The Los Angeles Lakers are arguably the NBA’s most storied franchise by virtue of their 17 world championships. They’ve been so successful over the decades that even when they haven’t won it all, they have had some impressive squads that were memorable, not to mention talented, star-studded and very competitive.
Coming off a disappointing loss in the second round of the 2003 NBA playoffs that ended their run of three straight world titles, the Lakers reloaded by adding future Hall of Famers Gary Payton and Karl Malone. Fans thought another Larry O’Brien Trophy was on its way. Instead, a turbulent and unsatisfying season is what they got.
From great expectations to great demise
The first dark cloud in the Lakers’ 2003-04 season came with Kobe Bryant’s legal case, which was ongoing throughout the season. As training camp opened, he and Shaquille O’Neal were at odds. Unlike in the past, it felt as if it could be the beginning of the end of their partnership.
The team started the regular season 18-3, which led many to believe the season would turn out well. In late December, the seemingly indestructible Malone, who had missed a grand total of 10 games in his previous 18 seasons, suffered a sprained knee and missed 40 games that year.
Bryant and O’Neal had stints on the injured list as well. The ailments exposed another problem the 2003-04 Lakers had — a lack of depth beyond their four future Hall of Famers.
They got healthy and hot toward the end of the season. After trailing the defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs 2-0 in the second round of the playoffs, they won the next four games to take the series. With only the talented but tame Minnesota Timberwolves, whom they defeated in six games in the next round, and a seemingly inferior Eastern Conference champion between them and another ring, it looked like another ring was a near certainty for the Lakers.
But the Detroit Pistons, their opponent in the NBA Finals, had other ideas. They slowed the pace to a crawl and smothered the Lakers’ offense in a five-game defeat. In the end, L.A. simply didn’t have the chemistry, depth, resolve or belief to finish the job.
Within a few weeks, the Lakers, as fans had come to know them over the last several years, were finished. O’Neal demanded a trade and was sent to the Miami Heat. Derek Fisher left in free agency. Rick Fox and Karl Malone retired, and head coach Phil Jackson called it quits.
After flirting hard with the Los Angeles Clippers in free agency, Bryant decided to remain with the Purple and Gold. But for him, the next few years would be like the conclusion to “The Day After.” It looked like another world championship was impossible for him and the Lakers.
Luckily, another miracle was around the corner for them. They would simply have to be patient and ride some very turbulent waves for a few years.
Season stats
Record: 56-26 — third-best record in the Western Conference, first in the Pacific Division
Scoring: 98.2 points per game — third in the NBA
Offensive rating: 104.2 — sixth in the NBA
Defensive rating: 100.1 — eighth in the NBA
