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The LA Lakers are one of the most celebrated franchises in professional sports. The Showtime era made them a desirable destination. Stars like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson and James Worthy played a winning brand of basketball. Following this period, the team struggled. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had a few words about the era following Showtime:
“When you have a team that was as successful as the Showtime Lakers, it’s very difficult to play afterward. Nick Van Exel and the others were young men in search of their own identity. They wanted to be judged on their own talents and not compared to an entire team that had created a legacy.”
“The result was a lot of individuals playing their own games, wanting to be noticed. But the best way to get noticed is to win a championship, and they didn’t have the teamwork or the talent to do that."
The Lakers' struggles began after Magic Johnson’s HIV diagnosis and subsequent retirement. The franchise sustained a lull in terms of fan following. The Showtime era commenced with the 1979-80 season, spanning through 1991, during which the Lakers won five titles.
Following Magic’s departure, Nick Van Exel and Eddie Jones were the youngsters leading the franchise, a daunting task. The Lakers lacked their typical excitement, and the franchise struggled for a sustained period. The team found its way back into relevance following the arrival of Shaquille O’Neal.
Lakers revived by Shaq-Kobe pairing
The revival of the Lakers dynasty was led by Hall of Famer Jerry West, who played for the franchise between 1960 and 1974. He was instrumental in bringing Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal to the 'Purple and Gold' during the 1996 offseason.
The duo won their first title in 2000. This win began a three-peat and brought winning basketball back to LA.
O’Neal and Bryant provided a one-two punch. Phil Jackson’s triangle offense made them an unstoppable force. Shaq’s dominance in the paint was exciting to watch. He was instrumental in all three championship runs, averaging 29.9 points, 14.5 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in the playoffs.
Kobe Bryant had his struggles initially, but with an uncanny work ethic, he became a reliable scorer and defender. In his three championship runs alongside Shaq, Bryant averaged 25.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.9 assists in the playoffs. The Shaq-Kobe partnership ended in 2004 after a Finals loss to the Detroit Pistons.
Guess the Lakers players!
