The 1980âÂÂ81 Los Angeles Lakers season was the Lakers' 33rd season in the NBA and the 21st season in Los Angeles. The Lakers were attempting to become the first team since 1969 to repeat as NBA Champions. Despite missing Magic Johnson for 45 games due to a knee injury, the Lakers still managed an impressive 54âÂÂ28 record during the regular season, and they were the #3 seed heading into the Western Conference playoffs. However, the underdog Houston Rockets eliminated the Lakers in a best-of-three first round series two games to one.
The Lakers did not have a first-round pick in the 1980 Draft. Their first selection was Wayne Robinson, the 31st pick overall, but he never played a game for the Lakers. Future NBA Coach Butch Carter was their second selection at #37 overall.
Notes
|- style="background:#cfc;" | 1 | October 10 | @ Seattle | W 99-98 | Jamaal Wilkes (22) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (12) | Magic Johnson (8) | Kingdome<br>35,233 | 1âÂÂ0 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 2 | October 12 | Houston | W 114-103 | Magic Johnson (30) | Jim Chones (11) | Magic Johnson (10) | The Forum<br>11,142 | 2âÂÂ0 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 3 | October 15 | @ Kansas City | W 112-107 (OT) | Jamaal Wilkes (31) | Magic Johnson (12) | Magic Johnson (14) | Kemper Arena<br>5,753 | 3âÂÂ0 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 4 | October 17 | Phoenix | W 116-109 | Jamaal Wilkes (34) | Jim Chones (16) | Norm Nixon (9) | The Forum<br>10,411 | 4âÂÂ0 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 5 | October 19 | Golden State | W 125-107 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (29) | Mark Landsberger (12) | Norm Nixon (9) | The Forum<br>10,644 | 5âÂÂ0 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 6 | October 21 | @ Portland | L 103-107 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (25) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (15) | Magic Johnson (5) | Memorial Coliseum<br>12,666 | 5âÂÂ1 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 7 | October 24 | Seattle | W 104-98 | Abdul-Jabbar & Wilkes (26) | Jim Chones (15) | Magic Johnson (12) | The Forum<br>12,201 | 6âÂÂ1 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 8 | October 25 | @ Utah | W 127-99 | Magic Johnson (33) | Mark Landsberger (12) | Magic Johnson (6) | Salt Palace<br>12,058 | 7âÂÂ1 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 9 | October 26 | San Antonio | L 102-108 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (30) | Magic Johnson (13) | Magic Johnson (11) | The Forum<br>11,906 | 7âÂÂ2 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 10 | October 28 | @ San Diego | W 131-101 | Magic Johnson (29) | Abdul-Jabbar & Landsberger (10) | Magic Johnson (10) | San Diego Sports Arena<br>8,663 | 8âÂÂ2 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 11 | October 31 | Cleveland | W 107-98 | Jamaal Wilkes (23) | Jim Chones (13) | Norm Nixon (8) | The Forum<br>9,728 | 9âÂÂ2
|- style="background:#fcc;" | 12 | November 2 | Denver | L 121-123 | Jamaal Wilkes (26) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (10) | Magic Johnson (11) | The Forum<br>11,661 | 9âÂÂ3 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 13 | November 4 | Portland | W 119-118 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (28) | Jim Chones (12) | Magic Johnson (12) | The Forum<br>10,100 | 10âÂÂ3 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 14 | November 7 | @ Dallas | W 126-102 | Magic Johnson (32) | Johnson & Landsberger (9) | Norm Nixon (10) | Reunion Arena<br>17,481 | 11âÂÂ3 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 15 | November 8 | @ San Antonio | L 109-112 | Magic Johnson (28) | Chones & Johnson (10) | Norm Nixon (15) | HemisFair Arena<br>16,114 | 11âÂÂ4 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 16 | November 11 | @ Atlanta | W 126-97 | Jamaal Wilkes (22) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (10) | Abdul-Jabbar & Johnson (8) | Omni Coliseum<br>11,373 | 12âÂÂ4 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 17 | November 12 | @ Houston | L 104-107 | Jamaal Wilkes (28) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (10) | Magic Johnson (11) | The Summit<br>11,527 | 12âÂÂ5 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 18 | November 14 | San Diego | W 113-100 | Jamaal Wilkes (22) | Jim Chones (12) | Magic Johnson (10) | The Forum<br>11,808 | 13âÂÂ5 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 19 | November 16 | Dallas | W 110-102 | Magic Johnson (24) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (11) | Magic Johnson (8) | The Forum<br>10,893 | 14âÂÂ5 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 20 | November 18 | Kansas City | W 107-94 | Jamaal Wilkes (32) | Jim Chones (18) | Norm Nixon (14) | The Forum<br>10,169 | 15âÂÂ5 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 21 | November 20 | @ Phoenix | L 99-102 | Abdul-Jabbar & Wilkes (29) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (8) | Norm Nixon (7) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>12,660 | 15âÂÂ6 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 22 | November 21 | Phoenix | W 116-88 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (29) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (20) | Norm Nixon (7) | The Forum<br>14,164 | 16âÂÂ6 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 23 | November 23 | Milwaukee | L 94-110 | Jamaal Wilkes (27) | Jim Chones (13) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (6) | The Forum<br>14,814 | 16âÂÂ7 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 24 | November 27 | @ Golden State | W 128-119 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (40) | Abdul-Jabbar & Chones (11) | Norm Nixon (12) | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena<br>12,564 | 17âÂÂ7 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 25 | November 29 | @ Denver | W 124-123 (2OT) | Jamaal Wilkes (30) | Jim Chones (15) | Norm Nixon (7) | McNichols Sports Arena<br>14,811 | 18âÂÂ7 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 26 | November 30 | Chicago | L 108-122 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (28) | 3 players tied (9) | Eddie Jordan (9) | The Forum<br>13,605 | 18âÂÂ8
|- style="background:#fcc;" | 27 | December 3 | San Diego | L 114-120 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (33) | Jim Chones (13) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (7) | The Forum<br>9,346 | 18âÂÂ9 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 28 | December 6 | @ Golden State | L 103-119 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (27) | Jim Chones (9) | Norm Nixon (11) | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena<br>13,329 | 18âÂÂ10 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 29 | December 7 | Utah | W 113-100 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (24) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (17) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (8) | The Forum<br>11,564 | 19âÂÂ10 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 30 | December 9 | @ Dallas | W 103-92 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (29) | Abdul-Jabbar & Chones (11) | Norm Nixon (10) | Reunion Arena<br>9,313 | 20âÂÂ10 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 31 | December 10 | @ Houston | W 109-108 | Jamaal Wilkes (32) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (9) | Norm Nixon (8) | The Summit<br>10,632 | 21âÂÂ10 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 32 | December 12 | @ Seattle | W 113-107 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (30) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (8) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (9) | Kingdome<br>22,448 | 22âÂÂ10 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 33 | December 14 | Golden State | W 122-113 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (29) | Jim Chones (11) | Norm Nixon (14) | The Forum<br>11,643 | 23âÂÂ10 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 34 | December 16 | @ San Diego | L 92-97 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (32) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (9) | Norm Nixon (8) | San Diego Sports Arena<br>9,044 | 23âÂÂ11 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 35 | December 19 | Portland | L 106-110 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (34) | Jim Chones (13) | Norm Nixon (10) | The Forum<br>12,190 | 23âÂÂ12 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 36 | December 21 | San Antonio | W 135-122 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (42) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (13) | Norm Nixon (10) | The Forum<br>12,341 | 24âÂÂ12 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 37 | December 23 | @ Portland | L 102-108 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (42) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Eddie Jordan (6) | Memorial Coliseum<br>12,666 | 24âÂÂ13 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 38 | December 26 | Indiana | W 116-115 | Jamaal Wilkes (33) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (15) | Norm Nixon (12) | The Forum<br>14,345 | 25âÂÂ13 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 39 | December 27 | @ Phoenix | L 106-116 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (27) | Jim Chones (10) | Norm Nixon (10) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>12,660 | 25âÂÂ14 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 40 | December 28 | Philadelphia | W 122-116 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (34) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (13) | Norm Nixon (10) | The Forum<br>17,505 | 26âÂÂ14 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 41 | December 30 | @ Utah | L 100-110 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (30) | Jim Chones (12) | Eddie Jordan (6) | Salt Palace<br>12,393 | 26âÂÂ15
|- style="background:#fcc;" | 42 | January 2 | @ San Antonio | L 112-118 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (36) | Jim Chones (11) | Norm Nixon (15) | HemisFair Arena<br>14,722 | 26âÂÂ16 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 43 | January 6 | Washington | W 107-98 | Norm Nixon (30) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (16) | Norm Nixon (12) | The Forum<br>11,033 | 27âÂÂ16 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 44 | January 9 | Seattle | W 92-87 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (28) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (16) | Norm Nixon (9) | The Forum<br>12,596 | 28âÂÂ16 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 45 | January 11 | Detroit | W 117-108 | Jamaal Wilkes (33) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (9) | Norm Nixon (10) | The Forum<br>11,195 | 29âÂÂ16 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 46 | January 13 | @ Cleveland | W 108-104 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (29) | Abdul-Jabbar & Brewer (8) | Norm Nixon (9) | Richfield Coliseum<br>7,316 | 30âÂÂ16 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 47 | January 14 | @ Washington | L 104-114 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (25) | Abdul-Jabbar & Cooper (10) | Norm Nixon (7) | Capital Centre<br>10,372 | 30âÂÂ17 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 48 | January 16 | @ New Jersey | W 113-111 | Jamaal Wilkes (32) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (11) | Norm Nixon (13) | Brendan Byrne Arena<br>8,462 | 31âÂÂ17 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 49 | January 18 | @ Boston | L 96-98 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (32) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (12) | Eddie Jordan (5) | Boston Garden<br>15,320 | 31âÂÂ18 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 50 | January 21 | Atlanta | W 116-106 | Jamaal Wilkes (26) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (10) | Michael Cooper (9) | The Forum<br>10,389 | 32âÂÂ18 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 51 | January 23 | Denver | W 110-105 | Jamaal Wilkes (30) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (15) | Norm Nixon (9) | The Forum<br>14,813 | 33âÂÂ18 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 52 | January 26 | Portland | W 124-112 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (24) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (12) | Norm Nixon (18) | The Forum<br>10,681 | 34âÂÂ18 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 53 | January 27 | Utah | W 111-104 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (27) | Jim Chones (13) | Norm Nixon (12) | The Forum<br>10,453 | 35âÂÂ18 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 54 | January 29 | Kansas City | W 118-104 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (35) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (13) | Cooper & Nixon (10) | The Forum<br>11,058 | 36âÂÂ18
|- align="center" |colspan="9" bgcolor="#bbcaff"|All-Star Break |- style="background:#cfc;" |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" |- style="background:#cfc;" | 55 | February 4 | @ Indiana | W 102-96 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (29) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (16) | Michael Cooper (9) | Market Square Arena<br>15,966 | 37âÂÂ18 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 56 | February 6 | @ Detroit | W 111-102 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (25) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (14) | Eddie Jordan (12) | Pontiac Silverdome<br>12,205 | 38âÂÂ18 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 57 | February 8 | @ Philadelphia | L 99-102 | Jamaal Wilkes (28) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (12) | Abdul-Jabbar & Nixon (5) | The Spectrum<br>18,276 | 38âÂÂ19 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 58 | February 11 | Boston | L 91-105 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (32) | Michael Cooper (11) | Norm Nixon (10) | The Forum<br>17,505 | 38âÂÂ20 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 59 | February 13 | @ Houston | W 114-105 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (30) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (12) | Norm Nixon (10) | The Summit<br>13,985 | 39âÂÂ20 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 60 | February 15 | Dallas | W 107-99 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (35) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (12) | Norm Nixon (9) | The Forum<br>11,920 | 40âÂÂ20 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 61 | February 17 | New York | W 96-87 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (28) | Michael Cooper (11) | Michael Cooper (9) | The Forum<br>13,279 | 41âÂÂ20 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 62 | February 20 | Houston | L 107-110 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (36) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (12) | Norm Nixon (12) | The Forum<br>14,470 | 41âÂÂ21 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 63 | February 22 | @ New York | W 96-93 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (32) | Cooper & Landsberger (9) | Cooper & Nixon (7) | Madison Square Garden<br>19,591 | 42âÂÂ21 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 64 | February 24 | @ Chicago | W 107-97 | Norm Nixon (24) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (11) | Norm Nixon (13) | Chicago Stadium<br>16,518 | 43âÂÂ21 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 65 | February 25 | @ Milwaukee | L 108-126 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (29) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (13) | Norm Nixon (8) | MECCA Arena<br>11,052 | 43âÂÂ22 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 66 | February 27 | New Jersey | W 107-103 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (28) | Abdul-Jabbar & Johnson (11) | Cooper & Nixon (7) | The Forum<br>17,505 | 44âÂÂ22
|- style="background:#fcc;" | 67 | March 1 | Phoenix | L 96-101 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (28) | Magic Johnson (10) | Norm Nixon (9) | The Forum<br>17,505 | 44âÂÂ23 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 68 | March 3 | @ Kansas City | W 99-98 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (24) | 3 players tied (8) | Norm Nixon (8) | Kemper Arena<br>12,208 | 45âÂÂ23 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 69 | March 4 | @ Denver | L 114-123 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (26) | Mark Landsberger (10) | Norm Nixon (7) | McNichols Sports Arena<br>14,840 | 45âÂÂ24 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 70 | March 10 | San Antonio | W 118-104 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (35) | Magic Johnson (16) | Norm Nixon (13) | The Forum<br>16,703 | 46âÂÂ24 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 71 | March 12 | @ San Diego | W 122-116 | Jamaal Wilkes (29) | Magic Johnson (9) | Magic Johnson (7) | San Diego Sports Arena<br>13,043 | 47âÂÂ24 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 72 | March 13 | Kansas City | W 116-101 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (28) | Mark Landsberger (11) | Magic Johnson (11) | The Forum<br>17,505 | 48âÂÂ24 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 73 | March 15 | San Diego | L 118-122 | Jamaal Wilkes (27) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (9) | Norm Nixon (12) | The Forum<br>15,560 | 48âÂÂ25 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 74 | March 17 | @ Dallas | W 114-109 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (28) | Magic Johnson (9) | Johnson & Nixon (7) | Reunion Arena<br>17,828 | 49âÂÂ25 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 75 | March 18 | @ Phoenix | L 114-126 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (27) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (8) | Magic Johnson (8) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>12,660 | 49âÂÂ26 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 76 | March 20 | Seattle | W 133-119 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (34) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (8) | Norm Nixon (10) | The Forum<br>17,505 | 50âÂÂ26 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 77 | March 21 | @ Portland | W 117-111 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (31) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (19) | Norm Nixon (15) | Memorial Coliseum<br>12,666 | 51âÂÂ26 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 78 | March 22 | @ Golden State | W 120-118 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (31) | Magic Johnson (8) | Norm Nixon (15) | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena<br>13,239 | 52âÂÂ26 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 79 | March 24 | Golden State | W 110-103 | Johnson & Nixon (24) | Magic Johnson (9) | Magic Johnson (11) | The Forum<br>17,505 | 53âÂÂ26 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 80 | March 27 | @ Seattle | W 97-90 | Jamaal Wilkes (24) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (10) | Magic Johnson (9) | Kingdome<br>22,494 | 54âÂÂ26 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 81 | March 28 | @ Utah | L 110-112 (OT) | Magic Johnson (41) | Johnson & Landsberger (12) | Magic Johnson (11) | Salt Palace<br>12,383 | 54âÂÂ27 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 82 | March 29 | Denver | L 146-148 (OT) | Magic Johnson (33) | Magic Johnson (15) | Magic Johnson (17) | The Forum<br>17,505 | 54âÂÂ28
|- style="background:#fcc;" | 1 | April 1 | Houston | L 107âÂÂ111 | Magic Johnson (26) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (15) | Norm Nixon (10) | The Forum<br>15,517 | 0âÂÂ1 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 2 | April 3 | @ Houston | W 111âÂÂ106 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (27) | Magic Johnson (18) | Norm Nixon (11) | The Summit<br>16,121 | 1âÂÂ1 |- style="background:#fcc;" | 3 | April 5 | Houston | L 86âÂÂ89 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (32) | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (18) | Magic Johnson (9) | The Forum<br>14,813 | 1âÂÂ2 |-
Note: GP= Games played; MPG= Minutes per Game; REB = Rebounds; AST = Assists; STL = Steals; BLK = Blocks; PTS = Points; PPG = Points per Game