Before the Los Angeles Lakers dynasty of the early 2000s reached their pinnacle of success, they went through trials and tribulations that helped shape the mold of championship chemistry. The 1997-98 teamfeatured a youthful roster headlined by Shaquille O’Neal, with a mix of players beginning their NBA careers and those in their prime.
By the end of the season, head coach Del Harris and the Lakers concluded with a 61-21 record, good enough for third in their conference. They were slotted against the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of the playoffs, a team with which they would go through quite the battles with.