Ranking the top 5 LA Lakers rosters of all time
The LA Lakers are one of the most storied franchises in the NBA. The Lakers are tied with their rivals, the Boston Celtics, for the most NBA Championships with 17. Throughout the history of the NBA, the Lakers have presented some of the greatest players to ever grace the game.
With a long history of championship pedigree dating back to the early days of the NBA, the Lakers have produced championships in the modern era as well. Since 2000, the franchise has won six NBA titles.
No team can compete for a title without a solid roster. The chemistry between teammates and their ability to work together as a unit is a big factor in how well they can perform. The Lakers organization has produced some of the most outstanding teams with star players and role players that still came up short in their title run.
With the 2021-22 NBA season around the corner and an active offseason of trades and signings, the Lakers are looking to win another championship with a core of lebron-james" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook.
Bearing in mind the importance of good chemistry, we take a look at the top five LA Lakers rosters of all time.
#5 2019-20 LA Lakers
The 2019-2020 LA Lakers had one of the most entertaining seasons in franchise history. With Frank Vogel at the helm, the Lakers went on to have a regular-season record of 52-19. With the best record in the West, the Purple and Gold went into the most peculiar offseason in league history.
Driven by the passing of Laker legend Kobe Bryant in early 2020, the team used this emotional event as a motivator going into the remainder of the season, dedicating it to him.
Due to the coronavirus outbreak, the NBA had to halt season proceedings. However, with the NBA restart taking place outside of Orlando in the NBA Bubbles, the title hopes for the team resurfaced.
Led by the perennial All-Star duo LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the team had championship pedigrees in Danny Green, Rajon Rondo and Javale McGee, among others. A player who revived himself in LA, Dwight Howard played an important role too. The suffocating Lakers defense helped them contain offenses in the playoffs.
In the NBA Finals they faced off against LeBron's old team, the Miami Heat. Although Jimmy Butler put on a noteworthy display, the Lakers would win their 17th championship in franchise history. LeBron won his fourth Finals MVP.
#4 1971-72 LA Lakers
The 1971-72 Championship Lakers team was a special one. After acquiring Wilt Chamberlain in 1968, the franchise looked at an immediate title run. Faced against the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals, the odds would not favor the Lakers.
After a disappointing campaign in 1970-71, the team's core of Jerry West, Elgin Baylor and Chamberlain were all on their last legs. Coming into the 1971-72 NBA season, Baylor announced retirement after nine games. The hopes of a title run were fading fast but new head coach Bill Sharman believes the team still have one last run in them.
With a backcourt consisting of Jerry West and scoring guard Gail Goodrich, the Lakers produced a season of records. The Lakers had a league-best 69-13 records in the regular season, a record that would only be broken by the Chicago Bulls 24 years later. They also had a 33 game winning streak, a record which still stands today.
The Lakers would face off against the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals. They would beat the Knicks in five games and emerge as champions. While this roster only won one title, the season that they had makes them one of the greatest teams in Laker history. They are also rated as one of the top 10 teams in NBA history.