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Los Angeles Lakers: Ranking the five dynasties in franchise history

By Jason Reed

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 06: Los Angeles Lakers legends Ervin Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Shaquille O'Neal share a laugh with Hall of Famer Elgin Baylor during the unveiling ceremony for a bronze statue to honor Baylor in Star Plaza at Staples Center on April 6, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 06: Los Angeles Lakers legends Ervin Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Shaquille O'Neal share a laugh with Hall of Famer Elgin Baylor during the unveiling ceremony for a bronze statue to honor Baylor in Star Plaza at Staples Center on April 6, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

3. The Jerry West Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers only won one championship with Jerry West at the helm. In fact, West notoriously has the worst NBA Finals record of any NBA legend, going 1-8 in his nine NBA Finals appearances in his career.

That lone championship came in 1972 against the New York Knicks, although West was not the Finals MVP. Wilt Chamberlain was the Finals MVP and the following season the Lakers lost in the NBA Finals, to the New York Knicks.

What puts these Lakers ahead of the Kobe-Pau Lakers is how long they lasted and how much Hall of Fame talent was on this team. There are four basketball, not just Lakers, but basketball legends in West, Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor and Gail Goodrich who played for the Lakers during this era.

The problem is that West and the Lakers often ran into the Bill Russell-led Boston Celtics. The Lakers lost to the Celtics in the NBA Finals in 1962, 1963, 1955, 1966, 1968 and 1969. They lost to the Knicks in 1970 and again in 1973.

Four of their NBA Finals losses went to all seven games. If half of those go the other way then the Lakers have the most championships in NBA history and West’s Finals record does not look so bad.

Despite mostly coming in second place, Jerry West and the Lakers in the 1960s established the excellence that would be expected in Los Angeles for years to come.

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