The 1998-99 Los Angeles Lakers season was notable for its transition and the team’s performance in a lockout-shortened season. Under the leadership of head coach Del Harris, the Lakers played only 50 regular-season games, finishing with a 31-19 record. This effort placed them fourth in the Western Conference standings.
Key players such as Shaquille O’Neal and a young Kobe Bryant provided the Lakers with strong performances. O’Neal was dominant in the paint, averaging 26.3 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. Bryant, in his third NBA season, continued his growth, averaging 19.9 points and establishing himself as a pivotal player for the team’s future.
The Lakers made a significant midseason trade, acquiring Glen Rice from the Charlotte Hornets, aiming to bolster their offensive capabilities. Despite these efforts, the team’s chemistry and consistency were issues throughout the season. The Lakers finished second in the Pacific Division but were unable to translate regular-season success into postseason triumph.
In the playoffs, the Lakers faced the Houston Rockets in the first round, winning the series 3-1. However, they were swept in the Western Conference Semifinals by the San Antonio Spurs, who went on to win the NBA Championship. This disappointing playoff exit prompted significant changes in the offseason, including the hiring of Phil Jackson as head coach, setting the stage for future successes. The 1998-99 season was a pivotal moment in shaping the franchise’s trajectory towards the early 2000s dominance.
- Regular Season Record: 31-19
- Playoff Result: Western Conference First Round: 3-1, Western Conference Semifinals: 0-4
Los Angeles Lakers Roster and Stats for 1998-99 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Shaquille O'Neal | 49 | 26.3 | 10.7 | 2.3 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 8 | 26.6 | 11.6 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 2.9 | 0.0 |
| Kobe Bryant | 50 | 19.9 | 5.3 | 3.8 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 26.7 | 8 | 19.8 | 6.9 | 4.6 | 1.9 | 1.3 | 34.8 |
| Glen Rice | 27 | 17.5 | 3.7 | 2.6 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 39.3 | 7 | 18.3 | 3.9 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 35.7 |
| Eddie Jones | 20 | 13.6 | 3.8 | 3.0 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 31.3 | |||||||
| Rick Fox | 44 | 9.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 33.7 | 8 | 6.6 | 2.8 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 19.0 |
| Elden Campbell | 17 | 7.4 | 5.6 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Derek Harper | 45 | 6.9 | 1.5 | 4.2 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 36.8 | 7 | 4.3 | 1.4 | 2.1 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 10.0 |
| Derek Fisher | 50 | 5.9 | 1.8 | 3.9 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 39.2 | 8 | 9.8 | 3.6 | 4.9 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 34.5 |
| J.R. Reid | 25 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 8 | 3.3 | 5.3 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.0 |
| Tyronn Lue | 15 | 5.0 | 0.4 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 43.8 | 3 | 4.7 | 0.7 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Robert Horry | 38 | 4.9 | 4.0 | 1.5 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 44.4 | 8 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 41.7 |
| Travis Knight | 37 | 4.2 | 3.5 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 3 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Sam Jacobson | 2 | 4.0 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Sean Rooks | 36 | 2.7 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 7 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| Ruben Patterson | 24 | 2.7 | 1.3 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 16.7 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Corie Blount | 14 | 2.3 | 3.3 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Dennis Rodman | 23 | 2.1 | 11.2 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.0 | |||||||
Los Angeles Lakers in the 1999 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs First Round vs. Houston Rockets
In the 1999 NBA Playoffs, the Los Angeles Lakers faced the Houston Rockets in the first round. The Lakers, led by the dynamic duo of Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, defeated the Rockets 3-1 in the best-of-five series. Their dominant performance set the stage for a deep playoff run, showcasing the potential of their young and talented roster.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 09, 1999 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 101-100 | |
| May 11, 1999 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 110-98 | |
| May 13, 1999 | @ Houston Rockets | L 102-88 | |
| May 15, 1999 | @ Houston Rockets | W 98-88 |
Playoffs Second Round vs. San Antonio Spurs
In the 1999 NBA Playoffs, the Los Angeles Lakers faced a tough challenge in the second round against the San Antonio Spurs. Despite having a talented roster led by Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, the Lakers were swept 4-0 by the Spurs, who went on to win the championship. The Lakers' defeat highlighted their need for stronger team chemistry and coaching, setting the stage for significant changes in the following seasons.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 17, 1999 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 87-81 | |
| May 19, 1999 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 79-76 | |
| May 22, 1999 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 103-91 | |
| May 23, 1999 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 118-107 |
Los Angeles Lakers 1998-99 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1998-99 season for the Los Angeles Lakers.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 05, 1999 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 99-91 | |
| Feb 07, 1999 | vs. Utah Jazz | L 100-91 | |
| Feb 08, 1999 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 80-75 | |
| Feb 10, 1999 | @ Denver Nuggets | W 103-98 | |
| Feb 11, 1999 | @ Minnesota Timberwolves | L 86-75 | |
| Feb 14, 1999 | vs. Indiana Pacers | L 101-99 | |
| Feb 16, 1999 | vs. Charlotte Hornets | W 116-88 | |
| Feb 17, 1999 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 101-88 | |
| Feb 19, 1999 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 106-94 | |
| Feb 21, 1999 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 92-89 | |
| Feb 22, 1999 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 117-113 | |
| Feb 23, 1999 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | L 93-83 | |
| Feb 25, 1999 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | W 115-100 | |
| Feb 26, 1999 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | W 99-83 | |
| Feb 28, 1999 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 106-90 | |
| Mar 01, 1999 | @ Phoenix Suns | W 97-91 | |
| Mar 03, 1999 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 101-95 | |
| Mar 05, 1999 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 103-100 | |
| Mar 07, 1999 | @ Utah Jazz | W 97-89 | |
| Mar 09, 1999 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | W 103-99 | |
| Mar 10, 1999 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | W 94-75 | |
| Mar 12, 1999 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 89-78 | |
| Mar 14, 1999 | @ Sacramento Kings | L 105-101 | |
| Mar 16, 1999 | @ Minnesota Timberwolves | W 107-101 | |
| Mar 18, 1999 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 100-93 | |
| Mar 19, 1999 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 105-90 | |
| Mar 21, 1999 | @ Orlando Magic | W 115-104 | |
| Mar 22, 1999 | @ Dallas Mavericks | W 96-93 | |
| Mar 24, 1999 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 106-101 | |
| Mar 26, 1999 | vs. Sacramento Kings | L 111-109 | |
| Mar 28, 1999 | vs. New York Knicks | W 99-91 | |
| Mar 29, 1999 | vs. Vancouver Grizzlies | W 116-98 | |
| Apr 02, 1999 | @ Phoenix Suns | W 91-90 | |
| Apr 03, 1999 | vs. Golden State Warriors | L 81-76 | |
| Apr 05, 1999 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 117-104 | |
| Apr 06, 1999 | vs. Utah Jazz | L 106-93 | |
| Apr 07, 1999 | @ Sacramento Kings | W 104-89 | |
| Apr 09, 1999 | vs. Minnesota Timberwolves | W 96-89 | |
| Apr 11, 1999 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 113-109 | |
| Apr 13, 1999 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 113-86 | |
| Apr 17, 1999 | @ Utah Jazz | L 109-93 | |
| Apr 19, 1999 | vs. Vancouver Grizzlies | W 117-102 | |
| Apr 20, 1999 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 106-102 | |
| Apr 21, 1999 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 88-82 | |
| Apr 24, 1999 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 108-81 | |
| Apr 26, 1999 | @ Houston Rockets | L 102-80 | |
| Apr 29, 1999 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 108-89 | |
| May 02, 1999 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 91-84 | |
| May 03, 1999 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 115-102 | |
| May 05, 1999 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 119-91 |