Bryant wore 143 on the Adidas ABCD camp, and selected 8 by including those numbers. In the first round of the playoffs, the Lakers played properly enough to succeed in a 3–1 collection lead over the Phoenix Suns, culminating with Bryant's OT-forcing and game-winning photographs in Game 4.
The Lakers were trying to commerce their beginning heart Vlade Divac for a participant's draft rights to release salary cap house to make a proposal to free-agent center Shaquille O'Neal. Bill Branch, the Charlotte Hornets' head scout on the time, mentioned that the Hornets agreed to com