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The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most successful teams in the history of the NBA. They have won 17 NBA championships, the second-highest number in history. The Lakers have a storied history, having played and won championships in the NBL and the BAA before the 1949 merger that formed the NBA. The Lakers have won consecutive championships multiple times, including three years in a row from 2000 to 2002 and 1952 to 1954. The team has featured many NBA legends, including George Mikan, Jim Pollard, Wilt Chamberlain, and LeBron James.
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What You'll Learn
The Lakers' 17 NBA championship wins
The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most successful teams in the history of the NBA, with 17 NBA championship wins. The Lakers were founded in 1946 as the Detroit Gems and played in the National Basketball League (NBL) during the 1946–47 season, finishing last in the league. The following season, a new ownership team 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), where they won the 1949 BAA championship.
Following the merger of the NBL and the BAA into the NBA in 1949, the Lakers won four of the next five NBA championships. They made the NBA Finals six times in the 1960s but lost every series to the Boston Celtics, their biggest rivals. In fact, the two teams have met a record 12 times in the NBA Finals, dominating the league in the 1960s and 1980s. The rivalry has been less intense since the retirement of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird in the early 1990s, but it was renewed in 2008 when the Celtics and Lakers met in the Finals for the first time since 1987, with the Celtics winning the series 4–2. They faced off again in the 2010 NBA Finals, which the Lakers won in seven games.
The Lakers have won consecutive championships multiple times, including three times in a row in the 2000-2002 seasons, and twice in a row in the 2009-2010 seasons. The Lakers hold the record for the NBA's longest winning streak, with 33 straight games in the 1971–72 season. In 1979, Jerry Buss purchased the Lakers and pioneered a vision of basketball as entertainment as well as sport. That same year, the Lakers drafted Magic Johnson first overall in the NBA draft. Johnson, a prodigy point guard, and the dominant center, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, provided the Lakers with superstars to anchor their roster. The Lakers won their sixth NBA title in 1972, led by coach Bill Sharman.
In 2018, the Lakers signed superstar LeBron James, and in 2019, they traded several prospects for star big man Anthony Davis. The Lakers—led by James, Davis, and coach Frank Vogel—won the team's 17th championship in 2020, tying the Celtics for the most titles until the Celtics surpassed this record in the 2024 NBA Finals.
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The Boston Celtics rivalry
The Los Angeles Lakers have a long-standing rivalry with the Boston Celtics, which is considered one of the best in the NBA. The two teams have met a record 12 times in the NBA Finals, dominating the league in the 1960s and 1980s, facing each other nine times across those two decades.
The first NBA Finals match-up between the two teams was in 1959, with the Celtics sweeping the Lakers 4-0, marking the first Finals loss for the Lakers and the first of eight straight titles for Boston. The rivalry escalated in the 1960s after the Lakers relocated to Los Angeles, as both teams emerged as the strongest in the NBA. The Lakers, however, struggled to overcome the Celtics, losing to them in the NBA Finals every year in the 1960s except for 1967. The Lakers were the Celtics' opponent in six of those series, losing to them six times in that decade.
The rivalry was renewed in the 1980s, fuelled by the personal rivalry between the Lakers' Magic Johnson and the Celtics' Larry Bird. The two teams faced each other three times in the 1980s, with the Celtics winning in 1981 and 1984, and the Lakers winning in 1985. The 1984 NBA Finals was a gruelling seven-game series with many memorable moments, including increased physical aggression and the infamously un-airconditioned Boston Garden in Game 5.
The intensity of the rivalry diminished in the early 1990s following the retirements of Bird and Johnson but picked up again in 2008 when the two teams met in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1987, with the Celtics winning the series 4-2. The Lakers got their revenge in 2010, winning the NBA Finals in seven games.
The Celtics and Lakers are two of the most storied franchises in the NBA, with a long history of competing for championships. As of 2024, the Celtics hold the record for most NBA championships with 17, while the Lakers are tied with the Golden State Warriors for second place with 16.
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Consecutive championship wins
The Los Angeles Lakers have won consecutive championships multiple times. The Lakers won the NBA Title three years in a row during the 2000, 2001, and 2002 seasons, as well as three consecutive championships in the 1952, 1953, and 1954 seasons. They also won back-to-back championships in the 2009 and 2010 seasons, the 1987 and 1988 seasons, and the 1949 and 1950 seasons.
The Lakers have a rich history of success in the NBA, with a total of 17 NBA championships, second only to the Boston Celtics. The franchise began in 1946 as the Detroit Gems of the National Basketball League (NBL) and, after relocating to Minneapolis and becoming the Lakers in 1947, they won the 1948 NBL championship. The Lakers then joined the rival Basketball Association of America (BAA), winning the 1949 BAA championship. Following the merger of the NBL and BAA into the NBA in 1949, the Lakers won four of the next five NBA championships.
The 1960s saw the Lakers make the NBA Finals six times, but they were unable to beat their rivals, the Boston Celtics, during this period. The Lakers acquired Wilt Chamberlain in 1968 and won their sixth NBA title in 1972. The Lakers continued their success in the 1980s, winning four more championships, including two against the Celtics. The Lakers' most recent championship win was in 2020, led by superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
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The Lakers' star players
The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most successful teams in the history of the NBA, with 17 championships. The team has featured several star players over the years, including some of the most dominant players in NBA history. Here is a look at some of the Lakers' star players who have helped the franchise achieve its success.
Elgin Baylor
Elgin Baylor played an astonishing 846 career games with the Lakers, averaging 27.4 points and 13.5 rebounds per game. He is considered one of the greatest players the franchise has ever produced. Baylor made 10 All-NBA teams and earned 11 All-Star selections. He reached eight NBA Finals and leads the Lakers organization in rebounds with 11,463.
Jerry West
Jerry West is another Lakers legend whose impact on the game is evident as he represents the NBA logo. West played for the Lakers for 14 years and became an All-Star each season, with 12 All-NBA team selections.
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O'Neal is regarded as one of the most dominant players in NBA history. He helped the Lakers win three straight championships from 2000 to 2002 and was named the 1999-2000 MVP. O'Neal was a force on both ends of the court, earning All-Defensive team selections and leading the franchise in offensive rebounds, blocks, and player efficiency rating.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the NBA's second all-time leading scorer and a key contributor to the Lakers' success. During his 14-year stint with the team, Abdul-Jabbar helped the Lakers win five championships. He was traded to the Lakers in 1979 and formed a formidable duo with Magic Johnson.
Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson was drafted by the Lakers in 1979 and immediately made an impact. Alongside the dominant center Abdul-Jabbar, Johnson helped anchor the Lakers' roster. Johnson is a Hall of Famer and a five-time NBA champion.
LeBron James
LeBron James signed with the Lakers in 2018 and has since reached an All-NBA team each year. He led the Lakers to their 17th championship in 2020, winning the Finals MVP award. James is the NBA's all-time leading scorer and has accumulated impressive stats during his time with the Lakers.
Pau Gasol
Pau Gasol played a key role in the Lakers' championship runs in 2009 and 2010. Despite playing second fiddle to Kobe Bryant, Gasol's unique skill set and impact were undeniable. He made three All-Star teams and three All-NBA selections during his time with the Lakers.
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The Lakers' coaches
The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most successful teams in the history of the NBA, with 17 championship wins. The team has had 31 head coaches, including 29 since joining the NBA. The franchise's first head coach was Joel Mason, while its first coach in the NBA was John Kundla, who coached for 12 seasons and won six combined NBL/BAA/NBA championships.
Phil Jackson is the franchise's all-time leader for the most regular-season games coached (902) and most playoff games (181). He also led the team to five championship wins. Jackson, along with Kundla, has been inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach.
Other notable coaches include Pat Riley, who led the team to four championship wins, and Bill Sharman, who helped the Lakers win their sixth championship in 1972. Sharman and Riley have also won the NBA Coach of the Year Award in 1972 and 1990, respectively. The Lakers were also coached by Paul Westhead and Frank Vogel, who each led the team to one championship win. In the 2024-25 season, the Lakers were coached by JJ Redick.
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Frequently asked questions
The Los Angeles Lakers have won 17 NBA championships, the second-most in history.
The Lakers won their first NBA championship in 1949.
The Lakers have won consecutive championships multiple times. They won three times in a row in the 1952-1954 seasons, twice in a row in the 1987-1988 seasons, and twice in a row in the 1949-1950 seasons. They also won three consecutive championships from 2000 to 2002 and again in 2009-2010.
The Lakers' championship wins have been attributed to the efforts of many notable players, including Jerry West, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Anthony Davis.
