“Showtime” Lakers dynasty

Most glamorous dynasty in NBA history, they won five titles in the ’80s behind Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar with an entertaining, free-wheeling style of play

FEATURED LISTs

Itttttttt’s Showtime!: Ranking the 30 players who won a title as Magic Johnson’s Lakers teammate

April 11, 2024

Trickle down effect: Six NBA team cultures that took on the personality of their owner

November 21, 2018

Cold comfort: 18 NBA Coach of the Year winners whose team made an early playoff exit

Being named Coach of the Year is one of the premier honors for NBA coaches but doesn’t mean much if it coincides with playoff disappointment

May 11, 2026August 12, 2026

Moral support: 26 notable NBA champions who were not on the playoff roster

Not all of them earned (or accepted) a ring for their efforts, but these 26 players contributed to an eventual champion, though only in the regular season.

May 1, 2026August 10, 2026

Loyal foot soldiers: 10 role players who spent their entire NBA career with one team

A tribute to some role players who took the Bill Russell, Kobe Bryant, and Tim Duncan route, spending their entire careers with a single franchise.

November 21, 2025August 10, 2026

Thanks for your service, we got it from here: 13 NBA coaches fired mid-season with a winning record

The pressure is on more than ever for NBA coaches, even successful ones, but the habit of firings during winning seasons is hardly new, as can be attested by the coaches on this list

November 11, 2025August 25, 2026

Tough act to follow: 23 (mostly) forgotten NBA players who replaced departing legends

Everyone remembers the franchise legends but when those great ones departed, either to retire or join a different team, who were the unsung heroes taking their place in the lineup?

November 1, 2025August 17, 2026

Won’t see my picture on the cover: 10 NBA Finals that weren’t featured on a Sports Illustrated cover

For decades, Sports Illustrated was the weekly arbiter of what was notable in the world of sports. Here’s a look back at 10 times when the former paper of record for newsworthy sports milestones opted to de-emphasize the NBA Finals.

June 1, 2025August 10, 2026

Branded crews: 15 collective basketball nicknames

From Run-TMC to the Splash Brothers and Showtime to the Fab Five, we run down the most memorable basketball nicknames that applied to multiple teammates

April 21, 2025August 25, 2026

You’re the best around: 80 greatest NBA players of the 1980s

We conclude our Totally ’80s series by ranking the 80 greatest players of the decade, based solely on statistics, accolades, and awards compiled between the ’80-’81 and ’88-’89 seasons.

July 21, 2024August 25, 2026

Who’s going to Disney World?: Seven controversial NBA Finals MVP choices

Starting with the first time it was awarded, the Finals MVP award has been an occasional source of controversy. Here are seven such cases, some of which forever altered the individual legacy of the players involved.

June 1, 2024August 19, 2026

Nothing to show for it: 20 notable players who were teammates with Magic Johnson or Larry Bird but didn’t win a title

We’ve previously ranked the players who earned a championship playing on Magic Johnson’s Lakers and Larry Bird’s Celtics, respectively. But what about the ballers that joined one of those warring dynasties expecting an all-but-guaranteed ring but instead walked away with nothing? Here are 20 notable ones.

May 21, 2024August 25, 2026

Itttttttt’s Showtime!: Ranking the 30 players who won a title as Magic Johnson’s Lakers teammate

In his first nine NBA seasons, Magic Johnson led the Lakers to seven NBA Finals appearances and five titles. Today, we rank the 30 players who were part of those championship runs with Johnson, based on their overall career (not just their time with the Lakers).

April 11, 2024September 4, 2026

Don’t you forget about me: 80 basketball moments from the ’80s that changed the sport forever

As part of our Totally ’80s series, we explore the 80 most monumental, controversial, influential, unforgettable, and indescribable basketball moments from the 1980s.

January 11, 2024August 25, 2026

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.

Basketball, Listed

“Showtime” Lakers dynasty

FEATURED LISTs

Itttttttt’s Showtime!: Ranking the 30 players who won a title as Magic Johnson’s Lakers teammate

Trickle down effect: Six NBA team cultures that took on the personality of their owner

related topics

Los Angeles Lakers

Magic Johnson

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Pat Riley

FULL archive

Cold comfort: 18 NBA Coach of the Year winners whose team made an early playoff exit

Moral support: 26 notable NBA champions who were not on the playoff roster

Loyal foot soldiers: 10 role players who spent their entire NBA career with one team

Thanks for your service, we got it from here: 13 NBA coaches fired mid-season with a winning record

Tough act to follow: 23 (mostly) forgotten NBA players who replaced departing legends

Won’t see my picture on the cover: 10 NBA Finals that weren’t featured on a Sports Illustrated cover

Branded crews: 15 collective basketball nicknames

You’re the best around: 80 greatest NBA players of the 1980s

Who’s going to Disney World?: Seven controversial NBA Finals MVP choices

Nothing to show for it: 20 notable players who were teammates with Magic Johnson or Larry Bird but didn’t win a title

Itttttttt’s Showtime!: Ranking the 30 players who won a title as Magic Johnson’s Lakers teammate

Don’t you forget about me: 80 basketball moments from the ’80s that changed the sport forever