Los Angeles Lakers

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Lore & Background

The 2023–24 season marked a year of dramatic swings for the Lakers. Before the season, LeBron James announced he would switch his jersey number back to #23 after wearing #6 the previous two seasons. On August 24, 2023, the Lakers announced a statue of Kobe Bryant would be unveiled in front of Crypto.com Arena on February 8, 2024. The team dominated the inaugural In-Season Tournament, going 7–0 and winning the NBA Cup on December 9 by defeating the Indiana Pacers. They improved to the 4th seed in the Western Conference with a 14–9 record after the tournament run. However, they struggled immediately after, falling to 17–19 in January and the 9th seed. Despite this, the Lakers finished the season 47–35, with a record of 23–10 since February 1. They moved up to the 8th seed, qualified for the Play-In Tournament for the second consecutive year, and defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 110–106 to reach the playoffs for a second straight year. The Lakers played the defending champion Denver Nuggets in the first round, a rematch of the previous year's Western Conference Finals. The Nuggets won the series 4–1, which included two Jamal Murray game-winning shots in Games 2 and 5. This was the first time the Lakers lost in the first round since 2021 and the second time James lost in the first round in his career. On May 3, 2024, the Lakers fired their entire coaching staff, including head coach Darvin Ham and assistant coach Phil Handy.

In Their Own Story

The Lakers entered the season with a new number for LeBron James and a statue of Kobe Bryant on the way. They made history by winning the inaugural NBA Cup, going a perfect 7–0 in the In-Season Tournament and defeating the Indiana Pacers on December 9. The team hit a rough patch after the tournament, falling to 17–19 in January and the 9th seed. But they rallied, going 23–10 from February 1 to finish 47–35 and climb to the 8th seed. In the Play-In Tournament, they beat the New Orleans Pelicans 110–106 to reach the playoffs for the second straight year. The first-round matchup was a rematch with the defending champion Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets won the series 4–1, with Jamal Murray hitting game-winning shots in Games 2 and 5. On May 3, 2024, the Lakers fired head coach Darvin Ham and assistant coach Phil Handy.

Reader's Guide

The Lakers drew an average home attendance of 18,903 in 42 home games in the 2023-24 NBA season. The team held the 17th overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft, along with the 47th pick. On draft day, in a four-team trade, they traded their 47th pick and cash considerations to the Indiana Pacers for the 40th pick. During the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament, the Lakers defeated the Phoenix Suns 122–119, then beat the Memphis Grizzlies, Portland Trail Blazers, and Utah Jazz by at least 12 points each. They advanced into the knockout rounds with the best point differential of the entire event at +74 in the Western Conference. They then faced the Suns again at home before going to Las Vegas for a semifinal against the New Orleans Pelicans and the championship match against the Indiana Pacers. The team held a perfect 7–0 record in the tournament and won the inaugural NBA Cup on December 9.

Did You Know?

• The Lakers won the inaugural NBA Cup on December 9, 2023, defeating the Indiana Pacers.
• LeBron James switched his jersey number back to #23 before the season after wearing #6 the previous two seasons.
• The Lakers fired head coach Darvin Ham and assistant coach Phil Handy on May 3, 2024.
• The Lakers drew an average home attendance of 18,903 in 42 home games.
• The Lakers held a perfect 7–0 record in the In-Season Tournament.