Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers are a National Basketball Association team based in Los Angeles, California. They are notable for having (at the end of the 2004–05 season) the highest number of wins (2,621), the highest winning percentage (61.9%), the most number of finals appearances (28), and the second most championships (14), behind the Boston Celtics who have 16. They also have the record for most number of consecutive wins in a season (33).

Team History

The original Minneapolis Lakers were one of the dominant teams of the fledgling NBA, as well as its predecessors the National Basketball League and the Basketball Association of America. With Hall of Famers George Mikan, Vern Mikkelsen, and Clyde Lovellette, they were the NBA's first "dynasty", winning six championships in seven years (1948, 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954).

Related Topics:
National Basketball League - Basketball Association of America - Hall of Famers - George Mikan - Vern Mikkelsen - Clyde Lovellette

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After their move to Los Angeles in 1960, the team featured Hall of Famers Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Gail Goodrich, and Wilt Chamberlain, but despite the wealth of talent, they were repeatedly foiled by the Boston Celtics, losing to the championship to them six times in eight years. It wasn't until 1972 when they strung together a record 33-game win streak under Coach of the Year Bill Sharman that they were able to secure their first championship in Los Angeles.

Related Topics:
Elgin Baylor - Jerry West - Gail Goodrich - Wilt Chamberlain - Boston Celtics - Coach of the Year - Bill Sharman

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However, even with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, they weren't able to win another championship until the arrival of Earvin "Magic" Johnson in 1979, defeating the Philadelphia 76ers thanks to an MVP performance by the rookie Magic, who, starting for the injured Kareem, had 42 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists to clinch series. The Lakers then went on to dominate the 1980s, appearing in the finals seven more times in the decade and being crowned champions four times, including consecutive championships in 1987 and 1988, the first team to do so since Boston in 1969.

Related Topics:
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - Earvin "Magic" Johnson - Philadelphia 76ers - MVP performance

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Although they made another finals appearance in 1991, they spent most of the 1990s fielding mediocre teams that had no chance of winning a championship. During the 1999-2000 season, however, they were able to make it back to the Finals when Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, and Phil Jackson proved to be the winning combination, taking three consecutive championships. After missing out in 2003, a retooled Lakers team featuring newcomers Karl Malone and Gary Payton roared into the 2004 finals, only to lose to Detroit in five games.

Related Topics:
Shaquille O'Neal - Kobe Bryant - Phil Jackson - Karl Malone - Gary Payton

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The following summer, the team was ripped apart by General Manager Mitch Kupchak . Shaquille O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat, Gary Payton was traded to the Boston Celtics, and Phil Jackson was replaced by Rudy Tomjonavich.

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Kobe led a young team but the results were anything but positive and the Lakers ended up missing the playoffs. As the 2005 season nears, fans have reason to be optimistic, thanks to the return of Jackson, and are looking for the Lakers to do better.

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