2002–03 Los Angeles Lakers season

2002–03 Los Angeles Lakers season
Head coach	Phil Jackson
General manager	Mitch Kupchak
Owner(s)	Jerry Buss
Arena	Staples Center
Results
Record	50–32 (.610)
Place	Division: 2nd (Pacific) Conference: 5th (Western)
Playoff finish	West Conference Semifinals (eliminated 2–4)
Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com

The 2002–03 NBA season was the Lakers' 55th season in the NBA and 43rd in the city of Los Angeles. With center Shaquille O'Neal sidelined after an off-season foot-surgery, the Lakers started 3–9. After he returned, the team only improved slowly, having a 11–19 record thirty games into the season, their worst start in ten years. The Lakers ended the season with a 50–32 record, finishing fifth in the Western Conference. Facing an uphill battle without home-court advantage, the Lakers managed to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves in the opening round of the playoffs, but fell to the eventual champion San Antonio Spurs in the conference semifinals.

The season saw co-captain Kobe Bryant play all 82 games for the first time in his career.

The season was overshadowed by the death of longtime Lakers broadcaster Chick Hearn, who died after a fall in the summer of 2002, and to pay tribute, the Lakers donned an alternate white uniform, which can be only worn on Christmas and Sunday home games. The uniforms made its debut in a home loss against the Sacramento Kings on Christmas Day. They were designed by late owner Jerry Buss' daughter Jeanie.

Draft picks

Main article: 2002 NBA Draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College
1	27	Chris Jefferies	SF	United States	Fresno State

Roster

Los Angeles Lakers roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB (YYYY–MM–DD) From G/F 8 Bryant, Kobe 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Lower Merion HS (PA) G 2 Fisher, Derek 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Arkansas-Little Rock F 17 Fox, Rick 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 230 lb (104 kg) North Carolina F 3 George, Devean 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Augsburg F 5 Horry, Robert 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 240 lb (109 kg) Alabama F 35 Madsen, Mark 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 240 lb (109 kg) Stanford F 30 Murray, Tracy 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 225 lb (102 kg) UCLA F 14 Medvedenko, Slava 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 253 lb (115 kg) Ukraine C 34 O'Neal, Shaquille 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) 325 lb (147 kg) LSU G 12 Pargo, Jannero 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Arkansas G 20 Shaw, Brian 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 190 lb (86 kg) UC Santa Barbara F/C 52 Walker, Samaki 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 250 lb (113 kg) Louisville	Head coach Phil Jackson Legend (C) Team captain (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured Roster

Regular season

Season standings

Pacific Division	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Div
y-Sacramento Kings	59	23	.720	–	35–6	24–17	17–7
x-Los Angeles Lakers	50	32	.610	9	31–10	19–22	15–9
x-Portland Trail Blazers	50	32	.610	9	27–14	23–18	15–9
x-Phoenix Suns	44	38	.537	15	30–11	14–27	12–12
Seattle SuperSonics	40	42	.488	19	25–16	15–26	11–13
Golden State Warriors	38	44	.463	21	24–17	14–27	8–16
Los Angeles Clippers	27	55	.329	32	16–25	11–30	6–18

#	Western Conference
	Team	W	L	PCT	GB
1	z-San Antonio Spurs	60	22	.732	–
2	y-Sacramento Kings	59	23	.720	1
3	x-Dallas Mavericks	60	22	.732	–
4	x-Minnesota Timberwolves	51	31	.622	9
5	x-Los Angeles Lakers	50	32	.610	10
6	x-Portland Trail Blazers	50	32	.610	10
7	x-Utah Jazz	47	35	.573	13
8	x-Phoenix Suns	44	38	.537	16
9	Houston Rockets	43	39	.524	17
10	Seattle SuperSonics	40	42	.488	20
11	Golden State Warriors	38	44	.463	22
12	Memphis Grizzlies	28	54	.341	32
13	Los Angeles Clippers	27	55	.329	33
14	Denver Nuggets	17	65	.207	43

z - clinched division title

y - clinched division title

x - clinched playoff spot

Playoffs

West First Round

(4) Minnesota Timberwolves vs. (5) Los Angeles Lakers Last Playoff Meeting: This is the first meeting between the Timberwolves and Lakers.

Game	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	Score	Record (LAL-MIN)	Venue	TV Time	Recap
1	April 20	L.A. Lakers	117	Minnesota	98	1-0	Target Center, Minneapolis	ABC 3:30 EDT/2:30CT	Recap
2	April 22	L.A. Lakers	91	Minnesota	119	1–1	Target Center, Minneapolis	TNT 9:30 EDT/8:30CT	Recap
3	April 24	Minnesota	114	L.A. Lakers	110	1–2	Staples Center, Los Angeles	TNT 11:00 EDT/8:00PT	Recap
4	April 27	Minnesota	97	L.A. Lakers	102	2–2	Staples Center, Los Angeles	ABC 3:00 EDT/12:00PT	Recap
5	April 29	L.A. Lakers	120	Minnesota	90	3-2	Target Center, Minneapolis	TNT 9:30 EDT/8:30CT	Recap
6	May 1	Minnesota	85	L.A. Lakers	101	4-2	Staples Center, Los Angeles	TNT 11:00 EDT/8:00PT	Recap
L.A. Lakers wins series 4–2

West Conference Semifinals

(1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (5) Los Angeles Lakers Last Playoff Meeting: 2002 Western Conference Semifinals (Los Angeles won 4-1)

Game	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	Score	Record (LAL-SAS)	Venue	TV Time	Recap
1	May 5	L.A. Lakers	82	San Antonio	87	0–1	SBC Center, San Antonio	TNT 9:30 EDT/8:30CT	Recap
2	May 7	L.A. Lakers	95	San Antonio	114	0–2	SBC Center, San Antonio	TNT 9:30 EDT/8:30CT	Recap
3	May 9	San Antonio	95	L.A. Lakers	110	1–2	Staples Center, Los Angeles	TNT 10:30 EDT/7:30PT	Recap
4	May 11	San Antonio	95	L.A. Lakers	99	2–2	Staples Center, Los Angeles	ABC 3:30 EDT/12:30PT	Recap
5	May 13	L.A. Lakers	94	San Antonio	96	2–3	SBC Center, San Antonio	TNT 9:30 EDT/8:30CT	Recap
6	May 15	San Antonio	110	L.A. Lakers	82	2–4	Staples Center, Los Angeles	ABC 8:00 EDT/6:00PT	Recap
San Antonio wins series 4–2

Player statistics

Legend
GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field-goal percentage	3P%	3-point field-goal percentage	FT%	Free-throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game

Awards and records

• Shaquille O'Neal, All-NBA First Team
• Kobe Bryant, All-NBA First Team
• Kobe Bryant, NBA All-Defensive First Team
• Shaquille O'Neal, NBA All-Defensive Second Team

See also

• 2002-03 NBA season