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All times Eastern * If necessary |
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REGULAR-SEASON RESULTS (Season series tied 1-1)
| Date | Location | Final Score | Scoring high |
| Dec. 5 | LAL | Lakers 96, Sixers 85 | 36 - Bryant (LAL) |
| Feb. 14 | PHI | Sixers 112, Lakers 97 | 40 - Iverson (LAL) |
HOW THEY GOT HERE:
| Lakers (2) | Sixers (1) |
 The Lakers continued their dominance in this year's playoffs by knocking off the Spurs in four games. Many believed that the matchup between the Western Conference's two best teams would be more competitive than what it was, but the Lakers were much in control. Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant were once again the catalysts. O'Neal averaged 27 points and 13 rebounds in the series and virtually shut down David Robinson on defense. Bryant, who is establishing himself as the heir apparent to Michael Jordan in the view of many, averaged 33.4 points, 7.0 boards and 7.0 assists during the series. The Lakers continued to get solid performances from the role players, including Derek Fisher, who scored 27 points in decisive Game 4. Rick Fox also put forth a solid effort offensively and defensively.
Round 3: LAL vs. SA |
 The Sixers advanced to the NBA finals this season for the first time since 1983, when they defeated the Lakers 4-0. The Sixers made things interesting once again in their Eastern Conference final series, finishing off the Bucks in Philly in seven games. Allen Iverson wasn't his normal self early on in the series as he played under the duress of a sore tailbone. Iverson, who missed Game 3, found his shooting touch in Games 6 and 7, scoring 46 and 44 points, respectively. Iverson received strong support from Aaron McKie and Dikembe Mutombo. McKie averaged 16.3 points during the series and played solid defense on both Ray Allen and Glenn Robinson. Mutombo averaged 16.6 points and 15.6 rebounds. Even more impressive was his ability to give the Sixers second and third chances on the offensive end. The Bucks had no answer for him.
Round 3: PHI vs. MIL |