2011–12 Los Angeles Lakers season
The 2011–12 Los Angeles Lakers season was the 64th season of the franchise, its 63rd season in the National Basketball Association (NBA), and its 52nd season in Los Angeles. For the first time since 2005, Phil Jackson did not return as the Lakers coach and replaced by former Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Mike Brown. Following the 2011 NBA lockout each team only played 66 games instead of the usual 82. At midseason they traded longtime point guard Derek Fisher to the Houston Rockets for Jordan Hill and longtime forward Luke Walton to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Ramon Sessions.
| 2011–12 Los Angeles Lakers season | |
|---|---|
Division champions | |
| Head coach | Mike Brown |
| General manager | Mitch Kupchak |
| Owners | Jerry Buss |
| Arena | Staples Center |
| Results | |
| Record | 41–25 (.621) |
| Place | Division: 1st (Pacific) Conference: 3rd (Western) |
| Playoff finish | Conference semifinals (lost to Thunder 1–4) |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
| Local media | |
| Television | Home: FS West HD Away: KCAL 9 HD |
| Radio | 710 ESPN |
The Lakers finished 41–25, roughly the equivalent of 51–31, winning the Pacific Division for the 33rd time. They finished the season as the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. In the playoffs, they defeated the Denver Nuggets in seven games in the first round, but lost to the eventual Conference champion Oklahoma City Thunder 1–4 in the Western Conference semi-finals. This season marked the final career playoff appearance of Andrew Bynum.
During this season, the Lakers were supposed to acquire Chris Paul from the New Orleans Hornets in a three-team deal that would send Lamar Odom, Goran Dragic, Luis Scola, Kevin Martin, and a 2012 1st round pick to the Hornets and Pau Gasol to the Houston Rockets, but then-NBA Commissioner David Stern vetoed the trade. Following the season, Andrew Bynum was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in a three-team deal.