The 1992–93 Los Angeles Lakers season was the 45th season for the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association, and their 33rd season in Los Angeles, California.
Season summary
Off-season The Lakers had the 15th overall pick in the 1992 NBA draft, and selected shooting guard Anthony Peeler from the University of Missouri. During the off-season, the team signed free agent James Edwards, who won two NBA championships with the Detroit Pistons between 1989 and 1990, and hired Randy Pfund as their new head coach.
After playing in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, All-Star guard Magic Johnson made a brief comeback and played with the Lakers during the preseason. However, shortly before the regular season began, he was forced to retire again after other NBA players expressed fear of playing against him due to his HIV infection, most notably All-Star forward Karl Malone of the Utah Jazz.
Regular season Under Pfund and with the addition of Peeler, the Lakers got off to a 13–6 start to the regular season, and continued to play above .500 in winning percentage with a 26–23 record at the All-Star break. At mid-season, the team traded Sam Perkins to the Seattle SuperSonics in exchange for Benoit Benjamin, and rookie shooting guard, and first-round draft pick Doug Christie out of Pepperdine University. However, the Lakers struggled playing below .500 for the remainder of the season, losing 11 of 12 games between March 17 and April 9, 1993. The Lakers finished in fifth place in the Pacific Division with a 39–43 record, and earned the eighth seed in the Western Conference; it was their worst record since the 1974–75 season, as the team qualified for the NBA playoffs for the 17th consecutive year.
Sedale Threatt averaged 15.1 points, 6.9 assists and 1.7 steals per game, while James Worthy finished second on the team in scoring averaging 14.9 points per game, and Byron Scott contributed 13.7 points per game. In addition, Vlade Divac provided the team with 12.8 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.7 blocks per game, while A.C. Green provided with 12.8 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. Off the bench, Peeler contributed 10.4 points per game, while Elden Campbell averaged 7.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game, Edwards provided with 6.3 points per game, Christie averaged 6.2 points per game in 23 games after the trade, and Tony Smith contributed 6.0 points per game.
The Lakers finished 13th in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 633,655 at the Great Western Forum during the regular season.
NBA playoffs In the Western Conference First Round of the 1993 NBA playoffs, the Lakers faced off against the top–seeded, and Pacific Division champion Phoenix Suns, who were led by the All-Star trio of Most Valuable Player of the Year, Charles Barkley, three-point specialist Dan Majerle, and Kevin Johnson. Prior to the playoffs, the Lakers replaced Worthy in the starting lineup with Campbell, as Worthy played a sixth man role off the bench for the final 13 games of the regular season, and for the team's first-round series against the Suns; the Lakers were also without Peeler, who was out due to a season-ending right ankle injury.
The Lakers managed to win the first two games over the Suns on the road, which included a Game 2 win at the America West Arena, 86–81. However, the Lakers lost the next two games at home at the Great Western Forum, including a Game 4 loss to the Suns by a score of 101–86. With the series tied at 2–2, the Lakers lost Game 5 to the Suns at the America West Arena in overtime, 112–104, thus losing in a hard-fought five-game series.
The Suns would advance to the 1993 NBA Finals, but would lose to the 2-time defending NBA champion Chicago Bulls in six games.
Aftermath Following the season, Green signed as a free agent with the Phoenix Suns, while Scott signed with the Indiana Pacers during the next season, and Benjamin was traded to the New Jersey Nets.
Draft picks
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College 1 15 Anthony Peeler SG Missouri 2 36 Duane Cooper PG Southern California
Roster
Regular season
Season standings
z – clinched division title y – clinched division title x – clinched playoff spot
Game log Regular season
|- style="background:#cfc;" | 1 | November 6 | @ L.A. Clippers | W 114-112 (OT) | Byron Scott (29) | Sam Perkins (10) | Sedale Threatt (11) | Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena15,989 | 1–0 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 2 | November 8 | Sacramento | L 114-121 | James Worthy (30) | Elden Campbell (9) | Sedale Threatt (9) | Great Western Forum15,021 | 1-1 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 3 | November 10 | @ Golden State | W 107-106 | Sedale Threatt (26) | Vlade Divac (10) | Byron Scott (6) | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena15,025 | 2–1 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 4 | November 12 | @ Seattle | L 102-114 | Sedale Threatt (25) | Divac & Threatt (7) | Sedale Threatt (8) | Seattle Center Coliseum14,419 | 2-2 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 5 | November 13 | L.A. Clippers | L 98-124 | Divac & Scott (17) | Sam Perkins (9) | Sedale Threatt (5) | Great Western Forum14,555 | 2–3 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 6 | November 15 | Golden State | W 105-102 | Sedale Threatt (24) | Sam Perkins (9) | Sedale Threatt (7) | Great Western Forum13,941 | 3-3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 7 | November 20, 19927:30p.m. PST | Chicago | W 120–118 (OT) | Perkins (26) | Perkins (15) | Threatt,Worthy (8) | Great Western Forum17,505 | 4–3 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 8 | November 22 | Denver | W 119-107 | Sedale Threatt (32) | Sam Perkins (9) | Sedale Threatt (9) | Great Western Forum13,841 | 5–3 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 9 | November 25 | New Jersey | L 98-100 | Tony Smith (17) | Vlade Divac (14) | Sedale Threatt (10) | Great Western Forum13,860 | 5–4 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 10 | November 27 | @ Portland | W 98-90 | James Worthy (19) | Sam Perkins (9) | James Worthy (7) | Memorial Coliseum12,888 | 6–4 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 11 | November 29 | Dallas | W 114-95 | Vlade Divac (20) | A.C. Green (14) | Sedale Threatt (6) | Great Western Forum13,855 | 7–4
|- style="background:#fcc;" | 12 | December 1 | @ Sacramento | L 110-117 | Sedale Threatt (26) | Vlade Divac (10) | James Edwards (5) | ARCO Arena17,317 | 7–5 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 13 | December 3 | @ Houston | W 95-89 | Sam Perkins (21) | Sam Perkins (13) | Sedale Threatt (7) | The Summit10,902 | 8–5 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 14 | December 4, 19926:30p.m. PST | @ Phoenix | L 93-103 | Perkins (25) | DIvac (7) | Divac (8) | American West Arena19,023 | 8–6 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 15 | December 6 | Minnesota | W 107-85 | Sedale Threatt (19) | Vlade Divac (12) | Peeler & Threatt (5) | Great Western Forum14,068 | 9–6 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 16 | December 9 | Portland | W 124-111 | Sedale Threatt (26) | Sam Perkins (11) | James Worthy (12) | Great Western Forum15,133 | 10–6 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 17 | December 11 | Washington | W 118-93 | Sam Perkins (25) | Vlade Divac (12) | Sedale Threatt (8) | Great Western Forum13,618 | 11–6 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 18 | December 13 | Milwaukee | W 114-96 | Anthony Peeler (21) | A.C. Green (12) | Sedale Threatt (9) | Great Western Forum13,265 | 12–6 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 19 | December 15 | @ San Antonio | W 107-101 | Sedale Threatt (24) | A.C. Green (8) | Sedale Threatt (9) | HemisFair Arena16,057 | 13–6 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 20 | December 16 | @ Dallas | L 95-102 | Sedale Threatt (23) | Vlade Divac (9) | James Worthy (6) | Reunion Arena13,358 | 13–7 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 21 | December 18, 19927:30p.m. PST | Phoenix | L 100-116 | Smith,Threatt (16) | Divac (10) | Threatt (5) | Great Western Forum16,734 | 13–8 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 22 | December 19 | @ Denver | W 92-86 | Sedale Threatt (27) | Vlade Divac (14) | Sam Perkins (4) | McNichols Sports Arena17,022 | 14–8 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 23 | December 23 | Seattle | L 79-80 | Peeler & Worthy (16) | Vlade Divac (13) | Sedale Threatt (5) | Great Western Forum14,754 | 14–9 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 24 | December 26 | San Antonio | L 92-104 | James Edwards (16) | Green & Smith (5) | James Worthy (7) | Great Western Forum17,505 | 14–10 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 25 | December 28 | @ Miami | L 96-107 | James Worthy (26) | Divac & Perkins (7) | Threatt & Worthy (5) | Miami Arena15,008 | 14–11 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 26 | December 30 | @ Orlando | W 96-93 | Sam Perkins (21) | Sedale Threatt (7) | Sedale Threatt (11) | Orlando Arena15,151 | 15–11
|- style="background:#fcc;" | 27 | January 2 | @ Cleveland | L 91-106 | Vlade Divac (18) | Vlade Divac (15) | Scott & Threatt (5) | Richfield Coliseum20,273 | 15–12 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 28 | January 3 | @ Milwaukee | L 101-109 | Vlade Divac (21) | Sam Perkins (15) | Sedale Threatt (6) | Bradley Center15,881 | 15–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 29 | January 5, 19935:00p.m. PST | @ Chicago | W 91–88 | Worthy (21) | Green (15) | Peeler (6) | Chicago Stadium18,676 | 16–13 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 30 | January 6 | @ Minnesota | W 98-78 | A.C. Green (17) | Divac & Green (9) | Threatt & Worthy (7) | Target Center18,494 | 17–13 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 31 | January 8 | Sacramento | W 93-90 | James Worthy (25) | Vlade Divac (16) | Sedale Threatt (10) | Great Western Forum15,066 | 18–13 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 32 | January 10 | Miami | L 89-101 | Vlade Divac (24) | Vlade Divac (12) | Duane Cooper (5) | Great Western Forum14,956 | 18–14 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 33 | January 14 | @ L.A. Clippers | L 102-105 | Sam Perkins (16) | A.C. Green (10) | Sedale Threatt (6) | Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena15,356 | 18–15 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 34 | January 15 | Portland | W 99-96 | Sedale Threatt (22) | A.C. Green (13) | Byron Scott (5) | Great Western Forum17,505 | 19–15 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 35 | January 18 | Houston | L 90-110 | James Worthy (18) | A.C. Green (11) | Sedale Threatt (8) | Great Western Forum15,489 | 19–16 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 36 | January 20 | Seattle | L 101-111 | Sedale Threatt (20) | A.C. Green (12) | Cooper & Threatt (5) | Great Western Forum14,114 | 19–17 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 37 | January 22 | @ Utah | L 94-98 | Sam Perkins (19) | A.C. Green (8) | Threatt & Worthy (4) | Delta Center19,911 | 19–18 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 38 | January 24 | @ Washington | W 112-110 (OT) | James Worthy (25) | A.C. Green (15) | Sam Perkins (10) | Capital Centre14,704 | 20–18 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 39 | January 26 | @ New Jersey | L 91-106 | James Worthy (22) | Sam Perkins (11) | Sedale Threatt (4) | Brendan Byrne Arena16,467 | 20–19 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 40 | January 28 | @ Indiana | L 110-127 | Anthony Peeler (25) | Vlade Divac (12) | Sedale Threatt (6) | Market Square Arena13,085 | 20-20 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 41 | January 29 | @ Charlotte | W 123-108 | Byron Scott (27) | Vlade Divac (8) | Sedale Threatt (10) | Charlotte Coliseum23,698 | 21–20 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 42 | January 31 | @ Boston | W 96-87 | Peeler & Threatt (16) | A.C. Green (12) | Sedale Threatt (7) | Boston Garden14,890 | 22–20
|- style="background:#fcc;" | 43 | February 2 | Orlando | L 97-110 | Anthony Peeler (24) | A.C. Green (12) | Sedale Threatt (8) | Great Western Forum17,505 | 22–21 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 44 | February 4 | Utah | W 114-110 | A.C. Green (23) | A.C. Green (11) | James Worthy (7) | Great Western Forum14,629 | 23–21 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 45 | February 5, 19936:30p.m. PST | @ Phoenix | L 104-132 | Green (20) | Green (15) | Threatt (6) | American West Arena19,023 | 23–22 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 46 | February 8 | Dallas | W 108-100 (OT) | Byron Scott (26) | Sam Perkins (17) | Sedale Threatt (8) | Great Western Forum14,202 | 24–22 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 47 | February 10 | Denver | W 111-102 | James Worthy (21) | Sam Perkins (10) | Sedale Threatt (7)