Los Angeles Lakers Basketball Team History

The franchise for the Lakers was first started in Detroit just before it was moved to Minneapolis. That is when the team received the renowned title that they are recognized for and which the state is nicknamed - Land of the 10,000 Lakes. The infamous group won five diverse league championships prior to the had been than moved to Los Angeles.

The Lakers team was very first produced back in 1944 when Morris Chalfen and Ben Berger decided that they had been going to buy the Detroit Gems (a element of the National Basketball League) for a total of $15. Due to the fact the Gems had the worst record of all the teams in the NBL - the Lakers were in a position to be the 1st to pick out the players they necessary from the 1947 dispersal draft from the Skilled Basketball League of America. From this draft they chose George Mikan who later in life became a single of the basketballs greatest center. With the assist of coach John Kundla the Lakers group was in a position to the NBL championship throughout the 47-48 season. It was for the duration of this time that they were selected along with three other teams to compete in the Basketball Association of America. From this they won the 48-49 BAA championship.

George Mikan wasnt the understandable only player that would assist to bring greatness to the Lakers. Vern Mikkelsen, Slater Martin, Jim Pollard, and Clyde Lovellette all played big roles and together with George Mikan they all reached the NBA Hall of Fame in the course of the years of 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, and 1954. When the team moved to Los Angeles in 1960 their game only got much better. It was than that Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, and Gail Goodrich all created their way into the Hall of Fame also.

Even with this good results the Lakers they often seemed to be thwarted by 1 team - the Boston Celtics. They went up against this group six instances and every single time they lost the championship. It wasnt until the late 1970s, early 1980s that they would finally take the championship away from the Boston Celtics and turn out to be the most dominant team in the NBA.

Fans were positive that the Lakers would ultimately secure their win against the Celtics in 1972 when Bill Sharman had taken charge of the team. Sharman was 1 of the finest coach (he won Coach of the Year award) and together with his greatest player - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - the team seemed unstoppable. However, the Lakers had been still unable to win a championship. That is till Earvin Magic Johnson joined the team. In 1979 Johnson (who at the time was only a rookie) had to take over for the injured Abdul-Jabbar and created an incredible 42 points, 7 assists, and 15 rebounds to homepage secure the championship.

Beneath Coach Pat Riley the Lakers were capable to head to the championship finals eight instances in the course of the 1980's. They won 5 of these championships out of eight.

Even although they were able to make it when once again to the championship finals in 1991 they spent most of the 1990s playing against teams that most did not take into account to be legitimate title contenders. Things started to appear up for them in 1996 when they signed on the acting coach los angeles rookie from the Charlotte Hornets - Kobe Bryant and Shaquille ONeal.