1984–85 Los Angeles Lakers season
The 1984–85 Los Angeles Lakers season was the 39th season of the franchise, 37th in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and 25th in Los Angeles. The Lakers entered the season as runner-ups of the 1984 NBA Finals, where they lost in heartbreaking fashion to the Boston Celtics in seven games, increasing their losing streak to the Celtics in the NBA Finals to 8 consecutive losses.
| 1984–85 Los Angeles Lakers season | |
|---|---|
NBA champions | |
Conference champions | |
Division champions | |
| Head coach | Pat Riley |
| General manager | Jerry West |
| Owner(s) | Jerry Buss |
| Arena | The Forum |
| Results | |
| Record | 62–20 (.756) |
| Place | Division: 1st (Pacific) Conference: 1st (Western) |
| Playoff finish | NBA Champions (Defeated Celtics 4–2) |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
| Local media | |
| Television | KHJ-TV (Chick Hearn, Keith Erickson) |
| Radio | KLAC (Chick Hearn, Keith Erickson) |
In the playoffs, the Lakers swept in the Phoenix Suns in three games in the First Round, then defeated the Portland Trail Blazers in five games in the Semifinals, before defeating the Denver Nuggets in five games in the Conference Finals to advance to the NBA Finals for the fifth time in the 1980s, facing off against the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics in a rematch of last season's NBA Finals. This time, however, the Lakers were able to return to their championship ways and win their ninth NBA championship (their fourth in Los Angeles), avenging their NBA Finals loss and getting revenge on the Celtics, defeating them in six games, and marking the first time the Lakers had defeated the Celtics in the NBA Finals. The Lakers also became the first team to have defeated the Celtics in the NBA Finals while on the road, a feat that has since only been accomplished by the Golden State Warriors in 2022.