15 facts about the Los Angeles Lakers that will blow your mind
By Jason Reed
FanSided is celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2022 and to celebrate, we here at Lake Show Life compiled 15 random facts about the Los Angeles Lakers that may or may not blow your mind. To do so, we found three facts in five different “era” (2011-present, 2001-2010, 1991-2000,1980-1990, and pre-1980).
Some of these you may have heard of before (perhaps from us at Lake Show Life), others you may be stumbling across for the first time. Regardless, there will be something that you did not know before on this list.
15 facts about the Los Angeles Lakers that will blow your mind, 2011-present:
1. Markieff Morris and Anthony Davis have historic postseasons
The 2020 Lakers were a special team and were able to win the NBA Championship because of historic performances from role players and star players alike. Markieff Morris, who is no longer on the team, was a sniper rifle from three, shooting 42% from beyond the arc. This percentage is the third-highest in franchise history for a playoff run, trailing just Trevor Ariza and Mychal Thompson.
Meanwhile, Anthony Davis had the most impressive postseason in Lakers history and was one of the best of all time. Davis posted a .284 win-shares per 48 minutes in the 2020 playoffs. Among players with 500 minutes in a single playoff run, Davis’s WS/48 ranks seventh all-time and first in franchise history.
Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (with the Bucks), Michael Jordan (twice), Wilt Chamberlain (with the Warriors) and LeBron James (with the Cavaliers) are the only players with a better mark.
2. The Lakers missed the playoffs more in their mid-2010 drought than in franchise history prior
The Los Angeles Lakers missed the playoffs six years in a row before eventually making the playoffs and winning it all in the 2019-20 season. Prior to that six-year drought, the franchise had only missed the playoffs a grand total of five times since 1948.
3. Steve Nash is the Lakers’ all-time leader in three-point percentage (min. 100 attempts)
Steve Nash did not pan out on the Los Angeles Lakers but one thing is for certain, he shot the basketball really well from beyond the arc. The NBA Hall of Famer attempted 154 threes and made 42.2% of them (65). That is the best three-point percentage in franchise history with at least 100 attempts.