The 1997-98 Los Angeles Lakers season was pivotal in the franchise’s history, showcasing a blend of young talent and seasoned veterans. Under the guidance of head coach Del Harris, the Lakers finished the regular season with an impressive 61-21 record, securing the second seed in the Western Conference. This success was largely attributed to the dynamic duo of Shaquille O’Neal and a young Kobe Bryant, who was in his second NBA season.
Shaquille O’Neal, the team’s dominant center, averaged 28.3 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game, leading the Lakers in both scoring and rebounding. Meanwhile, Kobe Bryant, primarily coming off the bench, showed flashes of his future superstar potential, averaging 15.4 points per game and earning a spot in the NBA All-Star Game. The roster also featured key contributions from players like Eddie Jones, Nick Van Exel, and Rick Fox, providing depth and versatility.
In the playoffs, the Lakers advanced past the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round, winning the series 3-1. However, their championship aspirations were halted in the Western Conference Finals by the Utah Jazz, who defeated them in five games. Despite the playoff exit, the 1997-98 season was a significant step in the Lakers’ development, laying the groundwork for future success and setting the stage for their early 2000s championship run.
- Regular Season Record: 61-21
- Playoff Result: Western Conference First Round: 3-1, Western Conference Semifinals: 4-1, Western Conference Finals: 0-4
Los Angeles Lakers Roster and Stats for 1997-98 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Shaquille O'Neal | 60 | 28.3 | 11.4 | 2.4 | 0.6 | 2.4 | 0.0 | 13 | 30.5 | 10.2 | 2.9 | 0.5 | 2.6 | 0.0 |
| Eddie Jones | 80 | 16.9 | 3.8 | 3.1 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 38.9 | 13 | 17.0 | 3.9 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 1.6 | 41.7 |
| Kobe Bryant | 79 | 15.4 | 3.1 | 2.5 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 34.1 | 11 | 8.7 | 1.9 | 1.5 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 21.4 |
| Nick Van Exel | 64 | 13.8 | 3.0 | 6.9 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 38.9 | 13 | 11.6 | 2.5 | 4.2 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 31.4 |
| Rick Fox | 82 | 12.0 | 4.4 | 3.4 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 32.5 | 13 | 10.9 | 4.5 | 3.9 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 39.6 |
| Elden Campbell | 81 | 10.1 | 5.6 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 49.8 | 13 | 5.2 | 3.5 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 0.0 |
| Robert Horry | 72 | 7.4 | 7.5 | 2.3 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 20.4 | 13 | 8.6 | 6.5 | 3.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 35.3 |
| Derek Fisher | 82 | 5.8 | 2.4 | 4.1 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 38.3 | 13 | 6.0 | 1.9 | 3.8 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 30.0 |
| Mario Bennett | 45 | 3.9 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 50.0 | 4 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| Corie Blount | 70 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 12 | 2.6 | 5.3 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| Sean Rooks | 41 | 3.4 | 2.9 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 4 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 0.0 |
| Jon Barry | 49 | 2.5 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 29.5 | 7 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Shea Seals | 4 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
Los Angeles Lakers in the 1998 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs First Round vs. Portland Trail Blazers
In the first round of the 1998 NBA Playoffs, the Los Angeles Lakers faced off against the Portland Trail Blazers and secured a commanding 3-1 series victory. The Lakers were led by the dynamic duo of Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, who combined their talents to overpower the Blazers with a blend of size, skill, and youthful energy. This series win underscored the Lakers' potential as a rising powerhouse in the Western Conference, setting the stage for their future dominance in the early 2000s.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 24, 1998 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 104-102 | |
| Apr 26, 1998 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 108-99 | |
| Apr 28, 1998 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 99-94 | |
| Apr 30, 1998 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 110-99 |
Playoffs Second Round vs. Seattle SuperSonics
In the 1998 NBA Playoffs, the Los Angeles Lakers faced the Seattle SuperSonics in the second round. The Lakers, led by the dynamic duo of Shaquille O'Neal and a young Kobe Bryant, showcased their emerging prowess by defeating the SuperSonics in a 4-1 series victory. This win demonstrated the Lakers' growing dominance in the Western Conference, setting the stage for their future championship pursuits.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 04, 1998 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 106-92 | |
| May 06, 1998 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 92-68 | |
| May 08, 1998 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 119-103 | |
| May 10, 1998 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 112-100 | |
| May 12, 1998 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 110-95 |
1998 Conference Championship vs. Utah Jazz
In the 1998 NBA Playoffs, the Los Angeles Lakers reached the Western Conference Finals, where they faced the Utah Jazz. Despite a strong roster featuring Shaquille O'Neal and a young Kobe Bryant, the Lakers struggled against the experienced Jazz duo of Karl Malone and John Stockton, ultimately being swept in four games. This series highlighted the Lakers' need for further development and cohesion to compete with the elite teams of the era.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 16, 1998 | @ Utah Jazz | L 112-77 | |
| May 18, 1998 | @ Utah Jazz | L 99-95 | |
| May 22, 1998 | vs. Utah Jazz | L 109-98 | |
| May 24, 1998 | vs. Utah Jazz | L 96-92 |
Los Angeles Lakers 1997-98 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1997-98 season for the Los Angeles Lakers.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 31, 1997 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 104-87 | |
| Nov 04, 1997 | @ Sacramento Kings | W 101-98 | |
| Nov 07, 1997 | vs. New York Knicks | W 99-94 | |
| Nov 09, 1997 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 132-97 | |
| Nov 11, 1997 | @ Dallas Mavericks | W 118-96 | |
| Nov 13, 1997 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 109-100 | |
| Nov 14, 1997 | @ Houston Rockets | W 113-103 | |
| Nov 16, 1997 | vs. Vancouver Grizzlies | W 121-95 | |
| Nov 18, 1997 | @ Utah Jazz | W 97-92 | |
| Nov 19, 1997 | vs. Minnesota Timberwolves | W 118-93 | |
| Nov 23, 1997 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | W 119-102 | |
| Nov 25, 1997 | @ Miami Heat | L 103-86 | |
| Nov 26, 1997 | @ Boston Celtics | W 118-103 | |
| Nov 28, 1997 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 105-95 | |
| Nov 30, 1997 | vs. Toronto Raptors | W 105-99 | |
| Dec 03, 1997 | @ Denver Nuggets | W 107-89 | |
| Dec 05, 1997 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 98-88 | |
| Dec 07, 1997 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | L 94-84 | |
| Dec 08, 1997 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 105-99 | |
| Dec 10, 1997 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 93-92 | |
| Dec 12, 1997 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 119-102 | |
| Dec 14, 1997 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 119-89 | |
| Dec 16, 1997 | @ Minnesota Timberwolves | W 109-96 | |
| Dec 17, 1997 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 104-83 | |
| Dec 19, 1997 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 98-96 | |
| Dec 20, 1997 | @ Charlotte Hornets | W 109-100 | |
| Dec 22, 1997 | @ Houston Rockets | W 94-83 | |
| Dec 26, 1997 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | W 118-114 | |
| Dec 28, 1997 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 108-102 | |
| Dec 30, 1997 | vs. Sacramento Kings | W 93-80 | |
| Jan 02, 1998 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 116-106 | |
| Jan 04, 1998 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 113-107 | |
| Jan 06, 1998 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | W 100-87 | |
| Jan 07, 1998 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 114-102 | |
| Jan 09, 1998 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | W 125-115 | |
| Jan 11, 1998 | vs. Charlotte Hornets | L 98-93 | |
| Jan 14, 1998 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 132-114 | |
| Jan 17, 1998 | vs. Miami Heat | W 108-99 | |
| Jan 19, 1998 | vs. Orlando Magic | W 92-89 | |
| Jan 21, 1998 | @ Phoenix Suns | W 119-109 | |
| Jan 24, 1998 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 101-95 | |
| Jan 28, 1998 | vs. New Jersey Nets | L 106-95 | |
| Jan 30, 1998 | vs. Minnesota Timberwolves | W 121-114 | |
| Feb 01, 1998 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 112-87 | |
| Feb 04, 1998 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 122-115 | |
| Feb 10, 1998 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 117-105 | |
| Feb 11, 1998 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 105-99 | |
| Feb 13, 1998 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 113-108 | |
| Feb 15, 1998 | vs. Houston Rockets | L 90-88 | |
| Feb 18, 1998 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 110-103 | |
| Feb 19, 1998 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 131-92 | |
| Feb 22, 1998 | @ Orlando Magic | L 96-94 | |
| Feb 24, 1998 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 98-81 | |
| Feb 25, 1998 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 96-89 | |
| Feb 27, 1998 | @ Minnesota Timberwolves | W 104-91 | |
| Mar 01, 1998 | @ New York Knicks | L 101-89 | |
| Mar 02, 1998 | @ Washington Wizards | L 96-86 | |
| Mar 04, 1998 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 104-95 | |
| Mar 06, 1998 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 91-84 | |
| Mar 08, 1998 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 96-89 | |
| Mar 11, 1998 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 121-107 | |
| Mar 12, 1998 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | W 108-85 | |
| Mar 15, 1998 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | W 119-110 | |
| Mar 16, 1998 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 101-89 | |
| Mar 18, 1998 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 99-93 | |
| Mar 20, 1998 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 93-80 | |
| Mar 22, 1998 | @ Sacramento Kings | W 96-93 | |
| Mar 23, 1998 | @ Denver Nuggets | W 107-86 | |
| Mar 25, 1998 | vs. Sacramento Kings | W 114-91 | |
| Mar 28, 1998 | @ Utah Jazz | L 106-91 | |
| Mar 29, 1998 | vs. Washington Wizards | W 116-89 | |
| Mar 31, 1998 | @ Toronto Raptors | W 114-105 | |
| Apr 02, 1998 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 117-106 | |
| Apr 03, 1998 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 105-93 | |
| Apr 05, 1998 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 105-103 | |
| Apr 08, 1998 | vs. Vancouver Grizzlies | W 113-102 | |
| Apr 10, 1998 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 114-105 | |
| Apr 11, 1998 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 96-84 | |
| Apr 13, 1998 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 99-75 | |
| Apr 14, 1998 | @ Dallas Mavericks | W 111-95 | |
| Apr 17, 1998 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 124-95 | |
| Apr 19, 1998 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 102-98 |
