Los Angeles Lakers articles

The Los Angeles Lakers had suffered playoff disappointment in both 1998 and 1999. Despite the ballyhooed arrival of Shaquille O’Neal from Orlando, the Lakers were swept out of the 1998 Western Conference Finals by the Utah Jazz and eliminated by the eventual champion San Antonio Spurs in the second round of the 1999 playoffs. A coaching change was made. Phil Jackson was brought on to lead the 2000 Los Angeles Lakers, to get Shaq and Kobe Bryant to play as a team and blend in the other component parts.

The 1988 Los Angeles Lakers were playing basketball under a self-imposed burden as the regular season wound down. The previous June they had won their fourth championship since Magic Johnson was drafted in 1980. In the aftermath of beating the Celtics, Coach Pat Riley made a public guarantee—they would win it again in 1988 and become the first NBA team in 19 years to capture back-to-back titles.