Los Angeles Lakers

This is where I get to talk about the Lakers as much as I want. Perhaps the greatest Laker of all was Earvin "Magic" Johnson. As a rookie, he led the Lakers to a Game 6 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1980 NBA Championship Series. He scored 42 points, pulled down 15 rebounds, and dished out 7 assists in what may have been his greatest playoff game ever. The Lakers won Game 6 without the services of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the NBA's MVP for that regular season, and despite the efforts of the Sixers' Julius Erving. Kareem and Dr. J have made it to the Hall of Fame already, while Magic is on his way...

And while Magic Johnson was bestowing Showtime upon Los Angeles, Larry Bird was making Boston proud again. The Magic-Bird rivalry was one of the greatest in all sports, of all time. They entered the league in the 1979-80 season together amid much hype. Each was touted as his franchise's savior, and they did not disappoint. They resurrected a basketball league that was losing money and whose Championship Series could not secure a slot in prime time TV. Fan interest was waning, but Magic and Bird brought excitement via the pass. They injected a new team spirit and mental toughness. They played hard and well, and earned the respect of the NBA and the adoration of the fans. They rekindled the Lakers-Celtics rivalry of old, and orchestrated a decade-long championship performance that no one in attendance will soon forget.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the Captain, creator and master of the SKYHOOK, was a large part of the Lakers' success in the eighties. Six MVP awards, six NBA Championship rings, numerous longevity records, 19-time NBA All-Star. He began his life as Lew Alcindor, and changed his name in the early 1970s when he converted to the Muslim faith. Due largely to the microscope he had been under as a youth, he made a point of being aloof to outsiders. With age, he has mellowed. Now, in retirement, he seems to be more easy-going and light-hearted in public than ever as he furthers his part-time acting career.

Seeing as how Kareem is a UCLA alumnus and I used to root for UCLA basketball, here's a little tribute. Maybe before I graduate, UC Berkeley will make the NCAA Tournament again.

Going even further back, Jerry West joined the Lakers starting in the 1959-60 season, the team's first in Los Angeles after moving from Minneapolis. Jerry earned the nickname "Mr. Clutch" for his timely miracle game-winners. One of the purest jump shooters in NBA history, Jerry West etched a Hall-of-Fame playing career with his beloved Lakers which was perhaps climaxed by winning the 1971-72 NBA Championship with teammates Wilt Chamberlain, Gail Goodrich, and Pat Riley.

Because of Jerry West, long-time and legendary Laker broadcaster Chick Hearn coined the phrase "stop and pop", to describe one of West's more effective offensive moves to get off his jump shot. The NBA logo was actually modelled after Jerry West. Yup, that's his silhouette you see everywhere.

After his playing days were over in the mid-1970s, West tried his hand at coaching. Because of his perfectionist nature, his two years as Lakers head coach were less than successful, but after this stint was over, he rose to the Laker front office where he resided as General Manager during the eighties and into the nineties. Now he is the Lakers Vice President of Operations, but is in no way less responsible for all the great personnel moves that you see the team make.

On the night of Sunday, December 10, 1995, the Los Angeles Lakers retired James Worthy's #42 . The game was against the Detroit Pistons that night, which is fitting, since one of Big Game James' biggest moments came at the expense of the Bad Boys in Game 7 of the 1988 NBA Finals. The "Lake Show" gave James an 87-82 victory after the retirement ceremony. James gave the Lakers, the NBA, and the city of Los Angeles 13 seasons of excellence.

Worthy had the good fortune to join a team that boasted Earvin Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jamaal Wilkes, and Michael Cooper. James wasn't needed to resurrect a sinking ship, as is what is usually asked of the first pick in the NBA Draft.