<h2>LOS ANGELES LAKERS</h2>
The Lakers are one of the most storied franchises in the NBA. The team started with the purchase of the Detroit Gems, a disbanded team in the old National Basketball League. The team moved to Minneapolis in 1947. The Lakers moved to Los Angeles in 1960.

The Lakers are one of the most successful franchises in the NBA. They have won 16 NBA championships, second only to the Boston Celtics. The Lakers have had a long list of star players throughout the team’s history.

Because of their popularity, the Lakers are seen several times a year on national broadcasts on ABC, ESPN, ESPN+, and TNT. Nearly the complete Lakers schedule is available on Spectrum Sportsnet. Fans can watch all of the Lakers games via live stream by visiting NBA.tv.

<h2>HOME OF THE LAKERS</h2>
The Lakers have played at the Staples Center since it opened in 1999. They share the arena with their city rival, the Los Angeles Clippers. The Staples Center has a capacity of 18.997 for Lakers home games.

<h2>CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY</h2>
The Lakers have a long history of success. The franchise has won 23 division titles. Most recently, they won five straight Pacific Division titles from 2008 to 2012. The Lakers have won 31 conference titles, most recently winning three straight in 2008, 2009, and 2010.

The Lakers have won 16 NBA titles (1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1972, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, and 2010).

<h2>BEST OF THE LAKERS</h2>
The first Laker great was George Mikan who played for the team in Minneapolis. He led the Lakers to five NBL/BAA championships before the formation of the NBA. He was a four-time NBA All-Star and MVP of the 1953 All-Star Game. Mikan led the NBA in scoring three times and finished his Hall of Fame career with an average of 23.1 points and 13.4 rebounds per game.

Elgin Baylor played his entire career with the Lakers, first in Minneapolis then in L.A. He was an 11-time All-Star and was an All-NBA FIrst Team selection 10 times. After being drafted by Minneapolis with the first overall pick in the 1958 NBA draft, Baylor was the 1959 Rookie of the Year. A Hall of Famer, Baylor finished his career with an average of 27.4 points and 13.5 rebounds per game. 

Jerry West was the second pick of the 1960 NBA draft. He would be an All-Star selection in all 14 of his NBA seasons. He led the Lakers to the 1972 NBA title and was the NBA Finals MVP in 1969 despite a Lakers loss. West is considered one of the game’s all-time greats finishing his career with averages of 27.0 points, 6.7 assists, and 5.8 rebounds per game. The NBA logo is modeled after West.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. He played the final 14 years of his NBA career with the Lakers. Abdul-Jabbar won five NBA championships with the Lakers and three of his six league MVPs while in L.A. 

Abdul-Jabbar’s teammate Magic Johnson played his whole career with the Lakers. He won five NBA championships and was a three-time NBA Finals MVP. A 12-time All-Star, Johnson average 19.5 points, 11.2 assists, and 7.2 rebounds per game during his career.