8. Finishing second in the Western Conference and Winning the Pacific Division in 2011
Coming into the 2011 season the Lakers had enormous expectations. They were coming off of back-to-back titles, and three straight finals appearances.
The logical conclusion for the 2011 season was that they would be in the finals once again against perhaps the newly formed super team the Miami Heat. In reality, they were swept out of the Western Conference Playoffs in the semifinals against the eventual champion Dallas Mavericks, who upset the Heat.
The season could have been considered a failure because they failed to live up to what they had been the past few seasons prior. Yet compared to the other seasons in the 2010s, this one stands out as one of the best, especially in the regular season.
In the 2011 regular season, they were able to obtain the second-best record in the west, at 57-25. That also earned them the Pacific division title that season as well, one of only three pacific division titles this decade.
The Lakers do not hang Pacific division title banners like their fellow occupants of the Staples Center, but this season is still something to be celebrated. Yes, the lasting image of this season is probably Andrew Bynum clothes lining J.J. Barea at the end of their sweep out of the playoffs, yet their regular season still had many pointing to them as title favorites.