 |
Record
Wins: 65
Losses: 17 Win PCT: 0.793 Playoffs: Won NBA Finals (4-2) over Boston Celtics |
|
Stat Leaders
Points: Magic Johnson (23.86 PPG)
Assists: Magic Johnson (12.21 APG) Rebounds: A.C. Green (7.78 RPG) |
Since transitioning to Los Angeles back in 1960, Lakerland has won 11 championships.
Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal. The “Zen Master” Phil Jackson and Pau Gasol. Pat Riley, Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar…let’s just agree that the Lakers franchise has had no shortage of star power. But how do you narrow down a “best” team for a franchise with the most impressive resume in the sport?
Well,
picking a Lakers team that didn’t include Magic and Kareem would be a
mistake. Even according to Bill Simmons—a Celtics fan and noted Lakers
hater—those two guys are in the top four of best players ever, as he
writes in
The Book of Basketball
.
If we’re targeting a Lakers team that had those two playing together at (or near) the peak of their abilities, while also racking up a dominant regular season record and capping things off by ousting a formidable opponent in the NBA Finals, the answer is the 1986-87 Lakers.
That roster went 65-17 with Magic and Kareem leading the
way. James Worthy acted as a dominant third wheel (19.4 points per
game), while worthy contributions from Byron Scott, A.C. Green, Michael
Cooper and others aided the cause. They faced off against Larry Bird,
Dennis Johnson, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish and the defending champion
Celtics that year, but dispatched them in six games. All told, that’s an
incredible season.
If we’re targeting a Lakers team that had those two playing together at (or near) the peak of their abilities, while also racking up a dominant regular season record and capping things off by ousting a formidable opponent in the NBA Finals, the answer is the 1986-87 Lakers.
No comments:
Post a Comment