Team:
Los Angeles Lakers
Sport: NBA Basketball
Background: The Los Angeles Lakers
are a National Basketball Association team based in
Los Angeles, California. They are notable for having
the highest number of wins (>2621), the highest
winning percentage (~61.9%), the most number of finals
appearances (28), and the second most championships
(14).
General information
Founded: 1947 in National Basketball
League, joined NBA in 1948.
Formerly known as: Minneapolis Lakers
1947-60
Home Arena: Staples Center
Uniform colors: Purple and yellow
Logo design: A yellow basketball,
the purple letters "LOS ANGELES LAKERS"
superimposed
National Basketball League Championship: 1947-48.
NBA Championships: 1948-49, 1949-50, 1951-52, 1952-53,
1953-54, 1971-72, 1979-80, 1981-82, 1984-85, 1986-87,
1987-88, 1999-2000, 2000-01, 2001-02.
Franchise History
After celebrating back-to-back-to-back NBA
championships, there appeared to be no end to the
Lakers impressive run of titles. And if a Robert Horry
three-pointer from the wing in the final seconds of
Game Five of the Western Conference Semifinals had
gone in-and-out and back in again, perhaps the run
might not have ended, at least this season. Opportunity,
for the first time in three years, had passed the
champions by.
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The Lakers title defense ran into a number of obstacles
abnormally early in the season. From Shaquille O’Neal
missing the first 12 games due to off-season toe surgery
to Mark Madsen straining a hamstring to Rick Fox being
suspended for six games after a preseason fight, the
new campaign began somewhat precariously for the three-time
defending champs. Shorthanded throughout the first
half of the season while players were out or just
returning to form, Kobe Bryant carried the team early
on. Bryant, who entered the season adding fifteen
pounds of mass to his frame over the summer, became
youngest player in NBA history to reach 10,000 career
points. Night in and night out, Bryant seemingly rewrote
the record books. He established a new NBA record
with 12 three-pointers in a game, tied the NBA record
for most three-point field goals in a half with eight
3/28 vs. Washington, established a new franchise record
with 42 points in a half 3/28 vs. Washington and tallied
an NBA season-high 55 points in the same game, recorded
nine consecutive games scoring 40 or more points,
the 4th longest streak of its kind in NBA history
(Wilt Chamberlain – 14 twice, Chamberlain –
10, Michael Jordan – 9), recorded 13 consecutive
games scoring 35 or more points, the fourth longest
streak of its kind in NBA history with all three others
belonging to Wilt Chamberlain, by averaging 40.6 points
in the month of February, became only the third player
in NBA history to average 40 or more points in a month
and became the first Lakers player since Magic Johnson
in 1991 to record triple-doubles in consecutive games.
Named Western Conference Player of the Week five times
while being named Western Conference Player of the
Month for January, Bryant elevated his play in pursuit
of a fourth straight championship.
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.
External links
Los Angeles Lakers official web site (http://www.nba.com/lakers/)
LakerStats.com - Stats, News, Discussion (http://www.lakerstats.com)
Lakersground Fan Site (http://www.lakersground.net)
Where the Los Angeles Lakers Play in the Summer (http://www.summerproleague.com)
Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant Case central (http://www.kobe-case.com)
