The 2006–07 Los Angeles Lakers season was the 59th season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the 61st overall. The season ended with the Lakers being eliminated in five games in a rematch against the Phoenix Suns from the 2006 playoffs (which the Suns won in seven games) in the First Round of the playoffs. It was the first season that Kobe Bryant switched from jersey number 8 to 24.
The Lakers finished in second place in the Pacific Division, 7th seed in the playoffs. Ultimately, even though team captain Bryant was the leading NBA scorer with 31.6 PPG, the Lakers were defeated in five games by the Suns. This was the second consecutive season where the Lakers had their season ended by the Suns.
Draft picks
In the NBA draft, the Lakers, as expected, chose young talent. In the draft, the Lakers selected Jordan Farmar, the PG for UCLA with 26th pick. Los Angeles also traded their 51st pick (Cheick Samb) to the Detroit Pistons for SF Maurice Evans. The Lakers also had a trade with the Dallas Mavericks, trading away a future second round pick for J. R. Pinnock.
Round Pick Player Position Nationality School/Club team 1 26 Jordan Farmar Guard UCLA 2 51 Cheick Samb Center WTC Cornellà (Spain)
Roster
Injuries and surgeries Besides the signings, L.A.'s most notable move was the injury bug. Kobe Bryant, the reigning scoring champion had successful surgery on his knee and would decline playing for Team USA at the 2006 World Championship, where they finished 3rd, with bronze.Lakers’ star needs 8-12 weeks to recover, will be ready for NBA season
Center Chris Mihm, who was the starting big man before having an ankle injury, also underwent successful surgery and was not expected to play at all in the upcoming season.LAKERS CENTER CHRIS MIHM UNDERGOES SUCCESSFUL ANKLE SURGERY
Regular season
The beginning success The Lakers started their season opener hosting the Phoenix Suns, the team who knocked them out of the playoffs. Kobe Bryant was out, allowing Maurice Evans to play in his place. Centers Kwame Brown and Chris Mihm were out on injury, forcing Bynum in their place.
Even with two of their starters out on injuries, it didn't seem to affect the team, as Odom led the team until Bryant recovered. The next night at Oracle Arena against the Golden State Warriors, Odom had stats, almost recording his first triple-double of the season, 22 points with nine rebounds and nine assists. Ronny Turiaf, known for his sideline celebrations, had career-highs in almost every category, including 23 points and nine rebounds for a 110–98 win. Bryant also sat this out.
Going downhill By March, the Lakers were in disarray. Radmanović was fined $500,000 for lying to the organization about his injury, Walton, Brown and Odom were playing on injuries, and despite some 40-point games, Bryant was unable to stop the Lakers fall. Coach Jackson suffered his first seven-game losing streak of his career in result. It seemed impossible for the Lakers to make the playoffs. Bryant decided to step his game up even further.
In the March 16th game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Bryant recorded his second-highest outbreak of his career with 65 points, single-handedly winning the game after being down by 12 with four minutes in regulation.
He continued by getting 50, 60, and another 50 in games against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Hornets respectively. By doing so, Bryant recorded the second-longest streak of scoring 50+ points in NBA history behind Wilt Chamberlain. Two days after his game against New Orleans, Kobe ended his streak in a game against the Golden State Warriors in Los Angeles with 43 points. Bryant's high scoring month continued. He scored 53 in an overtime loss against the Houston Rockets two games later.
But Bryant's scoring binge, which led to the team's five-game winning streak, was followed by the aforementioned seven-game losing streak. Throughout the season, the Lakers were 14–6 in games where Bryant scored 40+ points.
Season standings
Game log
Pre-season
|- style="background:#cfc;" | 1 | October 10 | Utah | W 94-79 | Lamar Odom (18) | Andrew Bynum (6) | Odom & Walton (6) | Save Mart Center (Fresno, CA)9,713 | 1–0 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 2 | October 12 | Seattle | W 104-101 | Brian Cook (16) | Brian Cook (6) | Jordan Farmar (5) | Honda Center (Anaheim, CA)11,669 | 2–0 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 3 | October 15 | Phoenix | L 91-99 | Smush Parker (18) | Ronny Turiaf (10) | Luke Walton (7) | Thomas & Mack Center (Las Vegas, NV)13,329 | 2–1 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 4 | October 17 | Sacramento | L 91-96 | Ronny Turiaf (15) | Brian Cook (9) | Luke Walton (6) | Thomas & Mack Center (Las Vegas, NV)12,587 | 2-2 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 5 | October 19 | L.A. Clippers | L 90-91 | Andrew Bynum (15) | 3 players tied (6) | Smush Parker (4) | Staples Center14,316 | 2–3 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 6 | October 20 | New Orleans/Oklahoma City | W 113-106 | Maurice Evans (27) | Lamar Odom (10) | Lamar Odom (9) | Staples Center12,383 | 3-3 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 7 | October 22 | Phoenix | W 94-91 | Luke Walton (19) | Bynum & Odom (9) | Jordan Farmar (6) | iPayOne Center (San Diego, CA)12,111 | 4–3 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 8 | October 26 | Denver | L 108-126 | Andrew Bynum (23) | Andrew Bynum (7) | Smush Parker (6) | Honda Center (Anaheim, CA)13,956 | 4-4
Regular season
|- style="background:#cfc;" | 1 | October 31 | Phoenix | W 114-106 | Lamar Odom (34) | Lamar Odom (13) | Smush Parker (7) | Staples Center18,997 | 1–0
|- style="background:#cfc;" | 2 | November 1 | @ Golden State | W 110-98 | Ronny Turiaf (23) | Odom & Turiaf (9) | Lamar Odom (9) | Oracle Arena19,596 | 2–0 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 3 | November 3 | Seattle | W 118-112 | Lamar Odom (28) | Bynum & Walton (8) | Bryant & Odom (6) | Staples Center18,997 | 3–0 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 4 | November 5 | @ Seattle | L 101-117 | Kobe Bryant (15) | Lamar Odom (7) | Kobe Bryant (9) | KeyArena17,072 | 3–1 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 5 | November 7 | Minnesota | W 95-88 | Andrew Bynum (20) | Andrew Bynum (14) | Kobe Bryant (6) | Staples Center18,997 | 4–1 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 6 | November 8 | @ Portland | L 90-101 | Kobe Bryant (32) | Bynum & Odom (5) | Luke Walton (4) | Rose Garden17,022 | 4–2 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 7 | November 10 | Detroit | L 83-97 | Kobe Bryant (19) | Lamar Odom (8) | Lamar Odom (7) | Staples Center18,997 | 4–3 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 8 | November 12 | Memphis | W 91-81 | Kobe Bryant (21) | Lamar Odom (16) | Lamar Odom (7) | Staples Center18,997 | 5–3 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 9 | November 17 | Toronto | W 107-100 | Kobe Bryant (31) | Kobe Bryant (11) | Kobe Bryant (7) | Staples Center18,997 | 6–3 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 10 | November 19 | Chicago | W 82-72 | Lamar Odom (23) | Andrew Bynum (13) | 3 players tied (4) | Staples Center18,997 | 7–3 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 11 | November 21 | L.A. Clippers | W 105-101 | Kobe Bryant (40) | Kwame Brown (14) | Kobe Bryant (5) | Staples Center18,997 | 8–3 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 12 | November 24 | @ Utah | L 108-114 | Kobe Bryant (27) | Lamar Odom (6) | Smush Parker (4) | EnergySolutions Arena19,911 | 8–4 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 13 | November 26 | New Jersey | W 99-93 | Lamar Odom (21) | Kwame Brown (9) | Kobe Bryant (10) | Staples Center18,997 | 9–4 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 14 | November 28 | Milwaukee | L 105-109 | Kobe Bryant (27) | Lamar Odom (13) | Lamar Odom (8) | Staples Center18,997 | 9–5 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 15 | November 30 | Utah | W 132-102 | Kobe Bryant (52) | Lamar Odom (11) | Lamar Odom (8) | Staples Center18,997 | 10–5
|- style="background:#cfc;" | 16 | December 2 | @ L.A. Clippers | W 97-88 | Kobe Bryant (29) | Brown & Odom (8) | Smush Parker (4) | Staples Center20,550 | 11–5 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 17 | December 4 | Indiana | W 101-87 | Kobe Bryant (21) | Lamar Odom (13) | Luke Walton (7) | Staples Center18,997 | 12–5 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 18 | December 6 | New Orleans/Oklahoma City | L 89-105 | Kobe Bryant (24) | Kwame Brown (9) | 3 players tied (4) | Staples Center18,535 | 12–6 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 19 | December 8 | Atlanta | W 106-95 | Luke Walton (25) | Lamar Odom (15) | Brown & Odom (7) | Staples Center18,997 | 13–6 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 20 | December 10 | San Antonio | W 106-99 | Kobe Bryant (34) | Lamar Odom (11) | Lamar Odom (9) | Staples Center18,997 | 14–6 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 21 | December 12 | @ Houston | W 102-94 | Kobe Bryant (23) | Kobe Bryant (8) | Bryant & Walton (7) | Toyota Center18,392 | 15–6 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 22 | December 13 | @ Dallas | L 101-110 | Kobe Bryant (33) | Bryant & Walton (7) | Kobe Bryant (4) | American Airlines Center20,424 | 15–7 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 23 | December 15 | Houston | W 112-101 (2OT) | Kobe Bryant (53) | Brown & Bryant (10) | Luke Walton (9) | Staples Center18,997 | 16–7 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 24 | December 17 | Washington | L 141-147 (OT) | Kobe Bryant (45) | Bryant & Walton (8) | Luke Walton (11) | Staples Center18,997 | 16–8 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 25 | December 19 | @ Chicago | L 89-94 | Kobe Bryant (19) | Kwame Brown (12) | Luke Walton (7) | United Center22,761 | 16–9 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 26 | December 20 | @ Minnesota | W 111-94 | Kobe Bryant (24) | Andrew Bynum (9) | Jordan Farmar (7) | Target Center16,788 | 17–9 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 27 | December 22 | @ New Jersey | W 99-95 | Kobe Bryant (21) | Brian Cook (11) | Kobe Bryant (11) | Continental Airlines Arena18,436 | 18–9 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 28 | December 25 | @ Miami | L 85-101 | Kobe Bryant (16) | Ronny Turiaf (7) | Bryant & Farmar (4) | American Airlines Arena20,283 | 18–10 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 29 | December 27 | @ Orlando | W 106-93 | Kobe Bryant (27) | Brown & Cook (6) | Kobe Bryant (7) | Amway Arena17,451 | 19–10 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 30 | December 29 | @ Charlotte | L 124-133 (3OT) | Kobe Bryant (58) | Kwame Brown (15) | Luke Walton (5) | Charlotte Bobcats Arena19,561 | 19–11 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 31 | December 31 | Philadelphia | W 104-94 | Kobe Bryant (35) | Bryant & Brown (8) | Kobe Bryant (6) | Staples Center18,997 | 20–11
|- style="background:#cfc;" | 32 | January 4 | @ Sacramento | W 132-128 (OT) | Kobe Bryant (42) | Andrew Bynum (11) | Kobe Bryant (9) | ARCO Arena17,317 | 21–11 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 33 | January 5 | Denver | W 123-104 | Smush Parker (23) | Andrew Bynum (10) | Kobe Bryant (10) | Staples Center18,997 | 22–11 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 34 | January 7 | Dallas | W 101-98 | Kobe Bryant (26) | Bryant & Bynum (8) | Bryant & Walton (6) | Staples Center18,997 | 23–11 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 35 | January 9 | @ Memphis | L 118-128 | Kobe Bryant (25) | Andrew Bynum (8) | Kobe Bryant (6) | FedEx Forum16,651 | 23–12 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 36 | January 10 | @ Houston | L 77-102 | Kobe Bryant (20) | Andrew Bynum (11) | Luke Walton (6) | Toyota Center18,331 | 23–13 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 37 | January 12 | Orlando | W 109-106 | Kobe Bryant (28) | Kobe Bryant (8) | Kobe Bryant (7) | Staples Center18,997 | 24–13 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 38 | January 15 | Miami | W 124-118 (OT) | Bryant & Cook (25) | Cook & Walton (10) | Kobe Bryant (8) | Staples Center18,997 | 25–13 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 39 | January 17 | @ San Antonio | W 100-96 | Kobe Bryant (34) | Andrew Bynum (8) | Kobe Bryant (8) | AT&T Center18,797 | 26–13 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 40 | January 18 | @ Dallas | L 95-114 | Kobe Bryant (26) | Bynum & Parker (5) | Kobe Bryant (5) | American Airlines Center20,446 | 26–14 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 41 | January 20 | @ New Orleans/Oklahoma City | L 103-113 | Bryant & Evans (23) | Andrew Bynum (9) | Kobe Bryant (7) | Ford Center19,329 | 26–15 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 42 | January 22 | Golden State