The 1997–98 NBA season was the Lakers' 50th season in the National Basketball Association, and 38th in the city of Los Angeles. During the offseason, the Lakers signed free agents Rick Fox and Jon Barry. Kobe Bryant emerged as a star in his second season averaging 15.4 points per game off the bench, while being selected to play in the 1998 NBA All-Star Game at the age of 19. Joining him on the Western Conference All-Star roster were Shaquille O'Neal, Eddie Jones and Nick Van Exel. The Lakers got off to a fast start to the season winning their first eleven games, before losing O'Neal to a strained stomach muscle that forced him to sit out 20 games. In his absence, the Lakers went 13–7. They won 22 of their final 25 games to tie the Pacific Division title with the Seattle SuperSonics with a 61–21 record. It was the Lakers' best record since the 1989–90 season.

In the playoffs, the Lakers defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 3–1 in the first round for the second consecutive year, then defeated the SuperSonics 4–1 in the semifinals after losing Game 1. However, in the Western Conference Finals, they were swept by the Utah Jazz in four straight games. Following the season, Van Exel was traded to the Denver Nuggets, and Barry signed as a free agent with the Sacramento Kings.

The team's season roster is featured in the video games NBA 2K16 and NBA 2K17.

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