course of the next 12 years. The Lakers posted long winning streaks throughout the entire season finishing the regular season with 67 wins, the most wins since the 1971–72 team won a franchise-record 69 games. The Lakers clinched the top seed in the playoffs for the 25th time in franchise history and the first in nine years. Center Shaquille O'Neal was almost unanimously named the Most Valuable Player of the regular season.[2]
The Lakers were then pushed to the limit by the Sacramento Kings whom they defeated in a deciding fifth game, before going on to defeat the Phoenix Suns in five games in the semifinals. In the Western Conference Finals, they defeated a Portland Trail Blazers team featuring Rasheed Wallace, Scottie Pippen and Steve Smith in seven games before going on to win the NBA Finals 4–2 against the Indiana Pacers, earning the franchise its 12th NBA championship. It was the Lakers' first championship since 1988.
The season is memorable, 21-year-old Kobe Bryant being named to the All-NBA Defensive First Team while emerging as one of the NBA's young superstars, Glen Rice finishing first on the Lakers with 84 three-pointers, the Lakers signing Ron Harper and Brian Shaw to give the team a veteran presence, and hiring Phil Jackson to give the team a championship experience. Bryant, O'Neal and coach Jackson represented the Western Conference in the 2000 NBA All-Star Game. Following the season, Rice was traded to the New York Knicks, Green signed as a free agent with the Miami Heat, and Salley retired after making a comeback.
For the season, the Lakers sported new uniforms which remained in use until 2018.
Draft picks
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 23 | Devean George | SF |  United States
|
Augsburg |
| 2 | 30 | John Celestand | PG | United States
|
Villanova |
Roster
| Players | Coaches | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Roster |
Regular season
Season standings
| W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| y-Los Angeles Lakers | 67 | 15 | .817 | – | 36–5 | 31–10 | 20–4 |
| x-Portland Trail Blazers | 59 | 23 | .720 | 8 | 30–11 | 29–12 | 21–3 |
| x-Phoenix Suns | 53 | 29 | .646 | 14 | 32–9 | 21–20 | 15–9 |
| x-Seattle SuperSonics | 45 | 37 | .549 | 22 | 24–17 | 21–20 | 12–12 |
| x-Sacramento Kings | 44 | 38 | .537 | 23 | 30–11 | 14–27 | 9–15 |
| Golden State Warriors | 19 | 63 | .232 | 48 | 12–29 | 7–34 | 2–22 |
| Los Angeles Clippers | 15 | 67 | .183 | 52 | 10–31 | 5–36 | 5–19 |
| # | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | W | L | PCT | GB | |
| 1 | z-Los Angeles Lakers | 67 | 15 | .817 | – |
| 2 | y-Utah Jazz | 55 | 27 | .671 | 12 |
| 3 | x-Portland Trail Blazers | 59 | 23 | .720 | 8 |
| 4 | x-San Antonio Spurs | 53 | 29 | .646 | 14 |
| 5 | x-Phoenix Suns | 53 | 29 | .646 | 14 |
| 6 | x-Minnesota Timberwolves | 50 | 32 | .610 | 17 |
| 7 | x-Seattle SuperSonics | 45 | 37 | .549 | 22 |
| 8 | x-Sacramento Kings | 44 | 38 | .537 | 23 |
| 9 | Dallas Mavericks | 40 | 42 | .488 | 27 |
| 10 | Denver Nuggets | 35 | 47 | .427 | 32 |
| 11 | Houston Rockets | 34 | 48 | .415 | 33 |
| 12 | Vancouver Grizzlies | 22 | 60 | .268 | 45 |
| 13 | Golden State Warriors | 19 | 63 | .232 | 48 |
| 14 | Los Angeles Clippers | 15 | 67 | .183 | 52 |
Record vs. opponents
| 1999–2000 NBA records | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | ATL | BOS | CHA | CHI | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | LAC | LAL | MIA | MIL | MIN | NJN | NYK | ORL | PHI | PHO | POR | SAC | SAS | SEA | TOR | UTA | VAN | WAS |
| Atlanta | — | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 |
| Boston | 3–1 | — | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| Charlotte | 3–1 | 3–1 | — | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–0 |
| Chicago | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–4 | — | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 |
| Cleveland | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | — | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 |
| Dallas | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | — | 3–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 |
| Denver | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | — | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 |
| Detroit | 3–1 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | — | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 |
| Golden State | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 0–2 | — | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 1–1 |
| Houston | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | — | 0–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–1 |
| Indiana | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | — | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 |
| L.A. Clippers | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 1–1 | — | 0–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–1 |
| L.A. Lakers | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 | — | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 1–1 |
| Miami | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | — | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 |
| Milwaukee | 4–0 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–2 | — | 0–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 4–0 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| Minnesota | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 2–0 | — | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 0–2 |
| New Jersey | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | — | 1–3 | 3–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 |
| New York | 1–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | — | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 |
| Orlando | 3–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 1–3 | — | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 |
| Philadelphia | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | — | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 |
| Phoenix | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | — | 1–3 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 4–0 | 2–0 |
| Portland | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | — | 4–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 |
| Sacramento | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 0–4 | — | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–0 |
| San Antonio | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | — | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 1–1 |
| Seattle | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 2–2 | — | 0–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–0 |
| Toronto | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | — | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 |
| Utah | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | — | 3–1 | 2–0 |
| Vancouver | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 1–3 | — | 1–1 |
| Washington | 3–1 | 1–3 | 0–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | — |
Game log
Pre-season
| 1999 Pre-season Game Log: 3–5 (Home: 3–5; Road: 0–0) | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Date | Visitor | Score | Home | OT | Attendance | Record | Recap | ||
| 1 | October 12 (in ALLTEL Stadium) | Washington Wizards | 87–90 | Los Angeles Lakers | – | [] | ||||
Regular season
Playoffs
| 2000 playoff game log Total: 15–8 (Home: 11–2; Road: 4–6) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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First Round: 3–2 (home: 3–0; road: 0–2)
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Conference Semifinals
: 4–1 (home: 3–0; road: 1–1)
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Conference Finals
: 4–3 (home: 2–2; road: 2–1)
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NBA Finals
: 4–2 (home: 3–0; road: 1–2)
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| 1999–00 season schedule | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playoffs
Western Conference First Round
(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (8) Sacramento Kings Last Playoff Meeting: 1984 Western Conference First Round (Los Angeles won 3-0; Kings were in Kansas City, Missouri)
May 5
|
| Sacramento Kings 86, Los Angeles Lakers 113 | ||
| Los Angeles wins series, 3-2 |
Staples Center, Los Angeles
|
Western Conference Semifinals
(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (5) Phoenix Suns Last Playoff Meeting: 1993 Western Conference First Round (Phoenix won 3-2)
May 16
|
| Phoenix Suns 65, Los Angeles Lakers 87 | ||
| Los Angeles wins series, 4-1 |
Staples Center, Los Angeles
|
Western Conference Finals
(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (3) Portland Trail Blazers Last Playoff Meeting: 1998 Western Conference First Round (Los Angeles won 3-1)
June 4
|
| Portland Trail Blazers 84, Los Angeles Lakers 89 | ||
| Los Angeles wins series, 4-3 |
Staples Center, Los Angeles
|
NBA Finals
- Lakers' backup center John Salley became the first player in NBA history to play on three different championship-winning franchises, as he won titles in 1989 and '90 with the Detroit Pistons and 1996 with the Chicago Bulls.
- This was the Lakers first NBA Finals in the new Staples Center.
- After closing out game 6, fans rioted outside Staples Center by making bonfires, tipping cars, breaking windows of cars and buildings, and vandalizing businesses around the area. Overall, they caused $1 million in damages. In Lakers' championship run the following year, the LAPD came out in bigger force after the Lakers won and prevented the same thing from happening again.
- Staples Center, which was a first-year building in 2000, had a very tricky shooting background and opposing teams often had difficulty shooting there. Pacers coach Larry Bird wanted to have a shoot-around in the arena the day before Game 6 to help his team shoot more consistently because they shot very poorly in Games 1 and 2. However, the Pacers couldn't practice in the building because of an Arena Football game. Bird was very upset about this, and his team had to go down to the Lakers practice facility in El Segundo.
- The two arenas in this series, Conseco Fieldhouse and Staples Center, were both first-year arenas.
Summary
The following scoring summary is written in a line score format, except that the quarter numbers are replaced by game numbers.
| Team | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4* | Game 5 | Game 6 | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles (West) | 104 | 111 | 91 | 120 | 87 | 116 | 4 |
| Indiana (East) | 87 | 104 | 100 | 118 | 120 | 111 | 2 |
Aspects
Although the Lakers were one of the more talented teams in the NBA the previous year, they failed to win a single game against the San Antonio Spurs in the 1999 NBA playoffs. Twenty-four days after being swept by the eventual league champion, the Lakers signed Phil Jackson as head coach. Jackson, famous for coaching Michael Jordan and the six-time champion Chicago Bulls, would build his triangle offense around Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. General Manager Jerry West surrounded O'Neal and Bryant with effective role players such as Glen Rice, Ron Harper (who had experience with Jackson's triangle offense as part of the '96–'98 Bulls),[5] and A. C. Green (member of the last two Lakers championship teams).[6]
Along with these starters, the Lakers also possessed a strong bench. Robert Horry not only had championship experience with the Houston Rockets but also was a threat on the perimeter and a defensive star.[7] Derek Fisher was a defensively minded point-guard with the ability to shoot well from long range. Rick Fox, acquired after being released by the Boston Celtics,[8] was the Lakers' sixth man. With a healthy O'Neal, the Lakers dominated the regular season, with winning streaks of 11, 16, and 19 en route to a 67–15 record, tying the 1992 Chicago Bulls and 1986 Boston Celtics as the fifth best record in NBA regular season history.
Although many expected the Lakers to reach the Finals, the road would be a rocky one. In the first round, the Lakers won the first two games against the Sacramento Kings, only to drop the next two games in Sacramento.[9] The Lakers then defeated Sacramento in Game 5, 113–86, to face the Phoenix Suns in the conference semifinals.[10] The Lakers clobbered the Suns, winning the series 4–1 (with their only loss coming in Game 4).[11][12] In Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals against the Portland Trail Blazers, Rasheed Wallace earned two technical fouls and was ejected; the Lakers took advantage of Wallace's absence and secured victory.[13] The Trail Blazers stormed back in the next game, giving the Lakers their worst home loss of the season in a 106–77 shellacking.[14] This setback did not affect Los Angeles, as they assembled a 3–1 series lead by winning the next two games in Portland.[15] The Lakers underestimated the Trail Blazers, however. Led by former Jackson linchpin Scottie Pippen, Portland won back-to-back elimination games and forced a series-deciding Game 7.[16][17] Amid several controversial foul calls by referee Dick Bavetta against members of the Trail Blazers,[18] Portland relinquished a 75–60 fourth quarter lead.[19] Rallying back with a 25–4 run, the Lakers won the game and secured a berth in the NBA Finals.[20][21]
In the 1997–1998 NBA season, the Chicago Bulls narrowly defeated the Pacers, 4 games to 3, in the Eastern Conference Finals.[22] The 1998–1999 NBA season began with a lockout but saw Indiana return to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they fell to the New York Knicks.[23] The 1999–2000 NBA season brought several major changes to the Pacers. It was their first season at Conseco Fieldhouse,[24] as well as their first since 1993 without center Antonio Davis, who was traded for the rights to the No. 5 overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft.[25] Jalen Rose replaced Chris Mullin in the starting line up, winning the NBA Most Improved Player award,[26] while Austin Croshere replaced him as the sixth man.[27]
The Pacers started the season 7–7 but eventually finished with an Eastern Conference best 56–26 record, including a franchise-best 25 game win streak at home.[28] The Pacers, like the Lakers, struggled in the playoffs. They needed a clutch Travis Best three-pointer to dispatch the Milwaukee Bucks in five games.[29] Indiana faced the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round and took the series in six games, earning a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals.[30] The Pacers would face their rival Knicks,[31] winning a memorable six game series in a reversal of fortunes from years past.[32] With the victory, Indiana advanced to the first NBA Finals in franchise history, becoming the second former ABA team to do so.
Game 1
Wednesday, June 7, 2000, 9:00 at the Staples Center.
The Lakers dominated from the start. The Lakers shot 15-for-20 (75%) in the first period while the Pacers shot only 7-for-20 (35%). Miller would miss all of his shots in the first quarter to give the Lakers a 15-point lead. Croshere came off the bench to keep the Pacers alive in the 2nd quarter, scoring 9 points and grabbing 4 rebounds in the quarter. Although the Pacers attempted a comeback in the 2nd quarter, they were still down by 12. In the 3rd quarter, it would be Jackson who led the Pacers to a comeback, cutting the Lakers lead by 2. Miller also hit his first field goal in the 3rd quarter, though it would be his last. The Lakers handled the Pacers in the final quarter, with a 13–2 run winning by 17 points. O'Neal scored 43 points and grabbed 19 rebounds.
| Team | 1st Qt. | 2nd Qt. | 3rd Qt. | 4th Qt. | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana | 18 | 22 | 28 | 16 | 87 |
| Los Angeles | 33 | 25 | 22 | 27 | 104 |
Game 2
Friday, June 9, 2000, 9:00 at the Staples Center.
Los Angeles and Indiana were evenly matched for the first quarter, both scoring 28. However, Los Angeles suffered a major setback when Kobe Bryant left the game in the 2nd quarter due to a sprained ankle and did not return. Jalen Rose later admitted that he intentionally stuck out his foot when Kobe shot a jumpshot in order to trip him when he landed.[33][34][35] Ron Harper went in for Bryant and scored 21 points for the game. Desperate to try to gain the lead, Larry Bird resorted to the "Hack-a-Shaq" strategy. Shaq shot 39 free throws, making only 18, an NBA record for most free throws attempted. Despite this low percentage, Shaq made 9 of 16 in the 4th quarter to keep a Lakers lead. The Pacers cut the lead to 99–96 and were looking to foul Shaq, but when Shaq got the ball he passed to Robert Horry who converted not only the layup, but the foul shot as well giving them a 102–96 lead en route to a 111–104 Lakers victory.
| Team | 1st Qt. | 2nd Qt. | 3rd Qt. | 4th Qt. | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana | 28 | 21 | 20 | 35 | 104 |
| Los Angeles | 28 | 24 | 21 | 38 | 111 |
Game 3
Thursday, June 11, 2000, 7:30 at the Conseco Fieldhouse.
Taking advantage of Kobe Bryant's ankle injury, Indiana restored a semblance of parity to the proceedings. Kobe's absence was felt as the Pacers had an 11–2 run in the first quarter to take an 8-point lead. Austin Croshere once again had another huge 2nd quarter, scoring 8 points as the Pacers shot 61% from the field. The Lakers tried to make a run to get back into the game, but upon doings so, Indiana answered with 12 straight points and led by 17. The Lakers were desperate and attempted another run to get within 3 points, but Reggie Miller nailed all his free throws at the end of the game to give Indiana a 9-point win.
| Team | 1st Qt. | 2nd Qt. | 3rd Qt. | 4th Qt. | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 15 | 27 | 24 | 25 | 91 |
| Indiana | 23 | 30 | 26 | 21 | 100 |
Game 4
Wednesday, June 14, 2000, 9:00 at the Conseco Fieldhouse.
The Pacers took a quick 9–2 lead due to Rik Smits hitting his first four shots. Kobe Bryant attempted to play with his sore ankle but only managed to score 6 points in the first half. Even though Bryant and O'Neal were in foul trouble in the first half (each picking up his third with 5 minutes remaining in the second quarter), Indiana could not take advantage and did not extend their lead. This would be a problem as Kobe Bryant scored 10 points and the Lakers took a 62–60 lead due to a Glen Rice three-pointer. The game remained close going into the fourth quarter, when O'Neal and Reggie Miller scored 14 and 13 points respectively, sending the game into overtime. Midway through overtime, O'Neal committed his sixth foul but 21-year-old Bryant delivered three clutch shots, as the Lakers were able to overcome back-up center John Salley's inability to effectively defend Smits. Smits and Miller scored all 14 of Indiana's OT points, but it was not enough to overcome as Miller missed a last-second three-pointer, and L.A. was able to pull one out in Indianapolis. Shaquille O'Neal was the final NBA MVP player to foul out in the NBA Finals until Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors fouled out in Game 6 of the 2016 NBA Finals.
| Team | 1st Qt. | 2nd Qt. | 3rd Qt. | 4th Qt. | OT | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 23 | 28 | 29 | 24 | 16 | 120 |
| Indiana | 33 | 21 | 23 | 27 | 14 | 118 |
Game 5
Sunday, June 16, 2000, 9:00 at the Conseco Fieldhouse.
Reggie Miller and the Pacers dominated the game from the start in what would be Larry Bird's last game as a coach in the state of Indiana. Reggie Miller came out and made 5 straight shots including a 4-point play. The Pacers hit their first 6 three point shots in the game. The Pacers would have a 20-point lead in the 2nd quarter, and eventually won by 33 – it was the worst Lakers NBA Finals loss since the 148–114 loss to Boston in the 1985 NBA Finals, known as the "Memorial Day Massacre."
With their loss in Game 5, the Lakers record in close-out games dropped to 3–6 in the 2000 NBA Playoffs (the other losses coming in Games 3 and 4 in the first round against Sacramento, Game 4 in the series against Phoenix, and Games 5 and 6 versus Portland). As a result, the series returned to California.
| Team | 1st Qt. | 2nd Qt. | 3rd Qt. | 4th Qt. | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 28 | 17 | 22 | 20 | 87 |
| Indiana | 39 | 25 | 22 | 34 | 120 |
Game 6
Monday, June 19, 2000, 9:00 at the Staples Center.
After the two teams traded blows in the first quarter, Mark Jackson concluded the period with a turn-around half-court shot at the buzzer to give the Pacers a 26–24 advantage. They would not relinquish their lead until the fourth quarter. In the first half, the Pacers would lead by as many as twelve points. However, the Lakers chipped away and entered intermission trailing 56–53. Indiana, however, added two more points to their lead, and entered the final period in a position to force a decisive seventh game.
In the fourth quarter, the momentum shifted. The Lakers got four timely three-pointers from Derek Fisher, Robert Horry, and Rick Fox. The turning point occurred on a play where Brian Shaw stole the ball from Jalen Rose, leading to a fast break where Shaquille O'Neal hit an off-balance shot to give the Lakers the lead. The Pacers never led after that point.
The Lakers would build a seven-point lead, but the Pacers fought back to tie the score at 103. After a timeout, the Lakers scored six unanswered points to regain control. The Pacers made one final valiant effort, but it fell short and the Lakers clinched their first championship in twelve years. Shaquille O'Neal led all scorers with 41 points and also pulled down 12 rebounds. He was awarded the Finals MVP.[36]
| Team | 1st Qt. | 2nd Qt. | 3rd Qt. | 4th Qt. | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana | 26 | 30 | 28 | 27 | 111 |
| Los Angeles | 24 | 29 | 26 | 37 | 116 |
Player statistics
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game |
Season
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kobe Bryant | 66 | 62 | 38.2 | .468 | .319 | .821 | 6.3 | 4.9 | 1.61 | .94 | 22.5 |
| John Celestand | 16 | 0 | 11.6 | .333 | .222 | .833 | .7 | 1.2 | .44 | .00 | 2.3 |
| Derek Fisher | 78 | 22 | 23.1 | .346 | .313 | .724 | 1.8 | 2.8 | 1.03 | .04 | 6.3 |
| Rick Fox | 82 | 1 | 18.0 | .414 | .326 | .808 | 2.4 | 1.7 | .63 | .32 | 6.5 |
| Devean George | 49 | 1 | 7.0 | .389 | .340 | .659 | 1.5 | .2 | .20 | .08 | 3.2 |
| A. C. Green | 82 | 82 | 23.5 | .447 | .250 | .695 | 5.9 | 1.0 | .65 | .22 | 5.0 |
| Ron Harper | 80 | 78 | 25.5 | .399 | .311 | .680 | 4.2 | 3.4 | 1.06 | .49 | 7.0 |
| Robert Horry | 76 | 0 | 22.2 | .438 | .309 | .788 | 4.8 | 1.6 | 1.11 | 1.05 | 5.7 |
| Sam Jacobson | 3 | 0 | 6.0 | .556 | .000 | .000 | .3 | .7 | .33 | .00 | 3.3 |
| Travis Knight | 63 | 0 | 6.5 | .390 | .000 | .607 | 2.0 | .4 | .10 | .37 | 1.7 |
| Tyronn Lue | 8 | 0 | 18.2 | .487 | .500 | .750 | 1.5 | 2.1 | .38 | .00 | 6.0 |
| Shaquille O'Neal | 79 | 79 | 40.0 | .574 | .000 | .524 | 13.6 | 3.8 | .46 | 3.03 | 29.7 |
| Glen Rice | 80 | 80 | 31.6 | .430 | .367 | .874 | 4.1 | 2.2 | .59 | .15 | 15.9 |
| John Salley | 45 | 3 | 6.7 | .362 | .000 | .750 | 1.4 | .6 | .18 | .31 | 1.6 |
| Brian Shaw | 74 | 2 | 16.9 | .382 | .310 | .759 | 2.9 | 2.7 | .47 | .19 | 4.1 |
Playoffs
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kobe Bryant | 22 | 22 | 39.0 | .442 | .344 | .754 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 1.45 | 1.45 | 21.1 |
| Derek Fisher | 21 | 0 | 15.3 | .430 | .414 | .760 | 1.0 | 2.0 | .52 | .05 | 4.7 |
| Rick Fox | 23 | 0 | 14.4 | .452 | .462 | .762 | 1.7 | 1.2 | .39 | .00 | 4.3 |
| Devean George | 9 | 0 | 5.0 | .368 | .200 | .545 | 1.1 | .2 | .11 | .00 | 2.4 |
| A. C. Green | 23 | 23 | 18.7 | .411 | .000 | .696 | 4.2 | .6 | .61 | .13 | 3.9 |
| Ron Harper | 23 | 23 | 28.0 | .431 | .231 | .702 | 3.7 | 3.2 | 1.00 | .57 | 8.6 |
| Robert Horry | 23 | 0 | 26.9 | .407 | .288 | .702 | 5.3 | 2.5 | .87 | .83 | 7.6 |
| Travis Knight | 14 | 0 | 3.4 | .533 | .000 | .333 | .4 | .0 | .07 | .21 | 1.3 |
| Shaquille O'Neal | 23 | 23 | 43.5 | .566 | .000 | .456 | 15.4 | 3.1 | .57 | 2.39 | 30.7 |
| Glen Rice | 23 | 23 | 33.3 | .408 | .418 | .798 | 4.0 | 2.1 | .65 | .17 | 12.4 |
| John Salley | 18 | 0 | 4.3 | .385 | .000 | .700 | 1.2 | .2 | .06 | .33 | .9 |
| Brian Shaw | 22 | 1 | 18.5 | .421 | .333 | .813 | 2.3 | 3.0 | .50 | .18 | 5.4 |
Award winners
- Shaquille O'Neal, NBA Most Valuable Player
- Shaquille O'Neal, All-NBA First Team
- Kobe Bryant, All-NBA Second Team
- Kobe Bryant, NBA All-Defensive First Team
- Shaquille O'Neal, NBA All-Defensive Second Team
- Shaquille O'Neal, NBA Finals Most Valuable Player
Transactions
The Lakers have been involved in the following transactions during the 1999–2000 season.
Trades
| September 1, 1999 |
To Los Angeles Lakers A. C. Green |
To Dallas Mavericks Sean Rooks 2000 2nd round draft pick |
| September 21, 1999 |
To Los Angeles Lakers Melvin Levett |
To Detroit Pistons Derek Harper |
Briefly, the Lakers considered to trade Kobe Bryant for Grant Hill, but it never came close to consummation.[37]
Additions
| Player | Signed | Former Team |
|---|---|---|
| Ron Harper | Signed 2-year contract for $4.2 Million[38] | Chicago Bulls |
| Brian Shaw | Signed 1-year contract for $? Million[39] | Portland Trail Blazers |
| John Salley | Signed ? year contract for $? Million[40] | N/A |
Subtractions
| Player | Reason Left | New Team |
|---|---|---|
| Ruben Patterson | Free agent | Seattle SuperSonics |
| J. R. Reid | Free agent | Milwaukee Bucks |
References
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- ^ "Near-Unanimous Vote Elects O'Neal M.V.P." New York Times. May 10, 2000.
- ^ "CNN Sports provided by Bleacher Report – CNN.com". sportsillustrated.cnn.com. Retrieved 2014-12-13.
- ^ "2000 NBA Playoffs Summary | Basketball-Reference.com". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved 2014-12-13.
- ^ Dawidoff, Nicholas (2015-06-23). "The Obtuse Triangle". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
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- ^ "Robert Horry is a Hall of Famer. This should not even be a debate". The Dream Shake. 2016-09-17. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
- ^ Howard-Cooper, Scott (1997-08-27). "Fox Hunt Finally Over for Lakers". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
- ^ Abrams, Jonathan (2014-05-07). "All the Kings' Men". Grantland. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
- ^ "2000 NBA Western Conference First Round | Basketball-Reference.com". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
- ^ "Suns torch Lakers' broom". The Baltimore Sun. 2000-05-15. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
- ^ "2000 NBA Western Conference Semifinals | Basketball-Reference.com". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
- ^ Spousta, Tom (2000-05-23). "Blazers Turn the Tables in Game 2". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
- ^ "Blazers tied in West". St. Petersburg Times. 2000-05-23. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
- ^ "Lakers have Blazers singing a different tune". The Baltimore Sun. 2000-05-31. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
- ^ Smith, Sam (2000-06-01). "Phil Vs. Scottie As Entertaining As Blazers Vs. Lakers". The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
- ^ "2000 NBA Western Conference Finals | Basketball-Reference.com". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
- ^ Craggs, Tommy (2009-10-28). "Excerpts From The Book The NBA Doesn't Want You To Read". Deadspin. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
- ^ "Lakers Rally Past Blazers". CBS News. 2000-06-05. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
- ^ "Top 10 Lakers playoffs moments: Kobe-to-Shaq cements Game 7 comeback against Portland". ESPN.com. 2010-05-27. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
- ^ "All Things Lakers - 1999-2000 Season". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
- ^ "Bulls' run not done Chicago rebounds to knock out Pacers in Game 7, 88-83". The Baltimore Sun. 1998-06-01. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
- ^ "1998–99 Indiana Pacers". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
- ^ Benbow, Dana (2014-11-06). "15 years ago: Pacers' first game in Conseco Fieldhouse". Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
- ^ "Pacers, Raptors Finalize Trade". CBS News. 1999-08-01. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
- ^ "'Most Improved' Rose Could Improve Bulls". The Chicago Tribune. 2016-05-25. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
- ^ Morwick, Rick (2011-01-06). "Former Pacers player becoming at ease in front of camera". Daily Journal. Retrieved 2016-01-30.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "1999-00 Indiana Pacers". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
- ^ Smith, Sam (2000-05-05). "Best's 3, Miller's 41 Rescue Pacers". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
- ^ "2000 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals | Basketball-Reference.com". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
- ^ Bolch, Ben (2013-05-04). "NBA playoffs preview: Knicks vs. Pacers". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
- ^ "2000 NBA Eastern Conference Finals | Basketball-Reference.com". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
- ^ Bresnahan, Mike (March 14, 2013). "Kobe Bryant sprains left ankle in Lakers loss, out indefinitely". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 2013-03-14. Retrieved 2016-07-20.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Ryan, Chris (March 14, 2013). "Jalen Rose on That Time He Intentionally Tried to Injure Kobe Bryant". grantland.com. Archived from the original on March 14, 2013.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Grantland, Channel. "Jalen Rose on Kobe Bryant and Karma". Retrieved 18 September 2012.
- ^ Babb, Kent (2015-06-13). "That time when Shaquille O'Neal turned in the most dominant NBA Finals performance ever". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
- ^ "Phil Jackson recalls proposed trade to deal young Kobe for Grant Hill". ESPN. September 2, 2016.
- ^ Jet. Johnson Publishing Company. p. 48. ISSN 0021-5996. Retrieved 2014-12-13.
- ^ "Basketball Transactions Search Results". prosportstransactions.com. Retrieved 2014-12-13.
- ^ "Lakers sign veteran forward John Salley". Boca Raton News. Retrieved 2014-12-13 – via Google News.
- Lakers on Database Basketball
- Lakers on Basketball Reference
- "CNN Sports provided by Bleacher Report – CNN.com". sportsillustrated.cnn.com. Retrieved 2014-12-13.