Los Angeles Lakers Basketball Team History

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

The Lakers group was first produced back in 1944 when Morris Chalfen and Ben Berger decided this site that they were going to buy the Detroit Gems (a component 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 capable to be the investigate acting coach los angeles 1st to choose out the players they required from the 1947 dispersal draft from the Expert Basketball League of America. From this draft they chose George Mikan who later in life became one particular of the basketballs greatest center. With the assist of coach John Kundla the Lakers team was able to the NBL championship for the duration of the 47-48 season. It was during this time that they had been chosen 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 only player that would support to bring greatness to the Lakers. acting coach Vern Mikkelsen, Slater Martin, Jim Pollard, and Clyde Lovellette all played huge roles and together with George Mikan they all reached the NBA Hall of Fame during the years of 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, and 1954. When the group 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 success the Lakers they often seemed to be thwarted by one team - the Boston Celtics. They went up against this team six instances and every 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 become the most dominant team in the NBA.

Fans had been certain that the Lakers would ultimately secure their win against the Celtics in 1972 when Bill Sharman had taken charge of the group. Sharman was a single of the greatest coach (he won Coach of the Year award) and together with his finest player - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - the team seemed unstoppable. Yet, the Lakers were still unable to win a championship. That is until Earvin Magic Johnson joined the group. 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 secure the championship.

Beneath Coach Pat Riley the Lakers had been in a position to head to the championship finals eight occasions in the course of the 1980's. They won five of these championships out of eight.

Even even though they had been capable to make it once yet 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. Issues started out to appear up for them in 1996 when they signed on the rookie from the Charlotte Hornets - Kobe Bryant and Shaquille ONeal.