When you’ve got a franchise that’s been stacked with legends for decades, the real challenge isn’t finding greatness. It’s ranking the greatest Lakers teams.
The Lakers have had dynasties in different eras, each with its own style. Showtime in the 80s. The Kobe–Shaq power years. The modern LeBron–AD bubble run. These teams are often hailed as among the greatest ever to wear the Lakers uniform. The purple and gold has been worn by superteams before the term even existed.
Here’s a look at the ten greatest squads in Lakers history, showcasing the top Lakers teams ever assembled.
10. 2008–09: Kobe’s Redemption Crew
Fresh off the sting of losing to Boston in 2008, Kobe came back with a vengeance.
Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, and Derek Fisher made the perfect supporting cast. They ripped through the West and took the title over the Orlando Magic, securing Kobe’s first championship without Shaq.
9. 1997–98: The Young Kobe–Shaq Core
They weren’t champions yet, but this was the season when the duo really started clicking.
Shaq was still dominant in the paint, Kobe was coming into his own, and the rest of the league knew they had a problem brewing in LA—a precursor to the future top Lakers teams.
8. 2020: The Bubble Champions
The strangest season in NBA history.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis handled the unique challenges of the Orlando bubble and brought the franchise its 17th championship, a run defined by resilience and unity inside the NBA bubble, making them one of the greatest Lakers teams.
7. 1984–85: The Boston Payback
After years of Celtics heartbreak, the Lakers finally took them down in the Finals.
Magic Johnson ran the show, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar anchored the post, and James Worthy was lethal on the wing. Beating Boston in Boston Garden was as sweet as it gets.
6. 2000–01: The 15–1 Playoff Juggernaut
Shaq in his prime. Kobe rising into superstardom.
The Lakers nearly swept the entire postseason, dropping only one game—to Allen Iverson’s Sixers in the Finals. That’s one of the most dominant playoff runs in NBA history, marking it among the top Lakers teams.
“We were unstoppable that year. Nobody was touching us.”
— Shaquille O’Neal on the 2000–01 Lakers
5. 1986–87: Showtime at Its Peak
Magic won MVP.
The Lakers won 65 games. And they finished it with a Finals victory over Boston, cementing themselves as the decade’s defining team in the Lakers’ greatest lineup.
4. 2001–02: Back-to-Back-to-Back
The last Lakers team to win three straight championships.
They swept the Nets in the Finals, but everyone remembers the seven-game war with the Kings in the Western Conference Finals.
3. 2008–10: Kobe’s Back-to-Back Titles
Losing Shaq didn’t kill Kobe’s championship hunger.
With Pau Gasol beside him and a deep supporting cast, Kobe led LA to back-to-back titles, including the 2010 Game 7 revenge win over Boston—a game that still gives Lakers fans chills.
2. 1971–72: The 69-Win Machine
Led by Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, and Gail Goodrich, this squad still holds the longest winning streak in NBA history—33 games. They capped it off with a championship, making them one of the greatest Lakers teams ever.
1. 1986–87: Magic’s Masterpiece
Yes, it gets two mentions—because this was the best Lakers team ever.
The perfect mix of pace, passing, and poise. Magic’s leadership, Kareem’s steadiness, and Worthy’s explosiveness made this the gold standard for purple-and-gold greatness, truly making it one of the all-time greatest Lakers teams.
