Record: 57-25, first place in Pacific Division
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar announced before the season that this would be his final year. Teams around the league showered the legend with gifts during his final visit to their city as the Lakers won the Pacific Division again and Magic Johnson won his second NBA Most Valuable Player Award.
Playoffs: The Lakers reached the NBA Finals by sweeping Portland, Seattle, and Phoenix, the first time a team had swept all three series before the Finals. With most NBA experts predicting a Lakers three-peat, hamstring injuries to Byron Scott and Magic Johnson derailed the Lakers in the NBA Finals, and they were swept by the Detroit Pistons.