The 1985–86 Los Angeles Lakers season was the 40th season of the franchise, 38th in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and 26th in Los Angeles. The Lakers entered the season as the defending NBA champions, having defeated the previous NBA champion and rival Boston Celtics in the 1985 NBA Finals in six games, having finally defeated the Celtics in the NBA Finals after having lost to them 8 consecutive times in the championship series. The Lakers looked to repeat as NBA Champions, after sweeping the San Antonio Spurs in three games in the First Round, and then defeating the Dallas Mavericks in six games in the Semi-finals in the playoffs, but were unable to defend their title, as they lost to the Houston Rockets in the conference finals in five games after winning the first game, but proceeded to lose the following four. The Rockets would go on to lose to the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals in six games.

NBA draft The 1985 NBA draft took place on June 18, 1985. It was also the first NBA Draft of the "Lottery" era. The lottery was put into place so teams did not have to intentionally lose games to receive the number one pick. Round Pick Player Position Nationality School/Club team 1 23 A.C. Green Forward Oregon State

Roster

Regular season On Wednesday, December 4, 1985, Maurice Lucas made a 60-foot shot at the regulation buzzer to send the game into overtime. The Lakers would go on to defeat the Utah Jazz 131–127. The Lakers started the season 19–2. On Wednesday, January 22, 1986, the Boston Celtics (31–8) defeated the defending champion Lakers (32–8) 110–95 in a matchup of the league's two best teams. On Friday, January 24, 1986, the Boston Celtics (32–8) overtook the Los Angeles Lakers (32–9) as the team with the best record in the NBA. The Celtics maintained the league's best record for the remainder of the season. On Thursday, February 6, 1986, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored 46 points in a game against the Houston Rockets, his highest single-game total since a 48-point performance against the Portland Trail Blazers on November 26, 1975. The Lakers defeated the Rockets 117–95. On Sunday, February 16, 1986, in the season's second matchup between the Celtics and Lakers, this time in the Forum. Boston won again, 105-99 despite not having All-Star Kevin McHale in the lineup.

Season standings

Game log Regular season

|- style="background:#cfc;" | 1 | October 26 | @ San Antonio | W 121–116 (2OT) | James Worthy (24) | Maurice Lucas (10) | Michael Cooper (15) | HemisFair Arena10,875 | 1–0 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 2 | October 29 | @ Dallas | W 133–115 | James Worthy (21) | A.C. Green (16) | Michael Cooper (11) | Reunion Arena17,007 | 2–0 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 3 | October 31 | @ Phoenix | W 144–107 | Byron Scott (31) | Johnson & Rambis (7) | Michael Cooper (15) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum11,661 | 3–0

|- style="background:#cfc;" | 4 | November 2 | @ Golden State | W 120–116 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (31) | Kurt Rambis (9) | Magic Johnson (13) | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena14,401 | 4–0 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 5 | November 5 | Cleveland | L 111–129 | Magic Johnson (23) | Magic Johnson (8) | Cooper & Johnson (8) | The Forum17,505 | 4–1 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 6 | November 7 | @ Utah | W 116–106 | James Worthy (26) | Maurice Lucas (12) | Magic Johnson (12) | Salt Palace12,631 | 5–1 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 7 | November 8 | Denver | W 128–99 | Byron Scott (29) | Magic Johnson (10) | Magic Johnson (12) | The Forum16,573 | 6–1 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 8 | November 12 | Utah | W 119–110 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (25) | A.C. Green (8) | Magic Johnson (10) | The Forum14,496 | 7–1 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 9 | November 14 | Portland | W 114–102 | Magic Johnson (30) | 3 players tied (9) | Magic Johnson (12) | The Forum14,713 | 8–1 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 10 | November 15 | @ L.A. Clippers | W 127–96 | Mike McGee (19) | Magic Johnson (9) | Magic Johnson (14) | Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena11,380 | 9–1 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 11 | November 17 | New Jersey | W 138–119 | Mike McGee (26) | Kupchak & Lucas (8) | Magic Johnson (15) | The Forum16,101 | 10–1 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 12 | November 20 | L.A. Clippers | W 122–107 | Magic Johnson (22) | Maurice Lucas (11) | Magic Johnson (20) | The Forum15,214 | 11–1 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 13 | November 21 | @ Denver | L 120–121 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (32) | Abdul-Jabbar & Lucas (10) | Magic Johnson (18) | McNichols Sports Arena17,022 | 11–2 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 14 | November 23 | @ Portland | W 130–113 | James Worthy (25) | Kurt Rambis (12) | Magic Johnson (14) | Memorial Coliseum12,666 | 12–2 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 15 | November 24 | San Antonio | W 118–102 | Magic Johnson (23) | Kurt Rambis (11) | Magic Johnson (13) | The Forum15,259 | 13–2 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 16 | November 29 | Seattle | W 108–107 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (31) | Magic Johnson (16) | Magic Johnson (17) | The Forum17,505 | 14–2

|- style="background:#cfc;" | 17 | December 1 | Chicago | W 117–113 | James Worthy (33) | Maurice Lucas (11) | Magic Johnson (17) | The Forum17,505 | 15–2 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 18 | December 4 | @ Utah | W 131–127 (OT) | Magic Johnson (29) | Magic Johnson (9) | Magic Johnson (8) | Salt Palace12,287 | 16–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 19 | December 6, 19857:30p.m. PST | Houston | W 120–112 | Abdul-Jabbar (35) | Green,Lucas (9) | Johnson (14) | The Forum17,505 | 17–2 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 20 | December 8 | Dallas | W 125–119 | Byron Scott (30) | Green & Rambis (9) | Magic Johnson (15) | The Forum15,810 | 18–2 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 21 | December 12 | Phoenix | W 127–102 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (35) | Green & Kupchak (7) | Magic Johnson (20) | The Forum14,558 | 19–2 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 22 | December 13 | @ Denver | L 120–124 | James Worthy (37) | Magic Johnson (11) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (7) | McNichols Sports Arena17,022 | 19–3 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 23 | December 15 | Detroit | W 132–119 | James Worthy (25) | Kurt Rambis (11) | Magic Johnson (15) | The Forum17,505 | 20–3 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 24 | December 17 | @ New York | W 105–99 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (26) | Maurice Lucas (10) | Magic Johnson (12) | Madison Square Garden19,591 | 21–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 25 | December 18, 19855:30p.m. PST | @ Milwaukee | W 107–105 | Abdul-Jabbar (31) | Rambis (13) | Cooper,Johnson (8) | MECCA Arena11,052 | 22–3 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 26 | December 20 | @ Cleveland | W 128–116 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (29) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (9) | Magic Johnson (14) | Richfield Coliseum20,900 | 23–3 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 27 | December 21 | @ Washington | W 96–84 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (29) | Abdul-Jabbar & Johnson (8) | Magic Johnson (13) | Capital Centre19,123 | 24–3 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 28 | December 26 | @ San Antonio | L 91–109 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (24) | Kurt Rambis (6) | Magic Johnson (8) | HemisFair Arena15,786 | 24–4 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 29 | December 28 | @ Sacramento | W 133–111 | James Worthy (31) | Lucas & Worthy (7) | Magic Johnson (13) | ARCO Arena I10,333 | 25–4 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 30 | December 29 | Golden State | L 122–130 | Magic Johnson (30) | James Worthy (8) | Magic Johnson (12) | The Forum17,505 | 25–5

|- style="background:#cfc;" | 31 | January 3 | Utah | W 110–101 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (25) | Abdul-Jabbar & Worthy (7) | Michael Cooper (9) | The Forum17,505 | 26–5 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 32 | January 5 | Washington | W 118–88 | A.C. Green (20) | A.C. Green (10) | Magic Johnson (17) | The Forum17,505 | 27–5 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 33 | January 8 | Portland | W 125–121 | James Worthy (30) | James Worthy (10) | Magic Johnson (16) | The Forum16,481 | 28–5 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 34 | January 10 | Indiana | W 124–102 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (31) | Kurt Rambis (13) | Magic Johnson (11) | The Forum17,505 | 29–5 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 35 | January 11 | @ Seattle | L 99–105 | James Worthy (26) | Maurice Lucas (9) | Magic Johnson (16) | Seattle Center Coliseum14,230 | 29–6 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 36 | January 14 | Phoenix | W 143–122 | James Worthy (23) | Magic Johnson (9) | Magic Johnson (19) | The Forum14,615 | 30–6 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 37 | January 16 | L.A. Clippers | W 112–96 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (26) | Maurice Lucas (14) | Michael Cooper (13) | The Forum17,505 | 31–6 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 38 | January 19 | @ Detroit | L 115–118 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38) | Maurice Lucas (12) | Magic Johnson (18) | Pontiac Silverdome28,548 | 31–7 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 39 | January 20 | @ Chicago | W 133–118 | James Worthy (33) | Maurice Lucas (12) | Magic Johnson (14) | Chicago Stadium17,284 | 32–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 40 | January 22, 19865:00p.m. PST | @ Boston | L 95–110 | Abdul-Jabbar (17) | Green,Lucas (10) | Johnson (6) | Boston Garden14,890 | 32–8 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 41 | January 24 | @ L.A. Clippers | L 109–120 | James Worthy (26) | James Worthy (11) | Michael Cooper (13) | Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena14,858 | 32–9 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 42 | January 25 | Denver | L 115–127 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (26) | Kurt Rambis (10) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (9) | The Forum17,505 | 32–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 43 | January 28, 19867:30p.m. PST | Milwaukee | W 125–115 | Abdul-Jabbar (32) | Lucas (8) | Cooper (11) | The Forum17,505 | 33–10 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 44 | January 30 | @ Portland | W 118–94 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (25) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (9) | Michael Cooper (12) | Memorial Coliseum12,666 | 34–10 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 45 | January 31 | Philadelphia | W 134–100 | Byron Scott (24) | Kurt Rambis (8) | Michael Cooper (13) | The Forum17,505 | 35–10

|- style="background:#fcc;" | 46 | February 2 | New York | L 96–103 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (40) | Kurt Rambis (10) | Michael Cooper (11) | The Forum17,505 | 35–11 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 47 | February 4 | Dallas | W 110–102 | Abdul-Jabbar & McGee (21) | Maurice Lucas | Abdul-Jabbar & Johnson (8) | The Forum16,275 | 36–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 48 | February 6, 19865:30p.m. PST | @ Houston | W 117–95 | Abdul-Jabbar (46) | Worthy (13) | Cooper (9) | The Summit16,016 | 37–11 |- align="center" |colspan="9" bgcolor="#bbcaff"|All-Star Break |- style="background:#cfc;" |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" |- style="background:#fcc;" | 49 | February 11 | @ Golden State | L 113–137 | James Worthy (21) | Lucas & Rambis (10) | Magic Johnson (10) | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena15,011 | 37–12 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 50 | February 12 | @ Phoenix | W 126–100 | Mike McGee (34) | Kurt Rambis (11) | Magic Johnson (11) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum12,048 | 38–12 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 51 | February 14 | Atlanta | W 141–117 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (25) | Kurt Rambis (12) | Magic Johnson (16) | The Forum17,505 | 39–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 52 | February 16, 198612:30p.m. PST | Boston | L 99–105 | Worthy (35) | Abdul-Jabbar (9) | Johnson (12) | The Forum17,505 | 39–13 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 53 | February 19 | @ Indiana | W 90–81 | Abdul-Jabbar & Johnson (21) | Maurice Lucas (10) | Magic Johnson (10) | Market Square Arena16,904 | 40–13 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 54 | February 21 | @ New Jersey | L 106–121 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (28) | Maurice Lucas (8) | Magic Johnson (10) | Brendan Byrne Arena20,149 | 40–14 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 55 | February 23 | @ Philadelphia | W 117–111 (OT) | Magic Johnson (34) | Maurice Lucas (8) | Magic Johnson (11) | The Spectrum17,941 | 41–14 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 56 | February 24 | @ Atlanta | L 93–102 | Johnson & Lucas (23) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (12) | Magic Johnson (5) | Omni Coliseum16,522 | 41–15 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 57 | February 26 | @ Dallas | W 119–116 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (25) | 3 players tied (7)