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170-651: As executive: Jerry Alan West (May 28, 1938 – June 12, 2024) was an American basketball player and executive. He played professionally for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA), and is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. His nicknames included " the Logo ", in reference to his silhouette being the basis for the NBA logo; " Mr. Clutch ", for his ability to make
340-480: A 112–109 loss. As the game ended, veteran Celtics playmaker Bob Cousy threw the ball high into the rafters of the L.A. Sports Arena. In the following 1963–64 NBA season , West became the Lakers' scoring leader for the first time. His 28.7 points per game eclipsed the 25.4 by Baylor, who stated that he suffered from knee problems. The Lakers struggled during the entire season, winning only 42 games, and were beaten by
510-737: A 134 season-assists, 16.5 rebounds per game, and a shooting average of 50.4% from the field, 76.6% from the free throw line. He was honored again with several awards: a call-up to the All-America selection, and being voted Southern Conference MVP. West's best performance was a game against Virginia , in which he grabbed 16 rebounds and scored 40 points. Moreover, during that final year, he had 30 double-doubles and fifteen 30-point games. In his collegiate career, West totaled 2,309 points and 1,240 rebounds. He averaged 24.8 points per game and 13.3 rebounds. As of 2011, West holds 12 WVU all-time records. West and Oscar Robertson co-captained
680-423: A Laker, Chamberlain set a team record by averaging a league-leading 21.1 rpg. West, Baylor, and Chamberlain each averaged over 20 points, and Los Angeles won their division. The Lakers and Celtics again met in the finals , and Los Angeles had home court advantage against Boston for the first time in their rivalry. They won the first game behind Jerry West's 53 points, and had a 3–2 lead after five. Boston won
850-542: A big loss, the Wests would drive home and she would try to console him, but West would say "get out" at the home porch and drive away—an experience that "killed" her as a wife. Early in his career, West's West Virginian roots made him a target for some mild jeering. He spoke with a high-pitched voice that became even shriller when he became excited so that Lakers captain Elgin Baylor dubbed West "Tweety Bird". His Appalachian accent
1020-576: A big play in a key situation such as his famous buzzer-beating 60-foot shot that tied Game 3 of the 1970 NBA Finals against the New York Knicks ; " Mr. Outside ", in reference to his perimeter play with the Lakers and " Zeke from Cabin Creek " for the creek near his birthplace of Chelyan, West Virginia . West played college basketball for the West Virginia Mountaineers , leading them to
1190-429: A book about the team's 2003–04 season, in which he heavily criticized Bryant and called him "uncoachable". The Lakers front office said that the book contained "several inaccuracies". The Lakers also traded Rick Fox and Gary Payton to Boston, for Chris Mihm , Marcus Banks , and Chucky Atkins before the 2004–05 season . Derek Fisher, frustrated with losing playing time, opted out of his contract and signed with
1360-464: A buzzer-beater by Mike Bibby , the Lakers were faced with a must-win game six. In one of the most controversial playoff games in league history ( Tim Donaghy 's betting scandal ), the Lakers would win by four points. The Lakers went on to win game seven in overtime, with the Kings missing numerous potentially game-saving shots and free throws. The Lakers then achieved a three-peat by sweeping Jason Kidd and
1530-508: A career-high 63 points in a 129–121 win over the New York Knicks. West became known especially for hitting important late-game shots, and Lakers' announcer Chick Hearn named him "Mr. Clutch" a handle which stuck with West for his entire career. The Lakers won 54 regular-season games and secured a first-round bye in the 1962 NBA Playoffs . They beat the Pistons four games to two to advance to
1700-406: A career-threatening knee injury. West spectacularly took over Baylor's leading role, as he scored 49 points and willed the shocked Lakers to the win. In Game 2, Baltimore was unable to stop the Lakers guard, who scored 52 points, nearly half of L.A.'s total, in the 118–115 win. The Bullets took their two home games, despite West scoring 44 and 48 points respectively, but in the decisive Game 5 in L.A.,
1870-561: A disappointing season, winning only 36 games and getting swept by the San Francisco Warriors in the first round of the 1967 NBA Playoffs . Veteran coach Fred Schaus retired, and Butch Van Breda Kolff took over; under his reign, the Lakers won 52 games in the 1967–68 NBA season in their first season in The Forum . The 52 wins were accumulated despite West playing only 51 regular season games due to injury and scoring 26.3 points,
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#17328907213092040-491: A double-digit lead and reeling off an easy win, the Lakers committed 19 second-half turnovers, and the two main scorers Chamberlain and West shot the ball only three and two times, respectively, in the entire second half and lost 107–100 in what was called one of the greatest comebacks in NBA Finals history. After Chamberlain scored 45 points and West 31 points plus 13 assists in a series-equalizing 135–113 Lakers win,
2210-587: A first-round loss to the Rockets , Johnson decided to retire for the final time after the season. During the 1996 off-season, the Lakers acquired 17-year-old Kobe Bryant from the Charlotte Hornets for Vlade Divac ; Bryant was drafted 13th overall out of Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania in that year's draft , by Charlotte. Los Angeles also signed free-agent Shaquille O'Neal . Trading for Bryant
2380-576: A game, but in Games 4 and 5, the Lakers were beaten by double digits; in the last quarter of Game 5, West missed 14 of 15 shots and could not prevent yet another Celtics win. Still, the Lakers guard finished the playoffs with 40.6 points per game. In the 1965–66 NBA season , West averaged a career-best 31.3 points, along with 7.1 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game. He made an NBA record 840 free throws, and earned yet another pair of All-Star Team and All-NBA First Team nominations. Winning 45 games,
2550-544: A general manager and consultant. West was the first person to be enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame as a player and a contributor. The NBA logo, which was designed in 1969, incorporates a silhouette based on a photograph of West, according to its designer Alan Siegel . In March 2008, ESPN voted West the third greatest shooting guard of all time. In 2022, to commemorate the NBA's 75th Anniversary The Athletic ranked their top 75 players of all time, and named West as
2720-572: A knee injury. O'Neal averaged 26.2 ppg and 12.5 rpg and finished third in the league in blocked shots (2.88 bpg) in 51 games. The Lakers defeated the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of the playoffs as O'Neal scored 46 points in Game ;1 against the Trail Blazers, marking the highest single-game playoff scoring output by a Laker since Jerry West scored 53 against
2890-606: A league-low 19 games. They had hired Mikan, who had been the team's general manager for the previous two seasons, as head coach to replace Kundla. Mikan was fired in January when the team was 9–30, and Kundla was rehired. The Lakers earned the top pick in the 1958 NBA draft and used it to select Elgin Baylor . Baylor, who was named NBA Rookie of the Year and co-MVP of the 1959 NBA All-Star Game , averaged 24.9 ppg and 15.0 rpg helping
3060-494: A loss harder than any player I've ever known. He would sit by himself and stare into space. A loss just ripped his guts out." Even before his sole championship in 1972, the Lakers held a "Jerry West Night", and eleven-time NBA champion and perennial rival Bill Russell appeared and said: "Jerry, you are, in every sense of the word, truly a champion... If I could have one wish granted, it would be that you would always be happy." In 2011, West and bestselling author Jonathan Coleman wrote
3230-554: A memoir entitled West by West: My Charmed, Tormented Life . The book had tremendous critical acclaim and became an instant New York Times bestseller . During an interview on HBO 's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel , West revealed that as a child he was the victim of physical abuse from his father and has suffered from depression ever since. Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles . The Lakers compete in
3400-448: A mid-range jump shot with three seconds left to put the Knicks ahead 102–100, and the Lakers had no time-outs left. Chamberlain inbounded the ball to West, who raced past Walt Frazier and threw up a 60-foot shot. Frazier later commented: "The man's crazy. He looks determined. He thinks it's going in!" West incredibly connected, and this basket was later called one of the greatest moments ever by
3570-583: A multitude of honors, among them an All-American Third Team call-up, First Team All- Southern Conference , Southern Conference Tournament Most Valuable Player Award and First Team honors, Chuck Taylor – Converse Second-team All-American honors, and Associated Press and United Press International Third-team All-America honors. The Mountaineers went 26–2 that year, ending the season with a loss to Manhattan College in postseason tournament play. During his junior year ( 1958–59 ), West scored 26.6 points per game and grabbed 12.3 rebounds per game. He tied
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#17328907213093740-593: A potential game-winning 18 foot jump shot in regulation, a miss which he said in June 2010 still haunted him more than 40 years later. Los Angeles won 53 games in 1962–63 , behind Baylor's 34.0 ppg and West's 27.1 ppg but lost in the NBA Finals in six games to the Celtics. After falling to 42–38 and losing in the first round of the 1964 NBA playoffs to the Hawks, the team won 49 games in 1964–65. The Lakers surged past
3910-437: A rebound. The team's starting power forward, Kermit Washington , who was averaging 11.5 points and 11.2 rebounds, entered the fight, and when Rudy Tomjanovich ran in from the bench to break up the action, Washington punched him in the face. Tomjanovich nearly died from the punch, suffering a fractured skull and other facial injuries, which prematurely ended his playing career. Washington, who stated that he assumed Tomjanovich
4080-464: A record for longest winning streak of any team in major American professional team sports. The Lakers won 69 games that season, which stood as the NBA record for 24 years until the Chicago Bulls won 72 games in 1995–96. Chamberlain averaged a low 14.8 points but led the league in rebounding at 19.2 a game. West's 9.7 assists per game (apg) led the league, he also averaged more than 25 points, and
4250-466: A season. The football team won several state championships. A historical marker commemorates the school's history. The yearbook was called the Kanawahan. Alumnus Don Stamper helped build a half-court basketball court on the site of the school. 38°13′00″N 81°26′31″W / 38.2166°N 81.4420°W / 38.2166; -81.4420 This West Virginia school-related article
4420-560: A state championship on March 24 that year, prompting East Bank High School to change its name to "West Bank High School" every year on March 24 in honor of their basketball prodigy. This practice remained in effect until the school closed in 1999. West graduated from East Bank High School in 1956, and more than 60 universities showed interest in him. He eventually chose to stay in his home state and attend West Virginia University (WVU), located in Morgantown . In his freshman year (1956–57), West
4590-519: A superb outing from Wilt Chamberlain, West scored 23 points and dished out 9 assists in Game 5, helping the Lakers to win the game and the NBA championship. The championship was West's first-ever NBA title. West conceded that he had played a terrible series and credited the team for the success. Years later he said "I played terrible basketball in the Finals, and we won... It was particularly frustrating because I
4760-461: A trade to either New York or Los Angeles. He was traded for Elmore Smith , Brian Winters , Junior Bridgeman , and Dave Meyers . Abdul-Jabbar had his fourth MVP season in 1975–76 , leading the league in rebounding, blocked shots, and minutes played. The Lakers struggled in January, going 3–10, and finished out of the playoffs at 40–42. West and Cooke settled their differences—and the former Laker's lawsuit—and Cooke hired him to replace Sharman as
4930-435: A winning franchise that has not experienced much success. I want to help make a difference." West's Memphis stint was not as spectacular as his Los Angeles stint, but he turned a franchise which was about to be sold into a reliable playoffs team, making few trades but getting the maximum from the players he had available (such as Pau Gasol , James Posey , and Jason Williams ) and signing coach Hubie Brown , who became Coach of
5100-440: A word. Apart from being shy, West was always restless: Schaus described him as a "bundle of nerves", Celtics contemporary Bob Cousy said West "was always on the move", and fellow Laker and Mountaineer Rod Hundley testified that during bar visits, West would quickly squirm and demand to go elsewhere before everybody else had settled. His first wife Martha Kane recalled that her husband often had difficulties opening up to her. After
5270-852: Is maybe best expressed in his statistically most spectacular game: he once was credited with 44 points (16 of 17 shots from the field, 12 of 12 free throw attempts) with 12 rebounds, 12 assists, and (unofficially counted) 10 blocked shots, thus scoring a non-official ultra-rare quadruple double . He commented: "Defensively, from a team standpoint, I didn't feel I played very well. Very rarely was I satisfied with how I played." West ended his playing career with 14 All-Star, 12 All-NBA Team and five All-Defensive Team selections, and scored 25,192 points, 6,238 assists and 5,366 rebounds in 932 games, translating to an average of 27.0 points, 6.7 assists and 5.8 rebounds per game. Among retired players, only Michael Jordan , Elgin Baylor and Wilt Chamberlain surpass his 27.0 points per game average. He led
Jerry West - Misplaced Pages Continue
5440-559: The 1959 NCAA championship game . He earned the NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player honor despite the loss in the championship. He then embarked on a 14-year career with the Lakers and was the co-captain of the 1960 U.S. Olympic gold medal team , a squad that was inducted as a unit into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. West's NBA career was highly successful. Playing
5610-557: The 1962 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics . The teams split the first two games, and at the end of Game 3 in Los Angeles, West tied the game at 115. The Celtics' Sam Jones inbounded the ball at half-court with three seconds left. West stole the ball, raced up court, and converted a running layup as the buzzer sounded. The Celtics tied the series in Game 6 at three games apiece, and the teams headed to Boston for Game 7. For most of
5780-529: The 1962–63 NBA season , Baylor was back full-time. West averaged 27.8 points, 7 rebounds and 5.6 assists and was again NBA All-Star and All-NBA First-Team. He played only 55 regular-season games, missing the last seven weeks due to a hamstring injury. Again, the Lakers reached the Finals , and again, they battled the Celtics. With West not yet in shape, Baylor and the Lakers fell back 3–2; then they succumbed in Game 6 in front of their home crowd with
5950-533: The 1972–73 season , and took another Pacific Division title. Wilt Chamberlain, playing in his final season, again led the league in rebounding and set the NBA record for field-goal percentage at 72.7% which stood for several decades. The team defeated the Chicago Bulls in seven games in the conference semifinals, then the Golden State Warriors in five in the Western Division Finals. They played
6120-452: The 1973 NBA Finals against the New York Knicks. In-Game 1 West scored 24 points before fouling out with three minutes left and L.A. won Game 1 115–112. The Knicks took Games 2 and 3, and West strained both of his hamstrings: in Game 4, the shorthanded Lakers were no match for New York, and in Game 5, the valiant, but injured West and Hairston had miserable games, and despite Chamberlain scoring 23 points and grabbing 21 rebounds,
6290-568: The 1976–77 season , West became coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. In three years, he led the Lakers and star center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to a 145–101 record, making the playoffs all three seasons and reaching the Western Conference finals in 1977. After his coaching stint, West worked as a scout for three years before becoming general manager of the Lakers before the 1982–83 season , when he succeeded Bill Sharman . West helped to build
6460-522: The 1979 NBA draft . The combination of Johnson, a prodigy point guard , and dominant center in Abdul-Jabbar provided the Lakers with superstars to anchor their roster. The promotion of head coach Pat Riley in 1981 and addition of forward James Worthy through the 1982 draft established the Lakers as an NBA powerhouse throughout the 1980s. The franchise won five championships in a nine-year span, including two out of three marquee Finals matchups against
6630-472: The 1986–87 season , the Lakers moved A.C. Green into the starting lineup, and acquired Mychal Thompson from the Spurs. Johnson won his first career MVP Award while leading the Lakers to a 65–17 record, and Michael Cooper was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year. Before the season, Riley had made the decision to shift the focus of the offense to Johnson over the 40-year-old Abdul-Jabbar. The Lakers advanced to
6800-404: The 1993–94 season , Pfund was fired during the season that would result in the Lakers failing to make the playoffs for the first time since 1976. Magic Johnson, would coach the final 16 games of the season with former teammate Michael Cooper as his lead assistant. Johnson decided not to take the job permanently due to what he felt was a lack of commitment from certain players, and Los Angeles ended
6970-461: The Baltimore Bullets in the division finals, behind West's record-setting 46.3 ppg in the series. They lost again to the Celtics in the Finals however, this time in five games. Los Angeles lost in the finals to Boston in seven games again in 1966, this time by two points. Down by 16 entering the fourth quarter, and 10 with a minute and a half to go, the Lakers mounted a furious rally in
Jerry West - Misplaced Pages Continue
7140-553: The Detroit Pistons but then lost to the St. Louis Hawks in seven games, losing the final game 105–103. In the 1961–62 NBA season , Baylor was called up by the U.S. Army Reserves and could play only 48 games. West took over the role of team leader and established himself as the main Lakers scorer, averaging 30.8 points, 7.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game, winning All-NBA First Team honors. On January 17, 1962, West scored
7310-466: The Golden State Warriors later achieved this feat in 2022 . In the 1985–86 season , the Lakers started 24–3 and went on to win 62 games and their fifth straight division title. The Rockets , however, defeated the Lakers in five games in the Western Conference Finals . Houston won the series when Ralph Sampson hit a 20-foot jumper as time expired in game five at The Forum. Prior to
7480-414: The Golden State Warriors , and married professional golfer Michelle Wie in 2019. West was often described as an introverted and nervous character, but he also drew the highest praise for his uncompromising work ethic. Regarding his shyness, WVU roommate Jody Gardner testified that West never dated in his entire freshman year, and Lakers coach Fred Schaus once recalled two weeks when his guard never said
7650-531: The Great Western Forum . Before the 1999–2000 season , West was prepared to hire Rambis as the team's full-time coach before an outcry from fans and members of the organization caused him to seek out a bigger name. Los Angeles hired former Chicago Bulls coach Phil Jackson , who had coached that team to six championships, and gave him a lucrative $ 6 million a year contract. He brought along assistant Tex Winter and they installed Winter's version of
7820-626: The Korean War , and the grief turned him into a shy and introverted boy. Growing up, West spent his days hunting and fishing, but his main activity was shooting at a basketball hoop that a neighbor had nailed to his storage shed. West spent days shooting baskets from every possible angle, ignoring mud and snow in the backyard, as well as his mother's whippings when he came home hours late for dinner. West attended East Bank High School in East Bank, West Virginia , from 1952 to 1956. During his first year, West
7990-524: The Los Angeles Clippers as an executive board member and consultant. Clippers coach, Doc Rivers, floated the idea of West joining the organization during the 2016 season. West referred to leaving Golden State as "one of the saddest days of his life", but was excited to find a new challenge. On December 17, 2020, it was reported that West and the Los Angeles Clippers were under investigation by
8160-604: The NBA Executive of the Year Award twice: once as a Lakers manager (1995) and then as a Grizzlies manager (2004). He won two more NBA titles as a consultant with the Golden State Warriors (2015, 2017). In 2024, he was inducted to the Hall of Fame as a contributor to the sport as an executive and consultant. West was born into a poor household in Chelyan, West Virginia , on May 28, 1938. He
8330-663: The NBA Finals by sweeping the Nuggets , defeating the Warriors in five games, and sweeping the SuperSonics in the Western Conference Finals . The Lakers defeated Boston in the first two games of the Finals, and the teams split the next four games, giving Los Angeles their second championship in three seasons. The series was highlighted by Johnson's running "baby hook" shot to win game four at Boston Garden with two seconds remaining. Johnson
8500-492: The NBA Finals in 10 years, they once again faced the Detroit Pistons . Hampered by injuries to Byron Scott and Johnson, the Lakers were swept by Detroit. Following the 1989 Finals, on June 28, 1989, after 20 professional seasons, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar announced his retirement. The Lakers still cruised through the Pacific Division, winning their ninth consecutive division crown with a 63–19 record. However, after beating
8670-496: The NBA Finals . In the Finals, they would lose to Detroit in five games. During the 2004 off-season, the team entered a rebuilding phase when O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat for Lamar Odom , Brian Grant , Caron Butler , and a first-round draft pick. Bryant and O'Neal had clashed in the past , and the media credited their feud as one of the motivating factors for the trade. Jackson did not return as head coach, and wrote
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#17328907213098840-467: The NCAA five-game tournament record of 160 points (32 points per game) and led all scorers and rebounders in every West Virginia game, including getting 28 points and 11 rebounds in a 71–70 loss to California in the final . West was named Most Outstanding Player of that year's Final Four . Further awards were All-America, Southern Conference Tournament MVP and Southern Conference Player of
9010-773: The National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference . The Lakers play their home games at Crypto.com Arena , an arena they share with the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association , and the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League . The Lakers are one of the most successful teams in the history of the NBA with 17 championships,
9180-469: The New Jersey Nets in the NBA Finals . O'Neal won each of the Finals series' MVP awards, making him the only player besides Michael Jordan to win three consecutive Finals MVPs. The Lakers would attempt a four-peat the following year, but started the 2002–03 season 11–19. However, they finished the season 39–13 to finish 50–32. They defeated Minnesota in the first round of the playoffs , but
9350-461: The Philadelphia 76ers to Los Angeles at the beginning of the 1968–69 NBA season . To get the center, the Lakers traded West's backcourt partner Archie Clark , starting center Darrall Imhoff and backup forward Jerry Chambers to Philadelphia. Coach Van Breda Kolff was concerned about the drain at the guard positions after losing Clark, and especially after losing Goodrich in the expansion draft to
9520-462: The Phoenix Suns in seven games and swept the Hawks in four, setting up the first NBA Finals between the Lakers and the rugged New York Knicks , led by Hall-of-Famers, such as Willis Reed , Dave DeBusschere , Bill Bradley , and Walt Frazier . L.A. and N.Y. split the first two games, with both games respectively decided by centers Reed and the still-hobbling Chamberlain. In Game 3, DeBusschere hit
9690-532: The Phoenix Suns . He only had diminutive, defensively weak Johnny Egan left next to West. While West himself got on well with his new teammate, Chamberlain often argued with team captain Elgin Baylor and had a poor relationship with Van Breda Kolff . Van Breda Kolff pejoratively called Chamberlain "The Load", and later complained that Chamberlain was egotistical, never respected him, too often slacked off in practice and focused too much on his statistics. In return,
9860-489: The Rockets in the first round, they lost four games to one in the second round of the playoffs to the Suns . Riley announced he was stepping down after the season citing burnout , and was replaced by Mike Dunleavy . Riley's departure received a mixed reaction from the players. They respected his contributions, but some, such as Worthy and Scott, had grown tired of his intense practices and felt he tried to take too much credit for
10030-574: The Spurs in the first round of the Western Conference Finals before pulling out a tough seven-game series win over the Utah Jazz led by youngsters Karl Malone and John Stockton . A seven-game Western Conference finals win over the Dallas Mavericks propelled the Lakers to the NBA Finals once again. In their seventh trip to the Finals in nine years, they met the Detroit Pistons . Los Angeles would take
10200-464: The U.S. men's basketball team that won the gold medal at the 1960 Summer Olympics . West made himself available for the 1960 NBA draft , and he was drafted with the second overall pick by the Minneapolis Lakers , shortly before the team relocated to Los Angeles. West became the first draft pick ever of the relocated franchise. His college coach, Schaus, was also hired that same season to coach
10370-611: The Western Conference playoffs . In the NBA Finals , the Celtics were again the Lakers' final hurdle. Los Angeles lost game one of the NBA Finals by a score of 148–114, in what is remembered as the "Memorial Day Massacre". The Lakers, behind 38-year-old Finals MVP Abdul-Jabbar, recovered to defeat the Celtics in six games. The team won the title in the Boston Garden and became the first visiting team to ever win an NBA championship in Boston, as
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#173289072130910540-432: The Western Conference semifinals . In 1995, West received his first Executive of the Year Award for his role in turning the Lakers around. West continued to propel the Lakers to championship contender status by trading Divac for the draft rights to Kobe Bryant (1996), by signing free agent center Shaquille O'Neal (also in 1996), and by signing six-time NBA champion Phil Jackson as a coach (1999). West departed from
10710-687: The guard position, he was voted 12 times into the All-NBA First and Second Teams, was elected into the NBA All-Star Team 14 times and was chosen as the All-Star MVP in 1972, the same year that he won the only title of his career . West holds the NBA record for the highest points per game average in a playoff series with 46.3. He was also a member of the first five NBA All-Defensive Teams (one second, followed by four firsts), which were introduced when he
10880-552: The playoffs , they swept Portland and defeated San Antonio four games to one to advance to the Western Conference Finals to face Sacramento . The series would go on to be known as one of the greatest playoff matchups in NBA history. The series extended to all seven games and ended in a Lakers victory. In game one, Bryant scored 30 points as the Lakers won, 106–99. The series would then shift in Sacramento's favor, with
11050-525: The triangle offense . The Lakers signed veterans Brian Shaw , John Salley , Ron Harper , and A.C. Green , who was a Laker during the "Showtime" era. The team also moved to a new arena, the Staples Center. Led by league MVP O'Neal, the Lakers won 31 of their first 36 games. They finished 67–15, the highest win total since they won 65 in the 1986–87 season . Then eliminated Sacramento and Phoenix in
11220-411: The 14th greatest player in NBA history. As a coach, West led the Lakers into three consecutive playoff campaigns, and then went on to win eight NBA championships as an executive and consultant. West built the 1980s Lakers dynasty under coach Pat Riley and players Magic Johnson , Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and James Worthy and the 2000s under coach Phil Jackson and players Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. He
11390-500: The 1949 BAA championship. Following the merger of the NBL and the BAA into the NBA in 1949, the Lakers won four of the next five NBA championships. After struggling financially in the late 1950s, they relocated to Los Angeles before the 1960–61 season . The Lakers made the NBA Finals six times in the 1960s, but lost every series to the Celtics, beginning their long and storied rivalry . In 1968,
11560-465: The Celtics in 1969. In the next round, the Lakers lost in five games to the Utah Jazz . In the 1997–98 season , O'Neal and the Lakers had the best start in franchise history, 11–0. O'Neal would miss 20 games on the season due to an abdominal injury. Los Angeles battled Seattle for the Pacific Division title most of the season. In the final two months, the Lakers won 22 of their final 25 games, finishing 61–21, but still finished second to Seattle in
11730-435: The Celtics. The Lakers were defeated by their Boston archrivals in the 1984 Finals , but triumphed over them in 1985 and 1987 . After Riley departed and Abdul-Jabbar, Johnson, and Worthy retired, the Lakers struggled in the early 1990s. It was not until 1996 when the team traded with the Charlotte Hornets for the draft rights to Kobe Bryant and signed center Shaquille O'Neal that the Lakers returned to dominance during
11900-499: The Finals in 12 years. The 1991 Finals represented a changing of the guard as the Lakers were defeated in five games by the Chicago Bulls , led by superstar Michael Jordan . On November 7, 1991, Magic Johnson announced he had tested positive for HIV and would retire immediately. In their first season without Johnson, the team won 43 games to earn the eighth seed in the Western Conference playoffs . The Lakers were defeated in
12070-549: The Fort Wayne Pistons in the semifinals. Although they had losing records the next two seasons, they made the playoffs each year. Mikan came back for the last half of the 1955–56 season , but struggled and retired for good after the season. Led by Lovellette's 20.6 points and 13.5 rebounds, they advanced to the Conference Finals in 1956–57. The Lakers had one of the worst seasons in team history in 1957–58 when they won
12240-403: The Hawks in five games during the first round of the 1964 NBA Playoffs . In the following 1964–65 NBA season , West averaged 31.0 points (at the time, a career-high), only surpassed by perennial scoring champion Wilt Chamberlain . After ending the regular season with 49 wins, L.A. played the Baltimore Bullets in the first round of the 1965 NBA Playoffs , but then team captain Baylor suffered
12410-405: The Kings winning the next two games. Facing a deficit in game 4, the Lakers had the ball with under 20 seconds to play. After misses by both Bryant and O'Neal, Kings center Vlade Divac tapped the ball away from the rim in an attempt to wind down the clock. It went straight into Robert Horry 's hands, who drained a game-winning three with under three seconds to play. After the Kings won game five on
12580-483: The Laker's 33 game team win streak, in which West started every game, the Lakers played 5 games in which West was injured and did not play. The Lakers lost 3 of the 5 games. Prior to that, West started 8 straight games in which the Lakers won each game. As a result, Jerry West had a personal win streak of 41 games in which he started. This is the longest such personal win streak in major American professional sports history. In
12750-449: The Lakers acquired four-time NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Wilt Chamberlain , and won their sixth NBA title in 1972 , led by coach Bill Sharman . After the retirement of Chamberlain, the team traded for superstar Kareem Abdul-Jabbar . Two big changes came in 1979, first, Jerry Buss purchased the Lakers, and pioneered a vision of basketball as entertainment as well as sport. Second, the Lakers drafted Magic Johnson first overall in
12920-454: The Lakers again, and I wasn't going to play for anybody else." At the time of his departure, West had scored more points than any other Laker in franchise history. Lakers owner Jack Kent Cooke was known for a keen eye identifying leadership and teaching qualities (he also gave Hall of Famers Sparky Anderson and Joe Gibbs their first managerial/head coaching positions), and asked West to coach and participate in player personnel decisions. In
13090-529: The Lakers at the end of the 1999–2000 season after he won his sixth championship as a Lakers' executive. He laid down the foundation of the Lakers' three-peat , which saw L.A. win three NBA titles from 2000 to 2002. In 2002, West became the general manager of the Memphis Grizzlies . He explained his decision with the desire for exploring something new: "After being a part of the Lakers success for so many years, I have always wondered how it would be to build
13260-520: The Lakers beat the St. Louis Hawks in a close seven-game series , and yet again met the Boston Celtics in the 1966 NBA Finals . West was assisted by Baylor, who was a self-estimated "75 percent" of his pre-injury self, The two long-standing rivals split the first six games, with West's usual scoring dominance countered by Celtics forward John Havlicek , whose size and speed created serious mismatch problems for
13430-503: The Lakers defeated Reggie Miller and the Indiana Pacers four games to two win their first title since 1988 . West retired from his spot in the team's front office after the season after a power struggle between him and Jackson over control of the team's operations. After the season, starters Rice and Green left the team, and Los Angeles signed Horace Grant . The following season , the Lakers won 11 fewer regular season games than
13600-532: The Lakers finished 34–48, missing the playoffs for only the fifth time in franchise history and the first time since 1994 . East Bank High School East Bank High School was a public high school in East Bank, West Virginia in Kanawha County . Its teams competed as the Pioneers. It closed in 1999 in a consolidation with Dupont High School to form Riverside High School. Jerry West played basketball for
13770-467: The Lakers for three years. He led Los Angeles into the playoffs each year and earned a Western Conference finals berth once. Working as a player-scout for three years, West was named general manager of the Lakers before the 1982–83 NBA season . Under his reign, Los Angeles won six championship rings . In 2002, West became general manager of the Memphis Grizzlies and helped the franchise win their first-ever playoff berths. For his contributions, West won
13940-455: The Lakers had a season for the ages. The team was powered by Sharman's emphasis on tough defense and fast break offense, and L.A. embarked on an unprecedented 33 game win streak , en route to a then-record 69 wins in the regular season. West himself contributed with 25.8 points and led the league with a career-high 9.7 assists per game. He was named All-Star, All-NBA and All-Defense First Teamer and voted 1972 All-Star Game MVP. Prior to
14110-456: The Lakers had the first overall pick (the result of a trade with Cleveland midway through the 1979–80 season, when the Lakers had sent Don Ford and a 1980 first-round pick to the Cavaliers for Butch Lee and their 1982 selection) and selected James Worthy from North Carolina . The Lakers won the Pacific Division at 58–24, but Worthy suffered a leg injury in the last week of the season and missed
14280-479: The Lakers improve to second in their division despite a 33–39 record. After upsetting the Hawks in six games in the division finals, they returned to the NBA Finals, but were swept by the Celtics, beginning their long rivalry. In their last year in Minneapolis, the Lakers went 25–50. On January 18, 1960, the team was coming off a loss and traveling to St. Louis when their plane crash-landed. Snow storms had driven
14450-401: The Lakers improved to 54–26 in 1961–62 , and made the finals . In a game five victory, Baylor grabbed 22 rebounds and set the still-standing NBA record for points in a finals game with 61, despite fouling out of the game. The Lakers, however, lost to the Celtics by three points in overtime of game seven. Frank Selvy , after making two jumpers in the final 40 seconds to tie the game, missed
14620-424: The Lakers in scoring in seven seasons, and is the league leader in career scoring in the NBA Finals (1,679). In 1979, West was elected into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame , and the Lakers retired his No. 44 jersey in 1983. He was also elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame as a member of the 1960 U.S. Olympic team in 2010 and as a contributor in 2024; his induction as a contributor honors his tenure as
14790-527: The Lakers lost 102–93 and the series. The 1973–74 NBA season was to be West's last as a player. Now 36 years old, the veteran guard averaged 20.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game. In two newly introduced statistics, steals and blocks, he was credited with 2.6 steals and 0.7 blocks per game. Despite playing only 31 games due to a strained groin, West was still regarded as an elite guard, earning another call-up into his final All-Star Game. Without Chamberlain, who had ended his NBA career,
14960-471: The Lakers rallied to finish 47–35 and win the Pacific Division. They made the playoffs but managed just one win against Milwaukee in the conference semifinals. Following the season, West retired due to contract disagreements with Cooke, and filed a suit for unpaid back wages. After missing the playoffs in the 1974–75 season , the Lakers acquired Kareem Abdul-Jabbar , who had won three league MVPs by that time. Abdul-Jabbar wanted out of Milwaukee, demanding
15130-429: The Lakers seemed favorites prior to Game 7. West had also injured his right hand and taken several manual injections, and Reed hobbled up court before Game 7: the Knicks center scored the first four points, and inspired his team to one of the most famous playoff upsets of all time. With his injured hands, West still hit nine of his 19 shots, but was outplayed by Walt Frazier, who scored 36 points and 19 assists and
15300-464: The Lakers signed superstar LeBron James in 2018. In 2019, the team traded several of those prospects for star big man Anthony Davis . The Lakers—led by James, Davis, and coach Frank Vogel —won the team's 17th championship in 2020 , tying the Celtics for the most titles until 2024. The Lakers hold the record for NBA's longest winning streak , 33 straight games, set in 1971–72. 26 Hall of Famers have played for Los Angeles, while four have coached
15470-410: The Lakers with 40 points, and after yet another Finals loss to Boston, West commented that the Lakers lost two games they should have won: "We gave them the first game, and we gave them the fifth. But I take nothing from them... They're all that way on the Celtics, and you can't teach it." On July 9, 1968, the Lakers made a trade that brought reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Wilt Chamberlain of
15640-613: The Lakers won 47 games and lost in five games to the Milwaukee Bucks. After this loss, West retired due to contract disagreements with Cooke, and filed a suit for unpaid back wages. West wanted to renegotiate his contract and keep playing. He said Cooke "basically told my agent to go to hell. I felt I was deceived. When you feel that you're deceived you don't want any part of the organization that deceived you. I could've played another very good year. Every athlete says that. But I could've, and I knew I could've. But I could never have played for
15810-446: The Lakers' second scoring option. The NBA commented that the Lakers now had a potent one-two-punch—with "Mr. Inside" (the low-post scorer, Baylor) and "Mr. Outside" (the long-distance shooter, West). These performances soon earned West his first of fourteen NBA All-Star Game call-ups. West helped the Lakers improve from their previous 25-win season to 36 wins as they reached the 1961 NBA Playoffs . They needed all five games to put away
15980-413: The Lakers. He played West as a guard , in contrast to West's college days as a forward . The Lakers were captained by Hall-of-Fame forward Elgin Baylor , who was complemented by centers Jim Krebs and Ray Felix ; forwards Rudy LaRusso and Tom Hawkins ; and guards Rod Hundley (from West Virginia, like West), Frank Selvy , and Bobby Leonard . This team perennially had strong forwards and guards, but
16150-456: The Lakers. In Game 7, West and Baylor shot a combined three of 18 in the first half, and the Lakers fell far behind; L.A. willed themselves back to a close 95–93 with four seconds left, but the Celtics ran the clock out and the Lakers were denied yet again. The 1966–67 NBA season saw West playing only 66 regular-season games due to injury; his averages fell slightly to 28 points, 5.9 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game. The Lakers had
16320-420: The NBA Finals, losing to the Celtics in 2008 but winning championships in 2009 and 2010 . The 2010 Finals marked the latest matchup of the Lakers and Celtics, with Los Angeles winning its 16th title. Jackson retired in 2011, and the Lakers endured their longest playoff drought in franchise history. Gasol departed in 2014, and Bryant retired in 2016. After rebuilding seasons with young, highly rated prospects,
16490-464: The NBA following a lawsuit filed by John Wilkes against the Clippers over the recruitment of Kawhi Leonard to the team. West was an all-around combo guard who could take the playmaking roles of a point guard and score like a shooting guard , while being equally strong on offense and defense. He had a jump shot with a release the NBA lauded as "lightning quick", and was known for making baskets late in
16660-410: The NBA. As the three-point line had not been introduced yet, the shot just tied the game. In overtime, West sprained his left hand and missed all five of his shots, and the Knicks won 111–108. In Game 4, the guard scored 37 points and 18 assists, and the Lakers won. More frustration awaited West in Game 5, when Reed pulled his thigh muscle and seemed out for the series; instead of capitalizing on
16830-593: The NBL Championship that season. In 1948, the Lakers moved from the NBL to the Basketball Association of America (BAA), and Mikan's 28.3 point per game (ppg) scoring average set a BAA record. In the 1949 BAA Finals they won the championship, beating the Washington Capitols four games to two. Following the season, the BAA and the NBL merged to form the National Basketball Association (NBA). In
17000-477: The New York Knicks in the 1973 NBA Finals . Los Angeles took the first game by three points, but New York won the series in five games. During the 1973–74 season , the team was hampered by the loss of West, who played only 31 games before his legs gave out. Goodrich, averaging 25.3 points, helped the team to a late-season surge. Trailing the Golden State Warriors by three games with seven left to play,
17170-580: The New York Knicks, who defeated them 4–3. The next season the Lakers were defeated by the Milwaukee Bucks , led by future Laker Lew Alcindor (now known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar ) in the Western Conference Finals. The 1971–72 season brought several changes. Owner Jack Kent Cooke brought in Bill Sharman as head coach, and Elgin Baylor announced his retirement early in the season after realizing that his legs were not healthy enough. Sharman increased
17340-492: The Warriors. The team hired Rudy Tomjanovich to replace Jackson. After sitting out the first half of the 2004–05 season , Malone announced his retirement on February 13, 2005. Tomjanovich coached the team to a 22–19 record before resigning due to health problems. Assistant Frank Hamblen was named interim head coach to replace Tomjanovich for the remainder of the season. Bryant (ankle) and Odom (shoulder) suffered injuries, and
17510-493: The Western Conference Finals. During the off-season, Los Angeles picked up Jamaal Wilkes from Golden State and signed first-round draft pick Norm Nixon . In the first two minutes of the first game of the 1977–78 season, Abdul-Jabbar punched Bucks center Kent Benson for an overly aggressive elbow and broke his hand. Two months later, a healthy Abdul-Jabbar got into an altercation with Houston Rockets center Kevin Kunnert after
17680-558: The Year Gary Payton to join O'Neal and Bryant, forming the first "superteam" of the 21st century. Three of the "big four", however, struggled with injuries: O'Neal suffered from a strained calf, Malone an injured knee, and Bryant an injured shoulder. The Lakers started 18–3 and finished 56–26 and won the Pacific Division title, entering the playoffs as the No. 2 seed. They defeated Houston , San Antonio , and Minnesota to advance to
17850-621: The Year and Athlete of the Year. He was also named to be a member of the U.S. Pan American Games basketball team that won the gold medal. West demonstrated his tenacity for the game in a match against the Kentucky Wildcats . He broke his nose during an incident in the game, but he continued to play despite intense pain and having to breathe through his mouth. He scored 19 points in the second half, leading WVU to an upset victory. In his final collegiate season ( 1959–60 ), West enjoyed several career highs, such as scoring 29.3 points per game,
18020-421: The Year in 2004. West himself won his second NBA Executive of the Year Award in the same year. In 2007, West retired as a Grizzlies general manager and turned over managing duties to Chris Wallace . On May 19, 2011, West joined the Golden State Warriors as an executive board member, reporting directly to new owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber . This role also came with an undisclosed minority ownership stake in
18190-515: The basket, but the Celtics in return had difficulties guarding prolific L.A. outside shooters Baylor, West and fellow guard Gail Goodrich . In Game 1, West only hit seven of 24 shots, and the Lakers lost 107–101, but L.A. evened out the series at two games each. But West, who had scored 38 points in a Game 4 win, had sprained his ankle, and did not play at full strength the rest of the series. In Game 5, an injured West scored 35 points, but Boston won by 3 points. In Game 6, Havlicek shredded
18360-469: The center blasted Van Breda Kolff as "the dumbest and worst coach ever". There was an altercation in which Chamberlain was about to punch Van Breda Kolff before Baylor had intervened. West was disturbed by locker room tension; used to playing on teams with good chemistry, his quality of play became erratic, and his scoring average of 25.9 points was his lowest since his rookie season. He made the Second Team of
18530-562: The closing moments, which fell just short. After dropping to 36 wins and losing in the first round of the 1967 NBA playoffs , they lost in the finals to the Celtics again in 1968. Los Angeles moved to a brand-new arena, The Forum , in 1967, after playing seven seasons at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena . On July 9, 1968, the team acquired Wilt Chamberlain from the Philadelphia 76ers for Darrell Imhoff, Archie Clark , and Jerry Chambers . In his first season as
18700-436: The early 2000s. The superstar duo, along with Hall of Fame coach Phil Jackson , led the Lakers to three consecutive championships between 2000 and 2002 , securing the franchise's second " three-peat ". The dynamic " Shaq-and-Kobe " era ended when the Lakers traded away O'Neal after the team lost to the Detroit Pistons in the 2004 Finals . It was not until the Lakers traded for Pau Gasol that Bryant and Jackson returned to
18870-422: The entire series – lunged for a meaningless late-game ball and seriously pulled his hamstring: it was immediately visible that the injury would not heal until the end of the series. Limping, he scored 26 points in Game 6, but the Celtics won 99–90 with a strong Bill Russell, who held Chamberlain to only 8 points in the entire game. In Game 7, Lakers owner Jack Kent Cooke had put up thousands of balloons in
19040-587: The finest West Virginia high school players of his generation. He represented East Bank High School at a high level on and off the court, attending the 1955 session of Mountaineer Boys State and was named All-State from 1953 to 1956, then All-American in 1956 when he was West Virginia Player of the Year, becoming the state's first high-school player to score more than 900 points in a season, with an average of 32.2 points per game. West's mid-range jump shot became his trademark and he often used it to score while under pressure from opposing defenses. West led East Bank to
19210-623: The first basketball number to be retired by West Virginia University and on February 17, 2007, a bronze statue created by sculptor Jamie Lester was installed outside of the WVU Coliseum. On February 17, 2011, a statue of West was unveiled outside Staples Center at the Star Plaza in Los Angeles, California. On September 5, 2019, West received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Donald Trump in recognition of his contributions to
19380-525: The first overall pick. It took Johnson's teammates time to acclimate themselves to his passing ability, as his "no-look" passes often caught them unaware. Once they adjusted, his passing became a key part of Los Angeles' offense. The Lakers won 60 games in Johnson's rookie year, and defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in six games in the 1980 NBA Finals . Johnson won the Finals MVP award, after starting at center for
19550-530: The first round by Portland . Following the season, head coach Mike Dunleavy was fired. The Lakers would lose 43 games in 1992–93 under Randy Pfund , their first losing season since 1976. The Lakers would still make the playoffs, and would become the first eighth seed to win the opening two games on the road against a number one seed when they took a 2–0 lead against Phoenix . They lost the next two games at home however, then game five in Phoenix in overtime. During
19720-488: The first three games. However, Kevin McHale 's hard clothesline foul of Lakers forward Kurt Rambis on a fast break is credited as a turning point of the series. Boston won three of the next four to win the title and send Los Angeles's record to 0–8 in Finals series against the Celtics. Using the past year's Finals defeat as motivation, the team won the Pacific Division for the fourth straight year and lost just two games in
19890-409: The first two rounds of the playoffs . After the Lakers took a three games to one lead in the Western Conference Finals against Portland , the Trail Blazers won the next two games to force a game seven. The Lakers, who trailed by 15 points in the fourth quarter, would go on 19–4 run to tie the game and eventually win 89–84 to advance to the NBA Finals . In their first trip to the Finals since 1991 ,
20060-454: The four-peat attempt ended as they were eliminated by San Antonio in six games in the second round. During the 2003–04 season , the team was the subject of intense media coverage generated by the teaming of four stars and the sexual-assault case involving Kobe Bryant . Before the season, the Lakers signed two-time MVP Karl Malone formerly of the Jazz , and former Seattle Defensive Player of
20230-713: The game, earning him the nickname "Mr. Clutch". Having played forward early in his career, he was also a capable rebounder, and gifted with long arms, quick hands, and strong defensive instincts. He was also described as one of the best ballhawks, man-to-man defenders and shot blockers among NBA guards: when the All-Defensive Teams were introduced in 1969, he made every one of them until his career ended in 1974. "He stole more than anybody, although they didn't keep records on it then", said Sharman. Contemporaries were most impressed by his work ethic, practicing, shooting and, rarely satisfying himself. West's all-round game and attitude
20400-435: The game, the Lakers trailed, but West and Frank Selvy hit several clutch baskets and tied the game at 100. Selvy then missed an open 8-foot shot which would have won the Lakers their first title. Baylor's tip-in attempt was thwarted by Sam Jones. In overtime, Jones scored several clutch baskets to ensure a 110–107 win for the Celtics. The 1962 NBA Finals would serve as the beginning of the greatest rivalry in NBA history . In
20570-494: The great 1980s Lakers dynasty, also known as Showtime , which brought five championship rings (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, and 1988) to Los Angeles. Those championship-winning Lakers were coached by Pat Riley , and featured superstar players Magic Johnson , Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy . After a slump in the early 1990s, West rebuilt the team of coach Del Harris around center Vlade Divac , forward Cedric Ceballos , and guard Nick Van Exel , which won 48 games, and went to
20740-517: The guard helped beat the Bullets with 42 points in a close 117–115 win. West averaged 46.3 points per game, a figure that is still an NBA record. In the 1965 NBA Finals , the Celtics easily beat the short-handed Lakers, 4–1. In Game 1, which Boston easily won, defensive Celtics guard K. C. Jones held West to only 26 points, and in Game 2, West scored 45 points, but Boston still won 129–123. In Game 3, West scored 49 points, and L.A. finally won
20910-409: The guard's exhaustion began to show: West twice asked to be subbed for longer periods, and both times the Lakers fell back by double digits and finally lost by six points. Game 4 saw Celtics guard Sam Jones hit an off-balance buzzer beater to tie the series, but in Game 5, the Lakers struck back and won by 13 points. West – who scored 39 points and by far led all players in scoring during
21080-700: The high school. It was established in 1912 and originally known as Cabin Creek District High School. West won a state championship with the East Bank High School basketball team and graduated in 1956. He was photographed with the team by DeLuze Studio in Charleston, West Virginia. A crowd celebrating the state championship was photographed in front of the school. West was the first high school player in West Virginia history to score 900 points in
21250-529: The inaugural All-Defensive Team. In the 1969 NBA Playoffs , the 55-win Lakers defeated the Atlanta Hawks and the San Francisco Warriors , setting up the sixth finals series versus Boston in eight years . Before Game 1, West privately complained to Bill Russell of exhaustion, but then the Lakers guard scored 53 points on Boston in a close two-point win. L.A. also took Game 2, with West scoring 41 points. In Game 3, Russell opted to double-team West, and
21420-401: The injured Abdul-Jabbar in game six, and tallying 42 points, 15 rebounds, and seven assists. The team fell off in the 1980–81 season , though, as the Lakers lost Johnson for most of the season to a knee injury. The team turned in a 54–28 record and finished second behind the Phoenix Suns in the Pacific Division. The Rockets , led by Moses Malone , defeated Los Angeles in the first round of
21590-477: The lowest average since his rookie year: after being a First-Teamer for six times en bloc, he only made the All-NBA Second Team. In the 1968 NBA Playoffs , the Lakers beat the Chicago Bulls and the Warriors to set up yet another Lakers-Celtics NBA Finals ; it was considered a match of size versus speed, as the Lakers had nobody to guard Celtics coach/center Bill Russell or forward John Havlicek close to
21760-462: The newly formed league, the Lakers improved to 51–17 record and won their third straight professional championship. In the 1950–51 season, Mikan won his third straight scoring title at 28.4 ppg and the Lakers went 44–24 to win their second straight division title. One of those games, a 19–18 loss against the Fort Wayne Pistons , became infamous as the lowest scoring game in NBA history. In
21930-485: The only recipient of the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award from the losing team. After the loss West was seen as the ultimate tragic hero: after the game, Bill Russell held his hand, and John Havlicek said: "I love you, Jerry". In the 1969–70 NBA season under new coach Joe Mullaney , the Lakers' season began with a shock when Wilt Chamberlain seriously injured his knee and missed practically
22100-447: The pilot 150 miles off course when he was forced to land in a cornfield. No one was hurt. Their record earned them the number two pick in the 1960 NBA draft . The team selected Jerry West from West Virginia University . During the 1960 off-season, the Lakers became the NBA's first West Coast team when owner Bob Short decided to move the team to Los Angeles. Led by Baylor's 34.8 ppg and 19.8 rpg, Los Angeles won 11 more than
22270-531: The playoffs . Early in the 1981–82 season , Johnson complained to the media about head coach Paul Westhead and demanded a trade. Westhead was fired shortly after Johnson's criticisms, and although Lakers' owner Jerry Buss stated that Johnson's comments did not factor into the decision, Johnson was vilified by the national media and booed both on the road and at home. Buss promoted assistant coach Pat Riley to "co-head coach" with Jerry West (although West considered himself Riley's assistant) on November 19 and
22440-529: The playoffs, they defeated the Indianapolis Olympians in three games but lost to the Rochester Royals in the next round. During the 1951–52 season , the Lakers won 40 games, finishing second in their division. They faced the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals , which they won in seven games. In the 1952–53 season, Mikan led the NBA in rebounding, averaging 14.4 rebounds per game (rpg), and
22610-518: The postseason, the Lakers defeated the Chicago Bulls in a four-game sweep, then went on to face the Milwaukee Bucks , and defeated them in six games. In the 1972 NBA Finals , the Lakers again met the New York Knicks. Although West suffered a terrible shooting slump during Games 1 and 2, the Lakers tied the series at one win each, and in Game 3, he scored 21 points and helped L.A. win Game 3. In this game, he reached 4,002 playoff points, which set an all-time NBA record. After winning Game 4 due to
22780-523: The prior year, but swept the first three rounds of the playoffs , defeating the Portland , Sacramento , and San Antonio . They met Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA Finals . Although the Sixers took game one in overtime, the Lakers won the next four games to win their second straight title. Their 15–1 postseason record was the best in NBA history. The Lakers won 58 games in 2001–02 . In
22950-513: The rafters of the Forum in Los Angeles. This display of arrogance motivated the Celtics and angered West. The Lakers trailed the entire game and were behind 91–76 after three quarters, but powered by a limping West, the Lakers closed the gap to 103–102 with two minutes to go and had the ball. But West committed costly turnovers and L.A. lost the game 108–106 despite a triple-double of 42 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists from West, who became
23120-469: The rest of the season. Nevertheless, they advanced to play Philadelphia in the 1983 NBA Finals after defeating Portland and San Antonio . The Sixers, however, won the series and the championship in four games. After the season West replaced Sharman as the team's GM. In the 1983–84 season , Los Angeles went 54–28, and played Boston in the Finals for the first time since 1969 . The Lakers won two of
23290-487: The season with a 10-game losing streak to finish 33–49. Under new coach Del Harris , Los Angeles made the playoffs each of the next two seasons but was eliminated in the second and first rounds respectively. The team was led by young guards Nick Van Exel and Eddie Jones . Johnson came out of retirement to return as a player in the 1995–96 season to lead the then 24–18 Lakers to a 29–11 finish. After some run-ins with Van Exel, displeasure with Harris's strategies, and
23460-532: The second most in the league behind the Boston Celtics . The franchise began in 1946 as the Detroit Gems of the National Basketball League (NBL). After one season, a new ownership relocated the team to Minneapolis , Minnesota , and renamed the team as the Minneapolis Lakers . The Lakers won the 1948 NBL championship before joining the rival Basketball Association of America , where they won
23630-402: The series in seven games however, and earned their 11th NBA Championship in 13 seasons. West was named the first-ever Finals MVP ; this remains the only time that a member of the losing team has won the award. In 1970 , West won his first scoring title at 31.2 ppg, the team returned to the finals , and for the first time in 16 years, they did not have to face the Celtics; instead playing
23800-411: The series in seven games, and James Worthy's game seven triple-double earned him a Finals MVP award. The win marked their fifth title in nine years, but would also mark their last title until 2000 . In the 1988–89 season , Los Angeles won 57 games and their eighth consecutive Pacific Division crown. They swept through the playoffs defeating Portland , Seattle , and Phoenix . In an eighth trip to
23970-534: The sport. West married his college sweetheart Martha Jane Kane in April 1960 in Morgantown; they divorced in 1976. They had three sons: David, Mark, and Michael. Jerry married his second wife, Kristine "Karen" Bua, in 1978. They had two sons, Ryan and Jonnie. Ryan is an executive with the Detroit Pistons . Jonnie played guard for West's college team, the West Virginia Mountaineers , is director of Basketball Operations for
24140-616: The standings. The Lakers defeated Portland three games to one in the first round to advance to face Seattle. Although the Sonics won the first game, the Lakers responded with four straight wins, taking the series, but were swept by the Jazz in the Western Conference Finals . During the 1998–99 season , All-Star guard Eddie Jones and center Elden Campbell were traded to the Charlotte Hornets. The team also acquired J. R. Reid , B. J. Armstrong , and Glen Rice . Head coach Del Harris
24310-448: The team to Ben Berger and Morris Chalfen of Minnesota for $ 15,000 Minneapolis sportswriter Sid Hartman played a key behind-the-scenes role in helping put together the deal and later the team. Inspired by Minnesota's nickname, "Land of 10,000 Lakes", the team rechristened themselves the Lakers. Hartman helped them hire John Kundla from College of St. Thomas , to be their first head coach, by meeting with him and selling him on
24480-441: The team won 17 of its next 20 games. Nicknamed " Showtime " due to the team's new Johnson-led fast break-offense, the Lakers won the Pacific Division title and swept both the Suns and Spurs in the 1982 playoffs . Los Angeles stretched its postseason winning streak to nine games by taking the first contest of the NBA Finals from the 76ers . The team won the Finals 4–2 to finish a 12–2 playoff run. On draft night in 1982 ,
24650-446: The team's coach. West became upset, however, when Cooke refused to spend the money necessary to acquire forward Julius Erving , who the Nets were selling. Behind another MVP season from Abdul-Jabbar, Los Angeles won the Pacific Division, finishing the 1976–77 season a league-best 53–29. They defeated the Warriors in a seven-game series to open the postseason before being swept by Portland in
24820-540: The team's discipline. He introduced the concept of the shootaround , where players would arrive at the arena early in the morning before a game to practice shots. They won 14 straight games in November and all 16 games played in December. They won three straight to open the year of 1972 but on January 9, the Milwaukee Bucks ended their winning streak by defeating the Lakers, 120–104. By winning 33 straight games, Los Angeles set
24990-479: The team's successes. Following the season, 1987 Defensive Player of the Year winner Michael Cooper decided to play in Europe and was waived at his request. The 1990–91 Lakers failed to win the Pacific Division for the first time in 10 years, but still finished with a 58–24 record. After cruising through the Western Conference playoffs , the Lakers found themselves in the NBA Finals once again, their ninth trip to
25160-417: The team. As the franchise had the worst record in the NBL the previous season, it got the first pick in the 1947 Professional Basketball League of America dispersal draft, which they used to select George Mikan . Led by Mikan, the Lakers had a solid roster, which also featured forward Jim Pollard and playmaker Herm Schaefer . In their first season, they led the league with a 43–17 record, later winning
25330-487: The team. Abdul-Jabbar, Johnson, O'Neal, and Bryant won a combined eight NBA MVP awards with the Lakers. The franchise was founded in 1946 as the Detroit Gems and played in the National Basketball League (NBL) during the 1946–47 season where it finished last in the league with only 4 wins in 44 games. Though the team was scheduled to continue in the NBL the following season, its ownership, faced with high losses due to low attendance and lack of homecourt, decided on selling
25500-443: The team. In 2015 , the Warriors won their first championship in 40 years; the championship was the seventh earned by West while serving as a team executive. He earned his eighth in the 2016–17 season. On June 1, 2017, West publicly stated that he would have been interested in returning to the Lakers, but nothing materialized as they hired Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka to run the team. On June 14, West announced that he would go to
25670-425: The whole regular season. As after Baylor's injury years before, West stepped into the void, leading the NBA in scoring average with 31.2 points per game, and averaging 4.6 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game, earning him his first of four All-Defensive First Team votes and another All-NBA First Team berth after two Second Team years. The Lakers won 46 games, and in the 1970 NBA Playoffs , they narrowly beat
25840-554: The year before in West's first season. On November 15 that season, Baylor set a new NBA scoring record when he scored 71 points in a victory against the New York Knicks while grabbing 25 rebounds. In doing so, Baylor broke his own NBA record of 64 points. Despite a losing record, the Lakers made the playoffs . They came within two points of the NBA Finals when they lost in game seven of their second round series against St. Louis. Led by Baylor and West at 38.3 and 30.8 ppg respectively,
26010-499: Was 32 years old. Having played in nine NBA Finals, he is also the only player in NBA history to be named Finals MVP despite being on the losing team ( 1969 ). In 1980, West was inducted into the Hall of Fame and named to the NBA 35th Anniversary Team . West was named as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996, and to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021. After his playing career ended, West took over as head coach of
26180-412: Was West's idea, and he was influential in the team's signing of the all-star center. "Jerry West is the reason I came to the Lakers", O'Neal later said. They used their 24th pick in the draft to select Derek Fisher . During the season , the team traded Cedric Ceballos to Phoenix for Robert Horry . O'Neal led the team to a 56–26 record, their best effort since 1990–91, despite missing 31 games due to
26350-615: Was a combatant, was suspended for two months by the NBA, and released by the Lakers. The team won 45 games despite being down a starter in Washington and not having Abdul-Jabbar for nearly two months, but lost in the first round of the playoffs to Seattle. During the 1978–79 season, the team posted a 47–35 record but lost to the SuperSonics in the semifinal round of the playoffs. In the 1979 NBA draft , Los Angeles selected 6-foot, 9-inch point guard Magic Johnson from Michigan State with
26520-538: Was a member of Golden State's front office when the Warriors won titles in 2015 and 2017. In the summer of 2000, the city of Morgantown, West Virginia , and West Virginia Governor Cecil Underwood , dedicated the road outside of the West Virginia University Coliseum , "Jerry West Boulevard". The same road is shared on the south end of Morgantown with Don Knotts Boulevard, in honor of another WVU alumnus. Also, on November 26, 2005, his number 44 became
26690-490: Was a member of the WVU freshman squad that achieved a perfect record of 17 straight wins over the course of the season; other team members included Jay Jacobs and Willie Akers. In his first varsity year under head coach Fred Schaus , West scored 17.8 points per game and averaged 11.1 rebounds; he also started in all 28 games while shooting 49.6% from the field and 73.2% from the free throw line. These performances earned him
26860-407: Was benched by his coach Duke Shaver due to his lack of height. Shaver emphasized the importance of conditioning and defense, which were lessons that the teenager appreciated. West soon became the captain of the freshman team, and during the summer of 1953 he grew to 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m). West eventually became the team's starting small forward , and he quickly established himself as one of
27030-443: Was constantly weak at center, giving them a disadvantage against the Boston Celtics with their Hall-of-Fame center, Bill Russell . Initially, West felt odd in his new environment. He was a loner. His high-pitched voice earned him the nickname "Tweety Bird", and he spoke with such a thick Appalachian accent that his teammates also referred to him as "Zeke from Cabin Creek " (his nickname acknowledged his country roots, and his accent
27200-492: Was credited with several crucial steals on Lakers guard Dick Garrett . In the 1970–71 NBA season , the Lakers reacquired Gail Goodrich , who came back from the Phoenix Suns after playing for L.A. until 1968. At age 32, West averaged 26.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 9.5 assists, and helped the Lakers win 46 games and make the 1971 NBA Playoffs . After losing Elgin Baylor to an Achilles tendon rupture that effectively ended his career, West himself injured his knee and
27370-598: Was drafted in 1952 , helped the team win the Western Division. The team won its third straight championship in the 1950s and fifth in six seasons when it defeated the Syracuse Nationals in seven games. Following Mikan's retirement in the 1954 off-season, the Lakers struggled but still managed to win 40 games. Although they defeated the Rochester Royals in the first round of the playoffs, they were defeated by
27540-450: Was fired in February after a three-game losing streak and replaced on an interim basis by former Laker Kurt Rambis . The team finished 31–19 in the strike-shortened season, which was fourth in the Western Conference. The Lakers defeated Houston in the first round of the playoffs, but were swept by San Antonio in the next round. Game four of the series would be the last game ever played at
27710-472: Was named MVP of the 1953 NBA All-Star Game . After a 48–22 regular season, the Lakers defeated the Fort Wayne Pistons in the Western playoffs to advance to the NBA Finals . They then defeated the New York Knicks to win their second straight championship. Though Lakers star George Mikan suffered from knee problems throughout the 1953–54 season, he was still able to average 18 ppg. Clyde Lovellette , who
27880-474: Was named MVP of the 1972 NBA All-Star Game . The team failed to score 100 points just once all year, and at the end of the season, Bill Sharman was named Coach of the Year . The Lakers went on to reach the finals against the New York Knicks where they would avenge their 1970 finals loss by defeating them 4 games to 1. Chamberlain tallied 24 points and 29 rebounds in game five and won the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award . The Lakers won 60 games in
28050-479: Was named the NBA Finals MVP, in addition to regular season MVP. At the Lakers' championship celebration in Los Angeles, coach Riley brashly declared that Los Angeles would repeat as NBA champions, which no team had done since the 1968–69 Boston Celtics . Looking to make good on Riley's promise in the 1987–88 season , the Lakers took their seventh consecutive Pacific Division title with a 62–20 record. They swept
28220-577: Was out for the season; the short-handed Lakers lost the Western Conference Finals in five games to the championship-bound Milwaukee Bucks , who were led by freshly-crowned Most Valuable Player Lew Alcindor (later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar ) and veteran Hall-of-Fame guard Oscar Robertson . Before the 1971–72 NBA season , West was smarting from his frequent injuries and losses and considered retirement. The Lakers hired former Celtics star guard and future Hall-of-Fame coach Bill Sharman as head coach. Although injured captain Elgin Baylor ended his career,
28390-525: Was playing so poorly that the team overcame me. Maybe that's what a team is all about." Having vanquished this long-time bane, West entered his 13th NBA year. In the 1972–73 NBA season , the main scoring role was taken by Goodrich, and West was now a playmaker instead of a scorer. He averaged 22.8 points, but also averaged 8.8 assists per game, and again was a First Teamer in the All-Star, All-NBA, and All-Defense Teams. The Lakers won 60 games and reached
28560-541: Was so thick that he squeaked his nickname sheepishly – "Zeek from Cab'n Creek"). He soon impressed his colleagues with his defensive hustle, with his vertical jump—he could reach up 16 inches above the rim when he went up—and with his work ethic, spending countless extra hours working on his game. On the floor, West scored 17.6 points, grabbed 7.7 rebounds and dished 4.2 assists per game. West won Schaus's trust and, alternating with Hundley, Selvy, and Leonard, played 35 minutes per game and established himself as
28730-484: Was so thick that one coach interrupted him and asked him to speak English. Baylor once commented: "Rumors are safe with you, Tweety Bird. You pass them on, but nobody can understand you." West was also regarded for his extreme mental toughness and his exemplary work ethic. The NBA said he had "obsessive perfectionism, unabashed confidence, and an uncompromising will to win... a level of intensity so high it could melt lead". Lakers broadcaster Chick Hearn once said: "He took
28900-413: Was the fifth of six children of Cecil Sue West, a housewife, and Howard Stewart West, a coal mine electrician. West's father physically abused him, and West has stated that for a time he slept with a loaded shotgun under his bed out of fear that he might have to kill his father in self-defense. West was an outgoing and aggressive child in his youth. In 1951, his older brother, David, was killed in action in
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