How did the Lakers get swept by the Spurs in 1999?

[sportjames23]

That was the year the Lakers should've ruled the league. The Jazz were done and they were the only team that kept LA from going to the Finals the previous two seasons. Until they ran into San Antonio. Kobe did say he used that as motivation to better his game:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEiYvD1Rc4U

[Hamtaro CP3KDKG]

Kobe wasnt an elite player yet pretty much what Paul George was in 2013, elite perimeter defender with promise of bekng a great and dynamic offensive talent but wasnt there yet and Shaqs defense got exposed in the playoffs for like the 6th time

Robinson was arguably the highest impact player in the league in his role and Timmy was a top 5 player. That 99 team is arguably the best non 05 Spurs team ever

And the most important reason arguably....no Phil Jackson. Shaqs defense was only great with him

[LongLiveTheKing]

Kobe.

[sportjames23]

I dunno, fellas. I was looking at some Kobe highlights from the 1999 playoffs, and he didn't look much different than the Kobe that came the following year. Granted, it was against an aging Rockets team (that had Scottie Pippen), but Kobe was doing the same shit he did to the Rockets that he would do to San Antonio in 2001 and 2002. Guess I'm not giving enough credit to the Spurs. I just remember them systematically dismantling that Lakers team in four games, and I was like, "WTF? How?

[Lebron23]

Phil Jackson is a better Coach than Del Harris.

[JimmyMcAdocious]

fwiw, that Spurs team only lost 2 games in the entire playoffs and I think at one point won 10+ straight postseason games. They steamrolled everyone.

I think 99 gets overlooked a bit because it was a lockout season, first post-MJ title, and Duncan was only a second year player (tho he entered the league basically in his prime). They were dominant in that season.

[Kiddlovesnets]

Phil Jackson is a better Coach than Del Harris.

Kurt Rambis was the coach of that Lakers team in playoffs.

[aj1987]

Robinson and Dunan shutdown Shaq and the next of the teams role-players played like shit.

[SpaceJam]

They lost 4 games in a row, thus completing the sweep!

[Im Still Ballin]

They lost 4 games in a row, thus completing the sweep!
You've always got the right analysis on these things bro

[Real14]

Kurt Rambis was the coach of that Lakers team in playoffs.
LeBron23 is a dumbass.:oldlol:

[JohnnySic]

Simple, the Spurs were that much better. That Lakers group gets overrated. They should have won one title, 2001. In 2000 Portland had them dead to rights and then committed the biggest choke job in the history of North American pro sports, and the Kings got screwed over in 2002.

[JBSptfn]

Simple, the Spurs were that much better. That Lakers group gets overrated. They should have won one title, 2001. In 2000 Portland had them dead to rights and then committed the biggest choke job in the history of North American pro sports, and the Kings got screwed over in 2002.

If Portland wins it all in 2000, they probably end up repeating. The vibe on that team would probably be a little different, and they don't collapse at the end of the 01 season after a 42-18 start.

Also, if the Lakers don't win in 00 and 01, does the Shaq-Kobe experiment end sooner?

[tamaraw08]

I dunno, fellas. I was looking at some Kobe highlights from the 1999 playoffs, and he didn't look much different than the Kobe that came the following year. Granted, it was against an aging Rockets team (that had Scottie Pippen), but Kobe was doing the same shit he did to the Rockets that he would do to San Antonio in 2001 and 2002. Guess I'm not giving enough credit to the Spurs. I just remember them systematically dismantling that Lakers team in four games, and I was like, "WTF? How?

Are you sure you are not just fixated with Kobe's offensive abilities? Heck even under Phil the first year, his defense was not that good as compared to 2002, actually got manhandled in the paint by Steve Smith in 2000. You then factor the defense under Rambis and Del vs Phil. Phil can foresee and disrupt the other teams MO. I saw him jump and call timeout and yell at AC Green for failing to rotate to Stockton vs Utah.
I think you are missing out on the details.

[DingDengDong]

Kurt Rambis was the coach of that Lakers team in playoffs.
Regardless, neither are Phil. Those years showed the importance of Phil, as did his 1 year absence mid 2000s and what happened the moment he left for good.

[Showtime80']

In my opinion, the Lakers of 1997 and 1998 remain one of the most frustrating and underachieving teams in recent memory!

They had Shaq, Kobe, Van Exel, Jones, Fisher, Fox, Campbell and Horry all in their 20's and yet played some of the most undisciplined basketball you would ever want to see!

An old Utah Jazz team showed them that a fundamentally sound team with an established system can wax a young, ATHLETIC, undisciplined squad any day of the week!

The 1999 Lakers were even more of a joke with a horrible trade for Glen Rice that sent Eddie Jones and Elden Campbell to the Hornets and the off season trade of Van Exel. They had a few good spurts during the season but they finished it the way they should've, a sweep at the hands of the SPurs.

[tamaraw08]

If Portland wins it all in 2000, they probably end up repeating. The vibe on that team would probably be a little different, and they don't collapse at the end of the 01 season after a 42-18 start.

Also, if the Lakers don't win in 00 and 01, does the Shaq-Kobe experiment end sooner?

I strongly believe that you are way too presumptive that Portland would repeat. The Mighty Spurs have FAILED TO REPEAT all FIVE CHANCES and that's under a super disciplinarian Popovich.
After the Lakers won the first ring, they even got better because they were more matured individually, even when Harper and Shaw got super old, lost their best Shooter in Rice, lost a veteran in AC etc. Kobe shared the ball, Horace Grant was a perfect fit along side Shaq, Fish and Fox were not flashy but they were solid role players. They were so good, they had arguable the best Playoff run at 15-1, sweeping Portland, Kings and Spurs before dropping 1 game vs the Sixers.