1995–96 Los Angeles Lakers season

NBA season
team = Los Angeles Lakers
misc = Magic’s Comeback
end_year = 1996
wins = 53
losses = 29
division = Pacific
division_place = 2
conf_place = 4
coach = Del Harris
arena = Great Western Forum
owners = Jerry Buss
television =
radio =
playoffs = First round (eliminated 3–1)
bbr_team = LAL

The highlight of the Los Angeles Lakers was Magic Johnson making a comeback.

Offseason

NBA Draft

Regular season

Magic’s Comeback

In the 1995-96 NBA season, Johnson made a short-lived second comeback as a player from January 1996 to May 1996. In this time, he had bulked up from his self-reported weight of 235 lb in 1992 [NY Times, [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9E0CE4DA1330F933A0575AC0A964958260 Johnson, Unbowed by H.I.V., Will Return to Pro Basketball ] , accessed June 1, 2007.] to 255 lb in order to play power forward, a much more physical position than his usual point guard role. At age 36, Johnson played the last 32 games of the season, averaging 14.6 points, 6.9 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game. The Lakers lost to the Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs, and Johnson retired for good. Johnson explained his comeback with the words: "I am going out on my terms, something I couldn't say when I aborted a comeback in 1992." cite web | first=Larry | last=Schwartz | title=Magic made Showtime a show | url = http://espn.go.com/sportscentury/features/00016111.html |work=ESPN.com
accessdate=2007-09-13]

eason standings

Playoffs

* Lost Western Conference 1st Rd to Houston Rockets (3 games to 1)

Player stats

"Note: GP= Games played; MPG= Minutes per Game; SPG= Steals per Game; RPG = Rebounds per Game; APG. = Assists per Game; BPG = Blocks per Game; PPG = Points per Game"

Award Winners

References

* [http://www.databasebasketball.com/teams/teamyear.htm?yr=1995&tm=LAL&lg=N Lakers on Database Basketball]
* [http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAL/1996.html Lakers on Basketball Reference]