Girish Mahajan (Editor)

2000–01 Los Angeles Lakers season

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
Record
  
56–26 (.683)

Head coach
  
Phil Jackson

General manager
  
Mitch Kupchak

Radio
  
KLAC

Period
  
2000 – 2001

Arena
  
Staples Center

Owner
  
Jerry Buss

2000–01 Los Angeles Lakers season httpsiytimgcomviUM0cqXdQ6JQhqdefaultjpg

Place
  
Division: 1st (Pacific) Conference: 2nd (Western)

Playoff finish
  
NBA Champions (Defeated 76ers 4-1)

Television
  
Fox Sports Net West, KCAL

Similar
  
2001–02 Los Angeles, 2009–10 Los Angeles, 2007–08 Boston Celtics se, 2000–01 NBA season, 2003–04 Los Angeles

The 2000–01 Los Angeles Lakers season was the 53rd season of the franchise, 53rd in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and 41st in Los Angeles. During the offseason, the Lakers acquired Horace Grant from the Seattle SuperSonics. Grant won three championships with the Chicago Bulls in the early 1990s. They also signed free agent Isaiah Rider, who previously played for the Atlanta Hawks. The Lakers finished the regular season with a 56–26 record, and won the Pacific Division over the rival Sacramento Kings by one game. Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal were both selected for the 2001 NBA All-Star Game, but O'Neal did not play due to an injury. The Lakers clinched the second seed in the playoffs.

Contents

In the playoffs, the Lakers swept the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round, swept the Kings in the semifinals, then swept the top–seeded San Antonio Spurs the Western Conference Finals. They went on to win the NBA Finals 4–1 against the Philadelphia 76ers, earning the franchise its 13th NBA championship. It was the second of the Lakers' three-peat championships to begin the millennium.

Following the season, Grant re-signed as a free agent with the Orlando Magic, Rider signed with the Denver Nuggets, Tyronn Lue signed with the Washington Wizards and Ron Harper retired.

With the exceptions of Derek Fisher, Greg Foster, Slava Medvedenko, and Mike Penberthy, the team's season roster is featured in the video games NBA 2K16 and NBA 2K17.

West First Round

(2) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (7) Portland Trail Blazers Last Playoff Meeting: 2000 Western Conference Finals (Los Angeles won 4-3)

West Conference Semifinals

(2) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (3) Sacramento Kings Last Playoff Meeting: 2000 Western Conference First Round (Los Angeles won 3-2)

West Conference Finals

(1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (2) Los Angeles Lakers Last Playoff Meeting: 1999 Western Conference Semifinals (San Antonio won 4-0)

NBA Finals

  • By winning the Finals MVP award, Shaquille O'Neal joined the list of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Tim Duncan as the only players to win the award at least twice. Kobe Bryant and LeBron James have since joined the list. Jordan, Olajuwon, O'Neal, Bryant and James are the only five to win the award in back-to-back years.
  • Robert Horry became the second player in NBA history to be a member of back-to-back title-winning teams with two different franchises, joining Dennis Rodman.
  • The Lakers achieved the best ever NBA postseason record of 15-1, sweeping the Western Conference and then sweeping the 76ers after their Game 1 loss in the Finals.

    • Summary

    The following scoring summary is written in a line score format, except that the quarter numbers are replaced by game numbers.

    ∗ denotes a game that required overtime.

    Award winners

  • Kobe Bryant, All-NBA Second Team
  • Kobe Bryant, All-NBA Defensive Second Team
  • Shaquille O'Neal, Center, NBA Finals Most Valuable Player
  • Shaquille O'Neal, League Leader, FG%, 57.2
  • Shaquille O'Neal, All-NBA First Team
  • Shaquille O'Neal, All-NBA Defensive Second Team

    • References

    2000–01 Los Angeles Lakers season Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA