Los Angeles Lakers
17-time NBA champions, legends of the game.
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. The Lakers play their home games at Crypto.com Arena, an arena they share with the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Lakers are one of the most successful teams in the history of the NBA with 17 championships, second to the Boston Celtics.
Quick Facts
- Rivalry nature
- NBA Finals
- Famous matchup year
- 1988 NBA Finals
Lore & Background
The Lakers franchise originated in 1947 as the Minneapolis Lakers after the Detroit Gems were purchased and relocated. The Gems, founded in 1946 in the NBL, were a separate entity and not the Lakers from inception. The Minneapolis Lakers won the 1948 NBL championship before joining the BAA, where they won the 1949 BAA championship. After the merger into the NBA in 1949, the Lakers won four of the next five NBA championships. They moved to Los Angeles before the 1960–61 season. The Lakers made the NBA Finals six times in the 1960s, losing each series to the Celtics. In 1972, led by Wilt Chamberlain and coach Bill Sharman, they won their sixth NBA title. After drafting Magic Johnson in 1979 and adding James Worthy in 1982, the franchise won five championships in nine years, including Finals matchups against the Celtics in 1984, 1985, and 1987. The Lakers lost to the Detroit Pistons in the 2004 Finals. They won championships in 2009 and 2010, and won their 17th championship in 2020.
Reader's Guide
The Lakers hold the record for NBA's longest winning streak, 33 straight games, set in 1971–72. 26 Hall of Famers have played for Los Angeles, while four have coached the team. Abdul-Jabbar, Johnson, O'Neal, and Bryant won a combined eight NBA MVP awards with the Lakers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who were the Los Angeles Lakers in relation to the Pistons?
They represented the glamorous Hollywood powerhouse that provided a stark contrast to Detroit's gritty Motor City identity during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Their Showtime offense served as the primary stylistic foil for the Bad Boys' defensive intensity.
What was the defining style clash between these two franchises?
The rivalry highlighted a battle between Los Angeles's offensive star power and Detroit's physical 'Jordan Rules' defense. This cultural conflict symbolized a fight for the soul of the NBA during that era.
How did their 1987 Finals matchup conclude?
The Lakers defeated the Pistons in the 1987 NBA Finals to claim the championship title before Detroit sought redemption later. This victory established Los Angeles as a formidable opponent for the rising Eastern Conference power.
When did these teams primarily compete for championships?
Their rivalry peaked during the late 1980s and early 1990s when both organizations were championship contenders. Although they met infrequently in the regular season, their Finals encounters remained historically significant.
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