Los Angeles Lakers

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"Lakers" redirects here. For other uses, see Laker.

Los Angeles Lakers
Conference	Western Conference
Division	Pacific Division
Founded	1946
History	Detroit Gems 1946-1947 Minneapolis Lakers 1947-1960 Los Angeles Lakers 1960-present
Arena	Staples Center
City	Los Angeles, California
Team Colors	Purple, Gold and White
Owner	Jerry Buss
Head Coach	Phil Jackson
Championships	14 (1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1972, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2000, 2001, 2002)
Conference Titles	28 (1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1959, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004)
Division Titles	26 (1951, 1953, 1954, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 2000, 2001, 2004)

The Los Angeles Lakers are a professional basketball team, based in Los Angeles, California, which plays in the National Basketball Association. The Lakers play their home games at Staples Center, which they share with cross-town rivals, the Los Angeles Clippers, their sister team the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA, the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League, the Los Angeles Avengers of the Arena Football League and the NBA Development League's Los Angeles D-Fenders.

The Laker franchise was founded in Detroit before moving to Minneapolis where they won 5 league championships in the various leagues before locating to Los Angeles. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Lakers popularity soared, with superstar players Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and coach Pat Riley winning five titles in the that span, with 3 championship series against their arch-rivals, the Boston Celtics.

In the 2000s, the trio of coach Phil Jackson, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal brought three straight championships before falling apart, culminating in O'Neal being traded to the Miami Heat. Only Bryant and Jackson remain from the champion years.

The Lakers are notable for having (at the end of the 2005–06 season) the most wins (2,806), the highest winning percentage (61.5%), the most finals appearances (28), and the second most championships (14) of any franchise behind their chief rivals the Boston Celtics.^[1] They also hold the record for the longest consecutive win streak (33) in U.S. professional team sports.^[2] The franchise has only missed the playoffs 5 times.^[3]

Contents 1 Home arenas 2 Team history 3 Celebrity fans 4 Season-by-season records 5 Current roster 6 Logo and uniforms 7 Franchise leaders 8 Players of note 8.1 Basketball Hall of Famers 8.2 Other notable players 8.3 Retired numbers 8.4 Chick Hearn 9 Notable Head Coaches 10 Miscellaneous information 11 Radio and television 12 See also 13 External links 14 References

[edit] Home arenas

Minneapolis Auditorium (1947-1959)

Minneapolis Armory (1959-60)

(Due to scheduling conflicts, the Lakers actually played in both the Auditorium and the Armory throughout the 1947-60 period. They also played some games in the St. Paul Auditorium.)

Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena (1960-1967)

The Forum (formerly Great Western Forum from 1988-1999) (1967-1999)

Staples Center (1999-present)

[edit] Team history

Main article: History of the Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers began in 1946 when Ben Berger and Morris Chalfen bought the Detroit Gems of the National Basketball League for $15,000 and relocated it to Minneapolis. As the Gems had by far the worst record in the NBL, the Lakers had the first pick in the 1947 dispersal draft of players from the Professional Basketball League of America, which they used to select George Mikan, later to become arguably the greatest center of his time. With Mikan, new coach John Kundla and an infusion of former University of Minnesota players, the Lakers won the NBL championship in that 1947-48 season and joined three other NBL teams in jumping to the Basketball Association of America, where they promptly won the 1948-49 BAA championship. The NBL and BAA merged to become the NBA in 1949.

The Minneapolis Lakers were one of the dominant teams of the fledgling NBA. With Hall of Famers George Mikan, Vern Mikkelsen, Jim Pollard, Slater Martin, and Clyde Lovellette, they were the NBA's first "dynasty", winning five championships in six years (1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954).

After their move to Los Angeles in 1960, the team featured Hall of Famers Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Gail Goodrich, but despite the wealth of talent, they were repeatedly foiled by the Boston Celtics, losing 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.

However, even with the addition of 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 Johnson, who, starting for the injured Abdul-Jabbar, had 42 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists to clinch the series. Under coach Pat Riley, a former Laker player, the Lakers then went on to dominate the 1980s, appearing in the finals eight times in the decade and being crowned champions five times, including consecutive championships in 1987 and 1988, the first team to do so since Boston in 1969.

Although they made another finals appearance in 1991, they spent most of the 1990s fielding teams that were not considered legitimate title contenders. However, during the 1996 offseason, the Lakers signed Shaquille O'Neal and acquired rookie Kobe Bryant from the Charlotte Hornets. Following the hiring of Phil Jackson as head coach in 1999, the team returned to championship form; led by O'Neal, Bryant, and a talented supporting cast, the Lakers won three consecutive NBA Finals from 2000-02.

Most recently, the Lakers endured a series of off-the-court problems, largely the result of friction among O'Neal, Bryant, and Jackson. In 2004, O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat and Jackson temporarily retired. After the Lakers struggled in 2004-05, Jackson returned for the following season, and the Bryant-led team returned to the postseason, losing to the Phoenix Suns in the first round in seven games.

[edit] Celebrity fans

Given the team's proximity to Hollywood, the Lakers fan base includes many famous actors and musicians who are regularly seen at home games. Jack Nicholson is the most prominent member of this group, having held season tickets since 1967; other celebrities known as long-standing ticket-holders include Denzel Washington, Dustin Hoffman, The Game, Andy Garcia, Penny Marshall, Ice Cube, Sylvester Stallone, Dyan Cannon, and Snoop Dogg.

The members of the Southern California-based Red Hot Chili Peppers are also known to be longtime Laker fans. The songs "Salute to Kareem" and "Magic Johnson", a tribute to the "Showtime"-era Lakers, can be found on the band's album Mother's Milk. As of the 2005-2006 season, Chili Pepper's bassist Flea, a self-proclaimed Lakers fanatic, writes a blog on the Lakers for NBA.com.

[edit] Season-by-season records

Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, % = Win-Loss %

Season	W	L	%	Playoffs	Results
Detroit Gems (NBL) (Not included in W/L totals)
1946-47	4	40	.091
Minneapolis Lakers (NBL) (Not included in W/L totals)
1947-48	43	17	.717	Won First Round Won NBL Semifinals Won NBL Championship	Minneapolis 3, Oshkosh 1 Minneapolis 2, Tri-Cities 0 Minneapolis 3, Rochester 1
Minneapolis Lakers (BAA) (Included in W/L totals)
1948-49	44	16	.733	Won First Round Won BAA Semifinals Won BAA Finals	Minneapolis 2, Chicago 0 Minneapolis 2, Rochester 0 Minneapolis 4, Syracuse 2
Minneapolis Lakers (NBA)
1949-50	51	17	.750	Won First-Place Game Won Division Semifinals Won Division Finals Won NBA Semifinals Won NBA Finals	Minneapolis over Rochester Minneapolis 2, Chicago 0 Minneapolis 2, Ft. Wayne 0 Minneapolis 2, Anderson 0 Minneapolis 4, Syracuse 2
1950-51	44	24	.647	Won Division Semifinals Lost Division Finals	Minneapolis 2, Indianapolis 1 Rochester 3 Minneapolis 1
1951-52	40	26	.606	Won Division Semifinals Won Division Finals Won NBA Finals	Minneapolis 2, Indianapolis 0 Minneapolis 3, Rochester 1 Minneapolis 4, New York 3
1952-53	48	22	.686	Won Division Semifinals Won Division Finals Won NBA Finals	Minneapolis 2, Indianapolis 0 Minneapolis 3, Ft. Wayne 2 Minneapolis 4, New York 1
1953-54	46	26	.639	Round-Robin Round-Robin Won Division Finals Won NBA Finals	Minneapolis 3-0 over Rochester and Ft. Wayne Minneapolis 2, Rochester 1 Minneapolis 4, Syracuse 3
1954-55	40	32	.556	Won Division Semifinals Lost Division Finals	Minneapolis 2, Rochester 1 Ft. Wayne 3, Minneapolis 1
1955-56	33	39	.458	Won Second-Place Game Lost Division Semifinals	Minneapolis over St. Louis St. Louis 2, Minneapolis 1
1956-57	34	38	.472	Lost Division Tiebreaker Won Division Semifinals Lost Division Finals	St. Louis over Minneapolis Minneapolis 2, Ft. Wayne 0 St. Louis 3, Minneapolis 0
1957-58	19	53	.264
1958-59	33	39	.458	Won Division Semifinals Won Division Finals Lost NBA Finals	Minneapolis 2, Detroit 1 Minneapolis 4, St. Louis 2 Boston 4, Minneapolis 0
1959-60	25	50	.333	Won Division Semifinals Lost Division Finals	Minneapolis 2, Detroit 0 St. Louis 4, Minneapolis 3
Los Angeles Lakers
1960-61	36	43	.456	Won Division Semifinals Lost Division Finals	Los Angeles 2, Detroit 0 St. Louis 4, Los Angeles 3
1961-62	54	26	.675	Won Division Finals Lost NBA Finals	Los Angeles 3, Detroit 2 Boston 4, Los Angeles 3
1962-63	53	27	.663	Won Division Finals Lost NBA Finals	Los Angeles 4, St. Louis 3 Boston 4, Los Angeles 2
1963-64	42	38	.525	Lost Division Semifinals	St. Louis 3, Los Angeles 2
1964-65	49	31	.613	Won Division Finals Lost NBA Finals	Los Angeles 4, Baltimore 2 Boston 4, Los Angeles 1
1965-66	45	35	.563	Won Division Finals Lost NBA Finals	Los Angeles 4, St. Louis 3 Boston 4, Los Angeles 3
1966-67	36	45	.444	Lost Division Semifinals	San Francisco 3, Los Angeles 0
1967-68	52	30	.634	Won Division Semifinals Won Division Finals Lost NBA Finals	Los Angeles 4, Chicago 1 Los Angeles 4, San Francisco 0 Boston 4, Los Angeles 2
1968-69	55	27	.671	Won Division Semifinals Won Division Finals Lost NBA Finals	Los Angeles 4, San Francisco 2 Los Angeles 4, Atlanta 1 Boston 4, Los Angeles 3
1969-70	46	36	.561	Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Lost NBA Finals	Los Angeles 4, Phoenix 3 Los Angeles 4, Atlanta 0 New York 4, Los Angeles 3
1970-71	48	34	.585	Won Conference Semifinals Lost Conference Finals	Los Angeles 4, Chicago 3 Milwaukee 4, Los Angeles 1
1971-72	69	13	.841	Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Won NBA Finals	Los Angeles 4, Chicago 0 Los Angeles 4, Milwaukee 2 Los Angeles 4, New York 1
1972-73	60	22	.732	Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Lost NBA Finals	Los Angeles 4, Chicago 3 Los Angeles 4, Golden State 1 New York 4, Los Angeles 1
1973-74	47	35	.573	Lost First Round	Milwaukee 4, Los Angeles 1
1974-75	30	52	.366
1975-76	40	42	.488
1976-77	53	29	.646	Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals	Los Angeles 4, Golden State 3 Portland 4, Los Angeles 0
1977-78	45	37	.549	Lost First Round	Seattle 2, Los Angeles 1
1978-79	47	35	.573	Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals	Los Angeles 2, Denver 1 Seattle 4, Los Angeles 1
1979-80	60	22	.732	Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Won NBA Finals	Los Angeles 4, Phoenix 1 Los Angeles 4, Seattle 1 Los Angeles 4, Philadelphia 2
1980-81	54	28	.659	Lost First Round	Houston 2, Los Angeles 1
1981-82	57	25	.695	Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Won NBA Finals	Los Angeles 4, Phoenix 0 Los Angeles 4, San Antonio 0 Los Angeles 4, Philadelphia 2
1982-83	58	24	.707	Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Lost NBA Finals	Los Angeles 4, Portland 1 Los Angeles 4, San Antonio 2 Philadelphia 4, Los Angeles 0
1983-84	54	28	.659	Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Lost NBA Finals	Los Angeles 3, Kansas City 0 Los Angeles 4, Dallas 1 Los Angeles 4, Phoenix 2 Boston 4, Los Angeles 3
1984-85	62	20	.756	Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Won NBA Finals	LA Lakers 3, Phoenix 0 LA Lakers 4, Portland 1 LA Lakers 4, Denver 1 LA Lakers 4, Boston 2
1985-86	62	20	.756	Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Lost Conference Finals	LA Lakers 3, San Antonio 0 LA Lakers 4, Dallas 2 Houston 4, LA Lakers 1
1986-87	65	17	.793	Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Won NBA Finals	LA Lakers 3, Denver 0 LA Lakers 4, Golden State 1 LA Lakers 4, Seattle 0 LA Lakers 4, Boston 2
1987-88	62	20	.756	Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Won NBA Finals	LA Lakers 3, San Antonio 0 LA Lakers 4, Utah 3 LA Lakers 4, Dallas 3 LA Lakers 4, Detroit 3
1988-89	57	25	.695	Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Lost NBA Finals	LA Lakers 3, Portland 0 LA Lakers 4, Seattle 0 LA Lakers 4, Phoenix 0 Detroit 4, LA Lakers 0
1989-90	63	19	.768	Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals	LA Lakers 3, Houston 1 Phoenix 4, LA Lakers 1
1990-91	58	24	.707	Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Lost NBA Finals	LA Lakers 3, Houston 0 LA Lakers 4, Golden State 1 LA Lakers 4, Portland 2 Chicago 4, LA Lakers 1
1991-92	43	39	.524	Lost First Round	Portland 3, LA Lakers 1
1992-93	39	43	.476	Lost First Round	Phoenix 3, LA Lakers 2
1993-94	33	49	.402
1994-95	48	34	.585	Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals	LA Lakers 3, Seattle 1 San Antonio 4, LA Lakers 2
1995-96	53	29	.646	Lost First Round	Houston 3, LA Lakers 1
1996-97	56	26	.683	Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals	LA Lakers 3, Portland 1 Utah 4, LA Lakers 1
1997-98	61	21	.744	Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Lost Conference Finals	LA Lakers 3, Portland 1 LA Lakers 4, Seattle 1 Utah 4, LA Lakers 0
1998-99	31	19	.620	Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals	LA Lakers 3, Houston 1 San Antonio 4, LA Lakers 0
1999-2000	67	15	.817	Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Won NBA Finals	LA Lakers 3, Sacramento 2 LA Lakers 4, Phoenix 1 LA Lakers 4, Portland 3 LA Lakers 4, Indiana 2
2000-01	56	26	.683	Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Won NBA Finals	LA Lakers 3, Portland 0 LA Lakers 4, Sacramento 0 LA Lakers 4, San Antonio 0 LA Lakers 4, Philadelphia 1
2001-02	58	24	.707	Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Won NBA Finals	LA Lakers 3, Portland 0 LA Lakers 4, San Antonio 1 LA Lakers 4, Sacramento 3 LA Lakers 4, New Jersey 0
2002-03	50	32	.610	Won First Round Lost Conference Semifinals	LA Lakers 4, Minnesota 2 San Antonio 4, LA Lakers 2
2003-04	56	26	.683	Won First Round Won Conference Semifinals Won Conference Finals Lost NBA Finals	LA Lakers 4, Houston 1 LA Lakers 4, San Antonio 2 LA Lakers 4, Minnesota 2 Detroit 4, LA Lakers 1
2004-05	34	48	.415
2005-06	45	37	.549	Lost First Round	Phoenix 4, LA Lakers 3
2006-07*	39	36	.520
Totals	2845	1795	.613
Playoffs	382	254	.601	14 Championships

* Season in progress; updated April 4, 2007.

[edit] Current roster

Los Angeles Lakers Current Roster
Head Coach: Phil Jackson				Edit
F/C	54		Kwame Brown	(Glynn Academy HS, Brunswick, GA)
SG	24		Kobe Bryant-Captain	(Lower Merion HS, Lower Merion, PA)
C	17		Andrew Bynum	(St. Joseph HS, Metuchen, NJ)
PF	43		Brian Cook	(Illinois)
G/F	6		Maurice Evans	(Texas)
PG	5		Jordan Farmar	(UCLA)
SG	2		Aaron McKie	(Temple)
C	31		Chris Mihm	(Texas)
PF	7		Lamar Odom	(Rhode Island)
PG	1		Smush Parker	(Fordham)
SF	10		Vladimir Radmanović	(Serbia)
PF	21		Ronny Turiaf	(Gonzaga)
PG	18		Sasha Vujačić	(Slovenia)
SF	4		Luke Walton	(Arizona)
PG	3		Shammond Williams	(North Carolina)
- Denotes Injury				Los Angeles Lakers

[edit] Logo and uniforms

The Lakers' home uniforms are unique in the fact that they are the only team in the NBA to not wear white normally at home. However, since the 2002-03 season the team has worn white jerseys on Sunday and holiday home games. The white jerseys were designed by Lakers owner Jerry Buss' daughter Jeannie Buss, in tribute to Chick Hearn, who was regarded as the voice of the team for forty years until his death in August 2003.

[edit] Franchise leaders

• Points
  • Career: Jerry West, 25,192
  • Career average: Elgin Baylor, 27.36
• Rebounds
  • Career: Elgin Baylor, 11,463
  • Career average: Wilt Chamberlain, 19.24
• Assists
  • Career: Magic Johnson, 10,141
  • Career average: Magic Johnson, 11.19
• Steals
  • Career: Magic Johnson, 1,724
  • Career average: Jerry West, 2.61
• Blocks
  • Career: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 2,694
  • Career average: Elmore Smith
• Single season records
  • Points: Kobe Bryant, 2,832
  • Points per game: Elgin Baylor, 38.3
  • Rebounds: Wilt Chamberlain, 1,712
  • Rebounds per game: Wilt Chamberlain, 21.1
  • Assists: Magic Johnson, 989
  • Assists per game: Magic Johnson, 13.1
  • Steals: Magic Johnson, 208
  • Steals per game: Magic Johnson, 3.43
  • Blocks: Elmore Smith, 393
  • Blocks per game: Elmore Smith, 4.85
• Single game records
  • Points: Kobe Bryant, 81
  • Rebounds: Wilt Chamberlain, 42
  • Assists: Magic Johnson, 24
  • Steals: Jerry West, 10
  • Blocks: Elmore Smith, 17

[edit] Players of note

In 1997, the NBA announced a list of the 50 best players in its history, and of them, eight played all or significant portions of their careers with the Lakers: centers George Mikan, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Shaquille O'Neal; guards Jerry West and Magic Johnson; and forwards Elgin Baylor and James Worthy . ^[4]

[edit] Basketball Hall of Famers

• 33 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
• 22 Elgin Baylor
• 13 Wilt Chamberlain
• 25 Gail Goodrich
• 42 Connie Hawkins
• 32 Magic Johnson
• 34 Clyde Lovellette
• 22 Slater Martin
• 11 Bob McAdoo
• 99 George Mikan
• 19 Vern Mikkelsen
• 17 Jim Pollard
• 42 James Worthy
• 44 Jerry West
• Coach John Kundla
• Coach Bill Sharman
• Coach Phil Jackson

[edit] Other notable players

Michael Cooper Vlade Divac Derek Fisher Rick Fox Devean George Horace Grant A.C. Green Ron Harper Robert Horry Eddie Jones Jerome Kersey Mitch Kupchak Rudy LaRusso Karl Malone Kobe Bryant

Norm Nixon Shaquille O'Neal Gary Payton Sam Perkins Kurt Rambis Glen Rice Mitch Richmond Byron Scott Brian Shaw Mychal Thompson Nick Van Exel Jamaal Wilkes Kermit Washington

[edit] Retired numbers

• 13 Wilt Chamberlain, C, 1968-73
• 22 Elgin Baylor, F, 1958-71 (including team's last season in Minneapolis)
• 25 Gail Goodrich, G, 1965-68 & 1970-76
• 32 Magic Johnson, G, 1979-91 & 1995-96; Head Coach 1994
• 33 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, C, 1975-89
• 42 James Worthy, F, 1982-94
• 44 Jerry West, G, 1960-74; Head Coach, 1976-79; General Manager, 1981-2002
• MIC Chick Hearn, Broadcaster, 1960-2002

Honored Minneapolis Lakers: Next to their retired numbers, the Lakers have hung a banner with the names of six Hall-of-Famers who were instrumental to the franchise's success during its days in Minneapolis:

• John Kundla, Coach, 1948-59
• 99 George Mikan, C, 1948-56 (did not play in 1954-55)
• 17 Jim Pollard, F, 1948-55
• 19 Vern Mikkelsen, F, 1949-59
• 22 Slater Martin, G, 1949-56
• 34 Clyde Lovellette, F-C, 1953-57
• 45 Ric

[edit] Chick Hearn

The Lakers are also known for their long-time play-by-play announcer Chick Hearn, who called their games on local radio and television from March 1961 through the end of the 2002 season, including a record streak of 3,338 consecutive games beginning November 21, 1965. A 1991 Hall of Fame inductee, Hearn was known for his many catch phrases, some of which became part of the standard lexicon of basketball (e.g. "slam dunk", "dribble drive", "triple double").

[edit] Notable Head Coaches

• John Kundla -- First Head Coach, 1948-58 and 1959; 1949 BAA Champions; 1950 and 1952-54 NBA Champions; 1951 and 1957 NBA Western Division Champions. Win-Loss record: 423-302 in regular season, 60-35 in playoffs
• Fred Schaus -- 1960-67; 1962-63 and 1965-66 NBA Western Division Champions. Win-Loss record: 315-245 in regular season, 33-38 in playoffs
• Butch Van Breda Kolff -- 1967-69; 1969 NBA Western Division Champions. Win-Loss record: 107-57 in regular season, 21-12 in playoffs.
• Joe Mullaney -- 1969-71; 1971 NBA Pacific Division Champions. Win-Loss record: 94-70 in regular season, 16-14 in playoffs
• Bill Sharman -- 1971-76; 1972 NBA Champions, 1973 Western Conference Champions and 1974 NBA Pacific Division Champions. Win-Loss record: 246-164 in regular season, 22-15 in playoffs.
• Paul Westhead -- 1979-81; 1980 NBA Champions. Win-Loss record: 111-50 in regular season, 13-6 in playoffs.
• Pat Riley Head Coach 1981-90; 1982, 1985 and 1987-88 NBA Champions; 1983-84 and 1989 Western Conference Champions; 1986 and 1990 NBA Pacific Division Champions. Win-Loss record: 613-194 in regular season, 102-47 in playoffs.
• Mike Dunleavy -- 1990-92; Win-Loss record: 101-63 in regular season, 13-10 in playoffs.
• Randy Pfund -- 1992-94; Win-Loss record: 66-80 in regular season, 2-3 in playoffs.
• Del Harris -- 1994–99; 1998 NBA Pacific Division Champions. Win-Loss record: 224-116 in regular season, 17-19 in playoffs.
• Rudy Tomjanovich -- 2004-05; Win-Loss record: 24-19.
• Phil Jackson -- 1999-2004 and 2005-present; 2000-02 NBA Champions and 2004 Western Conference Champions. Win-Loss record: 332-160 in regular season, 64-28 in playoffs.
• Magic Johnson -- 1994 Win-Loss record 5-11.

[edit] Miscellaneous information

• The Lakers got their name in Minnesota, since the state is known as "The Land of 10,000 Lakes".
• As the Minneapolis Lakers, the team holds the record for the lowest-scoring NBA game ever played along with the Fort Wayne Pistons. On November 22, 1950, the Lakers were leading until the fourth quarter, when the Pistons pulled ahead to win 19 to 18. This took place in a time before efforts were made to speed up gameplay, such as the addition of the shot clock.
• Poker Legend Doyle Brunson claims in his book Super/System that the (then) Minneapolis Lakers had been making offers to sign him while he was playing college Basketball, until he broke his leg hauling sheet rock.
• Los Angeles is the only city to have two NBA teams (the other team being the Los Angeles Clippers).
• The 2004-05 season marked only the fourth time that the Lakers had failed to qualify for the postseason since relocating to Los Angeles in 1960.
• The longstanding rivalry with the Boston Celtics is among the most famous in American sports.
• A recent tradition for the Lakers has been playing the Miami Heat on Christmas Day, as it has been done every Christmas since 2004.
• The Lakers are the only NBA team whose primary home jersey color isn't white (it's gold). However, since the 2002-03 season the team has worn white jerseys on Sunday and holiday home games. The white jerseys were designed by Lakers owner Jerry Buss' daughter, Jeannie Buss. Coincidentally, a lookalike of this alternate home jersey appeared in the popular basketball manga Slam Dunk a decade before the jersey debuted in the NBA.
• Former owner Jack Kent Cooke liked the color purple but disliked the term purple. As a result, during the era of his ownership, the colors he had chosen for his team were referred to as "Forum blue" and gold, rather than purple and gold. Even after Cooke sold the team, announcer Chick Hearn still sometimes used the description when describing the uniforms.
• The Los Angeles Lakers were the first team to own a NBDL Team, the Los Angeles D-Fenders.
• Kobe Bryant's 81-point performance against the Toronto Raptors on January 22, 2006 was the second highest point total in league history next to Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point performance against the New York Knicks on March 2, 1962.
• Bud Grant played on the Minneapolis Lakers 1950 Championship team.^[5]

[edit] Radio and television

As noted above, Chick Hearn was the team's broadcaster for 42 years until his death in 2002. After Hearn's death, the Lakers decided to continue simulcasts of games that had begun when he was the voice. Paul Sunderland, who had filled in for a few games while Hearn recuperated in 2001-02, was named the permanent play-by-play announcer effective with the season after Hearn's death. Stu Lantz was retained as color commentator.

In 2003, the Lakers decided to end the simulcasts. Sunderland's voice would be heard only on the telecasts, while Joel Meyers and Mychal Thompson, the latter a member of the 1987-88 Lakers championship team, was named as the team on radio broadcasts.

Sunderland's contract expired in the summer of 2005, and the team chose not to renew it. Meyers moved in alongside Lantz as the TV announcer, while Spero Dedes was named to call play-by-play on radio. The current teams are Dedes and Thompson (radio) and Meyers and Lantz (TV).

As of 2006-07, Lakers radio broadcasts are heard on KLAC in English and KWKW in Spanish. KLAC has had the team's broadcast rights since the 1976-77 season. Telecasts are split between KCAL (road games) and Fox Sports Net West (home games), unless they are chosen for national broadcasts on ABC or TNT. KCAL's (KHJ's until 1989) relationship with the Lakers also dates back to 1976-77.

An interesting note: while all games are broadcast live on local radio, select road telecasts from East Coast cities are shown on tape delay, usually 60 to 90 minutes after the actual starting time. The explanation given is to increase TV ratings by showing the game at a more convenient time to local fans, who live three time zones away from the site of the game. During the simulcast years, these games were also delayed on radio.

[edit] See also

• Los Angeles Lakers players
• Lakers-Celtics rivalry
• Lakers-Kings rivalry
• Laker Girls

[edit] External links

• Los Angeles Lakers official web site

Preceded by Baltimore Bullets 1948	NBA Champions Minneapolis Lakers 1949 and 1950	Succeeded by Rochester Royals 1951
Preceded by Rochester Royals 1951	NBA Champions Minneapolis Lakers 1952 and 1953 and 1954	Succeeded by Syracuse Nationals 1955
Preceded by Milwaukee Bucks 1971	NBA Champions Los Angeles Lakers 1972	Succeeded by New York Knicks 1973
Preceded by Seattle Sonics 1979	NBA Champions Los Angeles Lakers 1980	Succeeded by Boston Celtics 1981
Preceded by Boston Celtics 1981	NBA Champions Los Angeles Lakers 1982	Succeeded by Philadelphia 76ers 1983
Preceded by Boston Celtics 1984	NBA Champions Los Angeles Lakers 1985	Succeeded by Boston Celtics 1986
Preceded by Boston Celtics 1986	NBA Champions Los Angeles Lakers 1987 and 1988	Succeeded by Detroit Pistons 1989 and 1990
Preceded by San Antonio Spurs 1999	NBA Champions Los Angeles Lakers 2000 and 2001 and 2002	Succeeded by San Antonio Spurs 2003

[edit] References

National Basketball Association (2006–07)

Eastern Conference	Western Conference
Atlantic: Boston Celtics - New Jersey Nets - New York Knicks - Philadelphia 76ers - Toronto Raptors	Northwest: Denver Nuggets - Minnesota Timberwolves - Portland Trail Blazers - Seattle SuperSonics - Utah Jazz
Central: Chicago Bulls - Cleveland Cavaliers - Detroit Pistons - Indiana Pacers - Milwaukee Bucks	Pacific: Golden State Warriors - Los Angeles Clippers - Los Angeles Lakers - Phoenix Suns - Sacramento Kings
Southeast: Atlanta Hawks - Charlotte Bobcats - Miami Heat - Orlando Magic - Washington Wizards	Southwest: Dallas Mavericks - Houston Rockets - Memphis Grizzlies - NO/Okla City Hornets - San Antonio Spurs
Miscellaneous
Annual events: Playoffs - Finals - All-Star Game - All-Star Weekend - Rookie Challenge - Three-point Shootout - Skills Challenge - Shooting Stars Competition - Slam Dunk Contest - Draft
Other: Current team rosters - Dress code - Salary Cap - Arenas - D-League - WNBA - WNBA Finals - Europe Live Tour - Larry O'Brien Trophy - 50th Anniversary All-Time Team

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Soccer	MLS: Los Angeles Galaxy • Chivas USA, PDL: Lancaster Rattlers • Los Angeles Storm • Orange County Blue Star • San Fernando Valley Quakes • Southern California Seahorses • Ventura County Fusion
Baseball	MLB: Los Angeles Dodgers • Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, CL: High Desert Mavericks • Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino • Lake Elsinore Storm • Lancaster JetHawks • Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, FL: Long Beach Armada • Orange County Flyers
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Football	AFL: Los Angeles Avengers, NIFL: Los Angeles Lynx • Pomona Cool Riders • San Bernardino Bucking Bulls
Hockey	NHL: Anaheim Ducks • Los Angeles Kings, ECHL: Long Beach Ice Dogs
Lacrosse	MLL: Los Angeles Riptide
Rugby	RSL: Belmont Shore • Santa Monica Rugby Club
College athletics (NCAA Div. I)	California State University, Fullerton • California State University, Northridge • California State University, Long Beach • Loyola Marymount University • Pepperdine University • University of California, Irvine • University of California, Los Angeles • University of California, Riverside • University of Southern California