Lakers Reach 50 Wins For First Time Since 2010-11 Season
Just one game into the NBA restart, the Lakers accomplished something they done in nearly a decade.
The Lakers reached the 50-win mark for the first time since the 2010-11 season. The Lakers beat the Clippers 103-101 in a thriller, with LeBron James scoring the winning basket with 12.8 seconds left in their bubble opener at Walt Disney World near Orlando.
It was the Lakers' first game in 142 days after the season was suspended March 11 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Lakers are now tied with the Boston Celtics for most 50-win seasons at 33. The San Antonio Spurs follow at 27, with the Phoenix Suns (19) and Philadelphia 76ers (18) rounding out the list.
Kobe Bryant, a five-time champion over his 20 seasons with the Lakers, led the team its last title in 2010 and then its last 50-win season in 2010-2011.
LeBron James has now helped his teams reach the 50-win mark in 12 of his 17 seasons. He was on eight Cleveland Cavaliers teams that had at least 50 wins, three with the Miami Heat and now one with the Lakers.
The 50 wins is yet another sign of the Lakers’ surge back to prominence with superstars James and Anthony Davis. Against the Clippers, Davis had 34 points, eight rebounds and four assists and James had 16 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and the most important shot of the night.
The Lakers' (50-14) goal is to stay healthy and regain their rhythm in their seven remaining seeding games before the playoffs start.
The Lakers are one win away from clinching the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. They have a 6 1/2 game lead over the second-place Clippers (44-21).
