Events in Sport
Elgin Baylor
1960-11-15 Elgin Baylor of NBA LA Lakers scores 71 points vs NY Knicks
- 1962-04-18 16th NBA Championship: Boston Celtics beat LA Lakers, 4 games to 3
NBA Record
1962-11-03 SF Warriors center Wilt Chamberlain scores 72 points in 127-115 defeat to LA Lakers at LA Memorial Sports Arena; then 4th-highest point total in NBA history; remains 6th highest game total
- 1963-04-24 17th NBA Championship: Boston Celtics beat LA Lakers, 4 games to 2
- 1965-04-25 19th NBA Championship: Boston Celtics beat LA Lakers, 4 games to 1
Auerbach's 1,000th Win
1966-01-12 Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach records his 1,000th NBA career victory (regular season and playoffs), 114-102 over the Los Angeles Lakers in Boston
- 1966-04-28 20th NBA Championship: Boston Celtics beat LA Lakers, 4 games to 3
- 1967-01-20 Philadelphia 76ers center Wilt Chamberlain makes all 15 of his field goal attempts in a 119-108 win over LA Lakers; NBA record for consecutive shots made; beats mark twice before 1966-67 season ends
- 1967-12-31 1st NBA game at Great Western Forum, LA Lakers beat Houston 147-118
- 1968-05-02 22nd NBA Championship: Boston Celtics beat LA Lakers, 4 games to 2
- 1968-07-09 Wilt Chamberlain becomes the first reigning NBA MVP to be traded the next season when he moves from Philadelphia 76'ers to LA Lakers
NBA Finals
1969-04-23 LA Lakers guard Jerry West scores 53 points in 120-118 NBA Finals Game 1 win over Boston Celtics at the LA Forum
- 1969-05-05 23rd NBA Championship: Boston Celtics beat LA Lakers, 4 games to 3
- 1970-05-08 24th NBA Championship: NY Knicks beat LA Lakers 113 to 91 at Madison Square Garden, NYC; winning final series 4 games to 3
- 1971-11-05 NBA's LA Lakers starts a 33 game consecutive victory streak
- 1972-01-07 Los Angeles Lakers defeat the Atlanta Hawks, 134-90 for their 33rd straight win, the longest winning streak in major professional sports
Laker's Streak Ends
1972-01-09 Led by future Lakers star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Milwaukee Bucks beat LA Lakers, 120-104, ending LA's consecutive win streak at 33, the longest winning streak in major league sports history
- 1972-01-18 22nd NBA All-Star Game, The Forum, Inglewood, Ca: West beats East, 112-110: MVP: Jerry West, LA Lakers, G, hits a last-second, 20-foot game-winning jumper
- 1972-02-16 Wilt Chamberlain of the Los Angeles Lakers becomes first player in NBA history to reach the career 30,000 point mark during a 110-109 loss to the Phoenix Suns
- 1972-03-19 LA Lakers beat Golden State Warriors, 162-99, by then record 63 pts
- 1972-03-26 LA Lakers break NBA wins record by winning 69 of 82 games (69-13), record will stand for 24 years
- 1972-05-07 26th NBA Championship: LA Lakers beat NY Knicks, 4 games to 1
- 1973-05-10 27th NBA Championship: NY Knicks beat LA Lakers, 4 games to 1
- 1974-10-03 Future Basketball Hall of Fame guard Jerry West (“Mr. Clutch”) retires after 14 NBA seasons with the LA Lakers; West has 25,192 career points; averages 29.1 ppg in 153 playoff games
Sports History
1979-10-12 Future Basketball Hall of Fame forward Magic Johnson makes his debut for Los Angeles Lakers at the San Diego Clippers; Lakers win, 103-102
- 1980-01-29 Cleveland Cavaliers beat LA Lakers 154-153 in quadruple OT
- 1980-03-02 Phoenix point guard Mike Bratz ends NBA free throw streak of 57 games with a miss in the Suns' 123-115 home win over the LA Lakers
- 1980-05-16 34th NBA Championship: LA Lakers beat Philadelphia 76ers, 4 games to 2
- 1982-04-09 LA Lakers block 21 Denver shots setting NBA regulation game record
- 1982-06-08 36th NBA Championship: LA Lakers beat Philadelphia 76ers, 4 games to 2
- 1983-05-26 LA Lakers set NBA playoff game record of fewest free throws
- 1983-05-31 37th NBA Championship: Philadelphia 76ers sweep LA Lakers in 4 games
- 1984-06-12 38th NBA Championship: Boston Celtics beat LA Lakers, 4 games to 3, to win the championship title
- 1985-06-09 NBA Championship, Boston Garden: Los Angeles Lakers beat Boston Celtics, 111-100 for a 4 games to 2 series victory; Finals MVP: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
- 1986-01-10 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar of the Los Angeles Lakers scores his 34,000th career point during 124-102 win over Indiana Pacers; only NBA player to reach the milestone at that time, holds career record until 2023
- 1987-02-24 LA Lakers center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scores his 36,000th NBA point in a 97-93 win over the Suns in Phoenix
- 1987-06-14 41st NBA Championship: LA Lakers beat Boston Celtics, 4 games to 2
- 1988-06-21 42nd NBA Championship: LA Lakers beat Detroit Pistons, 4 games to 3
- 1989-06-13 43rd NBA Championship: Detroit Pistons sweeps LA Lakers in 4 games
- 1990-02-11 40th NBA All-Star Game, Miami Arena, Miami, FL: East beats West, 130-113; MVP: Magic Johnson, LA Lakers, F
- 1990-03-20 LA Lakers retires Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's #33
NBA Finals
1991-06-12 NBA Finals: Chicago Bulls beat LA Lakers, 108-101 in Game 5 for first of 3 straight titles; MVP: Michael Jordan in his first NBA Finals appearance
- 1991-11-07 Magic Johnson announces he has HIV virus & retires from LA Lakers
- 1992-02-09 42nd NBA All-Star Game, Orlando Arena, Orlando, FL: West beats East, 153-113; MVP: Magic Johnson, LA Lakers, F
- 1992-02-16 LA Lakers retire Magic Johnson's #32 uniform
- 1995-11-04 KeyArena opens in Seattle, Supersonics beat the LA Lakers 103-89
- 1996-01-30 Future Basketball Hall of Famer Magic Johnson comes out of a 5 year retirement; helps LA Lakers to 128-118 win over Golden State at the Great Western Forum with 19 points, 8 rebounds & 10 assists
- 1996-11-01 Shaquille O'Neil makes his Hollywood debut as Los Angeles Lakers beat Phoenix Suns, 96-82 at the Forum, Inglewood; O'Neil scores 23 points and pulls down 14 rebounds in 35 minutes
Sports History
1996-11-03 Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant becomes the then youngest player to make his NBA debut (18 years, 2 months, 11 days) in 91-85 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Great Western Forum
Shaq's New Block Total
1998-01-07 Los Angeles Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal blocks 3 shots in a 114-102 win over Milwaukee to bring his career total to 1,002
- 1999-11-03 Los Angeles Lakers debut in the STAPLES Center, with 103-88 win v Vancouver Grizzlies; Magic Johnson & Chick Hearn co-host ceremony unveiling Lakers' retired jerseys & championship banners in new building
NBA All-Star Game
2000-02-13 49th NBA All-Star Game, Oakland Arena, Oakland, CA: West beats East, 137-127; MVPs: Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs, F; Shaquille O'Neal, LA Lakers, C
- 2000-06-19 NBA Finals: Los Angeles Lakers beat Indiana Pacers, 116-111 in Game 6 to win the franchise's first title in 12 years; MVP: Shaquille O'Neal
- 2000-08-07 Los Angeles Lakers announce retirement of former star player and Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Jerry West; name Mitch Kupchak to succeed him
- 2001-06-15 NBA Finals: Los Angeles Lakers beat Philadelphia 76ers, 100-86 in Game 5 to win back-to-back titles; MVP: Shaquille O'Neal for second straight year
- 2001-10-05 MLB's Atlanta Braves become first pro sports team to win 10 straight division titles after mauling the Marlins, 20-3 to clinch the NL East title; NBA's Boston Celtics (1957-65) & LA Lakers (1982-90) both won 9 in a row
- 2002-02-10 51st NBA All-Star Game, First Union Centre, Philadelphia, PA: West beats East, 135-120; MVP: Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers, F
- 2002-06-12 NBA Finals: Los Angeles Lakers beat New Jersey Nets, 113-107 for a 4-0 sweep and 3rd straight title; MVP: Shaquille O'Neal for 3rd consecutive Finals series
- 2003-07-04 LA Lakers basketball star Kobe Bryant is arrested in Eagle, Colorado for sexual assault, charges eventually dismissed
- 2004-02-15 53rd NBA All-Star Game, Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA: West beats East, 136-132; MVP: Shaquille O'Neal, LA Lakers, C
- 2004-06-15 NBA Finals: Detroit Pistons beat Los Angeles Lakers, 100-87 in Game 5 to complete one of the greatest upsets in NBA history; MVP: Chauncey Billups
- 2004-09-01 Sexual assault charge against LA Lakers star Kobe Bryant is dropped by the Eagle County District Attorney's offices in Colorado after the victim decides not to participate
- 2007-02-18 56th NBA All-Star Game, Thomas & Mack Center, Paradise, NV: West beats East, 153-132; MVP: Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers, F
- 2008-06-17 NBA Finals: Boston Celtics beat Los Angeles Lakers, 131-92 in Game 6 for first title since 1986 and 17th overall; MVP: Paul Pierce
- 2009-02-15 58th NBA All-Star Game, US Airways Center, Phoenix, AZ: West beats East, 146-119; MVPs: Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers, F; Shaquille O'Neal, LA Lakers, C
- 2009-06-14 NBA Finals: Los Angeles Lakers beat Orlando Magic, 99-86 in Game 5 for franchise's 15th NBA championship; MVP: Kobe Bryant
- 2010-01-21 LA Lakers forward Kobe Bryant becomes the youngest NBA player to reach 25,000 career points at 31 years, 151 days; beats Wilt Chamberlain by 35 days
- 2010-04-02 Basketball superstar Kobe Bryant signs a three-year contract extension with the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers worth $87 million
- 2010-06-17 NBA Finals: Depending champion Los Angeles Lakers beat Boston Celtics, 83-79 in Game 7 for franchise's 16th NBA title; MVP: Kobe Bryant
- 2011-02-20 60th NBA All-Star Game, Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA: West beats East, 148-143; MVP: Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers, F
Steve Nash Traded to the Lakers
2012-07-11 Future Basketball Hall of Fame guard Steve Nash is traded by the Phoenix Suns to the Los Angeles Lakers
- 2015-11-30 NBA star Kobe Bryant (LA Lakers) announces his intention to retire at the end of the season
Agreement of Interest
2018-07-01 NBA super star LeBron James agrees to a 4-year $154m deal with the LA Lakers, moving from Cleveland Cavaliers
- 2018-11-15 LeBron James passes Wilt Chamberlain for 5th on the NBA's career scoring list with 44 points for the LA Lakers in 126-117 victory over Portland Trail Blazers at the Staples Center, Los Angeles
- 2018-12-13 German basketball forward Dirk Nowitzki takes the court for his record 21st NBA season with the Dallas Mavericks, surpassing Kobe Bryant's 20 seasons with the LA Lakers
Thompson 3-Point Range Record
2019-01-21 Golden State guard Klay Thompson sets an NBA record by making his first 10 attempts from 3-point range as the Warriors beat the LA Lakers, 130-111; Thompson scores 44 points
- 2019-04-02 OKC guard Russell Westbrook becomes 2nd player in NBA history to have 20+ points, rebounds and assists in a game; records 20-20-21 in 119-103 win over LA Lakers
- 2019-04-07 Retiring NBA legends Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas) and Dwyane Wade (Miami) play their final home games, both victories; Magic Johnson sensationally quits as LA Lakers president of basketball operations; Houston Rockets convert NBA record 27 three-point field goals in 149-113 win over Phoenix
NBA Trade
2019-06-15 In a blockbuster NBA trade, the New Orleans Pelicans send forward Anthony Davis to the LA Lakers for Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart & 3 future 1st round draft picks including 2019 #4
- 2019-11-19 LeBron James hits 25 points, 11 rebounds & 10 assists as LA Lakers' beat Oklahoma City Thunder, 112-107 to become first player in NBA history to record a triple-double against all 30 franchises
- 2020-01-26 LA Lakers basketball legend Kobe Bryant dies in a helicopter crash in foggy conditions in the hills above Calabasas, southern California; considered one of the greatest players in the game's history
Sports History
2024-01-23 Kawhi Leonard records his second career triple-double in a win against the Los Angeles Lakers
Birthdays in Sport
- 1916-11-27 Chick Hearn, American basketball broadcaster (called 3,338 LA Lakers games), born in Aurora, Illinois (d. 2002)
Wilt Chamberlain (1936-1999)
1936-08-21 American College / Basketball HOF center (4 x NBA MVP; 13 x All Star; NBA C'ship 1967, 72 [MVP]; Philadelphia/SF Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, LA Lakers), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Jerry West (85 years old)
1938-05-28 American Basketball Hall of Fame guard, executive (LA Lakers, 14-time NBA All Star), born in Chelyan, West Virginia
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (77 years old)
1947-04-16 American Basketball Hall of Fame center (6 x NBA champion; NBA Finals MVP 1971, 85; 6 × NBA MVP; 19 × NBA All-Star), born in New York City
- 1951-05-08 Mike D'Antoni, American basketball coach (NBA Coach of the Year 2005, 17; Houston Rockets; LA Lakers, NY Knicks, Phoenix Suns), born in Mullens, West Virginia
- 1951-09-25 Robert "Bob" McAdoo, American former NBA player (Buffalo Braves) and assistant coach (Miami Heat), born in Greensboro, North Carolina
- 1956-04-15 Michael Cooper, American NBA star (LA Lakers), born in Los Angeles, California
- 1958-04-02 Larry Drew, American basketball point guard (Kansas City/Sacramento Kings, LA Clippers, LA Lakers) and coach (Atlanta Hawks, Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers), born in Kansas City, Kansas
Magic Johnson (64 years old)
1959-08-14 American Basketball Hall of Fame point guard, executive (5-time NBA champion, 3-time NBA Finals MVP, Olympic gold 1992), born in Lansing, Michigan
James Worthy (63 years old)
1961-02-27 American NBA forward (LA Lakers, 1988 Playoff MVP), born in Gastonia, North Carolina
- 1963-10-04 A. C. Green, American basketball power forward (most consecutive games [1,192] in NBA and ABA history; LA Lakers), born in Portland, Oregon
- 1968-02-03 Vlade Divac, Serbian Basketball HOF center (NBA All-Star 2001, NBA All-Rookie First Team 1990) and executive (Sacramento Kings 2015-20), born in Prijepolje, Serbia
- 1968-10-03 Greg Foster, American basketball center and coach (NBA C'ship 2001 LA Lakers), born in Oakland, California
- 1969-07-24 Rick Fox, Canadian actor and NBA player (LA Lakers, Boston Celtics), born in Toronto, Ontario
- 1969-07-25 Jon Barry, American NBA guard (LA Lakers, Golden State Warriors), born in Oakland, California
- 1969-08-02 Cedric Ceballos, American NBA forward (LA Lakers, Phoenix Suns), born in Maui, Hawaii,
- 1969-09-09 Sean Rooks, American basketball center (LA Lakers), born in New York City
- 1969-11-25 Anthony Peeler, NBA guard (LA Lakers, Vancouver Grizzlies)
- 1970-08-25 Robert Horry, NBA forward (LA Lakers, Houston Rockets)
- 1970-12-03 Lindsey Hunter, American basketball guard (NBA C'ship 2002, 04; LA Lakers, Detroit Pistons), born in Utica, Mississippi
- 1971-10-20 Eddie Jones, American NBA guard/forward (LA Lakers), born in Pompano Beach, Florida
- 1971-11-27 Nick Van Exel, American NBA guard (LA Lakers), born in Kenosha, Winconsin
- 1972-06-06 Frankie King, NBA guard (LA Lakers)
- 1973-06-21 Frank Vogel, American basketball head coach (LA Lakers 2019, Indiana Pacers 2011-16; Orlando Magic 2016-18), born in Wildwood Crest, New Jersey
- 1973-08-01 Mario Bennett, American NBA forward (LA Lakers, Phoenix Suns), born in Denton, Texas
Steve Nash (50 years old)
1974-02-07 Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame guard (NBA MVP 2005, 06; 8 × NBA All-Star; Dallas Mavericks, Phoenix Suns, LA Lakers) and coach (Brooklyn Nets), born in Johannesburg, South Africa
- 1974-08-09 Derek Fisher, American NBA guard (LA Lakers) and manager (LS Sparks), born in Little Rock Arkansas
- 1975-08-26 Shea Seals, NBA guard (LA Lakers) and coach, born in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Kobe Bryant (1978-2020)
1978-08-23 American basketball guard (NBA champion 2000–02, 09-10; NBA MVP 2008; 18 x NBA All Star; LA Lakers; Olympic gold 2008,12), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- 1980-03-28 Luke Walton, American basketball head coach (Sacramento Kings 2019; LA Lakers 2016-18; NBA C'ships 2009-10, LA Lakers), born in San Diego, California
LeBron James (39 years old)
1984-12-30 American basketball forward (NBA C'ship & MVP 2012, 2013, 2016, 2020; 16 × NBA All-Star; Olympic gold 2008, 12; Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, LA Lakers), born in Akron, Ohio
- 1987-10-27 Andrew Bynum, American basketball player (Los Angeles Lakers), born in Plainsboro Township, New Jersey
- 1988-04-01 Brook Lopez, American basketball center (NBA C'ship 2021 Milwaukee Bucks; NBA All-Star 2013 NJ / Brooklyn Nets; Los Angeles Lakers), born in North Hollywood, California
Weddings in Sport
- 1999-09-26 Actress-singer and former beauty queen Vanessa L Williams (36) weds Los Angeles Lakers' basketball player Rick Fox (30) at Church of the Holy Trinity in New York
Shaquille O'Neal
2002-12-26 Los Angeles Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal (30) weds Shaunie Nelson at The Beverly Hills Hotel's Crystal Garden
Deaths in Sport
- 2002-08-05 Chick Hearn, American basketball broadcaster (called 3,338 LA Lakers games), dies at 85
Kobe Bryant (1978-2020)
2020-01-26 American basketball guard (NBA champion 2000–02, 09-10; NBA MVP 2008; 18 x NBA All Star; LA Lakers; Olympic gold 2008, 12), dies in a helicopter crash at 41