LA’s worst seasons, 2

Great NBA franchises do not win all the time.  The basketball gods sometimes favor the lesser teams that those who had been regular entrants to battle for the top prize once in a while fall flat on their faces.  We continue from where we’ve left last week.

2013-2014

(27-55 season record)

Also known as the season that Kobe tore his Achilles tendon.  Adding to their woes, Dwight Howard left the team for Houston in the off season.  Kobe came back to play in December but played only a total of six games.   This was Pau Gasol’s last season with LAL prior to signing with Chicago.

1974-1975

(30-52 season record)

Jerry West retired at the end of the 1973-1974 season and his retirement didn’t help the Lakers the following season.  The remaining core of Gail Goodrich, Pat Riley, Cazzie Russell, Connie Hawkins and Lucius Allen were not enough and thus marked the end of a 17-year post season run.  West returned to coach the team the following season and with the newly acquired Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the Lakers went back to their winning ways.

2021-2022

(31-43 current record)

8 games remain on their regular season schedule with seven of them against playoff teams.  Their title dreams had become frequent nightmares and even if they win all of their remaining games and somehow inexplicably make the playoffs, they will surely get clobbered by Phoenix in the first round.  As I said last week, it wouldA be better for the team to be out of the post season games.

1993-1994

(33-49 season record)

Diagnosed as HIV positive, Magic Johnson retired prior to the start of the season.  They seem to lack direction when they lost 9 of their first 12 regular season games.  Rookies George Lynch and Nick Van Exel provided help to veterans James Worthy, Vlade Divac, Elden Campbell and sophomores Doug Christie and Anthony Peeler. 

Magic later went back to coach the team but was unsuccessful in stopping the slide.  The team lacked depth especially with Worthy already on his 11th season and considerably slowed down.  They finished 9th in the West and was out of the playoffs.

2004-2005

(34-48 season record)

The previous season’s roster was supposed to be destined for the championship with Shaquille O’Neal, Gary Payton, Karl Malone, Kobe and coached by Phil Jackson.  Yes, they reached the Finals but were totally embarrassed by the Detroit Pistons in five games. 

In the offseason, Shaq and his talents were sent to Miami and Jackson relieved of coaching duties.  Rudy Tomjanovich coached the Lakers but left halfway through the season because of health problems.  Kobe had Lamar Odom and Caron Butler who came in from Miami but their efforts were not enough.  They struggled for a few years but were back in the Finals for 3 straight seasons.