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25 Random Things About The Lakers

by


You know something like “25 Things” has jumped the shark when it has made it to a basketball blog….

1) Sunday in Minnesota was only the third time in the last 13 seasons that three Lakers players scored at least 25 points in the same game (Kobe, Gasol and Odom).

2) In the last 10 games, with Andrew Bynum down, Pau Gasol is averaging 42.2 minutes on the court.

3) The Lakers are one of three teams with three players who have a PER of 20 or higher: Kobe, Gasol and Bynum. (Spurs big three and the Suns with Shaq, Amare and Barbosa. No not Nash.)

4) Pau Gasol has the highest three point shooting percentage on the team (1 of 2). Of the guys actually taking them (and still on the team) it’s Fisher at 41.8%.

5) Highest free throw percentage on the team this season? Sasha Vujacic at 90.2%.

6) In the 1951—52 season, the NBA changed the rules and widened the lane to its current width in an effort to slow down legendary Laker George Mikan, who was unstoppable near the basket. His scoring average dropped five points per game to 23.8.

7) The one area the Lakers are below average this season is defensive rebounding. Opponents get the offensive board on 26.6% of their misses, making the Lakers 17th in the league in that statistic.

8 ) Kobe Bryant uses 30.5% of the Lakers possessions, third highest percentage in the league (LeBron and Wade).

9) Bud Grant, who went on to coach the Minnesota Vikings to four Super Bowls (losing them all), was a member of the Lakers 1949-50 NBA championship team.

10) Elgin Baylor averaged 24.9 points and 15 rebounds per game in his rookie season.

11) For the season, Pau Gasol’s 36.8 minutes per game leads the Lakers but is 33rd in the Association. However, his pace in the last 10 games would have him leading the league.

12) Lamar Odom turns the ball over on 12.9% of his possessions, the highest percentage on the Lakers but 44th in the league.

13) Jerry West was the #2 pick overall in 1960. The guy ahead of him? Oscar Robertson. (Pretty hard to go wrong with the top two picks in that draft.)

14) Kobe Bryant moved past Elgin Baylor on the all time scoring list with his 28 points in Minnesota last night.

15) In 1965, Jack Kent Cooke purchased the Lakers for $5 million.

16) In 1979, Jerry Buss bought the Lakers, the Kings and the Forum for $67.5 million.

17) Current estimated worth of the Lakers: $534 million.

18) FIBA just named Pau Gasol the European Player of the year, even though he played almost no games on that continent last year.

19) In the 83-84 season, Magic Johnson missed a month of play with a dislocated finger. Not comparing that to Kobe, just saying…

20) Lawrence Tanter, the Lakers in-arena voice since 1982, played college basketball on scholarship at the University of Dubuque.

21) The Laker record holder for blocks in a game is Elmore Smith, who had 17 against Portland in a 1973 contest.

22) Kwame Brown shot 52.6% from the floor in the 05-06 season, the highest FG% on the Lakers that season.

23) The hardest part about taking the escalator up to the 300 level seats at Staples Center is being able to see the guy carving fresh roast beef for the people on the suites level.

24) The Lakers have had three-peat titles twice — in 1952-54 with the Mikan Lakers and the Kobe/Shaq era team.

25) Former Laker Samaki Walker’s first name means fish in Swahili.


Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Samy says

    When my girl friend posted her 25 things on facebook I laughed at her… when my favorite blogger did I felt whole inside.

  3. Pinky says

    For individual possessions, someone actually keeps track of how many times that players touches the ball?

  5. PeanutButterSpread says

    19) In the 83-84 season, Magic Johnson missed a month of play with a dislocated finger.

    that’s weak sauce, Magic.

  6. jay says

    i have a comment on #13

    FIBA does not only recognize players in Europe….nor its not a league…FIBA is a basketball system for Europe Asia Americas Africa Australia
    +
    FIBA is for the whole world dummie.

  7. T34 says

    My seats are not a luxury box, but I definitely get the fresh roast beef sandwiches every game from Whistle Stop (right next to section 110) The pasta is pretty good, also.

  8. Ian says

    Yes, FIBA is the Federation of International Basketball Associations, the soccer one is more well known: FIFA.

  9. From the IE says

    My first reaction to #22 was that I thought that was the year we missed the playoffs. Then I remembered that we made the playoffs that year, and then had no explanation for it.

  11. ron1ndon says

    @ #6

    Woah man, a little harsh there buddy? BTW, I think you’re comment is re #18. And it’s re “EUROPEAN” player of the year, not FIBA player of the year. Geez…

  12. albert says

    gasol’s certaintly not american.. he’s definitely european… doesn’t that make him eligible for the european player of the year award? it really all depends on how you’re using “european.”

  14. Kurt says

    6. Jay, if you are going to insult me, the least you could do is check your facts. We all know what FIBA is, but FIBA Europe does name a player of the year, and they did name Pau Gasol:

    http://www.nba.com/2009/news/02/19/gasolfiba.20090219/

    And here is where you miss the point, I still think it is odd that they name a player who has not played on that continent their player of the year.

  15. Kurt says

    3. Yes and no. The stat mentioned here is the percentage of possessions that end with that player having a shot attempt, free throws, assist or a turnover on a possession when he is on the floor.

    Some teams do track what happens every time a player touches the ball, but that is not made public.

  17. MannyP13 says

    #14 – It is weird. . I think that the poor fella got confused and thought this is like the “footballer of the year” award that FIFA puts out – which recognizes the best soccer player in the world.

    With that in mind, I believe our friend may understand the following comparison a little better: It’s like CONMEBOL naming a player of the year that plays for a team in a European laegue governed by UEFA. Or in basketball terms, like naming a guy that plays in Europe as MVP of the NBA.

  18. TRad says

    Re: usage

    Kurt, sorry, but you’re wrong. USG% factors only FGA, FTA and TO. After including Assists – I’d believe Paul would jump into the first place.

  19. specialM says

    22 – if Kwame had finished all his easy chances, it would have been >60%. And if he had actually held on to most passes he would have averaged 18 a game.

    God, what a great trade!

  20. Baron Cosimo says

    @17

    eerrr… not it isn’t.

    As jay said, Fiba is not a league, so it’s not like the MVP by NBA.

    And it is pretty simple: European Player of the Year, not Europe’s Player of the Year.

  21. bryan says

    who wants to discuss semantics? id rather hear other peoples 25 random laker items. i would, but multi tasking on mobile devices is no easy feat.

    1 with magic, worthy, and mychael thompson, the lakers were one of the few teams evr to have 3 number one overall picks on the same team. that kareem guy was pretty good, too.

    2 jack nicholson wore a tux with top hat and tails to Cap’ final game.

    3 didnt magic sign a 20 year contract as a rookie? players association side, could u imagine that today?

    4 tony campbell and david rivers were staters during the finals after scott and magic went down with injury. we swept through the western conference playoffs, and were not surprisingly swept out of the finals without our guards.

    5 im still mad about that.

    6 while coaching the lakers, pat riley trademarked the term ‘three peat’ and still profits from it

    top of my head stuff, so its probaly all wrong. whatchoo got?

  22. harold says

    Heh, had Kwame ‘caught’ all the passes thrown his way, he’d be Kwame Bynum.

    Anyway, to his credit, he did provide some value during his stay. The fact that he doesn’t elsewhere (along with Smush, Devean, etc.) makes me think Kobe does indeed make teammates better.

  24. jay says

    my point is….FIBA recognizes international players achievements which Pau has accrued being w/ a talented Spaniard team that competed in the FIBA Euro Finals ’07 and also almost upsetting the USA REDEEM Team in the Olympics Summer of Beijing 08 if not for the greatness of Kobe Bryant–both times losing in championship games.

    also Pau being a part of the best team in NBA of course our very own
    L.A. Lakers competed against Boston in the Finals but lost again w/ Pau on the team. With all that said he’s the best international player in the world
    (not of course best payer in the NBA)..

    i mean………is there another better international player out there who’s achived more than Pau did for Spain and for the Lakers? well yeah he’s lost some championship games…..but he’s always been there in the end to compete in the elite championships

  25. Sean P. says

    21.

    Kareem was the number 1 overall pick in 1969.

    So along with Mychal Thompson (1978), Magic (1979), & Worthy (1982), the Lakers had four #1 overall picks on their team from 1987-1989.

  26. jodial says

    #21 – Actually the late 80s Lakers had four #1 overall picks (Kareem, Magic, Worthy, Thompson).

    They also had three players on the team who were both NCAA Final Four MVPs and NBA Finals MVPs (Kareem, Magic, Worthy.)

    That was a hell of a team!

  27. harold says

    Jay – I don’t think Manu is European, despite his looks.

    And you still miss the point. The point was it was FIBA “EUROPE” not FIBA. It’s like naming Kobe Bryant the Philadelphian Player of the Year despite him playing only two games in Philadelphia.

  28. Nick says

    #2 concerns me.

    Anyone else worried about the serious number of minutes are logging since Bynum went down? I think are bench is deep enough where we can spread the time around and still be successful on the court.

  29. harold says

    Double post, but :

    If we were talking about FIBA as a whole, including the Americas, well, we wouldn’t be limiting the candidates to those without US citizenship, would we?

  31. Andreas G. says

    Speaking of Pau and awards…he was just named western conf. player of the week, for the second consecutive time=)

  32. dgdgaa says

    Since the first point is in regards to the Timberwolves I want to put a little post out here in rememberence of a good man, a good volleball player and the few times I met him on the courts a down to earth realist Mike Withmarsh. Dude was the last cut for the Wolves I belive there first or second season. How is Whitty killing himself…… I dont know how many people here care but the guy was great and damn fine bball player as well as vball, former silver medalist, this world is too strange.

  35. RHYbread says

    @st If you have ‘The Show,’ it’s probably your best bet. I’m at school right now but I’d check for you.

    I think he did sign a contract that was really long, but it was more complicated than just getting paid as a Lakers player.

  36. dgdgaa says

    right on Kurt I just got off the phone with a couple of his friends and they are just tripping they are saying they think it was like a murder, dude had no cash problems, health problems or family problems its a trip. I did do some blow with him once maybe he was having a bad comedown.. A volleyball world conspiracy in the tradition of Kurt and Courtney.

  37. behzad says

    Magic signed for 500,000 as a rookie..(highest ever up until that point)

    and then

    he signed a 25 year 25 million dollar contract

    Johnson; Novak. My Life. p. 139.

  39. Kurt says

    Magic signed the $1 million a year for $25 years deal in 1984. He renegotiated the deal four years later, paying out the remaining $21 million over seven years.

  40. j. d. hastings says

    Anybody catch the end of the Philly-Nets game? KD is on a roll picking his Game To Pay attention to.

  43. nomuskles says

    I didn’t know many of those things. The one that caught my eye was the one about Lawrence Tanter. He should get more press coverage and interviews. I think as an 11 year-old i thought I would like to do his job.

  44. Snoopy2006 says

    Wow that was the ugliest half-court shot I’ve ever seen. Iggy touched it so it wasn’t a travel, but it just looks so weird, seeing him try a shot, essentially get stuffed, get it back, and keep running and chuck it up. No pretending he practices that shot.

    #23 made me crack up. Great, creative post.

  47. robindude says

    didn’t Kareem appear in a kungfu flick w/ Bruce Lee? movie title was something like “…in the Temple…” too bad though, Kareem’s role there was a villain

  49. The Dude Abides says

    25, 26. I think the intent in post #21 was that Kareem also was a #1 pick, but Bryan didn’t cleary make his point.

  50. Warren Wee Lim says

    26th random thought for the Lakers:

    The Lakers might have the 2 best FIFA-NBA players in Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant.

    jay will call me dummie now…

    mummie… crummie… tummie… I guess its the singular-participle to dummies, mummies, crummies and tummies. 😆

  51. Warren Wee Lim says

    related random fact:

    If you had the last 3 years of #1 picks you would have:

    Bargnani-Durant-Rose. Guess who doesn’t belong :ohya:

  53. behzad says

    hey… i dont know if this is spam or not.

    If anyone here lives in the ChicagoLand area…

    I have two tickets to the bulls/orlando game tonight and i can’t go…

    anyone need em?

  55. Gr8 Scott says

    One more random thought. Only two players in the past 25 years (maybe ever) have won at least one title with 3 different teams and both have won at least one with the Lakers. Horry is the easy one and the other is…

  56. Gr8 Scott says

    John Salley.

    Horry (2 w/ Rockets, 3 w/ us, 2 with SA)
    Salley (2 w/ Detroit, 1 with Chi, 1 with us)

  59. magic says

    Speaking of signing backup big men, is there any serviceable bigs that the Lakers can sign to backup Pau? As much as I like Mbenga to get more pt, it would be nice to get a serviceable big man that is a little more productive and less foul and TO prone. Someone to come in and play a few minutes to help limit Pau’s pt and also in case Bynum is not 100% for the playoffs?

  61. drrayeye says

    I think that Mikki Moore will fit in very well with the Celtics. He is tall and lean, has good enthusiasm for defense, and provides a veteran presence.