Robert Horry

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Horry was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers on January 10, 1997, along with Joe Kleine, for Cedric Ceballos and Rumeal Robinson. Because the Lakers had retired jersey number 25 to honor Gail Goodrich, Horry wore the number 5. On May 6, 1997, he hit seven three-point shots in a row, setting the NBA playoff record for most three-point shots without a miss. During the 1999–2000 season, Horry played behind A.C. Green, but frequently played more minutes off the bench than the starters, especially during the playoffs. In the 2000 Finals against the Indiana Pacers, the Lakers won in six games; Horry averaged 7.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game throughout the 2000 playoffs. In the 2000–01 season, Horry played behind Horace Grant, but once again played big minutes in the playoffs. In the 2001 Finals, the Lakers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in five games; Horry said this victory was the second-proudest of his career, after the 1995 NBA Finals. In the 2001–02 season, he was the backup power forward to Samaki Walker, starting just 23 games. In the playoffs, Horry started 14 of the Lakers' 19 games, playing an average of 37 minutes a game with averages of 9.3 points and 8.1 rebounds a game. In Game 4 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals against the Sacramento Kings, Horry hit a three-pointer as time expired to win the game 100–99. The Lakers won the series in 7 games and swept the New Jersey Nets 4–0 in the NBA Finals to complete a three-peat. On March 5, 2003, Horry hit a game-winning shot against the Indiana Pacers. In the 2003 playoffs, the Lakers were eliminated in six games in the Western Conference Semifinals; Horry was 0-18 from the three-point line during the series.

In Their Own Story

The tension was palpable during Game 3 of the 2001 NBA Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Lakers had dropped Game 1 but won Game 2. In this crucial contest, Horry scored 12 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter, including a critical three-pointer with 47.1 seconds left to make it 92–88. He followed this by sinking four consecutive free throws in the last 21 seconds to seal a 96–91 victory. In Game 4, he made three of the Lakers' 10 total three-pointers as they rolled to a 100–86 win, leading to a 5th game clinch where they defeated the Sixers 108–96. Horry later stated this was his second-proudest victory of his career, surpassed only by the 1995 NBA Finals with Houston. Despite his success, his time ended on a low note in the 2003 playoffs when he went 0-18 from three-point range and missed a potential game-winning shot in Game 5 against San Antonio.

Reader's Guide

Robert Horry played for the Los Angeles Lakers from January 10, 1997, until the end of the 2002–03 season. He wore number 5 with the Lakers. He won three NBA championships with the Lakers (2000, 2001, 2002).

Did You Know?

• Horry set an NBA playoff record on May 6, 1997, by hitting seven three-point shots in a row without a miss.
• Horry wore number 5 with the Lakers because the team had retired number 25 to honor Gail Goodrich.
• In Game 4 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals, Horry hit a game-winning three-pointer as time expired to beat the Sacramento Kings 100–99.
• Horry went 0-for-18 from three-point range during the 2003 Western Conference Semifinals against the San Antonio Spurs.