LA Lakers Playoff History

Los Angeles Lakers Playoffs: 1940s

Originally part of the National Basketball League, the Los Angeles Lakers (formerly the Detroit Gems and then the Minneapolis Lakers) were founded in 1946 and have since become an NBA force to be reckoned with. The Minneapolis Lakers won the NBL Championship in 1948 before joining the Basketball Association of America where they won the BAA Championship in 1949. Later that year, the NBL and the BAA merged to become the National Basketball Association.

Los Angeles Lakers Playoffs: 1950s

The Minneapolis Lakers went to the playoffs every year during the 1950s. The Lakers were one of the more dominant teams in the fledgling NBA at the time. During the ‘50s, the Los Angeles Lakers were hailed as the NBA’s first “dynasty” because of the six championships they won in five years. The Lakers had hall of famers George Mikan, Vern Mikkelson, Joe Pollard, Slater Martin, and Clyde Lovellette leading the LA Lakers to playoff championships five times during that decade.

Los Angeles Lakers Playoffs: 1960s

In 1960, the Minneapolis Lakers relocated to Los Angeles, California, and officially became the Los Angeles Lakers. The Los Angeles Lakers featured Hall of Famers Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Gail Goodrich, and Wilt Chamberlain, who helped lead the LA Lakers to the NBA Finals eight times. However, the Los Angeles Lakers suffered losses to the Boston Celtics in six of those eight seasons. There would be no championship title for the Los Angeles Lakers during this decade.

Los Angeles Lakers Playoffs: 1970s

Under the direction of Coach Bill Sharman, the LA Lakers were able to string together a record-33 game winning streak and secure their first championship title in Los Angeles. The evening after the legendary Elgin Baylor retired in 1972 the LA Lakers would win the first of a 33-game winning streak, which remains the longest winning streak set by any professional American sport. However the following year the LA Lakers would lose to the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals. The Los Angeles Lakers spent the rest of the 70s licking old wounds and trying to rebuild their victorious empire.

Los Angeles Lakers Playoffs: 1980s

The LA Lakers made up for their misgivings in the ‘70s by winning the NBA Finals in 1980. The Los Angeles Lakers made it to the NBA Finals the following year but to everyone’s surprise fell to the Houston Rockets in the first round. The see-saw relationship the LA Lakers had with the NBA Finals was in full swing as the Los Angeles Lakers came back in the 1981-82 season and beat Philadelphia to win the championship. After a series of disappointing losses, the LA Lakers would return in the 1984-85 to begin what would be known as the Lakers “Showtime” era. The Los Angeles Lakers would defeat the Boston Celtics with the help of multiple MVP-award-winner Kareem Abdul Jabbar. The LA Lakers would go on to win two more championships before the end of the decade. In the 1988 season the Detroit Pistons would thwart the Los Angeles Lakers’ three-peat” and end the “Showtime” era after injuries to Magic Johnson and Byron Scott.

Los Angeles Lakers Playoffs: 1990s

The LA Lakers’ “Showtime” era came to a close as the 1991-92 Lakers struggled to maintain a cohesive unit in the face of numerous injuries and various retirements. In 1996, Jerry West pulled off one of the most important and lucrative signings in the history of the NBA, landing free agent Shaquille O’Neal and 18-year-old draft pick Kobe Bryant. Jerry West also traded Cedric Ceballos to the Phoenix Suns for Robert Horry. However, the LA Lakers were unable to shirk the efforts of the Utah Jazz and their one-two punch, Karl Malone and John Stockton. Although the LA Lakers made it to the NBA Finals almost every year in the ‘90s, they were only able to win one championship in the 1999-2000 season against the Indiana Pacers, marking the Los Angeles Lakers’ first title since 1988.

Los Angeles Lakers Playoffs: 2000s

After a morale-crushing decade in the ‘90s, the LA Lakers returned to glory due in part to a new coach, Phil Jackson, and a new game strategy called the triple offense. The changes proved fertile ground as the LA Lakers became the first team in NBA history to string together three double-digit winning streaks in one season. The Los Angeles Lakers would accomplish their long-awaited title “three-peat” from 2000 to 2002 against the Indiana Pacers, Philadelphia 76ers, and New Jersey Nets. However, the San Antonio Spurs rejected the Los Angeles Lakers’ advances on a fourth consecutive NBA Championship. The following years would bring many disappointments and the Los Angeles Lakers struggled to maintain their balance.

Los Angeles Lakers Playoffs: 2008

The Los Angeles Lakers started off the 2007-08 season surprisingly well considering the controversy surrounding Kobe Bryant and trade rumors. Overall the LA Lakers have qualified for the playoffs 55 times during their 60-season franchise history. The LA Lakers have won 14 NBA Championships and 27 division titles and are hoping for a 15th championship in the 2008 NBA playoffs.