Lakers had more talent on the 98 and 99 teams, but no cohesiveness and unity. They really needed Phil Jackson and the 2000 team is great example of how sometimes in basketball, the best addition is by subtraction. No Van Exel, no Campbell, no Jones, no DEREK Harper, no Rodman, and instead, AC Green, RON Harper, John Salley, and Brian Shaw. Shaq once and for all was the dominant man on the floor, with the emphasis on getting him the ball in a spaced out offense. And he put up one of the all time great seasons in NBA history in the 99-2000 season (Triple Crown MVP winner, first championship).
@Tavion666 That was Rice after his elbow surgery (shooting arm) and he was playing 3rd option, which he struggled to do. He was a scorer and didn't have much to offer beyond that except for hustle. Very disappointing Laker season. I was thankful it was only 50 gms long. That, my friend, is a team that proves the point that names mean nothing -- it's how they play together. Phil steps in the next season and they're the champs.
OMG i remember this year like it was yesterday.....everyone excited 'bout the year 2000, Y2K fears looming over the horizon, shortened season for the nba (started in jan.), del harris being replaced by kurt rambis, derek harper starting point for the lakers, campbell and jones traded, reid and rice acquired, rice's both legs w/ braces, reid's appearance to me like he just woke up lol, and last but not the least the drama that is "As The Worm Turns" lmfao...........
This was Marv Albert's first game back after the sex scandal in 1997 that temporarily derailed his career. He was off-air for all of the 1998 season but TNT hired him after the 1999 lockout to replace Verne Lundquist, who went back to CBS.
NBC would rehire in late 1999 and regained the NBC NBA lead announce position from Bob Costas beginning in the 2000-01 season and held it until NBC lost the NBA free to air contract to Disney-ABC in 2002.
glen rice hustle?? Really !!?? LOL Rice never hustled in his NBA career he was a one dimensional scorer. Someone come up with a game or scenario where rice hustles. He beat his wife to near death but thats not hustle its just gross and pathetic thats all he'll be remembered for as an NBA player.
Chad Faul You couldn't front him often cause they would just wait until Shaq had position. Also Shaq was great at getting into the post before the defense would get set.
7:21 travel by Kobe. 🤦 7:48 illegal screen (can't even just run the triangle). 🤦 14:16 😳 game on the line go to Rice not Kobe. 😌 this everyone is why Kobe didn't make the Bleacher top 10 all-time player ranking.
