1999-2004
Prior to the 1999-2000 season, the Lakers hired former Bulls coach Phil Jackson as head coach and resigned veterans Brain Shaw, John Salley, Ron Harper, and A.C. Green, who was with the Lakers during the "Showtime" era. The team also moved to a new arena, the Staples Center.
1999-2000
At the start of the 1999-2000 season, the team won 31 of their first 36 games. They won 67 games, the most games since they won 65 in the 1986-87 season. The team eliminated the Sacramento Kings and the Phonenix Suns in the first two rounds of the playoffs. After taking a three games to one lead in the Western Conference Finals, the Trail Blazers came back to force a game seven. The team was down by 15 points but went on 19-4 run to tie the game. The Lakers won 89-84 and went to the NBA Finals. The team defeated Reggie Miller and the Indiana Pacers four games to two in the 2000 NBA Finals to win their first title since 1988.
At the start of the 1999-2000 season, the team won 31 of their first 36 games. They won 67 games, the most games since they won 65 in the 1986-87 season. The team eliminated the Sacramento Kings and the Phonenix Suns in the first two rounds of the playoffs. After taking a three games to one lead in the Western Conference Finals, the Trail Blazers came back to force a game seven. The team was down by 15 points but went on 19-4 run to tie the game. The Lakers won 89-84 and went to the NBA Finals. The team defeated Reggie Miller and the Indiana Pacers four games to two in the 2000 NBA Finals to win their first title since 1988.
2000-01
The following season, the team won 11 fewer regular season games. The team, however, swept the first three rounds of the playoffs, beating the Trail Blazers in three and the Kings and Spurs in four. The team met Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2001 NBA Finals; the Sixers took game one in overtime. The team came back, taking four in a row to clinch their second straight title. The team had a 15-1 record in the postseason, the best in NBA history.
REBUILDING: 2004-07
2004-2005
During the 2004 offseaon, the team entered the rebuilding phase when O'Neal was traded to the Mami Heat for Lamar Odom, Brian Grant, Caron Bulter and a first-round draft pick. The team also traded Rick Fox and Gary Payton to the Boston Celtics, for Chris Mihm, Marcus Banks, and Chucky Atkins. Derek Fisher, frustrated with losing playing time, out of his contract and signed with the Warriors. As Phil Jackson was not brought back to coach the team for the 2004-05 season, the team hired Rudy Tomjanovich. Almost only Kobe Bryant remained on the team; after key injuries to Bryant and Odom finished with a 34-48 record in 2005, missing the playoffs for the fifth time in their franchise history. Since the team failed to make the playoffs, they were in the 2005 Draft Lottery, their first since 1994.
2005-06
With the tenth overall pick, the Lakers selected Andrew Bynu, a center from St. Joseph High School in Metuchen, New Jersey. The team also traded Caron Butler and Chucky Atkins to the Washington Wizards for Kwame Brown and Laron Profit. Jackson returned to coach the team after Rudy Tomjanovich resigned midway through the previous season. On January 22, 2006, Kobe Bryant scored 81 points against the Toronto Raptors, the second highest total in NBA history. Ending the season with a 45-37 record, the team made the playoffs for the first time since 2004. After taking a three games to one lead in the first round, the Phoneix Suns came back to take the series in seven games.
2006-07
In the following season, they won 26 of thier first 39 games. For the rest of the season, they lost 27 of their last 43 games, including a seven game losing streak. The team was eliminated in the first round by teh Phoneix Suns again, four games to one.
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