52 Facts About LA Lakers

1.

Los Angeles LA Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles.

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2.

The LA Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division.

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3.

The LA Lakers are one of the most successful teams in the history of the NBA, and have won 17 NBA championships, tied with the Boston Celtics for the most in NBA history.

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4.

In 1968, the LA Lakers acquired four-time NBA Most Valuable Player Wilt Chamberlain, and won their sixth NBA title—and first in Los Angeles—in 1972, led by new head coach Bill Sharman.

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5.

Second, the LA Lakers drafted Magic Johnson first overall in the 1979 NBA draft.

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6.

The LA Lakers were defeated by their Boston archrivals in the 1984 Finals, but triumphed over the Celtics in 1985 and 1987.

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7.

Jackson retired from coaching in 2011, and after a string of tumultuous playoff exits, the LA Lakers endured their longest playoff drought in franchise history.

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8.

The LA Lakers—led by James, Davis, and head coach Frank Vogel—won the team's 17th championship in 2020, tying the Celtics for the most titles in NBA history.

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9.

LA Lakers had a solid roster, which featured forward Jim Pollard, playmaker Herm Schaefer, and center George Mikan, who became the most dominant player in the NBL.

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10.

In 1948, the LA Lakers moved from the NBL to the Basketball Association of America, and Mikan's 28.

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11.

LA Lakers earned the top pick in the 1958 NBA draft and used it to select Elgin Baylor.

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12.

The LA Lakers lost to the Celtics by three points in overtime of game seven.

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13.

The LA Lakers surged past the Baltimore Bullets in the division finals, behind West's record-setting 46.

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14.

Down by 16 entering the fourth quarter, and 10 with a minute and a half to go, the LA Lakers mounted a furious rally in the closing moments, which fell just short.

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15.

The next season the LA Lakers were defeated by the Milwaukee Bucks, led by future Laker Lew Alcindor in the Western Conference Finals.

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16.

LA Lakers introduced the concept of the shootaround, where players would arrive at the arena early in the morning before a game to practice shots.

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17.

The LA Lakers went on to reach the finals against the New York Knicks where they would avenge their 1970 finals loss by defeating them 4 games to 1.

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18.

LA Lakers was traded for Elmore Smith, Brian Winters, Junior Bridgeman, and Dave Meyers.

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19.

The LA Lakers won 60 games in Johnson's rookie year, and defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in six games in the 1980 NBA Finals.

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20.

On draft night in 1982, the LA Lakers had the first overall pick and selected James Worthy from North Carolina.

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21.

The LA Lakers defeated Boston in the first two games of the Finals, and the teams split the next four games, giving Los Angeles their second championship in three seasons.

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22.

The 1991 Finals represented a changing of the guard as the LA Lakers were defeated in five games by the Chicago Bulls, led by superstar Michael Jordan.

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23.

The LA Lakers defeated Portland three games to one in the first round to advance to face Seattle.

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24.

The LA Lakers defeated Houston in the first round of the playoffs, but were swept by San Antonio in the next round.

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25.

LA Lakers brought along assistant Tex Winter and they installed Winter's version of the triangle offense.

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26.

The LA Lakers went on to win game seven in overtime, with the Kings missing numerous potentially game-saving shots and free throws.

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27.

The LA Lakers then achieved a three-peat by sweeping Jason Kidd and the New Jersey Nets in the NBA Finals.

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28.

The LA Lakers battled injuries all season, the most prominent of which is the Achilles tendon rupture to Kobe Bryant that ended his season after 78 games.

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29.

The absence of Bryant was sorely felt as the LA Lakers were swept by the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the 2013 NBA playoffs.

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30.

The LA Lakers went on to miss the NBA playoffs for the first time since 2005, for just the second time in the last two decades and for just the sixth time in franchise history.

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31.

The LA Lakers began their season losing 10 of their first 16 games.

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32.

The LA Lakers earned the second overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft, and selected Brandon Ingram from Duke University.

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33.

The LA Lakers again earned the second overall pick, this time, in the 2017 NBA draft, and selected Lonzo Ball from UCLA.

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34.

The LA Lakers acquired Kyle Kuzma from the University of Utah with the 27th overall pick from a draft-day trade, along with Brook Lopez in exchange for D'Angelo Russell and Timofey Mozgov.

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35.

The LA Lakers traded their 28th overall pick, Tony Bradley, in exchange for the 30th overall pick, Josh Hart, from Villanova University and the 42nd overall pick, Thomas Bryant, from Indiana University.

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36.

The LA Lakers received the fourth overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft lottery.

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37.

On July 6, the LA Lakers acquired Anthony Davis from the New Orleans Pelicans for Ball, Ingram, Hart, and three first-round picks, including the number four overall in the 2019 draft.

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38.

Alex Caruso left the LA Lakers and signed with the Chicago Bulls, and veteran locker-room voice Jared Dudley retired.

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39.

Rivalry between the Boston Celtics and the LA Lakers involves the two most storied basketball franchises in National Basketball Association history.

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40.

San Antonio Spurs and the LA Lakers, developed what some would classify as a rivalry in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

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41.

The LA Lakers were sold to a group of investors led by Bob Short, however.

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42.

LA Lakers personally financed construction of the Forum in 1967 at a cost of $16.

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43.

LA Lakers's controlling ownership of the team passed to his six children via a trust, with each child receiving an equal vote.

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44.

In 2008, the team sold out every home game, and in 2010, the LA Lakers had the most popular team merchandise among all NBA teams, and Bryant the most popular jersey.

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45.

LA Lakers have won 17 NBA titles and have appeared in the NBA Finals 15 other times.

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46.

LA Lakers hold the draft rights to the following unsigned draft picks who have been playing outside the NBA.

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47.

LA Lakers have had three first overall picks in their history: Elgin Baylor, Magic Johnson and James Worthy .

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48.

The LA Lakers have had six lottery picks in their history: Eddie Jones, Andrew Bynum, Julius Randle, D'Angelo Russell, Brandon Ingram, and Lonzo Ball .

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49.

LA Lakers have 38 Hall of Famers who contributed to the organization.

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50.

LA Lakers have retired eleven jersey numbers and an honorary microphone in honor of their players and broadcaster:.

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51.

LA Lakers was a part of the team's "inner sanctum" when Cooke was owner, and was consulted on basketball decisions.

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52.

The LA Lakers had been on Fox Sports West since 1985, dating to when it was the original Prime Ticket and owned by Buss.

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