Although they lost to the Detroit Pistons in a slightly less than favorable experience during the 2004 NBA Finals, the Lakers had finished their season 56-26, and had been the NBA Pacific Division’s 1st place team under the coaching of Phil Jackson. With the likes of Kobe Bryant and Rick Fox, they were the most dominant force to be reckoned with for almost all of the season.
Starting Lineup
Kobe Bryant, SG/SF (95)
Age: 25
Position: Shooting Guard, Small Forward
Height: 6’8”
Traits: All-Around Superstar
Best stats: Stamina, Layups, Mid-Range
If you play or know of basketball, you know of Kobe Bryant. Thought of as second only to the likes of LeBron James during Bryant’s prime, during this particular year, Bryant managed to average an average of 24.0 points, as well as 5.1 rebounds per game. But, what really made him stand out was his 5.1 assists and 1.7 steals, making him a strong adversary.
Shaquille O’Neal, C/PF (95)
Age: 32
Position: Center, Power Forward
Height: 7’1”
Traits: Two-Way Star
Best stats: Strength, Rebounding, Blocks
Flipping over from the crazy strength of Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal was a monster in his own right. Towering, at the time, at a height of 7’1”, Shaq was well known as one of the originators of the “Big Men” style of play. Averaging around 21.5 points during the ‘03-’04 season, what made him stand out the most was not his staggering 11.5 average rebounds, but that he had an amazingly strong .584 2P%, as well as a .584 eFG% as a center.
Gary Payton, PG/SG (83)
Age: 35
Position: Point Guard, Shooting Guard
Height: 6’4”
Traits: Two-Way Star
Best stats: Steals, Layups, Ball Handling
Overshadowed by some of the more noted members on this All-Star lineup, Gary Payton was not to be messed with. Although he averaged significantly lower in points, only 14.6 per game, he had a strong 4.2 rebounds average, plus 5.5 assists per game. This made him a nice go-between for the main scorers on the roster.
Karl Malone, PF/C (83)
Age: 40
Position: Power Forward, Center
Height: 6’8”
Traits: Low Post Star
Best stats: Post Offense, Strength, Layups
With his most noted years behind him, and his prime well in the past, Karl Malone was hoping to make one more lasting impact with the Lakers, and that is just what he did. Although he averaged only 13.2 points per game, he had a respectable 8.7 total rebounds, as well as 3.9 assists. He had a good .483 eFG%, meaning that, even though he didn’t get the ball as often, he was still deadly with it.
Rick Fox, SF/SF (74)
Age: 34
Position: Shooting Forward/Small Forward
Height: 6’7”
Traits: Two-Way Wing
Best stats: Lateral Quickness, 3Pt, Stamina
Along with Karl Malone, Rick Fox played his last professional season of Basketball With the Lakers, helping them to make it all the way to the finals that year. Although it seemed like not much, he had a decent 2.7 rebounds per game, as well as 2.6 assists. His main forte was in the fact that he was able to coordinate well with the rest of team, allowing them to succeed.
NBA 2K19 2003-2004 Los Angeles Lakers Roster
Name | OVR | Position | Height |
---|---|---|---|
Kobe Bryant | 95 | SG | 6’6” |
Shaquille O’Neal | 95 | C | 7’1” |
Karl Malone | 83 | PF | 6’9” |
Gary Payton | 83 | PG | 6’4” |
Derek Fisher | 74 | PG | 6’1” |
Rick Fox | 74 | SF | 6’7” |
Devean George | 74 | SF | 6’8” |
Horace Grant | 74 | PF | 6’10” |
Bryon Russell | 72 | SF | 6’7” |
Luke Walton | 70 | SF | 6’8” |
Explore new topics and discover content that's right for you!
NBA 2K