<< 1998-99 Los Angeles Lakers | 2000-01 Los Angeles Lakers >>
The 1999-2000 NBA season was the official arrival of the most dominant versions of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal. In their fourth year together, they hit their stride in a way that couldn’t be stopped. In the regular season, they went 67-15, a whopping eight games better than anyone else in the entire league.
The Lakers would run into several obstacles in the postseason as they tried to capture the first title of Bryant-O’Neal era. They needed the full five games to get past the Sacramento Kings in the first round, and another seven in the Western Conference Finals against the Portland Trail Blazers. That series led to one of the most iconic games in franchise history in Game 7.
The Lakers would win the game in a massive comeback, setting up an NBA Finals appearance against Reggie Miller and the Indiana Pacers. In six games, the Lakers took care of business. Bryant had broken through to become a superstar, and L.A was crowned champions for the 12th time ever and the first time since 1988.
