Lakers of Los Angeles:
The Los Angeles Lakers are a Los Angeles-based American basketball franchise. The Lakers are a member of the Western Conference Pacific Division of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Los Angeles Lakers share Crypto.com Arena with the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League, the Women’s National Basketball Association’s Los Angeles Sparks, and the Los Angeles Clippers of the NBA. The Lakers are one of the most successful teams in NBA history and have won 17 NBA championships, which ties them with the Boston Celtics for the most in league history.
The franchise was founded in 1947 after the Detroit Gems of the National Basketball League were acquired (NBL). The new group adopted the name Minneapolis Lakers and started competing in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Lakers, who were formerly NBL players, won the NBL title in 1948 before switching to the rival Basketball Association of America, where they went on to win five of the following six titles behind star player George Mikan. They moved to Los Angeles before the 1960–61 season after having financial difficulties in the late 1950s after Mikan’s retirement.
Image source: The new york times
Anthony Davis and LeBron James Commit to Lakers’ Bright Future
The NBA champions upgraded other areas of their roster before signing their two most crucial players to new or extended contracts on consecutive days By signing new contracts on consecutive days this week with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the Los Angeles Lakers have ensured their two most crucial players’ long-term futures. Davis and the Lakers reached an agreement on a five-year deal with a $190 million cap, according to Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, who represents both Davis and James. According to Paul, James and the Lakers reached a two-year, $86 million deal agreement on Wednesday Davis, 27, became an unrestricted free agent after helping the Lakers win the franchise’s 17th championship in October, but he did not negotiate with any other team. After taking some time to consider a variety of contract lengths, Davis accepted the longest deal he could with Los Angeles. It includes a player option that grants him the right to return to free agency after the 2023-24 season.
James, who will turn 36 later this month, also signed the longest contract he could without violating the NBA’s over-38 rule, which prohibits older players from entering into multiyear contracts. He had a player option for the 2021–2022 season, but the Lakers have extended his contract to include the entire 2022–2023 season. This is the first contract extension he has signed with his current team since he extended his deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2006, the team that selected him After much of the league’s offseason activity had been concluded and after James’ extension, Davis decided to finalize the agreement. The conclusion of a successful few weeks for the Lakers following their championship season in the N.B.A. bubble at Walt Disney World near Orlando, Florida, was convincing him to sign a maximum-length contract rather than a shorter-team deal that would have allowed him to return to free agency more quickly.
The addition of the defensive guru Wesley Matthews, the accomplished frontcourt pair of Montrezl Harrell and Marc Gasol, and the high-scoring guard Dennis Schroder via trade all seem to have significantly improved the Lakers’ squad. In order to offset the departures of Rajon Rondo, Danny Green, Avery Bradley, and Dwight Howard, they also succeeded in re-signing a few important players, including Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Markieff Morris, and Jared Dudley James’ first season in Los Angeles, in 2018–19, drew a lot of criticism for the Lakers’ owner Jeanie Buss and general manager Rob Pelinka. The Lakers then went a franchise-record six seasons without making the playoffs. In April 2019, Magic Johnson abruptly resigned from his position as team president, and the Lakers’ efforts to appoint Tyronn Lue as their head coach failed. However, Buss and Pelinka quickly bounced back, beginning with the appointment of Frank Vogel as coach and the deal with New Orleans in June 2019 to acquire Davis.
Image source : The new york times
The Lakers will begin the season as the league’s undisputed favorites to win it all, and they will hold their first group practice of the new year on Sunday. After the Los Angeles Clippers’ high-profile signings of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, the Lakers were not even the preseason favorites in their own city.
In the playoffs of the previous year, Davis improved on his outstanding regular season, which saw him place second to Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo in the voting for the league’s defensive player of the year, averaging 27.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.4 blocks, and 1.2 steals The franchise was founded in 1947 after the Detroit Gems of the National Basketball League were acquired (NBL). The new group adopted the name Minneapolis Lakers and started competing in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Lakers, who were formerly NBL players, won the NBL title in 1948 before switching to the rival Basketball Association of America, where they went on to win five of the following six titles behind star player George Mikan. They moved to Los Angeles before the 1960–61 season after having financial difficulties in the late 1950s after Mikan’s retirement.
Los Angeles reached the NBA Finals six times in the 1960s under the leadership of Hall of Famers Elgin Baylor and Jerry West, but each time they fell to the Celtics, sparking the start of their enduring rivalry. The Lakers acquired four-time NBA MVP Wilt Chamberlain in 1968, and under the guidance of new head coach Bill Sharman, they won their sixth NBA championship—their first in Los Angeles—in 1972. The franchise traded for superstar Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who would win three MVP awards as a Laker, after West and Chamberlain announced their retirement. Although the team was unable to reach the Finals in the late 1970s, two significant events occurred in 1979 that would usher in a new.
Why did LA keep the name Lakers?
A picture of Lakers
In order to honor Minnesota’s moniker as the “Land of 10,000 Lakes,” the team moved to Minneapolis in 1947, and its name was changed to the Lakers. The same year, the Lakers acquired George Mikan, the first of many outstanding Laker centers and the first dominant “big man” in professional basketball.
Why are the Lakers so favored?
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The LA Lakers have a very great resume, which may be why they are so well-liked. Together with the Boston Celtics, the franchise has shared a record-equaling 17 NBA Championships in its history. Additionally, the Lakers have made 32 appearances in the NBA Finals, more than any other franchise.
The Lakers had two superstars to support their roster in Johnson and Abdul-Jabbar, who was a powerful center and a passing prodigy. The Lakers were an NBA superpower for the entire 1980s thanks to the ascension of head coach Pat Riley in 1981 and the selection of forward James Worthy in the 1982 NBA Draft. Because Johnson enabled the team’s fast break and transition offense, they were dubbed the “Showtime Lakers.” In a nine-year period, the team won five titles, including two out of three important Finals matches versus the Celtics. In the 1984 Finals, the Lakers lost to their bitter rivals from Boston, the Celtics, but won in 1985 and 1987.The Lakers had two superstars to support their roster in Johnson and Abdul-Jabbar, who was a powerful center and a passing prodigy. The Lakers were an NBA superpower for the entire 1980s thanks to the ascension of head coach Pat Riley in 1981 and the selection of forward James Worthy in the 1982 NBA Draft. Because Johnson enabled the team’s fast break and transition offense, they were dubbed the “Showtime Lakers.” In a nine-year period, the team won five titles, including two out of three important Finals matches versus the Celtics. In the 1984 Finals, the Lakers lost to their bitter rivals from Boston, the Celtics, but won in 1985 and 1987.
Jackson retired from coaching in 2011, and the Lakers went through their worst postseason drought in franchise history as a result of a succession of turbulent playoff exits. After 20 years as a Laker, Bryant retired in 2016, and Gasol left as a free agent in 2014. The Lakers signed superstar LeBron James in 2018 after several seasons of rebuilding with youthful, highly regarded prospects. In order to acquire star big man Anthony Davis in 2019, the franchise exchanged a number of their prospects. The Lakers won their 17th championship in 2020, tying the Celtics for the most championships in NBA history under the leadership of James, Davis, and head coach Frank Vogel With 33 games in a row, the Lakers set the NBA record for the longest winning run in 1971–1972 26 Hall of Famers have participated in games The Lakers won 11 fewer games in the regular season the following year, but they defeated Portland, Sacramento, and San Antonio in the first three rounds of the playoffs In the NBA Finals, they ran into Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers. The Lakers won the next four games to claim their second consecutive championship despite the Sixers winning game one in OT. They have the best postseason record in NBA history with a 15-1 record In 2001–02, the Lakers were 58–2 winners. They won four games to one against San Antonio in the playoffs, swept Portland, and qualified for the Western Conference Finals to play Sacramento. [175] The showdown would go down in NBA history as one of the best playoff series. All seven games of the series were played, and the Lakers won it. [176] Bryant scored 30 points in game one, which the Lakers won 106-99. The Kings would then win the following two games to turn the series in their favor. In game 4, the Lakers were down a point and had the ball with little under 20 seconds remaining. Bryant and O’Neal missed, and Kings center Vlade Divac tapped the ball away from the rim after their misses.
In an effort to stop the clock. With just three seconds left, Robert Horry sank the game-winning three-pointer after it fell into his hands. The Lakers had a must-win game six after the Kings won game five on a buzzer-beater by Mike Bibby. The Lakers would prevail by four points in one of the most contentious playoff games in league history (Tim Donaghy’s betting scandal).The Kings missed multiple free throws and shots that may have won them the game for them in game seven, which the Lakers eventually won in overtime. After defeating Jason Kidd and the New Jersey Nets in straight games in the NBA Finals, the Lakers completed a hat trick. O’Neal was the only player besides Michael Jordan to win the MVP award in each of the Finals series.
The following year, the Lakers would try to complete a four-peat, but they got off to a rough start in 2002–03. But they concluded the year with a 39-13 record to finish 50-32.The four-peat attempt came to an end as they were eliminated by San Antonio in six games in the second round of the playoffs after defeating Minnesota in the first round. The squad received extensive media attention during the 2003–04 season as a result of the pairing of four stars and Kobe Bryant’s sexual assault case LeBron James and the Lakers agreed to a four-year, $154 million contract on July 9, 2018. The Lakers were six games above.500 by the Christmas Day game when James suffered a groin ailment that caused him to miss several weeks of action. Ball and Ingram both prematurely terminated their campaigns due to injuries. Zubac and Michael Beasley were dealt to the Los Angeles Clippers on February 7, 2019, along with Mike Muscala The Lakers fired head coach Walton two days after Johnson resigned as the organization’s president of basketball operations on April 9, 2019,[270] after the team missed the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season.
Post-Jackson era, 2011 to 2016
On May 25, 2011, Mike Brown, a former head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, was appointed following Jackson’s resignation.
After Lamar Odom asked to be traded, the Lakers traded him to the Dallas Mavericks before the 2011–12 season was cut short. Long-time Laker Derek Fisher and a first-round draft pick were sold to the Houston Rockets for Jordan Hill at the trade deadline. The Lakers had a 41-25 regular season record and were the third seed going into the playoffs. They beat the Denver Nuggets in the first round in seven games, but the Oklahoma City Thunder eliminated them in the second round in five games.