Record: 33-39, second place in Western Division
Finishing with the worst record in the 1957-58 season turned out to be a blessing for the Lakers, since it earned them the No. 1 pick in the 1958 NBA draft. Their selection? Elgin Baylor. As a rookie, Baylor finished fourth in the league in scoring (24.9) and third in rebounding (15.0) and easily won the NBA's rookie of the year award.
Playoffs: The Lakers defeated the Detroit Pistons in the division semifinals, then upset the favored St. Louis Hawks in the division finals, setting up the first NBA Finals matchup with future arch-nemesis, the Boston Celtics. The Celtics had an 18-game regular-season winning streak against the Lakers, and swept them in the Finals for Boston's first NBA title.