1996-97 record: 56-26 (second in Pacific)

Per-game Averages

	Points (rank)	FG% (rank)	Rebounds (rank)	Turnovers (rank)
LAKERS	100.0 (8)	.454 (15)	42.8 (5)	14.9 (6)
OPPONENTS	95.7 (12)	.441 (10)	42.4 (20)	16.4 (5)

 

Shaquille O'Neal has not won a championship in his first five NBA seasons—but neither did Michael Jordan in his first five years in the NBA. In fact, O'Neal's teams have enjoyed greater success, both in the regular season and in the playoffs, than the Bulls did with Jordan during Michael's first five years.

Michael Jordan's First Five NBA Seasons

	Regular season	Playoffs
	W-L (Pct.)	W-L (Pct.)	Series won
1984-85	38-44 (.463)	1-3 (.250)	0
1985-86	9-9 (.500)	0-3 (.000)	0
1986-87	40-42 (.488)	0-3 (.000)	0
1987-88	50-32 (.610)	4-6 (.400)	1
1988-89	47-34 (.580)	9-8 (.529)	2
Totals	184-161 (.533)	14-23 (.378)	3
Shaquille O'Neal's First Five NBA Seasons
	Regular season	Playoffs
	W-L (Pct.)	W-L (Pct.)	Series won
1992-93	41-40 (.506)	none	0
1993-94	49-32 (.605)	0-3 (.000)	0
1994-95	55-24 (.696)	11-10 (.524)	3
1995-96	40-14 (.741)	7-5 (.583)	2
1996-97	38-13 (.745)	4-5 (.444)	1
Totals	223-123 (.645)	22-23 (.489)	6