1996–97 Los Angeles Lakers season

The 1996–97 Los Angeles Lakers season was the 49th season for the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association, and their 37th season in Los Angeles, California. This season was mostly remembered for the Lakers signing free agent All-Star center Shaquille O'Neal to a seven-year, $120 million deal, and acquiring shooting guard, and high school basketball star Kobe Bryant from the Charlotte Hornets, who selected him with the 13th overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft during the off-season; in the draft, the Lakers selected point guard Derek Fisher from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with the 24th overall pick. The team also signed former Lakers guard Byron Scott from the "Showtime" era, signed free agents Jerome Kersey, and Sean Rooks, and acquired rookie center Travis Knight from the Chicago Bulls. In January, they traded Cedric Ceballos back to his former team, the Phoenix Suns, in exchange for Robert Horry, who won two NBA championships with the Houston Rockets.

With the addition of O'Neal, Bryant and Scott, the Lakers won eight of their first eleven games of the regular season, and posted a six-game winning streak between December and January. The team posted another six-game winning streak between January and February, and held the best record in the Western Conference at the All-Star break with a 35–13 record. However, the Lakers soon slipped out of first-place, by finishing in second place in the Pacific Division with a 56–26 record, and earning the fourth seed in the Western Conference. The Lakers had the eighth best team defensive rating in the NBA.

O'Neal averaged 26.2 points, 12.5 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game, but only played 51 games due to a knee injury, and was named to the All-NBA Third Team, while Eddie Jones averaged 17.2 points and 2.4 steals per game, along with 152 three-point field goals, and Nick Van Exel provided the team with 15.3 points and 8.5 assists per game, and led the Lakers with 177 three-point field goals. In addition, Elden Campbell provided with 14.9 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game, while Horry averaged 9.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 1.3 blocks per game in 22 games after the trade, and Kersey contributed 6.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game. Off the bench, Bryant averaged 7.6 points per game, while Scott contributed 6.7 points per game, Knight averaged 4.8 points and 4.5 rebounds per game, Corie Blount provided with 4.2 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, and Fisher contributed 3.9 points and 1.5 assists per game. Bryant and Knight were both named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Gund Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, O'Neal and Jones were both selected for the 1997 NBA All-Star Game, as members of the Western Conference All-Star team; it was Jones's first ever All-Star appearance. However, O'Neal did not participate due to injury. Meanwhile, Bryant won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest. In addition, Bryant, Knight and Fisher were all selected for the NBA Rookie Game, as members of the Western Conference Rookie team. Bryant scored 31 points along with 8 rebounds and 2 steals, despite the Western Conference losing to the Eastern Conference, 96–91. O'Neal also finished tied in ninth place in Most Valuable Player voting, while Jones finished tied in twelfth place in Most Improved Player voting.

In the Western Conference First Round of the 1997 NBA playoffs, the Lakers faced off against the 5th–seeded Portland Trail Blazers, a team that featured Kenny Anderson, Isaiah Rider and Clifford Robinson. The Lakers won the first two games over the Trail Blazers at home at the Great Western Forum, before losing Game 3 on the road, 98–90 at the Rose Garden Arena. The Lakers won Game 4 over the Trail Blazers on the road, 95–91 to win the series in four games.

In the Western Conference Semi-finals, the team faced off against the top–seeded, and Midwest Division champion Utah Jazz, who were led by the trio of All-Star forward, and Most Valuable Player of the Year, Karl Malone, All-Star guard John Stockton, and Jeff Hornacek. The Lakers lost the first two games to the Jazz on the road at the Delta Center, but managed to win Game 3 at the Great Western Forum, 104–84. However, after losing Game 4 at home, 110–95, the Lakers lost Game 5 to the Jazz at the Delta Center, 98–93, thus losing the series in five games. The Jazz would advance to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history, but would lose to the defending NBA champion Chicago Bulls in six games in the 1997 NBA Finals.

The Lakers finished 15th in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 697,159 at the Great Western Forum during the regular season. Following the season, Scott went overseas and signed with the Greek Basket League giants Panathinaikos for the 1997–98 season, while Kersey signed as a free agent with the Seattle SuperSonics, and Knight signed with the Boston Celtics.

One notable highlight of the regular season was the Lakers holding the Dallas Mavericks to just two points in the third quarter, in an 87–80 home win on April 6, 1997. It was the fewest points scored in a quarter of a game in NBA history.