The NBA season is set to resume in late July and all its teams have lined themselves up perfectly to get maximum results from the remaining fixtures. Some teams took a Pre-season tour while others practised at their home grounds.
Fans are more excited than ever to see their favourite teams take on their rival. Lakers fans have even more reasons to be excited as they will now get to see their brand new signing, JR Smith, in action with the rest of the team.
Today The Hollywood Tribune brings you 5 Facts about the Lakers that you probably didn’t know. So grab your popcorn, hold tight and let’s get started.
5 Facts About The L.A. Lakers
LA Laker’s And Their History
The LA Lakers Basketball team originated in 1946 but was known by a different name back then. Mr C. King Boring started the franchise with the name, ‘Detroit Gems’. They only played their first season in NBA when Ben Burger and Morris Chalfen bought the franchise and renamed them as the ‘Vagabond Kings’.
Later when the franchise moved to Minnesota, they were renamed as ‘Lakers’ and currently play for Los Angeles in the Pacific Divison of NBA.
The Winning Streak
The Lakers hold a place in the history of NBA for the longest winning streak ever by a franchise. They won 33 games back to back during the 1971 – 1972 season of the NBA. Till date, the LA Lakers have played in NBL, BAA and NBA where they have won twenty-nine conference titles, thirty-one division crowns and acquired sixteen league championships, which till date is another unbeaten record in the history of the NBA.
Lakers And Their Retired Jerseys
The LA Lakers are known as a great team because of the number of legends who have played for them over the years. To honour to the wonderful player’s who have played a significant role in shaping the history of the franchise, the Lakers have retired nine jerseys till date.
These include Wilt Chamberlain (13), Shaquille O’Neal (34), Gail Goodrich (25), Jamaal Wilkes (52), Abdul-Jabbar (33), Elgin Baylor (22), Jerry West (44), Magic Johnson (32) and James Worthy (42) who have achieved legendary status in Basketball History.
Hall Of Fame
Over time, The LA Lakers have given us some great players. Many of whom have featured in Hall Of Fame due to their massive success in the field of Basketball. These players are Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson, Karl Malone, Abdul Jabbar, Shaquille O’Neal and the late Kobe Bryant. Many of these players are also famous for winning numerous MVP awards in the NBA.
Legendary Players
Till today, all the Top-scorers in the NBA have been from the LA Lakers. Wilt Chamberlain was the all-time top scorer in the NBA until Abdul Jabbar took the title from him, which is why Jabbar is known as one of the best in Lakers history.
To have a monopoly on the Top Scorer’s list is no small feat for any team, especially one in a league like the NBA which is overflowing with talent.
We hoped you enjoyed this list and learned a little more about the LA Lakers. Don’t forget to comment about your thoughts on Lakers and share this article with other Sports fans to keep them updated.
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