The Los Angeles Lakers have epitomized dominance across multiple decades of NBA history. With 17 championships, including at least one in every decade but the 1960s and 1990s, the Lakers have rarely seen their hard times last.
Even during what's been labeled as an underwhelming period in franchise history, Los Angeles has managed to genuinely dominate a number of NBA franchises.
Some of the teams that Los Angeles has consistently gotten the best of are lottery-bound franchises that it's expected to defeat. In some cases, however, the Lakers have seemingly figured out postseason-caliber teams—a No. 1 seed included.
The question is: Who are the teams that just can't seem to solve the Lakers?
Charlotte Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets have struggled to get back on track after parting ways with former head coach James Borrego in 2022. With or without Borrego, however, the Hornets have been unable to consistently get the best of the Lakers.
Los Angeles holds an 8-2 record against Charlotte over the last 10 games, including three straight victories and a 21-point blowout.
Charlotte briefly gained momentum with a win near the end of the 2021-22 regular season and another in December of 2022. That turnaround ended as soon as it began. In fact, they were the Hornets' only two wins against Los Angeles since January of 2018.
Six years of sustained dominance is tough to process in Charlotte, but it's a positive sign that the Lakers can get the best of opponents who don't quite measure up.
Detroit Pistons
No team has struggled to overcome the Lakers quite like the Detroit Pistons. It's been a tough time in Pistons history, making the clashes between the two sides a far cry from the legendary battles between the Bad Boys and the Showtime Lakers, or the 2004 NBA Finals.
Even still, Los Angeles should take pride in going 8-2 over the past 10 games against Detroit, including a seven-game winning streak.
The Pistons may not be in their finest form at the moment, but seven consecutive victories is no easy feat. It's been a balanced effort to achieve that level of dominance, as no player has led the Lakers in scoring in two consecutive games against Detroit during the seven-game winning streak.
Los Angeles would do well to extend that streak even further in 2024-25, when every win will count in a stacked Western Conference.
New Orleans Pelicans
One of the most personal rivalries to emerge in recent seasons, the Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans effectively restarted each other's franchises. Los Angeles acquired Anthony Davis from New Orleans in 2019, while the Pelicans landed Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, Brandon Ingram, and a slew of draft picks.
New Orleans actually got the best of the Lakers early in the Davis and LeBron James era, but the tide has turned over the past nine games.
The Lakers have been nothing short of dominant against the Pelicans, going 7-2 in their past nine meetings. That includes victories by final scores of 120-102, 123-108, 133-89, 139-122, and 124-108—clear displays of a distinct Los Angeles advantage.
It's safe to say that Davis has gotten the best of his former team since managing to stay healthy in Los Angeles.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Easily the most surprising team to appear on this list, the Oklahoma City Thunder simply haven't been able to figure the Lakers out. That might seem like an irrational statement considering Oklahoma City was the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference in 2023-24, but it rings consistently true.
Los Angeles has defeated Oklahoma City in seven of the past nine encounters between the two sides—including a dominant stretch during the aforementioned 2023-24 campaign.
The Lakers have won five of the past six encounters with the Thunder, including a three-game winning streak during the 2023-24 campaign. That includes a 129-120 road win and home victories in January and March, when Oklahoma City was at the height of its powers.
Perhaps the Lakers aren't quite as far from contending as the Denver Nuggets have made it seem.
San Antonio Spurs
The Lakers and the San Antonio Spurs produced one of the great rivalries of the 2000s. With Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan going title-for-title throughout their legendary careers, the Lakers and Spurs inevitably went to battle in the postseason on a consistent basis.
As San Antonio continues its long-term rebuild after losing Kawhi Leonard in 2018, Los Angeles has turned a rivalry into a lopsided series of encounters.
The Lakers are 6-1 over the past seven games against the Spurs. Devin Vassell and Victor Wembanyama helped San Antonio get a win back in 2023-24, but it's been a one-sided rivalry in recent years.
Los Angeles won five straight games between November 20, 2022 and December 13, 2023, and even the loss to Wembanyama was avenged just two months later.