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Los Angeles Lakers: Ranking the 7 greatest coaches since 1980

Eric Hirsch|
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 22: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers slaps hands with Head coach Frank Vogel of the Los Angeles Lakers in the second half in Game Three of the first round of the playoffs between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Portland Trail Blazers at the AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 22, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. 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 Kim Klement-Pool/Getty Images)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 22: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers slaps hands with Head coach Frank Vogel of the Los Angeles Lakers in the second half in Game Three of the first round of the playoffs between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Portland Trail Blazers at the AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 22, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. 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 Kim Klement-Pool/Getty Images)
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Los Angeles Lakers
Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images – Los Angeles Lakers

Top 7 Los Angeles Lakers head coaches since 1980: 6. Mike Dunleavy

Like Mike Brown, Mike Dunleavy embraced the difficult challenge of replacing a Lakers’ coaching giant. After taking over for Pat Riley in 1990, Dunleavy inherited a roster headlined by Magic Johnson, James Worthy, and Vlade Divac.

Though the Lakers-Celtics dominance of the NBA had given way to the emergence of the Bad Boys Detroit Pistons and a prime Michael Jordan, the Lakers still had enough talent to compete for a championship.

Though the team retained several holdovers from the “Showtime” Lakers, the 1990-91 Lakers implemented a slower, more half-court oriented offense to accommodate its aging roster. Under Dunleavy’s guidance, the Lakers achieved a 58-24 regular-season record, good enough for the 3-seed heading into the playoffs.

Despite his status as a first-year head coach, Dunleavy’s Lakers had a plethora of playoff experience. Behind the leadership and strong play of Johnson and Worthy, the Lakers rolled past the Houston Rockets (3-0 sweep), Golden State Warriors (4-1), and Portland Trail Blazers (4-2) en route to a spot in the NBA Finals.

After defeating the Chicago Bulls in Game 1, the Lakers ran out of gas against Michael Jordan and company. The Bulls won the next four games to claim the championship.

Dunleavy returned the next season to guide the Lakers, but this time the team would be without Johnson, their superstar point guard and leader. With a depleted roster now led by James Worthy, the Lakers still managed a 43-39 record and secured the 8-seed in the playoffs. But they were ousted in the first round by the Trail Blazers three games to one. Dunleavy left the team after the season.

Though his stint as head coach of the Lakers was short-lived, Dunleavy still managed to accomplish a fair amount in his two seasons at the helm. Reaching the Finals is no easy feat. Neither is returning to the playoffs the next season after unexpectedly losing your best player. For these reasons, Dunleavy is the sixth-best Lakers head coach since 1980.

BEST SEASON: 

1990-91: 58-24; 3-seed; Lost 4-1 to Chicago Bulls in NBA Finals

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