Pro basketball team season (won NBA championship)
NBA professional basketball team season
The 1981–82 NBA season saw the Lakers win their third NBA Championship in Los Angeles, and their eighth overall in franchise history.
Draft picks
[1]
Roster
Players
Coaches
Pos.
No.
Name
Height
Weight
DOB (YYYY-MM-DD)
From
C
33
Abdul-Jabbar, Kareem
7 ft 2 in (2.18 m)
225 lb (102 kg)
1947–04–16
UCLA
PF
8
Brewer, Jim
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
210 lb (95 kg)
Minnesota
G/F
21
Cooper, Michael
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
170 lb (77 kg)
1956–04–15
New Mexico
G
34
Johnson, Clay
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
175 lb (79 kg)
Missouri
G
32
Johnson, Magic
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
215 lb (98 kg)
1959–08–14
Michigan State
G
5
Jordan, Eddie
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
170 lb (77 kg)
Rutgers
F
54
Landsberger, Mark
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
215 lb (98 kg)
1955–05–21
Arizona State
F
41
Kupchak, Mitch
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
230 lb (104 kg)
1954-05-24
North Carolina
C
11
McAdoo, Bob
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
210 lb (95 kg)
North Carolina
SF
40
McGee, Mike
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
190 lb (86 kg)
1959–07–29
Michigan
SG
30
McKenna, Kevin
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
195 lb (88 kg)
Creighton
G
10
Nixon, Norm
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
170 lb (77 kg)
1955–10–11
Duquesne
PF
31
Rambis, Kurt
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
213 lb (97 kg)
1958–02–25
Santa Clara
G/F
52
Wilkes, Jamaal
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
190 lb (86 kg)
1953–05–02
UCLA
Head coach
Legend
(C) Team captain(DP) Unsigned draft pick(FA) Free agent(S) Suspended Injured
Regular season
On November 18, 1981, at halftime while on the road at Utah, Magic Johnson and coach Paul Westhead had a verbal altercation in the locker room. It was stated by teammate Kareem Abdul-Jabbar that Johnson had offered input on the game, which resulted in Westhead twice telling him to "Shut up." Johnson then told reporters after this game that he would like to be traded anywhere, resulting in a barrage of media coverage. One day after these events, Lakers owner Jerry Buss held a press conference at The Forum, where he announced the firing of Westhead, with his replacement being Pat Riley as "coach" and general manager Jerry West as "offensive coach". West came to the podium and clarified to media that Riley was indeed the head coach and that West himself would simply provide him support on the bench, which lasted for a period of 12 games. Although Johnson denied responsibility for Westhead's firing,[2] he was booed across the league, even by Lakers' fans[3] However, Buss was also unhappy with the Lakers offense and had intended on firing Westhead days before the Westhead–Johnson altercation, but assistant GM West and GM Bill Sharman had convinced Buss to delay his decision.[4]
Season standings
c - clinched homecourt advantage
y - clinched division title
x - clinched playoff spot
Record vs. opponents
1981-82 NBA Records
Team
ATL
BOS
CHI
CLE
DAL
DEN
DET
GSW
HOU
IND
KCK
LAL
MIL
NJN
NYK
PHI
PHO
POR
SAS
SDC
SEA
UTA
WAS
Atlanta
–
1–5
2–3
4–2
1–1
1–1
2–4
0–2
2–0
4–2
1–1
0–2
3–3
3–2
5–1
3–3
1–1
2–0
1–1
1–1
1–1
2–0
2–4
Boston
5–1
–
4–2
5–0
2–0
1–1
6–0
1–1
1–1
4–1
2–0
1–1
3–3
5–1
5–1
4–2
1–1
1–1
2–0
2–0
0–2
2–0
6–0
Chicago
3–2
2–4
–
5–1
1–1
1–1
0–6
0–2
1–1
3–3
1–1
2–0
1–5
2–4
3–2
1–5
0–2
1–1
1–1
2–0
1–1
1–1
2–4
Cleveland
2–4
0–5
1–5
–
2–0
0–2
1–5
1–1
1–1
1–5
1–1
0–2
0–6
0–6
0–6
0–5
0–2
1–1
0–2
1–1
0–2
2–0
1–5
Dallas
1–1
0–2
1–1
0–2
–
1–5
1–1
0–5
2–4
1–1
4–2
1–4
1–1
2–0
1–1
0–2
2–3
2–3
1–5
2–3
1–4
3–3
1–1
Denver
1–1
1–1
1–1
2–0
5–1
–
1–1
3–2
5–1
0–2
4–2
1–4
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
2–3
2–3
2–4
5–0
2–3
3–3
2–0
Detroit
4–2
0–6
6–0
5–1
1–1
1–1
–
2–0
2–0
2–4
2–0
0–2
2–4
2–4
3–3
2–3
0–2
0–2
0–2
2–0
1–1
1–1
1–4
Golden State
2–0
1–1
2–0
1–1
5–0
2–3
0–2
–
1–4
2–0
3–2
3–3
2–0
1–1
1–1
0–2
4–2
2–4
3–2
5–1
1–5
3–2
1–1
Houston
0–2
1–1
1–1
1–1
4–2
1–5
0–2
4–1
–
2–0
3–3
1–4
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
3–2
4–1
3–3
4–1
2–3
6–0
2–0
Indiana
2–4
1–5
3–3
5–1
1–1
2–0
4–2
0–2
0–2
–
1–1
0–2
0–6
4–2
3–2
0–6
1–1
1–1
2–0
2–0
1–1
1–1
1–5
Kansas City
1–1
0–2
1–1
1–1
2–4
2–4
0–2
2–3
3–3
1–1
–
1–4
1–1
1–1
2–0
0–2
2–3
0–5
1–5
4–1
2–3
3–3
0–2
Los Angeles
2–0
1–1
0–2
2–0
4–1
4–1
2–0
3–3
4–1
2–0
4–1
–
0–2
1–1
0–2
1–1
4–2
5–1
2–3
5–1
4–2
5–0
2–0
Milwaukee
3–3
3–3
5–1
6–0
1–1
1–1
4–2
0–2
1–1
6–0
1–1
2–0
–
4–1
3–3
4–2
1–1
2–0
1–1
2–0
0–2
2–0
3–2
New Jersey
2–3
1–5
4–2
6–0
0–2
1–1
4–2
1–1
1–1
2–4
1–1
1–1
1–4
–
4–2
3–3
2–0
1–1
1–1
2–0
0–2
2–0
4–2
New York
1–5
1–5
2–3
6–0
1–1
1–1
3–3
1–1
1–1
2–3
0–2
2–0
3–3
2–4
–
1–5
0–2
1–1
0–2
2–0
0–2
2–0
1–5
Philadelphia
3–3
2–4
5–1
5–0
2–0
1–1
3–2
2–0
1–1
6–0
2–0
1–1
2–4
3–3
5–1
–
1–1
2–0
0–2
2–0
2–0
2–0
6–0
Phoenix
1–1
1–1
2–0
2–0
3–2
3–2
2–0
2–4
2–3
1–1
3–2
2–4
1–1
0–2
2–0
1–1
–
3–3
4–1
4–2
3–3
3–2
1–1
Portland
0–2
1–1
1–1
1–1
3–2
3–2
2–0
4–2
1–4
1–1
5–0
1–5
0–2
1–1
1–1
0–2
3–3
–
3–2
4–2
3–3
4–1
0–2
San Antonio
1–1
0–2
1–1
2–0
5–1
4–2
2–0
2–3
3–3
0–2
5–1
3–2
1–1
1–1
2–0
2–0
1–4
2–3
–
3–2
4–1
3–3
1–1
San Diego
1–1
0–2
0–2
1–1
3–2
0–5
0–2
1–5
1–4
0–2
1–4
1–5
0–2
0–2
0–2
0–2
2–4
2–4
2–3
–
1–5
1–4
0–2
Seattle
1–1
2–0
1–1
2–0
4–1
3–2
1–1
5–1
3–2
1–1
3–2
2–4
2–0
2–0
2–0
0–2
3–3
3–3
1–4
5–1
–
5–0
1–1
Utah
0–2
0–2
1–1
0–2
3–3
3–3
1–1
2–3
0–6
1–1
3–3
0–5
0–2
0–2
0–2
0–2
2–3
1–4
3–3
4–1
0–5
–
1–1
Washington
4–2
0–6
4–2
5–1
1–1
0–2
4–1
1–1
0–2
5–1
2–0
0–2
2–3
2–4
5–1
0–6
1–1
2–0
1–1
2–0
1–1
1–1
—
Game log
Regular season
1981–82 game log Total: 57-25 (Home: 30-11; Road: 27-14)
October: 0–1 (home: 0–1; road: 0–0)
November: 12–4 (home: 5–2; road: 7–2)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Record
2
November 3, 1981
@ Portland
L 102–100
Memorial Coliseum
0-2
3
November 4, 1981
@ Seattle
W 106–103
Kingdome
1–2
4
November 6, 1981
Phoenix
L 99–101
The Forum
1–3
6
November 10, 1981
@ San Antonio
L 102–128
HemisFair Arena
2–4
7
November 11, 1981
@ Houston
W 95–93
The Summit
3–4
9
November 14, 1981
@ Phoenix
W 98–97
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
5–4
11
November 18, 1981
@ Utah
W 113–110
Salt Palace
7–4
12
November 20, 1981
San Antonio
W 136–116
The Forum
8–4
15
November 25, 1981
@ San Antonio
W 117–96
HemisFair Arena
11–4
17
November 29, 1981
Houston
W 122–104
The Forum
12–5
December: 12–2 (home: 8–0; road: 4–2)
January: 7–5 (home: 3–2; road: 4–3)
February: 10–5 (home: 5–3; road: 5–2)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Record
46
February 5, 1982
@ Washington
W 90–87
Capital Centre
32–14
47
February 7, 1982
@ Boston
W 119–113
Boston Garden
33–14
48
February 9, 1982
@ Atlanta
W 130–117
The Omni
34–14
50
February 12, 1982
San Antonio
L 94–100
The Forum
34–16
51
February 14, 1982
Boston
L 103–108
The Forum
34–17
52
February 16, 1982
Seattle
W 108–101
The Forum
35–17
54
February 21, 1982
@ Denver
W 132–131
McNichols Sports Arena
37–17
55
February 23, 1982
Denver
W 145–129
The Forum
38–17
56
February 25, 1982
@ Seattle
W 104–98
Kingdome
39–17
57
February 26, 1982
Philadelphia
W 116–114 (2OT)
The Forum
40–17
March: 8–6 (home: 4–2; road: 4–4)
April: 8–2 (home: 5–1; road: 3–1)
1981–82 schedule
Playoffs
1982 playoff game log
Western Conference Semifinals: 4–0 (home: 2–0; road: 2–0)
Western Conference Finals: 4–0 (home: 2–0; road: 2–0)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Series
1
May 9, 1982
San Antonio
W 128–117
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (32)
Magic Johnson (16)
Magic Johnson (14)
The Forum 15,700
1–0
2
May 11, 1982
San Antonio
W 110–101
Nixon , Wilkes (22)
Kurt Rambis (15)
Nixon , Johnson (9)
The Forum 17,505
2–0
3
May 14, 1982
@ San Antonio
W 118–108
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (26)
Johnson , Abdul-Jabbar (10)
Nixon , Johnson (10)
HemisFair Arena 15,800
3–0
4
May 15, 1982
@ San Antonio
W 128–123
Norm Nixon (30)
Johnson , Abdul-Jabbar (9)
Norm Nixon (10)
HemisFair Arena 15,800
4–0
NBA Finals: 4–2 (home: 3–0; road: 1–2)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Series
1
May 27, 1982
@ Philadelphia
W 124–117
Nixon , Wilkes (24)
Magic Johnson (14)
Norm Nixon (10)
The Spectrum 18,364
1–0
2
May 30, 1982
@ Philadelphia
L 94–110
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (23)
Magic Johnson (11)
Norm Nixon (10)
The Spectrum 18,364
1–1
3
June 1, 1982
Philadelphia
W 129–108
Norm Nixon (29)
Magic Johnson (9)
Magic Johnson (8)
The Forum 17,505
2–1
4
June 3, 1982
Philadelphia
W 111–101
Johnson , Wilkes (24)
Abdul-Jabbar , Rambis (11)
Norm Nixon (14)
The Forum 17,505
3–1
5
June 6, 1982
@ Philadelphia
L 102–135
Bob McAdoo (23)
Magic Johnson (10)
Norm Nixon (13)
The Spectrum 18,364
3–2
6
June 8, 1982
Philadelphia
W 114–104
Jamaal Wilkes (27)
Magic Johnson (13)
Magic Johnson (13)
The Forum 17,505
4–2
1982 schedule
Player statistics
Season
Player
GP
GS
MPG
FG%
3FG%
FT%
RPG
APG
SPG
BPG
PPG
Playoffs
Player
GP
GS
MPG
FG%
3FG%
FT%
RPG
APG
SPG
BPG
PPG
Awards and records
Awards
Records
Transactions
Trades
Free agents
Additions
Player
Signed
Former team
Subtractions
References
External links
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