The 1979–80 Los Angeles Lakers season was the Lakers' 32nd season in the NBA and the 20th season in Los Angeles. It featured a 20-year old rookie Magic Johnson leading the Lakers to their seventh NBA Championship (second in Los Angeles), defeating the Philadelphia 76ers led by Julius Erving in six games in the NBA Finals, which was the first NBA Finals with a three-point line. This was also the team's first season under the ownership of Jerry Buss. Magic's season represented the birth of the Showtime Lakers.
Only 13 games into his tenure, coach Jack McKinney suffered a near-fatal bicycling accident November 8. General manager Bill Sharman elevated assistant Paul Westhead to head coach and hired former Laker Pat Riley as assistant coach.
Offseason
NBA draft Round Pick Player School / Club team 1 1 Magic Johnson PG Michigan State 1 14 Brad Holland SG UCLA
Roster
Regular season
Season standings
Game log Regular season
| 1 | October 12 | @ San Diego | W 103-102 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (29) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (10) | 3 players tied (4) | San Diego Sports Arena8,503 | 1–0 |- | 2 | October 16 | Chicago | W 105-96 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (29) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (10) | Johnson & Nixon (8) | The Forum | 2–0 |- | 3 | October 17 | @ Seattle | L 110-112 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (23) | Jamaal Wilkes (9) | Norm Nixon (5) | Kingdome | 2–1 |- | 4 | October 19 | Portland | L 82-99 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (22) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (13) | Norm Nixon (7) | The Forum | 2–2 |- | 5 | October 21 | Seattle | W 106-97 | 3 players tied (23) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (20) | Norm Nixon (9) | The Forum | 3–2 |- | 6 | October 23 | Utah | W 102-87 | Abdul-Jabbar & Cooper (17) | Jim Chones (16) | Cooper & Nixon (7) | The Forum | 4–2 |- | 7 | October 26 | Kansas City | W 116-104 | Magic Johnson (26) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (16) | Norm Nixon (10) | The Forum | 5–2 |- | 8 | October 28 | Golden State | W 97-90 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (26) | Magic Johnson (10) | Magic Johnson (10) | The Forum | 6–2 |- | 9 | October 30 | @ Chicago | W 111-105 | Magic Johnson (24) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (9) | Magic Johnson (6) | Chicago Stadium | 7–2 |- | 10 | October 31 | @ Milwaukee | L 106-110 | Norm Nixon (24) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (18) | Norm Nixon (12) | MECCA Arena | 7–3
| 11 | November 2 | Phoenix | W 112-110 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (26) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (15) | Magic Johnson (10) | The Forum | 8–3 |- | 12 | November 6 | San Diego | W 127-112 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (26) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (14) | Norm Nixon (9) | The Forum | 9–3 |- | 13 | November 7 | @ Golden State | L 109-126 | Jamaal Wilkes (18) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (8) | Magic Johnson (6) | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena | 9–4 |- | 14 | November 9 | Denver | W 126-122 (OT) | Magic Johnson (31) | Spencer Haywood (12) | Norm Nixon (9) | The Forum | 10–4 |- | 15 | November 11 | Cleveland | W 140-126 | Jamaal Wilkes (25) | Magic Johnson (16) | Magic Johnson (12) | The Forum | 11–4 |- | 16 | November 13 | @ San Diego | W 137-91 | Magic Johnson (22) | Ford & Haywood (8) | Abdul-Jabbar & Johnson (6) | San Diego Sports Arena | 12–4 |- | 17 | November 15 | @ Kansas City | L 108-114 | Jamaal Wilkes (28) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (12) | Magic Johnson (7) | Municipal Auditorium | 12–5 |- | 18 | November 16 | @ Denver | W 135-128 (OT) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (28) | Jamaal Wilkes (12) | Johnson & Nixon (11) | McNichols Sports Arena | 13–5 |- | 19 | November 18 | Indiana | W 127-104 | Jamaal Wilkes (21) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (12) | Norm Nixon (10) | The Forum | 14–5 |- | 20 | November 20 | @ Portland | L 99-114 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (24) | Magic Johnson (11) | Norm Nixon (6) | Memorial Coliseum | 14–6 |- | 21 | November 21 | @ Seattle | L 110-119 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (31) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (13) | Norm Nixon (11) | Kingdome | 14–7 |- | 22 | November 23 | @ Phoenix | L 112-126 | Magic Johnson (25) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (11) | Magic Johnson (6) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum | 14–8 |- | 23 | November 25 | Kansas City | W 111-110 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (25) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (15) | Magic Johnson (9) | The Forum | 15–8 |- | 24 | November 27 | @ Utah | W 122-118 | Jamaal Wilkes (29) | Magic Johnson (8) | Magic Johnson (8) | Salt Palace | 16–8 |- | 25 | November 30 | Chicago | L 100-107 | Norm Nixon (30) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (19) | Norm Nixon (8) | The Forum | 16–9
| 26 | December 2 | Milwaukee | W 116-103 | Norm Nixon (25) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (14) | Magic Johnson (13) | The Forum | 17–9 |- | 27 | December 4 | @ San Antonio | W 127-121 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (29) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (11) | Johnson & Wilkes (9) | HemisFair Arena | 18–9 |- | 28 | December 5 | @ Houston | W 116-114 | Norm Nixon (26) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (15) | Norm Nixon (10) | The Summit | 19–9 |- | 29 | December 7 | San Diego | L 108-116 | Magic Johnson (31) | Magic Johnson (13) | Norm Nixon (11) | The Forum | 19–10 |- | 30 | December 9 | Denver | W 131-118 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (31) | Abdul-Jabbar & Chones (9) | Magic Johnson (11) | The Forum | 20–10 |- | 31 | December 14 | Detroit | W 138-122 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (31) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (11) | Magic Johnson (9) | The Forum | 21–10 |- | 32 | December 16 | San Antonio | W 121-119 | Nixon & Wilkes (27) | Jim Chones (11) | Norm Nixon (9) | The Forum | 22–10 |- | 33 | December 18 | @ Chicago | W 129-118 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (39) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (16) | Magic Johnson (13) | Chicago Stadium | 23–10 |- | 34 | December 19 | @ Atlanta | L 112-119 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (29) | Abdul-Jabbar & Chones (8) | Norm Nixon (10) | Omni Coliseum | 23–11 |- | 35 | December 21 | Golden State | W 114-108 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (29) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (8) | Magic Johnson (10) | The Forum | 24–11 |- | 36 | December 22 | @ Denver | L 128-130 | Jamaal Wilkes (24) | Jim Chones (8) | Magic Johnson (9) | McNichols Sports Arena | 24–12 |- | 37 | December 23 | Seattle | W 102-97 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (32) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (14) | Magic Johnson (10) | The Forum | 25–12 |- | 38 | December 26 | @ Kansas City | L 111-118 | Johnson & Wilkes (24) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (15) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (9) | Municipal Auditorium | 25–13 |- | 39 | December 27 | @ Utah | W 124-116 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (31) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (10) | Magic Johnson (11) | Salt Palace | 26–13 |- | 40 | December 28 | Boston | W 123-105 | Magic Johnson (23) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (18) | Norm Nixon (8) | The Forum17,505 | 27–13 |- | 41 | December 30 | Phoenix | W 113-105 | Jamaal Wilkes (30) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (14) | Norm Nixon (8) | The Forum | 28–13
| 42 | January 2 | @ Indiana | W 127-120 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (32) | Abdul-Jabbar & Haywood (7) | Jamaal Wilkes (8) | Market Square Arena | 29–13 |- | 43 | January 6 | @ Milwaukee | L 103-113 | Jamaal Wilkes (24) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (12) | Norm Nixon (8) | MECCA Arena | 29–14 |- | 44 | January 9 | @ Washington | L 101-103 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (24) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (11) | Norm Nixon (6) | Capital Centre | 29–15 |- | 45 | January 11 | @ Detroit | W 123-100 | Jamaal Wilkes (27) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (14) | Magic Johnson (7) | Pontiac Silverdome | 30–15 |- | 46 | January 13 | @ Boston | W 100-98 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (33) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (12) | Norm Nixon (9) | Boston Garden | 31–15 |- | 47 | January 15 | Utah | W 112-99 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (24) | Jamaal Wilkes (10) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (7) | The Forum | 32–15 |- | 48 | January 16 | @ Golden State | W 97-96 | Jamaal Wilkes (27) | Spencer Haywood (11) | Norm Nixon (9) | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena | 33–15 |- | 49 | January 18 | Atlanta | W 108-102 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (28) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (15) | Norm Nixon (12) | The Forum | 34–15 |- | 50 | January 21 | New York | W 132-114 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (25) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (14) | Norm Nixon (9) | The Forum | 35–15 |- | 51 | January 24 | @ Portland | L 103-111 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (30) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (16) | Norm Nixon (7) | Memorial Coliseum | 35–16 |- | 52 | January 25 | Philadelphia | W 124-103 | Jamaal Wilkes (30) | Michael Cooper (13) | Norm Nixon (11) | The Forum | 36–16 |- | 53 | January 27 | Milwaukee | W 112-102 | Magic Johnson (25) | Jim Chones (12) | Norm Nixon (8) | The Forum | 37–16 |- | 54 | January 29 | @ Cleveland | L 153-154 (4 OT) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (42) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (17) | Magic Johnson (8) | Richfield Coliseum | 37–17 |- | 55 | January 31 | @ Chicago | W 107-97 | Jamaal Wilkes (28) | Jim Chones (12) | Magic Johnson (11) | Chicago Stadium | 38–17
|- align="center" |colspan="9" bgcolor="#bbcaff"|All-Star Break |- |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" |- | 56 | February 5 | @ New York | W 116-105 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (22) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (17) | Magic Johnson (11) | Madison Square Garden | 39–17 |- | 57 | February 8 | @ New Jersey | W 125-120 (OT) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (31) | Magic Johnson (13) | Johnson & Nixon (13) | Rutgers Athletic Center | 40–17 |- | 58 | February 10 | @ Philadelphia | L 104-105 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38) | Jamaal Wilkes (8) | Norm Nixon (10) | The Spectrum | 40–18 |- | 59 | February 13 | Portland | W 129-100 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (32) | Magic Johnson (9) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (11) | The Forum | 41–18 |- | 60 | February 15 | Kansas City | W 114-100 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (26) | Jamaal Wilkes (10) | Norm Nixon (10) | The Forum | 42–18 |- | 61 | February 17 | Washington | W 111-107 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (25) | Magic Johnson (12) | Norm Nixon (9) | The Forum | 43–18 |- | 62 | February 20 | @ Denver | W 116-103 | Magic Johnson (30) | Magic Johnson (12) | Norm Nixon (6) | McNichols Sports Arena | 44–18 |- | 63 | February 22 | New Jersey | W 132-110 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (22) | Abdul-Jabbar & Chones (14) | Norm Nixon (7) | The Forum | 45–18 |- | 64 | February 24 | Houston | W 112-100 | Jamaal Wilkes (29) | Magic Johnson (8) | Norm Nixon (11) | The Forum | 46–18 |- | 65 | February 26 | Seattle | W 131-108 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (31) | Abdul-Jabbar & Wilkes (11) | Magic Johnson (13) | The Forum | 47–18 |- | 66 | February 29 | Milwaukee | L 117-126 (OT) | Norm Nixon (30) | 3 players tied (11) | Norm Nixon (13) | The Forum | 47–19
| 67 | March 2 | @ Phoenix | L 115-123 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (26) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (13) | Norm Nixon (9) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum | 47–20 |- | 68 | March 4 | @ Milwaukee | W 127-124 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (28) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (10) | Norm Nixon (11) | MECCA Arena | 48–20 |- | 69 | March 5 | @ Kansas City | W 117-101 | Magic Johnson (28) | Magic Johnson (16) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (7) | Kemper Arena | 49–20 |- | 70 | March 7 | Chicago | W 101-99 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (31) | Magic Johnson (18) | Magic Johnson (9) | The Forum | 50–20 |- | 71 | March 9 | @ Portland | L 121-142 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (26) | Magic Johnson (12) | Magic Johnson (8) | Memorial Coliseum | 50–21 |- | 72 | March 11 | @ San Diego | W 123-106 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (28) | Abdul-Jabbar & Johnson (12) | Magic Johnson (8) | San Diego Sports Arena | 51–21 |- | 73 | March 12 | Portland | W 102-94 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (30) | Magic Johnson (16) | Norm Nixon (9) | The Forum | 52–21 |- | 74 | March 14 | Denver | W 132-126 | Jamaal Wilkes (27) | Mark Landsberger (16) | Michael Cooper (8) | The Forum | 53–21 |- | 75 | March 16 | Phoenix | W 128-106 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (30) | Magic Johnson (13) | Magic Johnson (13) | The Forum | 54–21 |- | 76 | March 18 | Golden State | W 118-100 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (23) | Jamaal Wilkes (11) | Norm Nixon (8) | The Forum | 55–21 |- | 77 | March 19 | @ Phoenix | L 108-112 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (29) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (14) | Norm Nixon (9) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum | 55–22 |- | 78 | March 22 | @ Seattle | W 97-92 | Norm Nixon (23) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (9) | Norm Nixon (10) | Kingdome | 56–22 |- | 79 | March 23 | Utah | W 101-96 | Jamaal Wilkes (22) | Jamaal Wilkes (11) | Norm Nixon (12) | The Forum | 57–22 |- | 80 | March 27 | @ Utah | W 97-95 | Jamaal Wilkes (21) | Abdul-Jabbar & Johnson (11) | Norm Nixon (7) | Salt Palace | 58–22