2003–04 Los Angeles Lakers season

NBA season
team = Los Angeles Lakers
misc = Western Conference Champions
end_year = 2004
wins = 56
losses = 26
division = Pacific
division_place = 1
conf_place = 3
coach = Phil Jackson
arena = Staples Center
owners = Jerry Buss
television =
radio =
playoffs = NBA Finals (eliminated 4–1)
bbr_team = LAL

The 2003-2004 Los Angeles Lakers reached the 2004 NBA Finals, losing in 5 games to the Detroit Pistons.

Offseason

NBA Draft

*(OT) denotes a game that required overtime.

The Finals were played using a 2-3-2 site format, where the first two and last two games are held at the team with home court advantage. This is only used in the Finals, all other playoff games are held in a 2-2-1-1-1 format (the team with home court advantage starts). [cite web|url=http://www.betinf.com/nba_playoffs.htm|work=betinf.com|title=Basketball: NBA Playoffs 2007 preview|format=HTML|language=English|accessdate=2007-09-03]

Aspects

The Lakers had a lineup of Stars such as Karl Malone, Gary Payton, Derek Fisher, Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille O'Neal - their offensive capability was expected to overpower Detroit's defensive-based gameplan. [cite web|url=http://www.kidzworld.com/article/2089-la-lakers-most-loved-and-most-hated-team|title=LA Lakers - Most Loved and Most Hated Team|work=Kidzworld.com|format=HTML|language=English|accessdate=2007-09-03]

Payton and Malone also added to the publicity of the Finals. Perennial All-Stars who had both previously reached the Finals, Payton had led the Seattle SuperSonics there in 1996, while Malone had led the Utah Jazz there in 1997 and 1998.cite web|url=http://www.sportsline.com/nba/teams/history/UTA|work=CBS Sports|title=Utah Jazz|format=HTML|language=English|accessdate=2007-09-04] However, Michael Jordan and the Bulls denied them championship rings a total of three times. By the time of Jordan's retirement in 2003, the two veterans were aged and failed to lead their teams deep into the playoffs. [cite web|url=http://www.sportsline.com/nba/teams/history/SEA|format=HTML|language=English|work=CBS Sports] |title=Seattle Supersonics|accessdate=2007-09-04] Thus, this Finals series was seen as the last chance for two of the greatest players in NBA history to finally become NBA champions (Later on, Malone retired while Payton became a champion as a key bench player for the Miami Heat).

Game One

"Sunday, June 6, 2004, 14:30 at the Staples Center."

Considered to be a stunning upset by most of the NBA world, the Detroit Pistons managed to defeat the Lakers with imposing defense. [cite web|work=NBA|format=HTML|language=English|title=Billups, Pistons Swipe Home-Court Advantage|url=http://www.nba.com/games/20040606/DETLAL/recap.html|quote=Led by their trademark daunting defense|accessdate=2007-09-04] Defensively clamping down on everyone but Bryant and O'Neal, the Pistons managed to hold everyone else to a total of 16 points.

The Pistons trailed the Lakers 41–40 at halftime, but a 10–4 surge capped by Billups's 3-pointer gave the Pistons the lead. O'Neal's foul trouble furthered the scoring gap, with the Pistons leading by 13 points early in the fourth quarter.

[http://www.nba.com/games/20040606/DETLAL/boxscore.html Box Score]

Game Four

"Sunday, June 13, 2004, 14:49 at The Palace of Auburn Hills."

Again, the Pistons defeated the Lakers, although this time by eight, to take a 3–1 series advantage.

[http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/boxscore?gid=2004061308 Box Score]

Game Five

"Tuesday, June 15, 2004, 14:32 at The Palace of Auburn Hills."

In Game 5, the Pistons won their first championship since 1990, and Larry Brown finally won his title. The Pistons defense had overcome the high-scoring Laker offense, winning the game by 13, winning the series 4-1, and also ending a long Laker dynasty that lasted for many years. The game saw the end of Phil Jackson's first run as the coach (he returned for the 2005-06 season), and saw O'Neal, Payton, and Malone's last games in Laker uniforms (O'Neal and Payton were both acquired by the soon-to-be NBA Champions Miami Heat and Malone retired).

[http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/boxscore?gid=2004061508 Box Score]

Award Winners

References

External links

* [http://www.databasebasketball.com/teams/teamyear.htm?yr=2003&tm=LAL&lg=N Lakers on Database Basketball]
* [http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAL/2004.html Lakers on Basketball Reference]