A Complete Guide to the 2000 NBA Playoffs Bracket and Championship Results

2025-11-21 12:00

I still remember the intensity of that 2000 NBA playoffs like it was yesterday. As someone who's studied basketball history for over two decades, I can confidently say that Shaq's quote "I'm active now. I don't pick my opponents. I fight them all" perfectly captures the mentality that carried the Lakers through one of the most grueling postseason journeys I've ever witnessed. That championship run wasn't just about talent—it was about embracing every challenge without hesitation, something today's load-managed superstars could learn from.

The Western Conference bracket was an absolute meat grinder that year. Looking back at my old notebooks, I can still picture the Lakers facing Sacramento in the first round. People forget how tough that Kings team was, taking the Lakers to a decisive Game 5 where Shaq dropped 32 points and 18 rebounds to close them out. Then came Phoenix—the Suns with Jason Kidd and Penny Hardaway pushed us to another Game 5, but Kobe's emergence as a closer began here, scoring 15 points in the fourth quarter of the clincher. The Conference Finals against Portland remains etched in my memory as the real championship series. That Trail Blazers squad had six former All-Stars, and they took us to the absolute brink in Game 7. I'll never forget watching that 15-point fourth quarter comeback, capped by Kobe's alley-oop to Shaq that sealed it. That play wasn't just basketball—it was theater.

Meanwhile in the East, Indiana was carving their own path under Larry Bird's guidance. Reggie Miller's clutch gene was on full display throughout their bracket. They dismantled Milwaukee in five games, then handled Philadelphia in six despite AI's heroics. What impressed me most was how they handled the Knicks in the Conference Finals—that Game 6 clincher where Reggie scored 34 points showed why he was one of the most feared playoff performers of his era. The Pacers weren't just happy to be there—they genuinely believed they could beat LA.

The Finals matchup gave us exactly what basketball purists love—contrasting styles colliding. The Lakers' twin towers versus Indiana's perimeter-oriented attack created fascinating tactical battles. Game 4 stands out in my recollection as the turning point—the Lakers were down 33-18 after the first quarter, but Shaq's 36 points and 21 rebounds willed them to an overtime victory that essentially broke Indiana's spirit. That's the kind of performance that defines legacies. Kobe's Game 4 heroics too—his putback dunk in OT was the kind of moment that announced his arrival as a superstar, not just Shaq's sidekick.

When we analyze championship teams, the 2000 Lakers check all the boxes for me. They had the dominant force in Shaq, who averaged 38 points and 16.6 rebounds in the Finals—numbers that still boggle my mind. They had the emerging superstar in Kobe, who provided those clutch moments when needed. And they had the veteran leadership from guys like Ron Harper and Rick Fox that kept the team grounded during turbulent moments. What separates great teams from champions is how they handle adversity, and the Lakers faced plenty—from Portland's comeback attempt to Reggie Miller's Game 5 explosion that extended the series.

Reflecting on that postseason two decades later, what strikes me is how different the playoff landscape was. Teams played through bruises, stars logged heavy minutes, and there was genuine animosity between opponents that you just don't see as much today. The physicality of that Lakers-Pacers series would probably result in multiple flagrant fouls by today's standards. Shaq's dominance in the paint was something to behold—Indiana simply had no answer for him, yet they kept fighting, which speaks volumes about their character too.

That championship cemented Shaq's legacy in ways people sometimes overlook. Before 2000, there were questions about whether he could lead a team to a title. After carrying the Lakers through that brutal Western Conference and then overwhelming Indiana, those questions disappeared. His quote about fighting all opponents wasn't just talk—he lived it throughout those playoffs, facing double teams every night and still putting up historic numbers. The 2000 playoffs weren't just about crowning a champion—they were about validating an era-defining player and launching another superstar in the making. Even now, watching old footage of those games gives me chills—that's how compelling championship basketball should be.