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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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Photo by JEFF HAYNES/AFP via Getty Images – Los Angeles Lakers
Photo by JEFF HAYNES/AFP via Getty Images – Los Angeles Lakers

Top 7 Los Angeles Lakers head coaches since 1980: 1. Phil Jackson

Phil Jackson won five championships with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, and 2010. He also took the Lakers to the Finals in 2004 and 2008. In his eleven years as head coach of the Lakers, they never once missed the playoffs.

He won 610 games and lost only 292. Perhaps most impressive, he established two separate Lakers dynasties with completely different rosters (with Bryant as the lone holdover). Though Riley is a close second, there’s little question that Phil Jackson is the greatest head coach in Lakers’ history.

After enjoying unprecedented success with the “Triangle Offense” as head coach of the Chicago Bulls during the 1990s, Jackson came to Los Angeles with the challenge of harnessing the extraordinary individual talents of Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.

He wasted no time. In 1999-00, his first season in Los Angeles, the Lakers went 67-15 and secured the 1-seed in the West. O’Neal’s utter dominance earned him his first (and only) MVP award. In the first round, the Lakers faced a talented Sacramento Kings squad. With the series tied 2-2, it all came down to Game 5.

Determined to leave the team’s 90s playoff demons in the past, Shaq dropped 32 points and grabbed 18 rebounds as the Lakers blew out the Kings to advance. After easily defeating the Phoenix Suns, the Lakers faced another elimination game in the Conference Finals against the Portland Trail Blazers.

But the tactics and leadership of Jackson helped the Lakers win 89-84 in the decisive Game 7. In the Finals, the Lakers won all three games on their home court and one game in Indiana to defeat the Pacers four games to two. Just like that, the Lakers were back on top of the NBA.

Jackson helped the Lakers win the championship the following two seasons, which saw the Shaq-Kobe duo become one of the most feared one-two punches in NBA history. An unexpected loss in the 2004 NBA Finals and a power struggle between Shaq and Kobe saw the former get shipped off to the Miami Heat and resulted in Jackson not coming back as head coach.

But Jackson returned to the post in 2005 as the Lakers looked to rebuild around Bryant. By 2008, the new-look core of Bryant, Pau Gasol, and Lamar Odom had the Lakers back in the Finals. Though they fell short against the Celtics in 2008, the Lakers returned even stronger to capture the 2009 and 2010 NBA titles. In turn, Jackson cemented his legacy as the Lakers’ all-time best coach.

BEST SEASON: 

1999-00: 67-15; 1-seed; Won NBA Championship (4-2 over Indiana)

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