1999–2000 NBA season

The 1999–2000 NBA season was the 54th season of the National Basketball Association. The season began on November 2, 1999, and ended with the Los Angeles Lakers winning the NBA championship, beating the Indiana Pacers 4 games to 2 in the 2000 NBA Finals.

1999–2000 NBA season
LeagueNational Basketball Association
SportBasketball
Duration
  • November 2, 1999 – April 19, 2000
  • April 22 – June 4, 2000 (Playoffs)
  • June 7 – 19, 2000 (Finals)
Number of teams29
TV partner(s)NBC, TBS, TNT
Draft
Top draft pickElton Brand
Picked byChicago Bulls
Regular season
Top seedLos Angeles Lakers
Season MVPShaquille O'Neal (L.A. Lakers)
Top scorerShaquille O'Neal (L.A. Lakers)
Playoffs
Eastern championsIndiana Pacers
  Eastern runners-upNew York Knicks
Western championsLos Angeles Lakers
  Western runners-upPortland Trail Blazers
Finals
ChampionsLos Angeles Lakers
  Runners-upIndiana Pacers
Finals MVPShaquille O'Neal (L.A. Lakers)
NBA seasons
Players warming up prior to an April 2000 game between the Charlotte Hornets and the season's eventual Eastern Conference champions Indiana Pacers at the Charlotte Coliseum.

Notable occurrences

Coaching changes
Offseason
Team1998–99 coach1999–2000 coach
Cleveland CavaliersMike FratelloRandy Wittman
Denver NuggetsMike D'AntoniDan Issel
Los Angeles LakersKurt RambisPhil Jackson
Orlando MagicChuck DalyDoc Rivers
Washington WizardsJim BrovelliGar Heard
In-season
TeamOutgoing coachIncoming coach
Detroit PistonsAlvin GentryGeorge Irvine
Golden State WarriorsP.J. CarlesimoGarry St. Jean
Los Angeles ClippersChris FordJim Todd
Phoenix SunsDanny AingeScott Skiles
Vancouver GrizzliesBrian HillLionel Hollins
Washington WizardsGar HeardDarrell Walker
  • Effective this season, the first game of the NBA regular season begins on either the first Tuesday of November or the last Tuesday of October, and the last game on the third Wednesday of April. The NBA playoffs begin on the third Saturday of April.
  • Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain died on October 12, 1999, at 63.[1] Wilt's former teams, the Lakers, Sixers, and Warriors honored him by sporting black patches for the rest of the season.
  • The Boston Celtics officially retired their trademark parquet floor on December 22, 1999, after 54 years. The floor would be replaced by a replica combining elements of the old floor and new wooden sections.[2]
  • Two active players were killed in automobile accidents within four months of each other.
    • On January 12, Bobby Phills of the Charlotte Hornets was killed as a result of reckless driving while racing against teammate David Wesley.[3] Phills would have his jersey retired during the season after news of his unexpected death was announced.[4]
    • On May 20, Malik Sealy of the Minnesota Timberwolves was driving home from a birthday party being held for Kevin Garnett when his SUV was struck by a drunk driver who had been driving on the wrong side of the road.[5] Sealy would have his jersey retired on November 4, 2000.[6]
  • The Lakers would also go on to win 19 consecutive games between February 4, 2000, and March 16, 2000, the sixth-longest winning streak in NBA history.[7]
  • The 2000 NBA All-Star Game was held in Oakland, California. The West won 137–126. Tim Duncan from the San Antonio Spurs and Shaquille O'Neal from the Los Angeles Lakers shared the game's MVP honors.[8] The Slam Dunk Contest returned after a two-year absence, with Vince Carter winning the title in what is considered to be the best Dunk Contest performance of all time.[9]
  • San Antonio Spurs forward Sean Elliott was sidelined for most of the season while undergoing kidney transplant operations. He successfully returned on March 13, becoming the first player to return following kidney transplant.[10]
  • Staples Center's first season saw its tenants at two opposite ends of the league: the Lakers finished with a best regular season record of 67–15 and the NBA title, while the Clippers finished 15–67, the worst of the season.[11]
  • The Toronto Raptors also made the playoffs for the first time, becoming the first Canadian team to do so.
  • 36-year-old Houston Rockets forward Charles Barkley suffered a devastating injury early in the season but returned for a final game before retiring.[12]
  • The season marked Patrick Ewing's last in a New York Knicks uniform. He was traded during the 2000 offseason to the Seattle SuperSonics in a four-team deal.[13]
  • Doc Rivers became the first recipient of the NBA Coach of the Year Award to have not led his team to the playoffs. He coached the Orlando Magic to a respectable 41–41 (.500) record, good enough for the 9th seed in the East.[14]
  • During Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals, the Portland Trail Blazers held a 75–60 lead over the Los Angeles Lakers with 10:28 left to play. During the fourth quarter, the Blazers would miss thirteen consecutive shots, allowing the Lakers to claw back and take the game, 89–84. The game was capped off with a famous alley-oop to Shaquille O'Neal from Kobe Bryant.[15]
  • The Indiana Pacers advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.[16]
  • Kevin Johnson returned from retirement to replace the injured Jason Kidd of the Phoenix Suns in this season's playoffs, but the Suns fell to the Lakers in the second round and Johnson would retire again.

1999–2000 NBA changes

Final standings

By division

Eastern Conference
W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Miami Heat5230.63433–819–2218–6
x-New York Knicks5032.610233–817–2414–10
x-Philadelphia 76ers4933.598329–1220–2113–11
Orlando Magic4141.5001126–1515–2612–13
Boston Celtics3547.4271726–159–3212–12
New Jersey Nets3151.3782122–199–329–16
Washington Wizards2953.3542317–2412–297–17
W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Indiana Pacers5626.68336–520–2120–8
x-Charlotte Hornets4933.598730–1119–2220–8
x-Toronto Raptors4537.5491126–1519–2216–12
x-Detroit Pistons4240.5121427–1415–2616–12
x-Milwaukee Bucks4240.5121423–1819–2216–12
Cleveland Cavaliers3250.3902422–1910–318–20
Atlanta Hawks2854.3412821–207–3411–17
Chicago Bulls1765.2073912–295–365–23
Western Conference
W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Utah Jazz5527.67131–1024–1714–10
x-San Antonio Spurs5329.646231–1022–1916–8
x-Minnesota Timberwolves5032.610526–1524–1718–6
Dallas Mavericks4042.4881522–1918–2312–12
Denver Nuggets3547.4272025–1610–3110–14
Houston Rockets3448.4152122–1912–298–16
Vancouver Grizzlies2260.2683312–2910–316–18
W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Los Angeles Lakers6715.81736–531–1020–4
x-Portland Trail Blazers5923.720830–1129–1221–3
x-Phoenix Suns5329.6461432–921–2015–9
x-Seattle SuperSonics4537.5492224–1721–2012–12
x-Sacramento Kings4438.5372330–1114–279–15
Golden State Warriors1963.2324812–297–342–22
Los Angeles Clippers1567.1835210–315–365–19

By conference

#
Team W L PCT GB
1z-Los Angeles Lakers6715.817
2y-Utah Jazz5527.67112
3x-Portland Trail Blazers5923.7208
4x-San Antonio Spurs5329.64614
5x-Phoenix Suns5329.64614
6x-Minnesota Timberwolves5032.61017
7x-Seattle SuperSonics4537.54922
8x-Sacramento Kings4438.53723
9Dallas Mavericks4042.48827
10Denver Nuggets3547.42732
11Houston Rockets3448.41533
12Vancouver Grizzlies2260.26845
13Golden State Warriors1963.23248
14Los Angeles Clippers1567.18352

Notes

  • z – Clinched home court advantage for the entire playoffs
  • c – Clinched home court advantage for the conference playoffs
  • y – Clinched division title
  • x – Clinched playoff spot

Playoffs

Teams in bold advanced to the next round. The numbers to the left of each team indicate the team's seeding in its conference, and the numbers to the right indicate the number of games the team won in that round. The division champions are marked by an asterisk. Home court advantage does not necessarily belong to the higher-seeded team, but instead the team with the better regular season record; teams enjoying the home advantage are shown in italics.

First RoundConference SemifinalsConference FinalsNBA Finals
            
E1Indiana*3
E8Milwaukee2
E1Indiana*4
E5Philadelphia2
E4Charlotte1
E5Philadelphia3
E1Indiana*4
Eastern Conference
E3New York2
E3New York3
E6Toronto0
E3New York4
E2Miami*3
E2Miami*3
E7Detroit0
E1Indiana*2
W1LA Lakers*4
W1LA Lakers*3
W8Sacramento2
W1LA Lakers*4
W5Phoenix1
W4San Antonio1
W5Phoenix3
W1LA Lakers*4
Western Conference
W3Portland3
W3Portland3
W6Minnesota1
W3Portland4
W2Utah*1
W2Utah*3
W7Seattle2
  • * Division winner
  • Bold Series winner
  • Italic Team with home-court advantage

Statistics leaders

CategoryPlayerTeamStat
Points per gameShaquille O'NealLos Angeles Lakers29.7
Rebounds per gameDikembe MutomboAtlanta Hawks14.1
Assists per gameJason KiddPhoenix Suns10.1
Steals per gameEddie JonesCharlotte Hornets2.67
Blocks per gameAlonzo MourningMiami Heat3.72
FG%Shaquille O'NealLos Angeles Lakers.574
FT%Jeff HornacekUtah Jazz.950
3FG%Hubert DavisDallas Mavericks.491

NBA awards

Players of the month

The following players were named the Players of the Month.

MonthPlayerRef.
October – NovemberShaquille O'Neal (Los Angeles Lakers)[22]
DecemberAlonzo Mourning (Miami Heat)
JanuaryKevin Garnett (Minnesota Timberwolves)
FebruaryShaquille O'Neal (Los Angeles Lakers)
MarchShaquille O'Neal (Los Angeles Lakers)
AprilGary Payton (Seattle SuperSonics)

Rookies of the month

The following players were named the Rookies of the Month.

MonthPlayerRef.
October – NovemberAdrian Griffin (Boston Celtics)
Lamar Odom (Los Angeles Clippers)
[22]
DecemberSteve Francis (Houston Rockets)
JanuaryElton Brand (Chicago Bulls)
FebruaryElton Brand (Chicago Bulls)
MarchSteve Francis (Houston Rockets)
AprilElton Brand (Chicago Bulls)
Steve Francis (Houston Rockets)

Coaches of the month

The following coaches were named Coaches of the Month.

MonthCoachRef.
October – NovemberMike Dunleavy (Portland Trail Blazers)[22]
DecemberPhil Jackson (Los Angeles Lakers)
JanuaryFlip Saunders (Minnesota Timberwolves)
FebruaryPhil Jackson (Los Angeles Lakers)
MarchJerry Sloan (Utah Jazz)
AprilPaul Silas (Charlotte Hornets)

Notes

See also

References