2012–13 Los Angeles Lakers season

The 2012–13 Los Angeles Lakers season was the 65th season of the franchise, its 64th season in the National Basketball Association (NBA), and its 53rd season in Los Angeles. The Lakers acquired All-Stars Steve Nash and Dwight Howard, giving them a starting lineup of five All-Stars consisting of Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Metta World Peace, Nash, and Howard, who were expected to contend for the franchise's 17th NBA championship. Instead, the Lakers struggled to qualify for the playoffs after changing head coaches and implementing multiple offenses. However, a weak defense and multiple injuries were the team's biggest problems. They exited the playoffs in the first round for the first time since 2007. Additionally, this was the first season since 2006-07 without longtime point guard Derek Fisher, who had helped the team win its last five championships. Widely regarded as a failed superteam mainly due to injuries, the Lakers started out the season as a top 2 favorite to win the championship (the other team being the defending champions Miami Heat who ended up repeating) and the Lakers were projected to win 58 games. The Lakers were also the top favorite to win the Western Conference.

The season began with head coach Mike Brown changing the Lakers offensive strategy to the Princeton offense. After an 0–8 preseason record and a 1–4 start to the regular season, Brown was fired. Assistant Bernie Bickerstaff was named the interim coach until Mike D'Antoni took over as the full-time head coach. Still, the Lakers began the season 15–21 for their worst start since the 1993–94 season. They were in jeopardy of missing the playoffs after trailing the Houston Rockets at the All-Star break by 3+1⁄2 games for the eighth and final playoff berth in the Western Conference. The Lakers started 8–2 after the break, gaining sole possession of a top-8 spot for the first time since December 1, and moving two games over .500 for the first time all season. After being swept by their crosstown rivals, the Los Angeles Clippers, the Lakers fell a half game behind the Utah Jazz for the final playoff spot. The Lakers again overtook Utah in the standings, but Kobe Bryant's season ended after suffering a torn Achilles tendon in the 80th game of the season. The Lakers qualified for the playoffs on the last day of the season, defeating Houston to finish 45–37 and seeded seventh in the West. Facing the San Antonio Spurs in the first round, the injury-riddled Lakers were swept in four games to the eventual Western Conference champion. It was also the second time in three years that the Lakers were swept in the playoffs, having been swept by the eventual champion Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 Conference semifinals.

This was the last season that the Lakers made the playoffs until the 2019–20 season when the franchise won its 17th championship.