Kristian Ferrell
The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most successful franchises in the NBA, with 17 NBA championships, the second-most in the league's history. The Lakers have a storied history, winning their first five BAA/NBA championships from 1949 to 1954 under coach John Kundla. They went on to dominate the league in the 1960s and 1980s, facing their long-time rivals the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals a record 12 times. The Lakers have won consecutive championships multiple times, including three-peat wins in the 2000-2002 and 1952-1954 seasons. The team's success has been driven by legendary players like Jerry West, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Total Number of Championships | 17 |
| Number of NBA Championships | 17 |
| Number of Consecutive NBA Championships | 3 (2000-2002, 1952-1954, 2009-2010, 1987-1988, 1949-1950) |
| Number of Conference Championships | 16 |
| Number of NBL Championships | 1 |
| Number of BAA Championships | 1 |
| Number of NBA Finals Appearances | 32 |
| Number of Championships won under Jerry Buss | 10 |
| Number of Championships won under John Kundla | 5 |
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What You'll Learn
The Lakers' first five NBA championship wins (1949-1954)
The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most successful teams in the history of the NBA, with 17 championships, the second-most in the league behind the Boston Celtics. The Lakers won the NBA championship four times in the first five years of the league's existence, from 1949 to 1954.
The Lakers franchise began in 1946 as the Detroit Gems of the National Basketball League (NBL). After one season, new ownership relocated the team to Minneapolis, Minnesota, and renamed them the Minneapolis Lakers. The Lakers won the 1948 NBL championship before joining the rival Basketball Association of America (BAA) in 1948. In the 1949 BAA Finals, they won the championship, beating the Washington Capitols four games to two.
Following the 1949 merger of the NBL and the BAA into the NBA, the Lakers continued their success, winning four of the next five NBA championships. The Lakers' first NBA championship in 1949 was largely due to the efforts of George Mikan, Vern Mikkelsen, and future National Football League coach Bud Grant. Mikan, who had joined the team in 1947, became one of the greatest centres of his time, setting a BAA record with a 28.3 points-per-game scoring average in the 1949 season.
The Lakers' three-year streak of championships was broken in 1951 when they lost to the Rochester Royals in the NBA Western Division Finals. However, they bounced back and won the NBA championship for the next three consecutive years (1952, 1953, and 1954), becoming the NBA's first "dynasty". In addition to Mikan and Mikkelsen, the Lakers teams of these years also featured future Hall of Famers Jim Pollard, Slater Martin, and Clyde Lovellette.
Coached by John Kundla, the Lakers dominated the early years of the NBA, winning five of the first seven championships from 1949 to 1954.
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The Lakers' three-peat in 2000, 2001 and 2002
The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most successful teams in the history of the NBA, with 17 championship wins. They have won consecutive championships multiple times, including three consecutive wins in 2000, 2001, and 2002. This was the Lakers' fifth 'three-peat' in NBA history.
The Lakers' journey to the 2000 NBA Finals was clinched by an iconic alley-oop from Kobe Bryant to Shaquille O'Neal. In Game 4, Bryant played for 47 minutes and scored 28 points to beat the Pacers in overtime. In the 2000-01 season, the Lakers posted a record of 56-26. They swept the first three rounds of the playoffs and lost in overtime in Game 1 of the 2001 NBA Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers. They then won the next four games, claiming their second straight championship with a 15-1 postseason record, which was the greatest in NBA history at the time.
The 2001-02 season was marked by controversial playoffs. In the Eastern Conference finals, Reggie Miller was awarded a game-tying 3-pointer off a half-court shot against the New Jersey Nets that should not have counted. In the 2002 NBA Finals, the Lakers beat the New Jersey Nets 4-0 to win their third consecutive championship. O'Neal was named Finals MVP for all three championship wins, becoming the only player besides Michael Jordan to win the award three times consecutively.
The Lakers' three-peat in 2000, 2001, and 2002 added to their record of consecutive championship wins, reinforcing their position as one of the most successful teams in the NBA.
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The Lakers' rivalry with the Boston Celtics
The Lakers and the Boston Celtics are two of the most storied franchises in the National Basketball Association (NBA), and their rivalry is one of the most well-known and intense in all of North American sports. The two teams have combined for a total of 34 NBA championships (the Lakers have 17, the Celtics have 17), and they have met in the NBA Finals an incredible 12 times, with the Celtics holding a 9-3 advantage.
The rivalry between the Lakers and Celtics began in the 1950s when the two teams emerged as the dominant forces in the NBA. The Celtics, led by Hall of Famers Bob Cousy and Bill Russell, won an unprecedented eight consecutive championships from 1959 to 1966, including victories over the Lakers in the 1959, 1963, and 1966 NBA Finals. The Lakers, led by George Mikan and later Elgin Baylor and Jerry West, were a consistent force in the NBA during this period, but they couldn't get past the Celtics to capture a championship.
The Lakers finally broke through and won their first championship in Los Angeles in 1972, led by Baylor, West, and new teammate Wilt Chamberlain. However, the Celtics, now led by John Havlicek and Dave Cowens, still proved to be a thorn in their side, defeating the Lakers in seven games in the 1968 NBA Finals and again in 1969. The two teams met again in the 1984 NBA Finals, with the Celtics winning once more, this time led by Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish.
The rivalry reached new heights in the 1980s when the Lakers, now led by Magic Johnson, James Worthy, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, squared off against the Celtics, led by Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish, in an incredible three out of four NBA Finals from 1984 to 1987. The two teams traded championships during this period, with the Lakers winning in 1985 and 1987 and the Celtics taking the title in 1984 and again in an epic seven-game series in 1986.
The Lakers and Celtics have not met in the NBA Finals since the 1980s, but the rivalry remains intense, and the two teams still regularly compete for championships. The Lakers' most recent championship came in 2020, bringing their total to 17, while the Celtics last won the title in 2008, keeping them at 17 as well. The history and success of these two franchises have helped to fuel one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports, and it continues to captivate fans to this day.
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The Lakers' 1979 acquisition of Magic Johnson
The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most successful teams in the history of the NBA, with 17 championships, second only to the Boston Celtics. The Lakers played and won championships in the National Basketball League (NBL) and the Basketball Association of America (BAA) before the 1949 merger that formed the NBA.
In 1979, the Lakers underwent two significant changes that would shape their future. Firstly, Jerry Buss purchased the team, pioneering a vision of basketball as entertainment and sport. Secondly, the Lakers drafted Earvin "Magic" Johnson with the first overall pick in the 1979 NBA draft. Johnson, a prodigy point guard, was expected to help the Lakers win championships alongside the dominant center, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Johnson had a close relationship with Buss, whom he considered a mentor and father figure. Buss took a special interest in Johnson, introducing him to important Los Angeles business contacts and teaching him about team management.
The acquisition of Magic Johnson by the Lakers in 1979 was the result of a series of trades and decisions. On August 5, 1976, the Lakers acquired the 1977, 1978, and 1979 first-round picks from the New Orleans Jazz in exchange for their own first-round pick in 1978 and a second-round pick in 1977. This trade was compensation for the Jazz signing Gail Goodrich from the Lakers. In 1979, the Lakers won a coin flip and were awarded the first overall pick, which they used to select Magic Johnson. Johnson, a college basketball star at Michigan State University, had led his team to victory in the 1979 NCAA finals against Larry Bird's Indiana State Sycamores.
Johnson's arrival in Los Angeles had an immediate impact on the Lakers. In his rookie season, he averaged 18.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game. He was selected to the NBA All-Rookie Team and was named an NBA All-Star Game starter. Johnson's combination of talent and charisma made him the perfect face of the franchise, as envisioned by Buss. The partnership of Johnson and Abdul-Jabbar formed a dynamic duo that would lead the Lakers to success in the 1980s, winning two out of three NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics from 1984 to 1987.
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The Lakers' 1984 'Showtime' era
The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most successful teams in the history of the NBA, with 17 championships. They have played and won championships in the National Basketball League (NBL) and the Basketball Association of America (BAA) before the 1949 merger that formed the NBA.
The Lakers' "Showtime" era spanned from 1979 to 1991, during which the team played an exciting, fast-paced style of basketball. Led by Magic Johnson's passing skills and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's scoring, the team relied on fast breaks and won five NBA championships. The term "Showtime" was borrowed by owner Jerry Buss from "The Horn," a nightclub in Santa Monica, California, where the famous opening act included a dramatic singing of "It's Showtime." Buss wanted the Lakers to play an up-tempo style, and he hired dancers and a live band for their home games at The Forum.
The Showtime era Lakers played a total of 984 regular-season games, winning 712 and losing 272, resulting in a 72.4% win percentage. The team established a Hollywood celebrity following, and Buss attracted stars to watch the games, creating a Hollywood atmosphere that would be embraced by the Los Angeles culture.
The 1984 Finals were a brutal slugfest, with the Lakers facing Larry Bird's Boston Celtics. The Celtics won the last match 111-102 to clinch the championship. By the 1984-85 season, the Lakers' Showtime era was in full swing, and the team won the Pacific Division for the fourth straight year, 20 games ahead of second-place Portland.
The Showtime era ended in 1991 when the Lakers lost the finals to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, and Johnson retired after learning he was HIV-positive.
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Frequently asked questions
The Lakers have won 17 NBA championships, the second-most in history.
The Lakers won their first NBA championship in 1949.
The Lakers' most recent championship win was in the 2020 bubble season.
