The Best Lakers Championship Team?

[World Peace]

In the new era (Post MJ) what is the best Lakers championship team?

I'll go with the 1st championship team the 2000 Lakers. Shaq was by far the best player on the planet, Kobe was an emerging young superstar, we had quality depth which the other title teams didn't really have.

[I Love You Kobe]

[I Love You Kobe]

did i do it right? did my photo show up? its not showing up for me

check your pm

[salmahayek]

Yes, the photo is there.

Post MJ, I'm going with the second team in the threepeat, 2001. They only lost one game in the post season. Totally dominant.

All time, I'll take the 1987 Lakers. Magic Johnson established himself as an MVP. Kareem Abdul - Jabbar was still playing at an all - star level at center. James Worthy was a clutch, veteran all - star in his prime then. Byron Scott could drop threes and explode at the rim off the break or in the half court set. He was also underrated defensively because he played on the same team as Michael Cooper.

AC Green was an excellent role player at the four. Mychal Thompson was very good as a backup at center and power forward, respectively. Cooper could D anyone up from ones to threes as well as play all three positions offensively, run the floor and hit threes - plus - the Coop a Loops were awesome. Plus, Superman in Specs was still on that team, Kurt Rambis.

There was just no weakness to that team. Offensively, they could run and score points like the Denver Nuggets and in the half court set, only the Boston Celtics were better. Defensively, only the Detroit Pistons were better. So, it was just an all - around dominant team with no weakness, IMO, that actually excelled at all phases of the game.

Oh - and Pat Riley was a great coach.

[Mamba Venom]

Obviously the 2001 team only lost 1 game (basically out of boredom). Kobe was the best player. Shaq was the most dominant (they were proud to say it to each other). Everyone on the team knew their role.

The team was hungry and also had championship experience. That is a RARE combination.

[The Skyhook]

2001 Lakers. That playoff run was something else.

[Anklebreaker702]

2001 Lakers. That playoff run was something else.

Going with 01 as well. Should've been an undefeated playoff run.

[hermes]

yeah 2001, that team was really good and they knew it


that was was one special run in that postseason

[Gek]

Especially when AI single handedly toppled us kind of for a second.

[Imadogg]

2001..... then 2009

[miggs]

Man that 01 season was amazing. 65-17 right? I remember I got a pin in the mail that season, I was amazed that I could write to the "Lakers" and actually get something back. Shaq was a monster man, just a monster.

[WOX_69]

2001..... then 2009

This is the only correct answer.

[Kilroy]

The correct answer is "the current one."

[Rox_Nix_Nox]

I'll just go with 2000, because guys like fisher, horry, and fox guys who stepped up huge in 01, all came off the bench on that team.

[LAKESHOW]

01 was just ridiculous. the second title run was totally on before it even happened. that team was so confident. so OVERconfident. they were like rockstars goin from arena to arena, now that still happens, because of the following the LAKERs have, but these guys knew it was a lock they coasted and cruised at times, and i believe they invented the phrase "turning on the switch" where they would just F around for games, but when it was time to turn it on and blast the opponent out of the water, it was utterly ridiculous to see.

[LAKERS_1981]

2001
Why?
1. They played great team basketball on O and D.
2. Shaq was at his peak(1999-2002 was his peak) and Kobe had his best playoffs went from allstar player in 2000 to a superstar in 2001.
3. Role player were great that year. Fisher, Fox, Horry, Harper and Grant all help this team win.


1972, 1985,1987 and 2001 are the best Lakers teams of all time. I have hard time ranking them.

1.1987
2. 2001
3.1985
4. 1972

[Anklebreaker702]

2001..... then 2009

This is the only correct answer.

'09 is not talked about much because we got punked by the Celtics in '08.

[Ginobili]

Give me the 2001 version also.

That team coasted in the RS (we all know Shaq`s approach about that) and didnt win as many games as the previous year, but they were simply a more dominant team, they killed the Playoffs. The West was incredibly stacked in those years (Blazers, Mavs, Wolves, Kings, Spurs...etc) but the Lakers crushed them all.

Only Iverson playing like Michael F*cking Jordan in Game 1 of the Finals kept them from going undefeated in the post-season.

The 2010 Lakers were special also, but obviously not as dominant as the 2001 version, or even 2000 version. Kobe and Gasol in his prime, Artest still a pretty good defensive player, Odom coming out the bench, Fisher hitting clutch shots and ocasionaly Bynum stepping in when healthy. They struggled against Oklahoma, Phoenix and Boston in the Playoffs, but I think they were a slightly better version than the 2009 team just because the addition of Artest. Its kinda like what happened in the three-peat, the 2000 team posted up a better record but the 2001 was more complete and dominant, same thing with the 2009 and 2010 teams.

Overall I would rank them like this:

1. 2001
2. 2010
3. 2000
4. 2009
5. 2002

[Beethoven]

Statistically and powerhouse-wise the 01 Lakers.

Emotionally for me, 2010 Lakers





The most meh championship was 09.
It was the most anticlimactic one for me. It didnt feel like a celebration the last game, it just felt like, ok we won the championship.

...although we could have easily been down 3-1 if Orlando made that last tip in at last second of 4th quarter in one of the games, and if Derek was fouled prior to the 3 pointer to tie it in the other.

[DEEP3CL]

01 easy, then for throwback sake....87 squad.