2006–07 Los Angeles Lakers season

NBA season
logo =
team = Los Angeles Lakers
end_year = 2007
wins = 42
losses = 40
division_place = 2nd West Pacific Division, 7th Seed
coach = Phil Jackson
arena = Staples Center
playoffs = Eliminated 4-1 by Phoenix Suns

The 2006-07 Los Angeles Lakers season was the 59th in the NBA and 61st overall. The season ended with the team being eliminated in five games in a rematch against the Phoenix Suns from the 2006 playoffs.

The Lakers finished 2nd place in the Pacific Division, 7th seed in the playoffs. Ultimately, even though team Captain Kobe Bryant was the leading NBA scorer with 32.6 PPG, the Lakers were crushed by the Suns in the match up in the playoffs.

Roster

ignings and trades

In their most notable move, L.A. signed three-point specialist PF Vladimir Radmanovic to a five year/$31 million contract from cross-town rivals Clippers. [ [http://wcbstv.com/kcbs/lakers/local_story_182215627.html Ex Clipper Radmonovic Plans To Sign With Lakers] ] Addressing the need for veterans, they also signed PG Shammond Williams for a one-year, $5 million deal. [ [http://www.pe.com/sports/breakout/stories/PE_Sports_Local_D_spl_12.22eb6ce.html Lakers Add Guard to Mix] ] To make ties with existing players, L.A. signed Brian Cook to a 3 year extension. [ [http://www.nba.com/lakers/news/061101_contractextensions.html LAKERS SIGN BRIAN COOK TO CONTRACT EXTENSION] ]

Departures

Devean George, who won three titles with the Lakers in the early 2000s declined FA and signed with the Mavericks, leaving Bryant the remaining player from the glory days. [ [http://www.weathernet5.com/nba/9617292/detail.html Mavericks Sign Devean George] ]

Most of the signings the Lakers did was sign and cut/trade. Pinnock, Mamadou N'diaye, Marcus Douthit and Devin Green were all cut before the season started. [ [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/nba/teams/lakers/transactions.html Los Angeles Lakers TRANSACTIONS] ] [ [http://www.nba.com/lakers/news/0607_waivers.html 2006-07 Waivers] ]

Regular season

The beginning success

The Lakers started their season opener hosting the Phoenix Suns, the team who knocked them out of the playoffs. Kobe Bryant was out, allowing Maurice Evans to play in his place. Centers Kwame Brown and Chris Mihm were out on injury, forcing Bynum in their place.

Even with two of their starters out on injuries, it didn't seem to affect the team, as Odom led the team until Bryant recovered. The next night at Oracle Arena against the Golden State Warriors, Odom had stats, almost recording his first triple-double of the season, 22 points with nine rebounds and nine assists. Ronny Turiaf, known for his sideline celebrations, had career-highs in almost every catogary, including 23 points and nine rebounds for a 110-98 win. Bryant also sat this out.

Going downhill

Rock bottom

By March, the Lakers were in disarray. Radmanović was fined $500,000 for lying to the organazation about his injury, Walton, Brown and Odom were playing on injuries, and despite some 40-point games, Bryant was unable to stop the Lakers fall. Coach Jackson suffered his first seven-game losing streak of his career in result. It seemed impossible for the Lakers to make the playoffs. Bryant decided to step his game up even further.

In the March 16th game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Bryant recorded his second-highest outbreast of his career with 65, single-handely winning the game after being down by 12 with four minutes in regulation. He wasn't done.

He continued by getting 50, 60, and another 50 in games against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Hornets; by doing so, Bryant recorded the second-longest streak of scoring 50+ points in NBA history behind Wilt Chamberlain. Two days after scoring in New Orleans, Kobe ended a game against the Golden State Warriors in Los Angeles with 43, an 'off night'. But Bryant's scoring month wasn't over, he also scored 53 in an overtime loss against the Houston Rockets two games later.

But Bryant's scoring binge did its part, his five-game winning streak followed the aforementioned seven-game losing streak. The Lakers recorded wins in almost all the games Bryant scored 40+ points, going 14 - 6 in those games.

Playoffs: Eliminated in five

Despite stumbling in the playoffs with a 42-40 record, after finishing March and April with a combined 9-14 standing, the Lakers felt something to prove. The Phoenix Suns had something to prove too. With a 61-21 record, the Suns hoped to avoid last season's epic seven-game series and stream-roll through the playoffs.

In the first game, the Lakers started out strong, with Bryant showing his usual scoring dominance with 28 points, holding the Suns to just 39 points. But the Suns, led by Leandro Barbosa led a furious comeback, highlighted a buzzer beater from just in front of the half-court line. L.A. lost the game 95-87, and Bryant having 39 points. But any hopes of putting up a better fight in the second game was soon dashed.

The Suns crushed the Lakers by 28 points, a 126-98 victory in Game 2. Phoenix defense held the Laker starters to just 51 points, while all six Suns, including all starters, scored in double-figures. Down 0-2, the series went to L.A. for a Game 3.

Honors

* SG Kobe Bryant
** All-NBA First Team [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2866331 Bryant, Nowitzki, Duncan also part of All-NBA team] ]
** NBA All-Defensive First Team [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2854317 Camby, Bryant, Bell round out All-Defensive team] ]
** 2007 NBA All-Star MVP [ [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17222644/ No booing this time as Kobe wins All-Star MVP] ]
** 06-07 NBA scoring champion (31.6 PPG)

References

External links

* [http://www.nba.com/lakers L.A. Laker Official Site]
* [http://www.nba.com/lakers/stats/2006/index.html L.A. Laker Roster Stats for 2006-07]
* [http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/teams/schedule?team=lal&season=2007 2006-07 Schedule]