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1998–99 Los Angeles Lakers season

The 1998–99 NBA season was the Lakers' 51st season in the National Basketball Association, and 39th in the city of Los Angeles.[1] On March 23, 1998, the owners of all 29 NBA teams voted 27–2 to reopen the league's collective bargaining agreement, seeking changes to the league's salary cap system, and a ceiling on individual player salaries. The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) opposed to the owners' plan, and wanted raises for players who earned the league's minimum salary. After both sides failed to reach an agreement, the owners called for a lockout, which began on July 1, 1998, putting a hold on all team trades, free agent signings and training camp workouts, and cancelling many NBA regular season and preseason games.[2][3][4][5][6] Due to the lockout, the NBA All-Star Game, which was scheduled to be played in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on February 14, 1999, was also cancelled.[7][8][9][10][11]

However, on January 6, 1999, NBA commissioner David Stern, and NBPA director Billy Hunter finally reached an agreement to end the lockout. The deal was approved by both the players and owners, and was signed on January 20, ending the lockout after 204 days. The regular season began on February 5, and was cut short to just 50 games instead of the regular 82-game schedule.[12][13][14][15][16]

This season was also the Lakers' final season playing at the Great Western Forum. During the off-season, the team signed free agent Derek Harper,[17][18] and re-acquired former Lakers center Travis Knight after one season with the Boston Celtics.[19] The Lakers played around .500 with a 6–6 start as head coach Del Harris was fired.[20][21][22] After one game under interim Bill Bertka, the team hired former Laker Kurt Rambis as their new coach.[23][24] The Lakers had signed free agent and rebounding specialist Dennis Rodman, who was well known for winning championships with the Detroit Pistons and the Chicago Bulls.[25][26][27][28] However, after 23 games, Rodman was released by the team, averaging 11.2 rebounds per game.[29][30]

At mid-season, Eddie Jones and Elden Campbell were both traded to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for All-Star forward Glen Rice, J.R. Reid and B. J. Armstrong,[31][32][33][34] who was released to free agency and signed with the Orlando Magic.[35][36][37] The team also released Corie Blount, as he later on signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers.[38] The Lakers won ten straight games between February and March, and finished second in the Pacific Division with a 31–19 record.[39] Their home-game attendance for the season was 430,007 (12th in the league).

Kobe Bryant averaged 19.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game in his first season as a starter, and was selected to the All-NBA Third Team, while Shaquille O'Neal averaged 26.3 points, 10.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game, made the All-NBA Second Team, and finished in sixth place in Most Valuable Player voting.[40][41] In addition, Rice played in 27 games due to an elbow injury he sustained in Charlotte, and provided the team with 17.5 points per game, while Rick Fox contributed 9.0 points per game off the bench, Harper provided with 6.9 points and 4.2 assists per game, and Derek Fisher contributed 5.9 points, 3.9 assists and 1.2 steals per game.[42]

In the playoffs, the Lakers defeated the Houston Rockets 3–1 in the Western Conference First Round,[43][44][45][46] but were swept in four straight games by the eventual champion San Antonio Spurs during the Western Conference Semi-finals.[47][48][49][50] The Spurs would reach the NBA Finals for the first time to defeat the 8th-seeded New York Knicks in five games, winning their first ever championship.[51][52][53][54][55]

Following the season, Rambis was fired as head coach,[56][57] while Reid signed as a free agent with the Milwaukee Bucks,[58] Sean Rooks was traded back to his former team, the Dallas Mavericks,[59][60][61] rookie forward Ruben Patterson signed with the Seattle SuperSonics,[62] and Harper was dealt to the Detroit Pistons, but was released and then retired.

Draft picks

[63]

Roster

Roster Notes

Regular season

The Lakers went through three coaches during the season: Del Harris (6–6), Bill Bertka (1–0) and Kurt Rambis (24–13). Fourteen different Lakers started at least one game during the season.[64] From February 25 to March 12, the Lakers won ten consecutive games. Outside of the streak, the Lakers were 21–19 in all other games. During the season, over half of the Lakers' games were televised nationally.[64]

At season's end, the Lakers ranked second in the league in scoring at 99.0 points per game (only Sacramento averaged more points: 100.2 ppg). Despite the high scoring, the Lakers were the fourth worst Free Throw shooting team in the league with a percentage of .683. Shaquille O'Neal had a percentage of .540. Following the season, Rambis was fired as coach.

Season standings

z – clinched division title
y – clinched division title
x – clinched playoff spot

[65]

Record vs. opponents

Game log

Preseason

Regular season

Playoffs

Player stats

Regular season

Playoffs

Awards and honors

Transactions

References

  1. ^ 1998-99 Los Angeles Lakers
  2. ^ Wise, Mike (June 30, 1998). "BASKETBALL; It's Their Ball, and N.B.A. Owners Call for Lockout". The New York Times. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  3. ^ Heisler, Mark (June 30, 1998). "NBA Lockout". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  4. ^ "NBA Lockout Begins". CBS News. CBS News.com Staff. June 30, 1998. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  5. ^ Bembry, Jerry (June 30, 1998). "Billion-Dollar Question: NBA Facing Long Timeout? Rising Salaries Spur Basketball Owners to Lock Out Players". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  6. ^ Steele, David (June 30, 1998). "NBA Lockout Now a Certainty". SFGate. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  7. ^ "NBA Cancels All-Star Game". CBS News. CBS News.com Staff. December 8, 1998. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  8. ^ Wise, Mike (December 9, 1998). "PRO BASKETBALL; It's Official: N.B.A. Cancels Its All-Star Game". The New York Times. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  9. ^ Heisler, Mark (December 9, 1998). "NBA Dunks All-Star Game". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  10. ^ Asher, Mark (December 9, 1998). "NBA Cancels All-Star Game". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  11. ^ Steele, David (December 9, 1998). "NBA Drops All-Stars -- What's Left?; February Game in Philly Latest Casualty of Lockout". SFGate. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  12. ^ "NBA: Let The Games Begin!". CBS News. CBS News.com Staff. January 6, 1999. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  13. ^ Wise, Mike (January 7, 1999). "With Little Time on Clock, NBA and Players Settle". The New York Times. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  14. ^ Heisler, Mark (January 7, 1999). "NBA, Players Union Agree to End Lockout". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  15. ^ Justice, Richard; Asher, Mark (January 7, 1999). "NBA Labor Dispute Ends After 6 Months". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  16. ^ Bembry, Jerry (January 7, 1999). "Just Beating Buzzer, NBA Unlocks Season; With Only Day Left to Make Deal, Owners, Players Union Agree". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  17. ^ Kawakami, Tim (January 20, 1999). "Good Signs for Lakers?". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  18. ^ Wise, Mike (February 4, 1999). "PRO BASKETBALL; A Scrum for the Title". The New York Times. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  19. ^ "Knight's Out". Hartford Courant. January 20, 1999. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  20. ^ "Lakers Fire Coach Del Harris". CBS News. CBS News.com Staff. February 24, 1999. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  21. ^ Heisler, Mark (February 25, 1999). "Lakers' Coach Fired as Team's Turmoil Continues". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
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  23. ^ "PRO BASKETBALL; Rambis Hired to Lead Lakers". The New York Times. Associated Press. February 27, 1999. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  24. ^ Kawakami, Tim (February 27, 1999). "Rambis' Tenuous Hold on Job Recalls His Laker Beginnings". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  25. ^ Heisler, Mark (February 13, 1999). "Rodman Ready to Join Lakers". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  26. ^ Wise, Mike (February 23, 1999). "N.B.A.: ROUNDUP -- L.A. LAKERS; Rodman Is Closer to Returning". The New York Times. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
  27. ^ Heisler, Mark (February 23, 1999). "Lakers Going Hollyweird". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  28. ^ "Rodman Signs Lakers Contract". Chicago Tribune. February 24, 1999. Retrieved July 28, 2017.
  29. ^ "N.B.A. : ROUNDUP -- LAKERS; Rodman's Act Finally Wears Too Thin". The New York Times. Associated Press. April 16, 1999. Retrieved July 28, 2017.
  30. ^ Plaschke, Bill (March 16, 1999). "It's Time for Lakers to Let Rodman Go". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  31. ^ Kawakami, Tim (February 17, 1999). "Lakers Swap Rumors for a Victory". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 6, 2017.
  32. ^ "N.B.A.: ROUNDUP; Heat Buries Hawks in 3d Quarter". The New York Times. Associated Press. March 11, 1999. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  33. ^ Kawakami, Tim (March 11, 1999). "As Clippers Tie Record Losing Streak, Lakers Break Up Winning Hand in Five-Player Trade with Charlotte". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  34. ^ "Lakers Make Trade Official, Complete Swap with Hornets". Deseret News. Associated Press. March 11, 1999. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  35. ^ Johnson, L.C. (March 14, 1999). "Paging B.J." Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  36. ^ "B.J. Armstrong Joins Magic". Orlando Sentinel. March 15, 1999. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
  37. ^ "Amstrong Stirs Up Magic in Win". CBS News. CBS News.com Staff. March 15, 1999. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
  38. ^ "Dallas Wins as A.C. Reaches Milestone". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. March 14, 1999. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  39. ^ "1998–99 Los Angeles Lakers Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  40. ^ "Malone MVP for Second Time". Los Angeles Times. Staff and Wire Reports. June 4, 1999. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  41. ^ "1998–99 NBA Awards Voting". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  42. ^ "1998–99 Los Angeles Lakers Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  43. ^ Kawakami, Tim (May 16, 1999). "Lakers Can Keep Spurs On". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  44. ^ Graczyk, Michael (May 15, 1999). "Lakers Silence Rockets, 98-88". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
  45. ^ "Lakers End Rockets Flight". CBS News. Associated Press. May 15, 1999. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
  46. ^ "1999 NBA Western Conference First Round: Rockets vs. Lakers". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  47. ^ Gurnick, Ken (May 24, 1999). "N.B.A. PLAYOFFS; Farewell to Lakers, and to Forum". The New York Times. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
  48. ^ Plaschke, Bill (May 24, 1999). "Laker Season Was Building to Anticlimax". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
  49. ^ Herbert, Steven (May 24, 1999). "Duncan, San Antonio Brush Aside Lakers". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
  50. ^ "1999 NBA Western Conference semifinals: Lakers vs. Spurs". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  51. ^ Roberts, Selena (June 26, 1999). "Spurs Win Title as Knicks' Dream Ends". The New York Times. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
  52. ^ Kawakami, Tim (June 26, 1999). "Spurs Tower Over NBA". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
  53. ^ Wyche, Steve (June 26, 1999). "In the End, Spurs of the Moment". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
  54. ^ Bembry, Jerry (June 26, 1999). "It's Spurs' Moment; A. Johnson's Shot Beats Knicks, 78-77, Clinches NBA Crown". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  55. ^ "1999 NBA Finals: Knicks vs. Spurs". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  56. ^ Kawakami, Tim (May 27, 1999). "Not So Fast There, Rambis Might Stay". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
  57. ^ Kawakami, Tim (June 12, 1999). "Rambis Not Bitter About Lakers' Pursuit of Jackson". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  58. ^ Crowe, Jerry (August 21, 1999). "Reid Pulls a Power Play". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  59. ^ Kawakami, Tim (September 2, 1999). "Green Returns to Lakers: Pro Basketball: A Void Is Filled as Former Power Forward Is Re-Acquired in Deal That Sends Rooks and Draft Pick to the Mavericks". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  60. ^ "A.C. Green Heads Back to L.A." CBS News. Associated Press. September 2, 1999. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  61. ^ Wise, Mike (October 31, 1999). "1999–2000 N.B.A. PREVIEW; The West Is Still the Best". The New York Times. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  62. ^ Demasio, Nunyo (October 5, 1999). "Sonics -- Small Forward, Big Opportunity". The Seattle Times. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  63. ^ "1998 NBA Draft History - Round 1". Mynbadraft.com. Retrieved April 18, 2016.
  64. ^ a b "CNN/SI - 1999 NBA Draft - - Tuesday June 29, 1999 02:59 am". Archived from the original on October 24, 2012. Retrieved December 13, 2014.
  65. ^ "1998-99 NBA Season Summary". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved April 18, 2016.