https://www.grunge.com/139516/what-the-showtime-era-lakers-look-like-today Since his playing days came to an end, Worthy has stuck close to home, serving as a studio analyst for the Lakers and offering insightful commentary on his former team. Meeting with the media following a 110–77 win in Game 2 … The years between the Fall of 1979 and the Summer of 1990 are considered “the Showtime Years” in Los Angeles Laker history. After being dismissed by the Dream in 2017, Cooper signed on with the new BIG-3 league, leading his team to the championship game in his first season. Magic said the Showtime Lakers would have swept these Warriors, mostly because of the size difference. And he did it all while hiding as far from the court as possible, his competitive nature making it hard for him to even watch the game he loved. Select the season: 2020-21 Lakers Roster: 2019-20 Lakers Roster: 2018-19 Lakers Roster: [49] He was not successful, and the Lakers reverted to the triangle offense as Jackson returned. Los Angeles Lakers survived the Chicago Bulls, win 117-115. Dressed in sleek Italian suits with his hair slicked back with mousse, he added to the team's Hollywood image. [37] Not only did Buss want stars on his team, he also wanted stars watching them. In a stunning press conference the living legend announced he was retiring from basketball, effective immediately, due to an HIV diagnosis. It's Showtime at HBO. They were also the most compelling, the most charismatic, the most complex. And his middle son, Klay, well, you might have heard of him. The name of the game under Riley in those early years was up-tempo. By Dave Zirin Twitter On top of all of that, he's the only player to have won a championship alongside Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant, giving him a unique spot in Laker lore. "The Showtime Lakers weren’t just the best team of their era. He was already in his 30s by the time Magic Johnson showed up, having spent a decade dragging Walton and Lanier up and down the court for 48 minutes. These days, having been dismissed from the only franchise he'd ever known, Kupchak finds himself working for Michael Jordan as his general manager. He would go on to win three championships with the team and bridge the gap between the Magic and Kobe eras, mentoring the next great Laker during his final season as a player. The show will chronicle the team's 'Showtime' era of the 1980s, led by Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. From the highs of a rookie's title-winning heroics to the lows of a devastating diagnosis, these teams were all anyone could talk about. And his life since retiring from the NBA more than reflects that. I know, I know…I don’t look a day over 27, but it’s true. He's the NBA logo, and that's somehow just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how much Jerry West has influenced the NBA. Magic and Kareem along with James Worthy, whom the Lakers drafted in 1982, dominated the NBA in the 1980s. West (28.7 ppg) and Baylor (25.4 ppg) finished fifth … My expectations on this Lakers team are through the roof and I honestly think that this might be the best Lakers roster of my lifetime. But where have these Lakers legends gone since their '80s heyday? HBO is bringing the Showtime Lakers to the scripted arena with “Showtime,” Variety has confirmed. Klay Thompson says this year’s Golden State Warriors are better than the Showtime Lakers. The Lakers replaced him with assistant Paul Westhead, who led the Lakers that season to their first championship in almost a decade. Today, he has a stake in the Los Angeles Dodgers and spent two years as president of basketball operations for his Los Angeles Lakers. For some, not far, still displaying that golden touch. These days, you're as likely to find him writing for the new season of Veronica Mars as you are hanging around an NBA arena. If you guessed helped bring basketball to India, wow, good guess. [12][13] Oftentimes, Johnson would rebound the ball and drive the ball up court himself on a fast break. So what has the NBA iron man done more recently? [28], The Lakers in 1985 won their first championship in nine meetings against the Boston Celtics, and again defeated their rivals for the title in 1987. When all was said and done, he would win six championships and six MVPs, and yet that's just the half of his remarkable legacy. With three more titles, one as coach and two as president, he has put a rather massive stamp on the NBA, becoming one of the most successful figures in the history of the sport. Los Angeles Lakers Rosters Year by Year All the Lakers rosters in NBA history. By most metrics, Magic Johnson is the greatest point guard to ever play the game. Here's a look back at notable sports news on April 27 through the years. He later became the boys varsity coach at Chadwick School outside Los Angeles. Yes, that means this season is now stretching into a second year for the Lakers. Johnson himself seemed to be the only one who thought he had a future, and he sure did. Following retirement, Scott transitioned to coaching, leading the New Jersey Nets to the Finals in 2002 and 2003. Possessing the first overall pick in the upcoming 1979 NBA Draft, the Lakers narrowed their choice to either Magic Johnson or Sidney Moncrief. TODDLER (2-4 YEARS) INFANT (12-24 MONTHS) NEWBORN (0-9 MONTHS) Quick View Los Angeles Lakers Kids Anthony Davis Statement Replica Jersey Nike . In that time he would win five championships, all but swindle the Memphis Grizzlies out of Pau Gasol, and form the biggest bust of a super team ever thanks to the brittle bones of Steve Nash and the weak will of Dwight Howard. Riley was also innovative on defense; he was one of the first coaches to employ a 1-3-1 half-court trap to pick up the pace of the game. The series, which has received a pilot order at the cabler, hails from Adam McKay, who … Cheerleaders were not common in the NBA at the time, but Buss ordered the formation of the Laker Girls, a talented and sexy team of female dancers. Of course Magic Johnson takes center stage with his effervescent personality and larger than life persona who really defined the Showtime era. The ultimate lunch pail player, never afraid to do the dirty work, Kurt Rambis stuck in the league for one reason: effort. Showing the same perseverance that allowed him to survive as a player, he climbed the ranks to the big job three times, for the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Lakers after Del Harris was fired during the 1998-99 lockout season, and the New York Knicks thanks to his friendship with team exec Phil Jackson. Order Three-Ring Circus: Kobe, Shaq, Phil, and the Crazy Years of the Lakers Dynasty Two decades removed, Harper recalled a 1999 game against Seattle that had gone down to the wire. He rose to the occasion that night too, finishing with 38 (on 42 shot attempts!) Jeff Pearlman’s Showtime, chronicling the great Los Angeles Lakers team of the 1980’s is a fun and entertaining read about one of the most compelling sports teams ever assembled. [51] When D'Antoni joined with the Lakers and Nash in 2012, he declared, "We would love to be able to play 'Showtime' basketball. 1 overall draft pick;[15] both were ostensibly power forwards who could change the game's pace with their quickness and outside shooting ability. Riley's mantra was "no rebounds, no rings", reinforcing the need to fight for rebounds in order to win championships. The story of how the Los Angeles Lakers became the most successful professional basketball team in the 1980s. The Lakers' two-year reign atop the Western Division came to an end during the 1963-64 season. Whether it's playing in the NBA (where he holds the record for consecutive games played at 1,192) or his chastity (somehow managing to remain a virgin for his entire playing career), this guy doesn't slack. He would then help launch Chris Paul to superstar status as coach of the New Orleans Hornets, winning Coach of the Year honors in 2008. "[45] NBA commissioner David Stern said Showtime showed that "an arena can become the focal point for not just basketball, but entertainment."[46]. Worthy was emphatic he never insulted the NBA superstar at the time and claimed no one had ever called him such shady names before. Designer: Nike. Location: Los Angeles, California Team Names: Los Angeles Lakers, Minneapolis Lakers Seasons: 73; 1948-49 to 2020-21 Record: 3393-2304, .596 W-L% Playoff Appearances: 61 Championships: 17 More Franchise Info [15], McKinney coached the Lakers for only 13 games before he was involved in a serious bike accident during the 1979–80 season. The Phoenix Suns with point guard Steve Nash were a running team under Mike D'Antoni, and The New York Times called them "this decade’s incarnation of the Los Angeles Lakers’ Showtime". Fun fact, 2002 could also be a decent guess at how many women the rest of the Lakers intimately mingled with over that time. The first time the Lakers and Celtics competed for an NBA championship was in 1959 when the Celtics ended the Lakers … The Boston Celtics won their first title in 1957, led by Bob Cousy and Bill Russell.. [13], If the break was not there, the Lakers would settle into their half-court offense and rely on Abdul-Jabbar—the NBA's all-time leading scorer—and his unique signature skyhook. In his four and a half seasons with the team, he helped them win back-to-back championships in 1987 and 1988 with his ferocious defense. Still, one thing's for certain, there'll never be another team quite like the Showtime Lakers, no matter how many times they try. The Lakers may be struggling today, but in the 1980s they won five NBA titles. Fortunately, he found a way to transform those frustrations into motivation, becoming the most successful executive in basketball history. George Mikan led the Minneapolis Lakers to five championships in 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, and 1954. Pat Riley was the perfect coach for this team, arguably the flashiest ever assembled. After struggling for much of the 1970s, the Los Angeles Lakers drafted Earvin "Magic" Johnson in 1979 to join superstar center, Kareem Abdul Jabaar. It’s time to find out. [20] The team started the 1981–82 season at 7–4, but six of those wins were by four points or fewer, and the media criticized Westhead's more-structured offense. He's the eternal Lakers Captain, and the all-time leading scorer in NBA history. With matinee idol looks and the work ethic of a deranged lunatic, Riley could keep the masses entertained while racking up the wins. Oh, and he singlehandedly dragged the dying sport onto the front pages (that's a newspaper term, kids), displaying a charisma that had until that point been reserved for movie stars and cartoon animals. He even worked to bring the Showtime Lakers back, thanks to the signing of LeBron James. [28] At the championship celebrations following the 1987 Finals, Riley boldly guaranteed before the cheering crowd that the Lakers would win it all again in 1988. [21] Although they had won five in a row, Buss was also disenchanted with the offense and then Johnson, frustrated with Westhead and his system, asked to be traded. [9] Instead, Westhead was fired and replaced by Pat Riley. While the showtime Lakers featured many great players over many different years no Lakers team was more dominant from top to bottom than the 82 Lakers. Through his relentless reporting and buoyant writing, Jeff Pearlman has delivered the story in full, from rare insight into Kareem and Magic to what (ital) really (ital) went on after-hours in the Forum Club. [34], The Lakers played their home games at The Forum, which billed itself as "the modern version of the greater Colosseum of ancient Rome". Whether it was averaging 23.6 points per game during the 1986-87 Playoffs or his legendary Game 7 of the 1988 Finals, in which he put up 36 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists to help the team win yet another title, no moment was too big for this former North Carolina Tar Heel. And I was the architect of Showtime. Magic and Kareem along with James Worthy, whom the Lakers drafted in 1982, dominated the NBA in the 1980s. The Lakers and Celtics each had their reign of dominance in the early days of the NBA. At the time, most assumed they'd just witnessed a death sentence. But his most coveted and most bittersweet role must have been as coach of the Lakers from 2014 to 2016. Byron Scott was just what Dr. Jerry Buss ordered when drafted out of Arizona State University in 1983, namely a high-energy spark plug who could play scrappy defense and still soar above the rim. The Showtime era in Los Angeles Lakers history is one of the most famous and fruitful era. [50] Under Jackson's guidance, the Lakers were NBA champions again in 2009 and 2010. Nevertheless, this guarantee was fulfilled as the Lakers repeated as champions in 1988, becoming the first NBA team to capture back-to-back championships since the Celtics' repeat title in 1968–69 in legendary center Bill Russell's last season. He would, over the next few years, help turn the Memphis Grizzlies into winners, the Golden State Warriors into champions, and the Clippers into whatever it is the Clippers are. Oops. His skyhook was unguardable, and his surly attitude the stuff of legend. With him coming off the bench, the Showtime Lakers now had four No. [29][38] The Washington Post quipped that "The Forum may be the only place where the fans make more money than the players. The ultimate hard luck player, West only managed to win one championship with the Lakers, despite going to finals year after year after year. Twenty years after they pounded the Pacers in the Finals, a new … The Showtime Lakers are one of the most famous teams in NBA history. Jeff Pearlman joins Bill Littlefield to discuss his new book 'Showtime' which looks at … At the time of the sale, the Lakers had appeared in the NBA Finals four times in the five years since the Buss family had bought the franchise from … After he purchased the Lakers and The Forum from Cooke, Buss embarked on creating a grand-scale version of The Horn. When he was fired, despite assurances that his third season option would be picked up, he told the Orange County Register that he, "felt betrayed, lied to and deceived." The Lakers have had roughly the same look since they re-located to Los Angeles in 1960. Hmm. ", "It just adds up: On points, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is Lakers' top center", "Heat center situation leaves Pat Riley torn", "Westhead Gone–Lakers Playing Better Than Ever", http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/26788978/the-lakers-public-drama-crisis-ownership, https://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/la-sp-lakers-magic-johnson-20190521-story.html, https://nba.nbcsports.com/2019/05/20/magic-johnson-on-lakers-gm-rob-pelinka-if-youre-going-to-talk-betrayal-its-only-with-rob/, "The Extra Pass: Talking "Showtime" Lakers with author Jeff Pearlman", "Johnson Not Ready To Pass Mantle; For 9th Time, Lakers Show Magic Touch", "10 reasonswhy Chicago will beat Los Angeles", "Showtime Lakers weren't built overnight", "Hollywood Stars Raving Over Lakers' Socko Title Sequel; Thumbs Up for Award-Winning Script", "Team may change, but Laker Band endures", "His dance moves made him part of Lakers' show", "The Los Angeles Lakers and the Last Crusade", "Suns Work Hard to Make Their Games Look That Fun", "Mike D'Antoni says Lakers would love to play 'Showtime' ball", "It's Showtime with the Clippers, says former Laker Magic Johnson", The Last Season: A Team in Search of Its Soul, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Showtime_(basketball)&oldid=997875157, Pages containing links to subscription-only content, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 2 January 2021, at 17:38. 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