1997–98 Los Angeles Lakers season

The 1997–98 NBA season was the Lakers' 50th season in the National Basketball Association, and 38th in the city of Los Angeles.[1] During the offseason, the Lakers signed free agents Rick Fox and Jon Barry. Kobe Bryant emerged as a star in his second season averaging 15.4 points per game off the bench, while being selected to play in the 1998 NBA All-Star Game at the age of 19. Joining him on the Western Conference All-Star roster were Shaquille O'Neal, Eddie Jones and Nick Van Exel. The Lakers got off to a fast start to the season winning their first eleven games, before losing O'Neal to a strained stomach muscle that forced him to sit out 20 games.[2] In his absence, the Lakers went 13–7. They won 22 of their final 25 games to tie the Pacific Division title with the Seattle SuperSonics with a 61–21 record. It was the Lakers' best record since the 1989–90 season.

1997–98 Los Angeles Lakers season
Head coachDel Harris
OwnersJerry Buss
ArenaGreat Western Forum
Results
Record61–21 (.744)
PlaceDivision: 2nd (Pacific)
Conference: 3rd (Western)
Playoff finishWestern Conference Finals
(Lost to Jazz 0–4)
Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionFox Sports West, KCAL 9
RadioAM 570 KLAC

In the playoffs, the Lakers defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 3–1 in the first round for the second consecutive year, then defeated the SuperSonics 4–1 in the semifinals after losing Game 1. However, in the Western Conference Finals, they were swept by the Utah Jazz in four straight games. Following the season, Van Exel was traded to the Denver Nuggets,[3] and Barry signed as a free agent with the Sacramento Kings.

Draft picks
Main article: 1997 NBA draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
2 52 DeJuan Wheat PG  United States Louisville
2 54 Paul Rogers C  Australia Gonzaga

Roster
Roster listing
Los Angeles Lakers roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOB (YYYY-MM-DD)From
PG 2 Fisher, Derek 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Arkansas-Little Rock
PG 9 Van Exel, Nick 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 170 lb (77 kg) Cincinnati
SG 6 Jones, Eddie 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Temple
SG 20 Barry, Jon 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Georgia Tech
SG 24 Seals, Shea  6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Tulsa
G/F 8 Bryant, Kobe 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Lower Merion HS (PA)
SF 17 Fox, Rick 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 230 lb (104 kg) North Carolina
PF 5 Horry, Robert 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Alabama
PF 23 Bennett, Mario 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Arizona State
F/C 41 Campbell, Elden 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Clemson
F/C 43 Blount, Corie 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 240 lb (109 kg) Cincinnati
C 34 O'Neal, Shaquille 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) 325 lb (147 kg) LSU
C 45 Rooks, Sean 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 250 lb (113 kg) Arizona
Head coach
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured

Roster

Depth chart
Pos. Starting 5 Bench 1 Bench 2
C Shaquille O'Neal Elden Campbell Sean Rooks
PF Robert Horry Corie Blount Mario Bennett
SF Rick Fox Kobe Bryant
SG Eddie Jones Jon Barry Shea Seals
PG Derek Fisher Nick Van Exel

Regular season

Season standings
Pacific Division W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Seattle SuperSonics 6121.744–35–626–1519–5
x-Los Angeles Lakers 6121.744 –33–828–1316–8
x-Phoenix Suns 5626.683530–1126–1517–7
x-Portland Trail Blazers 4636.5611526–1520–2114–10
Sacramento Kings 2755.3293421–206–356–18
Golden State Warriors 1963.2324212–297–346–18
Los Angeles Clippers 1765.2074411–306–356–18
# Western Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Utah Jazz6220.756–
2 y-Seattle SuperSonics6121.7441
3 x-Los Angeles Lakers6121.7441
4 x-Phoenix Suns5626.6836
5 x-San Antonio Spurs5626.6836
6 x-Portland Trail Blazers4636.56116
7 x-Minnesota Timberwolves4537.54917
8 x-Houston Rockets4141.50021
9 Sacramento Kings2755.32935
10 Dallas Mavericks2062.24442
11 Vancouver Grizzlies1963.23243
11 Golden State Warriors1963.23243
13 Los Angeles Clippers1765.20745
14 Denver Nuggets1171.13451

Record vs. opponents
1997-98 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 —2–14–01–34–02–02–02–22–01–11–32–00–21–33–10–21–22–22–23–10–21–12–01–11–14–00–22–04–0
Boston 1–2—1–21–31–31–11–12–21–11–10–42–01–10–42–21–12–22–22–23–10–21–11–10–21–13–00–22–03–2
Charlotte 0–42–1—1–32–22–02–03–11–12–03–12–01–13–13–11–12–21–33–12–11–12–01–11–11–14–01–12–02–2
Chicago 3–13–13–1—2–21–12–03–12–02–02–22–01–12–14–01–14–04–03–12–11–11–12–02–01–14–00–22–03–1
Cleveland 0–43–12–22–2—1–12–03–12–01–12–22–01–11–32–22–03–11–22–23–12–01–12–00–20–23–11–12–01–2
Dallas 0–21–10–21–11–1—3–10–21–30–41–11–30–40–20–22–20–21–10–20–20–40–40–40–42–21–10–44–01–1
Denver 0–21–10–20–20–21–3—0–21–30–40–22–20–40–20–21–30–20–20–20–20–42–21–30–40–40–20–41–31–1
Detroit 2–22–21–31–31–32–02–0—2–01–11–32–00–21–22–20–22–22–21–23–11–10–21–11–10–24–00–20–22–2
Golden State 0–21–11–10–20–23–13–10–2—1–30–21–31–30–20–20–40–21–11–10–20–41–32–21–31–30–20–41–30–2
Houston 1–11–10–20–21–14–04–01–13–1—1–14–01–30–21–11–31–11–10–21–11–31–34–02–21–32–00–43–11–1
Indiana 3–14–01–32–22–21–12–03–12–01–1—2–00–23–14–02–02–12–13–14–01–11–12–00–20–24–01–12–04–0
L.A. Clippers 0–20–20–20–20–23–12–20–23–10–40–2—0–40–20–20–41–10–20–21–10–40–43–11–30–41–11–31–30–2
L.A. Lakers 2–01–11–11–11–14–04–02–03–13–12–04–0—1–12–04–01–11–11–10–22–22–24–04–01–32–03–14–01–1
Miami 3–14–01–31–23–12–02–02–12–02–01–32–01–1—3–11–13–12–23–14–00–22–02–00–20–24–01–12–02–2
Milwaukee 1–32–21–30–42–22–02–02–22–01–10–42–00–21–3—1–10–43–12–12–20–22–02–00–21–13–10–21–11–2
Minnesota 2–01–11–11–10–22–23–12–04–03–10–24–00–41–11–1—2–01–10–22–03–11–33–11–31–31–11–34–00–2
New Jersey 2–12–22–20–41–32–02–02–22–01–11–21–11–11–34–00–2—2–23–13–11–11–12–01–10–23–10–22–01–3
New York 2–22–23–10–42–11–12–02–21–11–11–22–01–12–21–31–12–2—4–02–22–01–11–10–21–13–10–22–01–3
Orlando 2–22–21–31–32–22–02–02–11–12–01–32–01–11–31–22–01–30–4—4–00–22–00–20–21–13–10–22–03–1
Philadelphia 1–31–31–21–21–32–02–01–32–01–10–41–12–00–42–20–21–32–20–4—1–11–11–10–20–22–20–22–03–1
Phoenix 2–02–01–11–10–24–04–01–14–03–11–14–02–22–02–01–31–10–22–01–1—2–23–13–12–22–01–34–01–1
Portland 1–11–10–21–11–14–02–22–03–13–11–14–02–20–20–23–11–11–10–21–12–2—3–12–20–42–03–12–21–1
Sacramento 0–21–11–10–20–24–03–11–12–20–40–21–30–40–20–21–30–21–12–01–11–31–3—0–41–31–12–22–21–1
San Antonio 1–12–01–10–22–04–04–01–13–12–22–03–10–42–02–03–11–12–02–02–01–32–24–0—2–22–01–34–01–1
Seattle 1–11–11–11–12–02–24–02–03–13–12–04–03–12–01–13–12–01–11–12–02–24–03–12–2—2–02–24–01–1
Toronto 0–40–30–40–41–31–12–00–42–00–20–41–10–20–41–31–11–31–31–32–20–20–21–10–20–2—0–21–10–3
Utah 2–02–01–12–01–14–04–02–04–04–01–13–11–31–12–03–12–02–02–02–03–11–32–23–12–22–0—4–00–2
Vancouver 0–20–20–20–20–20–43–12–03–11–30–23–10–40–21–10–40–20–20–20–20–42–22–20–40–41–10–4—1–1
Washington 0–42–32–21–32–11–11–12–22–01–10–42–01–12–22–12–03–13–11–31–31–11–11–11–11–13–02–01–1—

Game log

Playoffs

West first round

(3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Portland Trail Blazers Last playoff meeting: 1997 Western Conference First Round (Los Angeles won 3–1)

Game Date Home Score Visitor Score Record

(LAL-POR)

 Venue Box score Television
1 April 24 Los Angeles 104 Portland 102 1-0 Great Western Forum, Los Angeles 1 TNT 10:30 et
2 April 26 Los Angeles 108 Portland 99 2–0 Great Western Forum, Los Angeles, California 2 NBC 3:00 et
3 April 28 Portland 99 Los Angeles 94 2–1 Rose Garden, Portland, Oregon 3 TNT 10:30 et
4 April 30 Portland 99 Los Angeles 110 3–1 Rose Garden, Portland, Oregon 4 TNT 10:30 et
Los Angeles wins series 3–1

West Conference Semifinals

(2) Seattle SuperSonics vs. (3) Los Angeles Lakers Last playoff meeting: 1995 Western Conference First Round (Los Angeles won 3–1)

Game Date Home Score Visitor Score Record

(SEA-LAL)

 Venue Box score Television
1 May 4 Seattle 106 Los Angeles 92 1-0 KeyArena, Seattle 1 TNT 9:00et
2 May 6 Seattle 68 Los Angeles 92 1–1 KeyArena, Seattle, Washington 2 TNT 10:30 et
3 May 8 Los Angeles 119 Seattle 103 1–2 Great Western Forum, Los Angeles 3 TNT 10:30 et
4 May 10 Los Angeles 112 Seattle 100 1–3 Great Western Forum, Los Angeles, California 4 NBC 3:00 et
5 May 12 Seattle 95 Los Angeles 110 1–4 KeyArena, Seattle, Washington 5 TNT 10:30 et
Los Angeles wins series 4–1

West Conference Finals

(1) Utah Jazz vs. (3) Los Angeles Lakers Last playoff meeting: 1997 Western Conference Semifinals (Utah won 4–1)

Game Date Home Score Visitor Score Record

(UTA-LAL)

 Venue Box score Television
1 May 16 Utah 112 Los Angeles 77 1–0 Delta Center, Salt Lake City 1 NBC 3:00 et
2 May 18 Utah 99 Los Angeles 95 2–0 Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah 2 TNT 8:30 et
3 May 22 Los Angeles 98 Utah 109 3–0 Great Western Forum, Los Angeles 3 TNT 10:30 et
4 May 24 Los Angeles 92 Utah 96 4–0 Great Western Forum, Los Angeles, California 4 NBC 3:30 et
Utah wins series 4–0

Player statistics
Legend
  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

Playoffs

Awards and records

Awards

All-Star

Weekly and monthly
  • Shaquille O'Neal was named NBA Player of the Week for games played from November 9 through November 15.
  • Eddie Jones was named NBA Player of the Month for November.
  • Shaquille O'Neal was named NBA Player of the Month for January.
  • Shaquille O'Neal was named NBA Player of the Week for games played from March 15 to March 21.
  • Shaquille O'Neal was named NBA Player of the Month for April.
  • Del Harris was named NBA Coach of the Month for April.

Transactions

References
  1. 1997–98 Los Angeles Lakers
  2. "O'Neal Feeling the Strain". Los Angeles Times. November 22, 1997. Retrieved October 6, 2017.
  3. "Van Exel Is Exiled to Nuggets". Los Angeles Times. June 25, 1998. Retrieved October 6, 2017.
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