Being one of the most storied franchises in NBA history, the Los Angeles Lakers have had their fair share of great teams over the years. The Lakers have won 16 NBA titles in their illustrious history, all of which were achieved by some of the most formidable lineups basketball has ever seen. This year's side — spearheaded by the superstar duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis — seemed destined for glory before the coronavirus pandemic hit and suspended the season.
Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, LeBron James … the list goes on and on. The Lakers have had a good number of the greatest players in the history of the NBA. This fact makes it all the more difficult to pick just one team that will receive the ultimate honor of being the best team in Los Angeles Lakers history.
It was a tough decision, but at the end of the day, there just had to be one winner: the 1986-87 Showtime Lakers.
For starters, let's take a look at their lineup.
Starters: Byron Scott, Magic Johnson, James Worthy, A.C. Green, Kareem-Abdul Jabbar.
That in itself could easily be regarded as one of the best starting fives of all time. In Johnson, Worthy, and Abdul-Jabbar, this lineup had three Hall of Famers. Kareem may have been on the tail end of his career, but he was still putting up 17.5 points (on 56.4 percent shooting), 6.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game. As for Worthy and Magic, there's no doubt that both players were in their primes. Oh, and as an added bonus, Byron Scott was the fourth overall pick some three years earlier and a terrific player in his own right.
Johnson and Worthy ended up as All-Star starters that season, while Abdul-Jabbar was also selected to his 17th All-Star Game.
Finally, what makes this lineup extremely impressive is the fact that Johnson earned MVP honors that season — his first of three — after averaging 23.9 points (on 52.2 percent shooting), 6.3 rebounds, 12.2 assists, 1.7 steals, and 0.5 blocks per contest. This was definitely one of Magic's best seasons for the Purple & Gold.
Bench: Mychal Thompson, Michael Cooper, Kurt Rambis, Adrian Branch, Wes Matthews, Mike Smrek, Billy Thompson.
The fact that this side could afford to have Mychal Thompson — father of Warriors star Klay Thompson — come off the bench speaks volumes of how strong they were. Thompson was a perennial starter throughout his career, but had to settle for a role with the second unit when he was traded in the middle of the season in a deal that included Frank Brickowski going to the San Antonio Spurs. Granted Thompson was already 32 at that time, but to have a player of his caliber come off the bench was definitely a luxury for L.A.
As for 6-foot-5 shooting guard Michael Cooper, his amazing achievement this season was being able to secure the Defensive Player of the Year title despite coming off the bench. Cooper made eight straight appearances on the All-Defensive squad, making him one of the greatest role players in NBA history.
With regards to this team's collective achievement that season, they went, as expected, all the way to win the NBA title. However, what makes this even more impressive is how they dominated the league with their flashy and extravagant style of play.
You need to remember that the Lakers were on a mission here, having lost to the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference Finals the previous season in heartbreaking fashion. Playing with a chip on their shoulder, L.A. amassed a 65-17 record in the regular season and lost just one game in the playoffs before facing off against their archrival in the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals.
The Magic Johnson-Larry Bird narrative was on full display in the Finals, with L.A. successfully taking Games 1 and 2 before the Celtics defeated them in Game 3. Come Game 4, Johnson would lead the Lakers to an amazing comeback victory, highlighted by his unforgettable running hook shot that would end up being the game-winner. Boston got another win in Game 5, but L.A. finished things off in Game 6 on their own home floor. Johnson won the Finals MVP award, making this the third and final time he lifted the individual trophy.
The Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain squad of 1972 and the Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant dominant force of 2001 — both title-winning teams — were truly awe-inspiring sides as well. But as far as great teams go, there's probably no way the 1987 Lakers will ever be dethroned as the best team in franchise history.
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