NBA Champions ·
2001 Los Angeles Lakers
The 2000-01 Lakers went 56-26, then tore through the playoffs at 15-1 to repeat as champions, beating the Philadelphia 76ers in five. Their only loss came in Game 1 of the Finals, when Allen Iverson dropped 48 in overtime. Shaquille O'Neal won his second straight Finals MVP.
The regular season was bumpy. The Shaq and Kobe tension was open, injuries piled up, and Los Angeles looked ordinary for stretches before closing on an eight-game winning streak to finish 56-26.
Then the team flipped a switch. The Lakers swept Portland, Sacramento, and San Antonio to reach the Finals without a loss, the first 11-0 start to a postseason. Bryant had grown into a co-star at 22, and Horace Grant gave the frontcourt a steadying veteran next to O'Neal.
Philadelphia, behind league MVP Iverson and Defensive Player of the Year Dikembe Mutombo, stole Game 1 in overtime at Staples Center and ended the 11-game run. The Lakers won the next four, closing it out 108-96 in Philadelphia.
The 15-1 postseason stood as the best winning percentage in playoff history until Golden State went 16-1 in 2017. O'Neal again controlled the series inside and took Finals MVP for the second year running.
Championship roster
Featured in Ring Holders Club
| Player | Role | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Derek Fisher | PG | 73 |
| Kobe Bryant | SG | 91 |
| Rick Fox | SF | 74 |
| Horace Grant | PF | 72 |
| Shaquille O'Neal | C | 98 |
| Robert Horry | 6th man | 77 |
| Phil Jackson | Coach | 93 |
Ratings are year-specific curated estimates for Ring Holders Club, not official NBA stats.
Rest of the roster
| Player | Pos |
|---|---|
| Ron Harper | G |
| Brian Shaw | G |
| Tyronn Lue | G |
| Devean George | F |
| Mark Madsen | F |
| Greg Foster | C |