The 1991âÂÂ92 Los Angeles Lakers season was the 44th season for the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association, and their 32nd season in Los Angeles, California. This was the start of a new era for the Lakers, as they were coming from an NBA Finals defeat to the Chicago Bulls in five games, but also with the sudden retirement of their long-time superstar, All-Star guard Magic Johnson, after he announced that he was HIV positive. During the off-season, the Lakers acquired Sedale Threatt from the Seattle SuperSonics. In October, the Lakers played in the international McDonald's Open tournament in Paris, France, where Johnson was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player after helping the Lakers win gold.
Starting the regular season without Johnson for the first time since the 1978âÂÂ79 season, and with the addition of Threatt, the Lakers won 10 of their first 13 games, which included a nine-game winning streak in November, and later on held a 28âÂÂ18 record at the All-Star break. However, the team struggled playing below .500 in winning percentage for the remainder of the season, posting a seven-game losing streak in February while posting a 3âÂÂ9 record during that month. The Lakers ultimately finished in sixth place in the Pacific Division with a 43âÂÂ39 record, which earned them the eighth seed in the Western Conference; it was their worst record since the 1975âÂÂ76 season.
James Worthy averaged 19.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.4 steals per game, but only played 54 games due to a season-ending knee injury, while Sam Perkins averaged 16.5 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, and Threatt provided the team with 15.1 points, 7.2 assists and 2.0 steals. In addition, Byron Scott contributed 14.9 points and 1.3 steals per game, while A.C. Green provided with 13.6 points and 9.3 rebounds per game, and Vlade Divac averaged 11.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game, but only played just 36 games due to a back injury. Meanwhile, sixth man Terry Teagle contributed 10.7 points per game off the bench, second-year forward Elden Campbell averaged 7.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game, and second-year guard Tony Smith provided with 4.4 points per game.
During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Orlando Arena in Orlando, Florida, and despite his HIV infection, Johnson would briefly return to the NBA, as he and Worthy were both selected for the 1992 NBA All-Star Game, as members of the Western Conference All-Star team, despite controversy. Johnson scored 25 points along with 5 rebounds, 9 assists and 2 steals, and made all 3 of his three-point field-goal attempts, and was named the NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player, as the Western Conference defeated the Eastern Conference, 153âÂÂ113. It was also the final All-Star appearance for both Johnson and Worthy. Head coach Mike Dunleavy finished tied in seventh place in Coach of the Year voting.
In the Western Conference First Round of the 1992 NBA playoffs, and for the second consecutive year, the Lakers faced off against the topâÂÂseeded, and Pacific Division champion Portland Trail Blazers, a team that featured All-Star guard Clyde Drexler, All-Star guard Terry Porter, and Jerome Kersey. However, without Worthy and Perkins due to season-ending injuries, the Lakers lost the first two games to the Trail Blazers on the road at the Memorial Coliseum, but managed to win Game 3 at home in overtime, 121âÂÂ119 at the Great Western Forum. Game 4 of the series was played at the Thomas & Mack Center in Paradise, Nevada, home of the NCAA's UNLV Runnin' Rebels basketball team, due to the 1992 Los Angeles riots; the Lakers lost to the Trail Blazers, 102âÂÂ76, thus losing the series in four games. The Trail Blazers would lose in six games to the defending NBA champion Chicago Bulls in the 1992 NBA Finals.
The Lakers finished seventh in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 699,240 at the Great Western Forum during the regular season. Following the season, Dunleavy resigned and took a coaching job with the Milwaukee Bucks, and Teagle was released to free agency.
The Lakers were the first team in NBA history to start the season with three straight overtime games, with their season opener being a double-overtime loss to the Houston Rockets. They went 1-2 during that time. After a third loss, to the Phoenix Suns, they went on a nine-game winning streak to finish November with an 11âÂÂ4 record, which would be their longest winning streak of the season. They struggled in February, going 3âÂÂ9, with a seven-game losing streak. They would finish the season with a 43âÂÂ39 record, placing sixth in the Pacific Division and clinching the eighth and final seed for the playoffs.
|- | 1 | November 1 | @ Houston | L 121-126 (2OT) | James Worthy (37) | A.C. Green (16) | James Worthy (7) | The Summit<br>16,611 | 0âÂÂ1 |- | 2 | November 2 | @ Dallas | W 114-113 (OT) | James Worthy (30) | Sedale Threatt (10) | James Worthy (14) | Reunion Arena<br>17,502 | 1-1 |- | 3 | November 5 | L.A. Clippers | L 109-114 (OT) | Sedale Threatt (25) | Elden Campbell (12) | Sedale Threatt (8) | Great Western Forum<br>16,618 | 1âÂÂ2 |- | 4 | November 8 | @ Phoenix | L 85-113 | Terry Teagle (19) | Elden Campbell (14) | James Worthy (5) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>14,496 | 1âÂÂ3 |- | 5 | November 10 | Minnesota | W 96-86 | Sedale Threatt (27) | James Worthy (14) | Sedale Threatt (9) | Great Western Forum<br>16,833 | 2âÂÂ3 |- | 6 | November 14 | @ Golden State | W 115-112 | Threatt & Worthy (21) | Sam Perkins (10) | Sedale Threatt (6) | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena<br>15,025 | 3-3 |- | 7 | November 15 | Houston | W 86-74 | James Worthy (22) | Sam Perkins (11) | Sedale Threatt (10) | Great Western Forum<br>16,956 | 4âÂÂ3 |- | 8 | November 17 | Atlanta | W 111-89 | A.C. Green (26) | Vlade Divac (13) | Smith & Threatt (8) | Great Western Forum<br>16,750 | 5âÂÂ3 |- | 9 | November 19 | Phoenix | W 103-95 | James Worthy (22) | Sedale Threatt (8) | Sedale Threatt (7) | Great Western Forum<br>16,558 | 6âÂÂ3 |- | 10 | November 22 | San Antonio | W 98-96 | Scott & Threatt (18) | Vlade Divac (11) | Sedale Threatt (8) | Great Western Forum<br>17,505 | 7âÂÂ3 |- | 11 | November 24 | Milwaukee | W 102-97 | A.C. Green (25) | A.C. Green (7) | Sedale Threatt (10) | Great Western Forum<br>16,820 | 8âÂÂ3 |- | 12 | November 26 | @ Orlando | W 98-87 | James Worthy (25) | Elden Campbell (11) | Sedale Threatt (8) | Orlando Arena<br>15,151 | 9âÂÂ3 |- | 13 | November 27 | @ Miami | W 89-87 | Byron Scott (23) | Green & Perkins (8) | James Worthy (5) | Miami Arena<br>15,008 | 10âÂÂ3 |- | 14 | November 29 | @ Boston | L 91-114 | James Worthy (27) | Green & Perkins (12) | Sedale Threatt (6) | Boston Garden<br>14,890 | 10âÂÂ4 |- | 15 | November 30 | @ Philadelphia | W 93-91 | Sam Perkins (17) | Jack Haley (10) | Sedale Threatt (10) | The Spectrum<br>18,168 | 11âÂÂ4
|- | 16 | December 3 | @ Milwaukee | L 94-126 | A.C. Green (24) | A.C. Green (6) | Green & Worthy (3) | Bradley Center<br>17,739 | 11âÂÂ5 |- | 17 | December 4 | @ Charlotte | L 106-124 | James Worthy (28) | A.C. Green (9) | Sedale Threatt (10) | Charlotte Coliseum<br>23,698 | 11âÂÂ6 |- | 18 | December 6 | @ New Jersey | W 98-89 | Perkins & Worthy (22) | Sam Perkins (14) | Rory Sparrow (4) | Brendan Byrne Arena<br>16,384 | 12âÂÂ6 |- | 19 | December 8 | Dallas | W 103-88 | Green & Scott (16) | Sam Perkins (11) | Sedale Threatt (9) | Great Western Forum<br>15,988 | 13âÂÂ6 |- | 20 | December 10 | @ Sacramento | W 92-90 | Byron Scott (26) | A.C. Green (14) | Sedale Threatt (13) | ARCO Arena<br>17,014 | 14âÂÂ6 |- | 21 | December 11 | Utah | L 95-101 | James Worthy (33) | Sam Perkins (7) | Sedale Threatt (12) | Great Western Forum<br>16,932 | 14âÂÂ7 |- | 22 | December 15 | Sacramento | W 110-94 | Sam Perkins (23) | Sam Perkins (13) | James Worthy (8) | Great Western Forum<br>16,131 | 15âÂÂ7 |- | 23 | December 17 | @ Chicago | W 102-89 | James Worthy (25) | Sam Perkins (10) | Sedale Threatt (9) | Chicago Stadium<br>18,676 | 16âÂÂ7 |- | 24 | December 19 | @ Minnesota | L 85-93 | Perkins & Worthy (22) | A.C. Green (11) | Sedale Threatt (6) | Target Center<br>18,402 | 16âÂÂ8 |- | 25 | December 20 | @ Detroit | L 93-112 | Byron Scott (20) | Sam Perkins (10) | Rory Sparrow (9) | The Palace of Auburn Hills<br>21,454 | 16âÂÂ9 |- | 26 | December 22 | Phoenix | L 88-100 | Sam Perkins (28) | A.C. Green (13) | Threatt & Worthy (8) | Great Western Forum<br>17,505 | 16âÂÂ10 |- | 27 | December 25 | @ L.A. Clippers | W 85-75 | A.C. Green (20) | Green & Scott (11) | Sedale Threatt (6) | Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena<br>15,800 | 17âÂÂ10 |- | 28 | December 28 | Portland | L 88-98 | James Worthy (21) | A.C. Green (14) | Sedale Threatt (6) | Great Western Forum<br>17,505 | 17âÂÂ11 |- | 29 | December 30 | Golden State | L 99-114 | Sam Perkins (23) | Sam Perkins (7) | Threatt & Worthy (7) | Great Western Forum<br>17,505 | 17âÂÂ12
|- | 30 | January 3 | Indiana | L 87-114 | Sam Perkins (15) | Sam Perkins (9) | James Worthy (8) | Great Western Forum<br>17,280 | 17âÂÂ13 |- | 31 | January 5 | Miami | W 123-111 | James Worthy (33) | A.C. Green (11) | Sedale Threatt (10) | Great Western Forum<br>16,530 | 18âÂÂ13 |- | 32 | January 7 | @ Dallas | W 104-80 | Terry Teagle (19) | Sam Perkins (13) | Rory Sparrow (6) | Reunion Arena<br>17,083 | 19âÂÂ13 |- | 33 | January 8 | @ San Antonio | L 87-103 | Sedale Threatt (17) | A.C. Green (11) | Scott & Worthy (3) | HemisFair Arena<br>16,057 | 19âÂÂ14 |- | 34 | January 10 | Denver | W 102-88 | James Worthy (26) | A.C. Green (12) | Sedale Threatt (11) | Great Western Forum<br>17,000 | 20âÂÂ14 |- | 35 | January 12 | Orlando | W 112-99 | Byron Scott (31) | Sam Perkins (15) | Sedale Threatt (11) | Great Western Forum<br>16,119 | 21âÂÂ14 |- | 36 | January 15 | Charlotte | W 95-93 | James Worthy (22) | A.C. Green (15) | Sedale Threatt (12) | Great Western Forum<br>16,736 | 22âÂÂ14 |- | 37 | January 18 | @ Seattle | L 108-122 | James Worthy (27) | Sam Perkins (9) | Scott & Threatt (4) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>14,533 | 22âÂÂ15 |- | 38 | January 20 | Seattle | W 116-110 | Sam Perkins (25) | A.C. Green (16) | Rory Sparrow (7) | Great Western Forum<br>17,236 | 23âÂÂ15 |- | 39 | January 21 | @ Portland | L 92-131 | Sam Perkins (18) | A.C. Green (10) | Sedale Threatt (8) | Memorial Coliseum<br>12,888 | 23âÂÂ16 |- | 40 | January 23 | @ Sacramento | W 108-105 | Sedale Threatt (29) | A.C. Green (14) | Sedale Threatt (5) | ARCO Arena<br>17,014 | 24âÂÂ16 |- | 41 | January 24 | Sacramento | W 95-92 | Scott & Teagle (22) | Sam Perkins (14) | Sedale Threatt (8) | Great Western Forum<br>16,949 | 25âÂÂ16 |- | 42 | January 29 | Golden State | W 112-99 | James Worthy (21) | A.C. Green (12) | Sedale Threatt (5) | Great Western Forum<br>17,041 | 26âÂÂ16 |- | 43 | January 30 | @ Denver | W 106-96 | Byron Scott (28) | A.C. Green (9) | Sedale Threatt (5) | McNichols Sports Arena<br>14,707 | 27âÂÂ16
|- | 44 | February 2 | Chicago | L 97-103 | Green & Perkins (25) | Sam Perkins (11) | Sedale Threatt (8) | Great Western Forum<br>17,505 | 27âÂÂ17 |- | 45 | February 3 | @ Phoenix | L 104-113 | Sedale Threatt (27) | Elden Campbell (10) | Sedale Threatt (5) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>14,496 | 27âÂÂ18 |- | 46 | February 5 | L.A. Clippers | W 100-95 | Sam Perkins (25) | A.C. Green (9) | Sedale Threatt (11) | Great Western Forum<br>17,049 | 28âÂÂ18 |- align="center" |colspan="9" bgcolor="#bbcaff"|All-Star Break |- |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" |- | 47 | February 11 | @ Minnesota | W 116-108 | Sam Perkins (27) | Sam Perkins (17) | Sedale Threatt (12) | Target Center<br>19,006 | 29âÂÂ18 |- | 48 | February 13 | @ Utah | L 91-97 | James Worthy (24) | A.C. Green (11) | Threatt & Worthy (4) | Delta Center<br>19,911 | 29âÂÂ19 |- | 49 | February 14 | Washington | L 92-108 | Sam Perkins (17) | A.C. Green (13) | James Worthy (6) | Great Western Forum<br>16,852 | 29âÂÂ20 |- | 50 | February 16 | Boston | L 107-114 | James Worthy (24) | Sam Perkins (13) | James Worthy (8) | Great Western Forum<br>17,505 | 29âÂÂ21 |- | 51 | February 17 | @ Golden State | L 100-116 | James Worthy (23) | A.C. Green (13) | Sedale Threatt (7) | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena<br>15,025 | 29âÂÂ22 |- | 52 | February 19 | @ L.A. Clippers | L 94-125 | Sedale Threatt (16) | Chucky Brown (7) | Sedale Threatt (4) | Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena<br>15,800 | 29âÂÂ23 |- | 53 | February 20 | @ Seattle | L 103-105 | Sedale Threatt (23) | A.C. Green (15) | Sedale Threatt (6) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>30,847 | 29âÂÂ24 |- | 54 | February 22 | Golden State | L 124-126 | Sam Perkins (26) | Sam Perkins (12) | Sedale Threatt (10) | Great Western Forum<br>17,505 | 29âÂÂ25 |- | 55 | February 26 | New York | W 81-68 | James Worthy (27) | Green & Perkins (9) | Perkins & Scott (6) | Great Western Forum<br>17,505 | 30âÂÂ25 |- | 56 | February 28 | Cleveland | L 90-101 | Perkins & Scott (20) | Sam Perkins (11) | Sedale Threatt (8) | Great Western Forum<br>17,505 | 30âÂÂ26
|- | 57 | March 1 | Houston | L 97-105 | Sam Perkins (21) | A.C. Green (7) | Byron Scott (8) | Great Western Forum<br>16,908 | 30âÂÂ27 |- | 58 | March 3 | @ Portland | L 101-105 | Elden Campbell (25) | A.C. Green (10) | Sedale Threatt (8) | Memorial Coliseum<br>12,888 | 30âÂÂ28 |- | 59 | March 4 | New Jersey | W 101-92 | Byron Scott (25) | Sam Perkins (12) | Sam Perkins (6) | Great Western Forum<br>17,215 | 31âÂÂ28 |- | 60 | March 8 | Detroit | L 93-98 | A.C. Green (19) | Green & Perkins (12) | Sedale Threatt (9) | Great Western Forum<br>17,505 | 31âÂÂ29 |- | 61 | March 10 | @ New York | W 106-104 | Sedale Threatt (42) | Sam Perkins (11) | Sedale Threatt (6) | Madison Square Garden<br>19,763 | 32âÂÂ29 |- | 62 | March 11 | @ Atlanta | W 109-98 | Byron Scott (29) | A.C. Green (11) | Sedale Threatt (10) | Omni Coliseum<br>15,539 | 33âÂÂ29 |- | 63 | March 13 | @ Cleveland | L 107-109 (OT) | Byron Scott (28) | Elden Campbell (9) | Sedale Threatt (14) | Richfield Coliseum<br>20,273 | 33âÂÂ30 |- | 64 | March 14 | @ Washington | W 92-89 | A.C. Green (19) | Sam Perkins (13) | Sedale Threatt (3) | Capital Centre<br>18,756 | 34âÂÂ30 |- | 65 | March 16 | @ Indiana | L 85-98 | Vlade Divac (23) | A.C. Green (13) | Sedale Threatt (10) | Market Square Arena<br>14,490 | 34âÂÂ31 |- | 66 | March 18 | Portland | L 93-98 | Sam Perkins (22) | A.C. Green (11) | Sedale Threatt (10) | Great Western Forum<br>17,505 | 34âÂÂ32 |- | 67 | March 20 | Minnesota | W 131-121 | Terry Teagle (26) | A.C. Green (9) | Byron Scott (11) | Great Western Forum<br>16,291 | 35âÂÂ32 |- | 68 | March 26 | Dallas | W 115-92 | Terry Teagle (28) | Vlade Divac (11) | Sedale Threatt (6) | Great Western Forum<br>17,324 | 36âÂÂ32 |- | 69 | March 27 | @ Utah | W 103-92 | Terry Teagle (23) | Divac & Green (10) | Green & Threatt (4) | Delta Center<br>19,911 | 37âÂÂ32 |- | 70 | March 29 | Philadelphia | W 117-88 | Vlade Divac (32) | A.C. Green (12) | Sedale Threatt (9) | Great Western Forum<br>17,505 | 38âÂÂ32 |- | 71 | March 31 | @ Houston | W 107-101 | Campbell & Green (22) | A.C. Green (16) | Sedale Threatt (5) | The Summit<br>15,068 | 39âÂÂ32
|- | 72 | April 1 | @ San Antonio | L 86-104 | Terry Teagle (20) | Elden Campbell (11) | Sedale Threatt (5) | HemisFair Arena<br>16,057 | 39âÂÂ33 |- | 73 | April 3 | Seattle | L 91-96 | Sedale Threatt (28) | Vlade Divac (12) | Vlade Divac (5) | Great Western Forum<br>17,070 | 39âÂÂ34 |- | 74 | April 5 | Phoenix | W 109-104 | Vlade Divac (30) | Vlade Divac (13) | Sedale Threatt (12) | Great Western Forum<br>17,228 | 40âÂÂ34 |- | 75 | April 7 | @ Seattle | L 88-117 | Sedale Threatt (18) | Elden Campbell (14) | Sedale Threatt (5) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>12,335 | 40âÂÂ35 |- | 76 | April 9 | San Antonio | L 94-102 | Terry Teagle (18) | A.C. Green (11) | Tony Smith (7) | Great Western Forum<br>16,948 | 40âÂÂ36 |- | 77 | April 11 | Utah | L 90-93 | Sedale Threatt (24) | A.C. Green (10) | Scott & Threatt (7) | Great Western Forum<br>17,176 | 40âÂÂ37 |- | 78 | April 13 | Denver | W 100-93 | Terry Teagle (27) | A.C. Green (10) | Sedale Threatt (13) | Great Western Forum<br>17,137 | 41âÂÂ37 |- | 79 | April 15 | @ Denver | L 107-110 | Vlade Divac (23) | Sedale Threatt (8) | Sedale Threatt (6) | McNichols Sports Arena<br>14,019 | 41âÂÂ38 |- | 80 | April 16 | @ Sacramento | L 94-102 | Terry Teagle (27) | A.C. Green (17) | Sedale Threatt (10) | ARCO Arena<br>17,014 | 41âÂÂ39 |- | 81 | April 18 | @ Portland | W 109-101 | Vlade Divac (25) | A.C. Green (13) | Sedale Threatt (12) | Memorial Coliseum<br>12,888 | 42âÂÂ39 |- | 82 | April 19 | L.A. Clippers | W 109-108 (OT) | Byron Scott (27) | A.C. Green (12) | Sedale Threatt (6) | Great Western Forum<br>17,505 | 43âÂÂ39
|- | 1 | April 23 | @ Portland | L 102âÂÂ115 | Scott & Teagle (22) | A.C. Green (10) | Byron Scott (5) | Memorial Coliseum<br>12,888 | 0âÂÂ1 |- | 2 | April 25 | @ Portland | L 79âÂÂ101 | Byron Scott (16) | Elden Campbell (12) | Divac & Sparrow (4) | Memorial Coliseum<br>12,888 | 0âÂÂ2 |- | 3 | April 29 | Portland | W 121âÂÂ119 (OT) | Terry Teagle (26) | A.C. Green (10) | Sedale Threatt (6) | Great Western Forum<br>16,690 | 1âÂÂ2 |- | 4 | May 3 | Portland | L 76âÂÂ102 | Sedale Threatt (17) | A.C. Green (14) | 3 players tied (4) | Thomas & Mack Center<br>15,478 | 1âÂÂ3
|- | style="text-align:left;"|<sup>â </sup> | 36 || 2 || 10.6 || .466 || .000 || .610 || 2.1 || .6 || .3 || .2 || 3.8 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | 7 || 0 || 8.3 || .222 || .200 || .667 || .7 || 1.7 || .1 || .0 || 1.6 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | 81 || 47 || 23.2 || .448 || .000 || .619 || 5.2 || .7 || .7 || 2.0 || 7.1 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | 36 || 18 || 27.2 || .495 || .263 || .768 || 6.9 || 1.7 || 1.5 || 1.0 || 11.3 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | 82 || 53 || 35.4 || .476 || .214 || .744 || 9.3 || 1.4 || 1.1 || .4 || 13.6 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | 49 || 9 || 8.0 || .369 || || .483 || 1.9 || .1 || .1 || .2 || 1.6 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | 20 || 0 || 4.0 || .281 || || .800 || .8 || .2 || .3 || .2 || 1.3 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | 63 || 63 || 37.0 || .450 || .217 || .817 || 8.8 || 2.2 || 1.0 || 1.0 || 16.5 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | 9 || 0 || 8.7 || .407 || .000 || .875 || 2.1 || 1.0 || .6 || .0 || 3.2 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | 82 || 82 || 32.7 || .458 || .344 || .838 || 3.8 || 2.8 || 1.3 || .3 || 14.9 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | 63 || 0 || 13.0 || .399 || .000 || .653 || 1.2 || 1.7 || .6 || .1 || 4.4 |- | style="text-align:left;"|<sup>â </sup> | 42 || 0 || 11.2 || .399 || .154 || .615 || .6 || 1.9 || .3 || .1 || 3.0 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | 82 || 0 || 19.5 || .452 || .250 || .766 || 2.2 || 1.4 || .8 || .1 || 10.7 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | 82 || 82 || 37.4 || .489 || .323 || .831 || 3.1 || 7.2 || 2.0 || .2 || 15.1 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | 54 || 54 || 39.0 || .447 || .209 || .814 || 5.6 || 4.7 || 1.4 || .4 || 19.9
|- | style="text-align:left;"| | 3 || 0 || 14.7 || .421 || .000 || .500 || 3.7 || .7 || .0 || .7 || 6.3 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | 4 || 2 || 29.3 || .378 || || .667 || 6.3 || 1.5 || .8 || 1.5 || 10.0 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | 4 || 4 || 35.8 || .349 || .000 || .900 || 5.5 || 3.8 || 1.3 || .8 || 9.8 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | 4 || 4 || 38.3 || .410 || || .826 || 9.0 || 1.8 || 1.8 || .0 || 12.8 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | 2 || 0 || 6.0 || .250 || || || .5 || .5 || .0 || .0 || 1.0 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | 3 || 0 || 8.0 || .300 || || .625 || 2.0 || .3 || 1.0 || .3 || 3.7 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | 4 || 4 || 37.0 || .500 || .583 || .889 || 2.5 || 3.5 || 1.5 || .3 || 18.8 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | 4 || 0 || 10.0 || .300 || .000 || .500 || .5 || 1.3 || 1.0 || .0 || 1.8 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | 3 || 0 || 5.3 || .250 || || .750 || .3 || 1.3 || .3 || .0 || 1.7 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | 4 || 2 || 31.5 || .491 || || .800 || 3.3 || 2.0 || 1.3 || .5 || 17.5 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | 4 || 4 || 40.5 || .522 || .667 || .750 || 2.0 || 4.3 || .5 || .0 || 14.8
Player statistics citation:
Starting point guard Magic Johnson missed the first three games with an unspecified "stomach ailment". On November 7, 1991, Johnson announced that he had tested positive for HIV and would immediately retire. Johnson discovered his condition after attempting to purchase life insurance, and failing the HIV test conducted by Lakers team doctor. During the press conference, he stated that his wife Cookie and unborn child were HIV negative, and that he would become an advocate for HIV education and prevention. The NBA world was shocked; U. S. president George H. W. Bush said: "For me, Magic is a hero, a hero for anyone who loves sports." Johnson was still listed on the roster, as an injured reserve, and continued to be paid.
Johnson was voted in on the West team for the 1992 NBA All-Star Game in Orlando. Columnists and other people speculated on whether he would play. Because HIV is spread through blood, some players voiced concerns about being infected if Johnson were to get a bleeding wound and touch them. Utah Jazz forward Karl Malone was the most vocal player to express concern. Nevertheless, Johnson played in the All-Star Game, leading the West to a 153âÂÂ113 win and being named the All-Star Most Valuable Player (MVP). The game ended with 14.5 seconds remaining; when Johnson drained a last-minute three-pointer, other players ran on the court to congratulate Johnson and exchange high-fives. It would be Johnson's last game until he made a brief return at the end of the 1995âÂÂ96 season.
Despite being HIV positive, Johnson was chosen for the U.S. team for the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. The squad was quickly dubbed the Dream Team because of its abundance of NBA stars such as Jordan, Karl Malone and Bird, but Johnson was the main attraction. At the Olympic Opening Ceremony, German tennis player Steffi Graf ordered colleague Barbara Rittner to photograph her with Johnson, and in the match against Spain, Spanish captain Juan Antonio San Epifanio and his squad demonstratively hugged him, showing that his HIV infection did not matter to them. During the tournament, Johnson struggled with knee problems and played for only a fraction of the games. The point guard position was mostly run by Utah Jazz all-time assist leader John Stockton, but Johnson's presence alone was enough to provoke standing ovations from the crowd. He used the spotlight to attempt to inspire HIV positive people in several interviews.