Lakers News: LA Makes History With Their 42nd Season Win

Who would've thought?

The 2022-2023 season started off on a bad note. The purple and gold looked incompetent and showed no signs of life without superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis. It was so bad that if it weren't for a Hail Mary of a three from Laker legend Matt Ryan the Lakers would've been 1-11 in their first 12 games.

Instead, the Lakers went 2-10 through their first 12 games (like that's any better, right). Fast forward to early April, and the Lakers are three games above .500 and will finish above .500 with one game to go. 

With their victory against the Phoenix Suns on Friday night, they join the company of the 2004-2005 Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn/New Jersey Nets as teams to start with a 2-10 record or worse and finish with an above .500 record. 

The Lakers this season became the first team since the Nets and Bulls in 2004-05 to start off 2-10 or worse and finish with a winning record according to @ESPNStatsInfo

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) April 8, 2023

Looking back at that moment, LA was 2-10; no one would have ever thought this would be possible. LA got lucky in certain games, but the big thing was the numerous trades they made prior to the trade deadline. 

Everyone from the organization to the players to the staff and fans knew a trade was necessary, and boy, did they hit the nail on the coffin with the trades. The Lakers traded Russell Westbrook for a flurry of players that fit better with the superstar duo in D'Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, and Jarred Vanderbilt. Immediately, the Lakers championships odd rose, and since that trade, they've had the best record in the Western Conference. 

It's been a complete 180 for the purple and gold, and it's crazy to think we're here now. Credit Rob Pelinka and Lakers brass for getting it done. The job still needs to be finished, though. 

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