The 1996-97 Los Angeles Lakers season marked a significant turning point for the franchise, highlighted by the arrival of rookie sensation Kobe Bryant and the acquisition of All-Star center Shaquille O’Neal. The Lakers finished the regular season with a 56-26 record, securing second place in the Pacific Division and the fourth seed in the Western Conference playoffs. This season symbolized the start of a new era for the Lakers, as they transitioned into a youthful, dynamic team with a promising future.
Kobe Bryant, drafted 13th overall by the Charlotte Hornets and subsequently traded to the Lakers, quickly became a fan favorite despite his limited playing time in his rookie year. Meanwhile, Shaquille O’Neal, who joined the team as a free agent, made an immediate impact, averaging 26.2 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per game, earning All-NBA Third Team honors. The roster also featured key contributions from veterans such as Nick Van Exel, Eddie Jones, and Elden Campbell, providing a balance of experience and youth.
In the playoffs, the Lakers defeated the Portland Trail Blazers in a four-game series during the first round. However, their postseason run was cut short in the Western Conference Semifinals by the Utah Jazz, who won the series 4-1. Despite the early exit, the season was seen as a foundation for future success, setting the stage for the Lakers’ dominance in the early 2000s. The blend of emerging talent and established stars signaled a period of renewed hope and excitement for Los Angeles basketball.
- Regular Season Record: 56-26
- Playoff Result: Western Conference First Round: 3-1, Western Conference Semifinals: 1-4
Los Angeles Lakers Roster and Stats for 1996-97 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Shaquille O'Neal | 51 | 26.2 | 12.5 | 3.1 | 0.9 | 2.9 | 0.0 | 9 | 26.9 | 10.6 | 3.2 | 0.6 | 1.9 | 0.0 |
| Eddie Jones | 80 | 17.2 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 2.4 | 0.6 | 39.1 | 9 | 11.2 | 3.4 | 3.2 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 37.5 |
| Nick Van Exel | 79 | 15.3 | 2.9 | 8.5 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 37.8 | 9 | 14.4 | 3.4 | 6.4 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 27.3 |
| Elden Campbell | 77 | 14.9 | 8.0 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 1.5 | 25.0 | 9 | 11.8 | 4.3 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 100.0 |
| Cedric Ceballos | 8 | 10.8 | 6.6 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 23.8 | |||||||
| Robert Horry | 22 | 9.2 | 5.4 | 2.5 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 32.9 | 9 | 6.7 | 5.3 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 42.9 |
| Kobe Bryant | 71 | 7.6 | 1.9 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 37.5 | 9 | 8.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 26.1 |
| Jerome Kersey | 70 | 6.8 | 5.2 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 26.2 | 9 | 5.4 | 5.3 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.0 |
| Byron Scott | 79 | 6.7 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 38.8 | 8 | 6.4 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 36.4 |
| Travis Knight | 71 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 9 | 2.1 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| Corie Blount | 58 | 4.2 | 4.8 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 33.3 | 3 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| George McCloud | 23 | 4.1 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 42.9 | |||||||
| Derek Fisher | 80 | 3.9 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 30.1 | 6 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Sean Rooks | 69 | 3.8 | 2.4 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 8 | 1.8 | 1.5 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.0 |
| Rumeal Robinson | 15 | 3.0 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 26.1 | |||||||
| Larry Krystkowiak | 3 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Joe Kleine | 8 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
Los Angeles Lakers in the 1997 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs First Round vs. Portland Trail Blazers
In the 1997 NBA Playoffs, the Los Angeles Lakers faced the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round. The Lakers, led by a young Kobe Bryant and the dominant Shaquille O'Neal, won the series 3-1. This victory showcased their depth and set the stage for future playoff successes, although they were eventually stopped by the Utah Jazz in the next round.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 25, 1997 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 95-77 | |
| Apr 27, 1997 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 107-93 | |
| Apr 30, 1997 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 98-90 | |
| May 02, 1997 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 95-91 |
Playoffs Second Round vs. Utah Jazz
In the 1997 NBA Playoffs, the Los Angeles Lakers faced the Utah Jazz in the second round, ultimately losing the series 4-1. Despite the Lakers' roster boasting young talent like Kobe Bryant and established stars such as Shaquille O'Neal, they struggled to contain the Jazz's experienced duo of John Stockton and Karl Malone. The series highlighted the Lakers' potential but also underscored their need for further development to contend against seasoned playoff teams.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 04, 1997 | @ Utah Jazz | L 93-77 | |
| May 06, 1997 | @ Utah Jazz | L 103-101 | |
| May 08, 1997 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 104-84 | |
| May 10, 1997 | vs. Utah Jazz | L 110-95 | |
| May 12, 1997 | @ Utah Jazz | L 98-93 |
Los Angeles Lakers 1996-97 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1996-97 season for the Los Angeles Lakers.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 01, 1996 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 96-82 | |
| Nov 03, 1996 | vs. Minnesota Timberwolves | W 91-85 | |
| Nov 05, 1996 | @ New York Knicks | W 98-92 | |
| Nov 06, 1996 | @ Charlotte Hornets | L 88-78 | |
| Nov 08, 1996 | @ Toronto Raptors | L 93-92 | |
| Nov 10, 1996 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 92-85 | |
| Nov 12, 1996 | @ Houston Rockets | W 126-115 | |
| Nov 13, 1996 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 95-83 | |
| Nov 15, 1996 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | W 107-100 | |
| Nov 17, 1996 | @ Phoenix Suns | W 102-88 | |
| Nov 19, 1996 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 112-109 | |
| Nov 20, 1996 | vs. Utah Jazz | L 113-97 | |
| Nov 22, 1996 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 96-86 | |
| Nov 24, 1996 | vs. Houston Rockets | L 90-85 | |
| Nov 26, 1996 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | W 100-88 | |
| Nov 27, 1996 | @ Boston Celtics | L 110-94 | |
| Nov 29, 1996 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 84-76 | |
| Dec 01, 1996 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 104-96 | |
| Dec 03, 1996 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 110-106 | |
| Dec 04, 1996 | @ Utah Jazz | L 101-75 | |
| Dec 06, 1996 | vs. Orlando Magic | W 92-81 | |
| Dec 08, 1996 | vs. Minnesota Timberwolves | W 110-86 | |
| Dec 10, 1996 | @ Sacramento Kings | W 92-90 | |
| Dec 11, 1996 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 79-76 | |
| Dec 13, 1996 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 120-119 | |
| Dec 17, 1996 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 129-123 | |
| Dec 18, 1996 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 111-105 | |
| Dec 21, 1996 | @ Minnesota Timberwolves | L 103-88 | |
| Dec 25, 1996 | @ Phoenix Suns | W 108-87 | |
| Dec 27, 1996 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 109-102 | |
| Dec 29, 1996 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 115-102 | |
| Jan 02, 1997 | @ Sacramento Kings | W 90-83 | |
| Jan 03, 1997 | vs. Sacramento Kings | W 100-93 | |
| Jan 05, 1997 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | W 95-82 | |
| Jan 06, 1997 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 88-84 | |
| Jan 08, 1997 | vs. Charlotte Hornets | W 101-97 | |
| Jan 10, 1997 | vs. Miami Heat | W 94-85 | |
| Jan 14, 1997 | vs. Vancouver Grizzlies | W 91-81 | |
| Jan 16, 1997 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | L 102-98 | |
| Jan 18, 1997 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 100-97 | |
| Jan 20, 1997 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 109-99 | |
| Jan 24, 1997 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 114-97 | |
| Jan 26, 1997 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 104-103 | |
| Jan 28, 1997 | @ Dallas Mavericks | W 102-83 | |
| Jan 29, 1997 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 99-92 | |
| Feb 02, 1997 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 129-99 | |
| Feb 04, 1997 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | L 108-86 | |
| Feb 05, 1997 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 106-90 | |
| Feb 12, 1997 | @ Minnesota Timberwolves | W 100-84 | |
| Feb 13, 1997 | @ Denver Nuggets | W 132-117 | |
| Feb 16, 1997 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 102-91 | |
| Feb 19, 1997 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | L 103-84 | |
| Feb 21, 1997 | vs. Vancouver Grizzlies | W 99-91 | |
| Feb 23, 1997 | vs. New York Knicks | L 127-121 | |
| Feb 25, 1997 | @ Houston Rockets | L 100-96 | |
| Feb 27, 1997 | @ Washington Bullets | W 122-107 | |
| Feb 28, 1997 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 86-75 | |
| Mar 02, 1997 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 101-85 | |
| Mar 04, 1997 | @ Dallas Mavericks | W 102-92 | |
| Mar 07, 1997 | vs. Houston Rockets | L 111-90 | |
| Mar 09, 1997 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 115-105 | |
| Mar 12, 1997 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 109-101 | |
| Mar 14, 1997 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | L 97-95 | |
| Mar 16, 1997 | vs. Toronto Raptors | W 98-90 | |
| Mar 17, 1997 | @ Denver Nuggets | W 113-94 | |
| Mar 20, 1997 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 89-76 | |
| Mar 21, 1997 | @ Miami Heat | L 98-97 | |
| Mar 23, 1997 | @ Orlando Magic | L 110-84 | |
| Mar 24, 1997 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 109-84 | |
| Mar 26, 1997 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 106-84 | |
| Mar 27, 1997 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | W 102-98 | |
| Apr 01, 1997 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 99-97 | |
| Apr 02, 1997 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 110-85 | |
| Apr 04, 1997 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 94-83 | |
| Apr 06, 1997 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 87-80 | |
| Apr 08, 1997 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 109-85 | |
| Apr 09, 1997 | @ Utah Jazz | L 101-89 | |
| Apr 11, 1997 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 114-98 | |
| Apr 13, 1997 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 100-98 | |
| Apr 17, 1997 | vs. Sacramento Kings | W 108-99 | |
| Apr 18, 1997 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | W 123-95 | |
| Apr 20, 1997 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 100-96 |