2000 NBA Finals Game 4 vs Los Angeles Lakers
Lakers defeat Pacers in six games for first title since 1988.
The 2000 NBA Finals was the championship series of the NBA's 1999–2000 season. The Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers in six games to win their first NBA championship since 1988 and their twelfth overall. This marked Indiana's first NBA Finals appearance.
Quick Facts
- Event
- 2000 NBA Finals, Game 4
- Location
- Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis
- Opponent
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Key player
- Reggie Miller
- Series outcome
- Lakers won series 4-2
Lore & Background
The Pacers would not return to the NBA Finals until 2025. Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal was named the NBA Finals MVP, his first of three consecutive honors, putting up 38.0 points, 16.7 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks per game.
Reader's Guide
The series was played under a best-of-seven format, with the Lakers holding home court advantage. The series featured the number one seeds from both conferences. The Finals were played using a 2–3–2 site format. Both teams featured newly built arenas: the Lakers' Staples Center and the Pacers' Gainbridge Fieldhouse opened at the beginning of the 1999–2000 season.
Did You Know?
- Shaquille O'Neal is one of only three players to win NBA MVP, NBA All-Star Game MVP and NBA Finals MVP awards in the same year (2000).
- The Lakers posted a 67–15 record in the regular season, tying the 1992 Chicago Bulls and 1986 Boston Celtics as the fifth best record in NBA regular season history.
- The Pacers finished with an Eastern Conference best 56–26 record, including a franchise-best 25 game win streak at home.
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