Aftermath
This was the first NBA championship for the Lakers since 1988. It was also the first major professional sports championship for the city of Los Angeles since the Dodgers won that year's World Series. This championship came in the Lakers' first year in their new arena, Staples Center.
The Lakers went on to score a 'three-peat' when they won the NBA championship in 2001 and 2002, making them the first team to open a new arena with three straight NBA championships. However, the Lakers were unable to score home-court advantage throughout the playoffs in the latter two, yielding them to the San Antonio Spurs and Sacramento Kings, respectively. However the Lakers were able to beat both of them in the Conference Finals. They won the championship over the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Nets, respectively.
The series would be the Pacers' only finals appearance to date. The Pacers would rebuild in the subsequent season. Retiring center Rik Smits was replaced by future NBA All-Star Jermaine O'Neal, acquired from Portland in the deal for Dale Davis. Mark Jackson and Chris Mullin both left as free-agents, and Larry Bird resigned as head coach. Bird would resurface as President of Basketball Operations in 2003. The Pacers continued to make the post-season until 2006, the year after Reggie Miller retired.
Read more about this topic: 2000 NBA Finals
Famous quotes containing the word aftermath:
“The aftermath of joy is not usually more joy.”
—Mason Cooley (b. 1927)