Saturday, April 9, 2022

The Worst Team in Laker History Examined by a Fan for 60 Years

(Editor's note: Before I comment on this year's horrible season a little history is in order.)
When the Lakers came to Los Angeles in 1960, 
I was 10 years-old and thrilled.

They were from Minnesota and became the first West Coast basketball team.

They had future Hall of Famer, George Mikan (top photo), who was the most dominant center in the league at the time. Forward Jim Pollard and point guard Herm Schaefer (both future HOFers) also came to Los Angeles.

During the 1960 off- season the Lakers signed Jerry West from Virginia University. 

In their second season they got Elgin Baylor who set a new NBA scoring record of 71 points.

I remember how excited I was when the Lakers got Wilt Chamberlain in 1968.

It was the same year I graduated from high school. 

In 1974-75 the Lakers acquired Kareem Abdul Jabbar who had won three league MVPs by that time.

Under "Caps" leadership and famed skyhook, the Lakers won five championships.

                   Showtime 1979-1991

The Lakers drafted Magic Johnson, a 6-9 guard from Michigan State who turned the basketball court into Showtime and led the team to five championships.

He played 13 seasons and was honored as one of the 50 Greatest Players of the National Basketball League in 1996.

He appeared in nine NBA Finals, 12 All-Star games, and ten All-NBA First and Second Team nominations. His accomplishments are too numerous to show them all here.

               The Shaq and Kobe era

During the 1996 off-season, the Lakers signed free-agent Shaquille O'Neal and free agent 17-year- old Kobe Bryant from Lower Merion High School. 

They put together a Three-Peat of Championships (1999-2002.) The dynamic duo also won another championship in 2009.

Tragically Kobe Bryant was killed in a helicopter crash on January 26th, 2020. 

2018-2022 the LeBron era

The Lakers under LeBron James and Anthony Davis won a championship in 2020. The last two seasons were a disaster. The once proud Lakers didn't make the playoffs this year.


                About the 2022 Season

With two meaningless games left this season it's garbage time. The big three, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russel Westbrook (acquired this season in what turned out to be a major disappointment) are benched.

Like the season before, injuries played a major role in their loses. But it was more than that. There was no chemistry and coach Frank Vogel failed to ever build a decent defense.

Despite being biased, I have to be honest in my evaluation of this year's team. It was the WORST TEAM in Laker history.

That doesn't mean I'm giving up on them. They are a great team with 17 championships and next season they'll have an almost all new cast that can avenge this terrible season.

I'm a Laker fan through thick and thin and nothing is going to change that.

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