2000–01 Los Angeles Lakers season
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record
57 March 3 @ Vancouver W 98-88 Shaquille O'Neal ( 34 ) Horace Grant ( 15 ) Brian Shaw ( 9 ) General Motors Place 19,193 38-19
58 March 4 Golden State W 110-95 Shaquille O'Neal ( 26 ) Shaquille O'Neal ( 15 ) Kobe Bryant ( 5 ) Staples Center 18,997 39-19
59 March 6 @ Golden State W 97-85 Kobe Bryant ( 29 ) Shaquille O'Neal ( 17 ) Brian Shaw ( 9 ) The Arena in Oakland 20,181 40-19
60 March 7 Toronto W 97-85 Kobe Bryant ( 29 ) 3 players tied ( 10 ) Bryant & Shaw ( 5 ) Staples Center 18,997 41-19
61 March 9 San Antonio L 89-93 ( OT ) Kobe Bryant ( 38 ) Shaquille O'Neal ( 16 ) 4 players tied ( 2 ) Staples Center 18,997 41-20
62 March 11 Seattle L 97-109 ( OT ) Shaquille O'Neal ( 29 ) Brian Shaw ( 10 ) Brian Shaw ( 7 ) Staples Center 18,997 41-21
63 March 13 Boston W 112-107 Shaquille O'Neal ( 28 ) Brian Shaw ( 12 ) Derek Fisher ( 8 ) Staples Center 18,997 42-21
64 March 15 @ Detroit W 125-119 ( OT ) Kobe Bryant ( 39 ) Shaquille O'Neal ( 10 ) Kobe Bryant ( 7 ) The Palace of Auburn Hills 22,076 43-21
65 March 16 @ Washington W 101-89 Kobe Bryant ( 26 ) Robert Horry ( 9 ) Derek Fisher ( 6 ) MCI Center 20,674 44-21
66 March 18 @ Orlando W 95-90 Shaquille O'Neal ( 33 ) Shaquille O'Neal ( 17 ) Kobe Bryant ( 7 ) TD Waterhouse Centre 17,248 45-21
67 March 19 @ Atlanta L 106-108 Bryant & O'Neal ( 27 ) Shaquille O'Neal ( 13 ) Derek Fisher ( 6 ) Philips Arena 17,248 45-22
68 March 21 @ Milwaukee L 100-107 Shaquille O'Neal ( 36 ) Shaquille O'Neal ( 13 ) Kobe Bryant ( 8 ) Bradley Center 18,717 45-23
69 March 23 Washington W 104-91 Shaquille O'Neal ( 40 ) Shaquille O'Neal ( 17 ) Shaquille O'Neal ( 8 ) Staples Center 18,997 46-23
70 March 25 @ Sacramento W 84-72 Shaquille O'Neal ( 23 ) Shaquille O'Neal ( 15 ) Fox & Shaw ( 4 ) ARCO Arena 17,317 47-23
71 March 26 @ Phoenix L 83-104 Shaquille O'Neal ( 27 ) Shaquille O'Neal ( 12 ) O'Neal & Shaw ( 3 ) America West Arena 19,023 47-24
72 March 28 Sacramento L 84-108 Shaquille O'Neal ( 33 ) Shaquille O'Neal ( 11 ) Rick Fox ( 8 ) Staples Center 18,997 47-25
73 March 30 Dallas W 98-89 Shaquille O'Neal ( 35 ) Shaquille O'Neal ( 13 ) Rick Fox ( 8 ) Staples Center 18,997 48-25
The 2000-01 NBA season was the Lakers' 53rd season in the National Basketball Association, and 41st in the city of Los Angeles. The Lakers entered the season as the defending NBA champions, having defeated the Indiana Pacers in the 2000 NBA Finals in six games, winning their twelfth NBA championship. During the offseason, the Lakers acquired Horace Grant from the Seattle SuperSonics. Grant won three championships with the Chicago Bulls in the early 1990s. The team also signed free agent Isaiah Rider, who was released by the Atlanta Hawks the previous season due to off the court troubles. The Lakers won their final eight games finishing 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 #2 seed in the playoffs. 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 in 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. The Lakers would finish with the then-best postseason record in NBA history, posting a 15-1 record, suffering their only loss in a Game 1 overtime loss to the 76ers in the NBA Finals.