Phil Jackson tested 14 different starting line-ups during the regular season. The line-up that Jackson used most that regular season was the roster of Kobe Bryant/Rick Fox/Horace Grant/Shaquille O’Neal and Ron Harper.
Speaking of starting line-ups, that line-up that was used the most was not the most successful line-up that season. The most successful line-up that season that won 80% of their games was the line-up of Derek Fisher/Rick Fox/Horace Grant/Shaquille O’Neal and Brian Shaw. Phil Jackson used only that specific starting line-up for the playoffs and NBA Finals.
The Milwaukee Bucks that season lost to the Philadelphia 76ers in a game 7 in the Eastern Conference Finals. Ray Allen has said that had the Bucks won that Eastern Conference Finals, they would for sure have beaten the Lakers in the 2001 NBA Finals.
Shaq lead the league with a 30.2 PER for the 2000-2001 NBA regular season. The player who ranked in second that season was Vince Carter with a PER of 25.0, a full 5 points behind Shaq.
And here are some more facts about Shaq’s dominance that season: Shaq lead the Lakers in PER, field goals, blocks, offensive rebounds, defensive rebounds, plus/minus, win shares, points per game and minutes per game.
Even though the Lakers finished first in the West Conference, had two of the biggest NBA stars on their roster, the Lakers finished 8th overall in attendance at The Staples Center. The Spurs, Bulls, Trailblazers, Knicks, 76ers, Raptors and Jazz all had a better attendance then the team that ended up winning the NBA Finals.
Prior to that season, the Lakers that season were involved in a 4-team trade in which they traded away Glen Rice, Travis Knight, and draft pick which became Jamaal Tinsley and recived Chuck Person, Horace Grant, Greg Foster and Emanuel Davis. Person retired before the season, Davis was waived before the season, and Foster was traded later that season. In the end, the Lakers basically retained Horace Grant for three players.
In the 1999-2000 season, Kobe Bryant had made the All-NBA defensive 1st team. The following season though, Kobe was bumped down to the 2nd team unit behind Phoenix Suns point guard Jason Kidd. Shaq also made the NBA All Defensive 2nd team that 2000-2001 season.
The Lakers biggest loss that season came at the hands of the Seattle Supersonics on November 30th. The Lakers lost that game by 33 points with a final score of 121-88. On the flipside, the biggest margin of victory that season came against the Detroit Pistons in a 112-88 win.
Many members of the LAPD were happy the Lakers were able to close out the NBA Finals in Philadelphia rather than at the Staples Center. After the heavy riots following the 2000 NBA Finals, the LAPD had two separate plans determinded by where the Finals were one. The LAPD still had strong measures in place with a road win, as up to 10,000 fans were expected to be outside the Staples Center. Luckily for the LAPD, the Lakers won in Philadelphia, and the number of fans was smaller than it was the previous year.
Picasso Baby 