The 1995-96 Los Angeles Lakers season marked a pivotal transition period for the team. Under the leadership of head coach Del Harris, the Lakers improved significantly from their previous season, finishing with a 53-29 record. This performance secured them fourth place in the Pacific Division and the fifth seed in the Western Conference playoffs.
A key addition to the roster was the acquisition of center Vlade Divac, who provided a strong presence in the paint. Alongside him, the Lakers relied heavily on the scoring prowess of Cedric Ceballos, who averaged 21.2 points per game, and Nick Van Exel, who contributed significantly with his playmaking abilities. The team also saw promising performances from second-year guard Eddie Jones and rookie forward Corie Blount.
The Lakers’ regular-season success translated into a playoff berth, where they faced the Houston Rockets in the first round. Despite their efforts, the Lakers were eliminated in four games by the defending champions. This playoff exit highlighted the need for further strengthening, particularly to compete against the league’s elite teams.
This season was also noteworthy for laying the groundwork for future success. The Lakers’ management, led by General Manager Jerry West, was already setting sights on acquiring star talent, which would eventually lead to the arrival of Shaquille O’Neal and the drafting of Kobe Bryant in the subsequent offseason, setting the stage for a new era in Lakers basketball.
- Regular Season Record: 53-29
- Playoff Result: Western Conference First Round: 1-3
Los Angeles Lakers Roster and Stats for 1995-96 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Cedric Ceballos | 78 | 21.2 | 6.9 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 27.7 | 4 | 19.0 | 8.3 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 31.3 |
| Nick Van Exel | 74 | 14.9 | 2.4 | 6.9 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 35.7 | 4 | 11.8 | 4.0 | 6.8 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 31.3 |
| Magic Johnson | 32 | 14.6 | 5.7 | 6.9 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 37.9 | 4 | 15.3 | 8.5 | 6.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 33.3 |
| Elden Campbell | 82 | 13.9 | 7.6 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 2.6 | 0.0 | 4 | 12.0 | 8.0 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 2.3 | 0.0 |
| Vlade Divac | 79 | 12.9 | 8.6 | 3.3 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 16.7 | 4 | 9.0 | 7.5 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 20.0 |
| Eddie Jones | 70 | 12.8 | 3.3 | 3.5 | 1.8 | 0.6 | 36.6 | 4 | 17.3 | 5.3 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 52.6 |
| Anthony Peeler | 73 | 9.7 | 1.9 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 41.3 | 3 | 9.3 | 2.7 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 42.9 |
| Sedale Threatt | 82 | 7.3 | 1.2 | 3.3 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 35.5 | 4 | 2.5 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 18.2 |
| George Lynch | 76 | 3.8 | 2.8 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 30.7 | 2 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Fred Roberts | 33 | 3.7 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 28.6 | 1 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Derek Strong | 63 | 3.4 | 2.8 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 11.1 | |||||||
| Corie Blount | 57 | 3.2 | 3.0 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Anthony Miller | 27 | 1.3 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Frankie King | 6 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
Los Angeles Lakers in the 1996 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs First Round vs. Houston Rockets
In the 1996 NBA Playoffs, the Los Angeles Lakers faced the Houston Rockets in the first round. Despite a strong roster led by a young Shaquille O'Neal and veteran Magic Johnson, the Lakers struggled against Hakeem Olajuwon and the defending champions, ultimately losing the series 3-1. The Rockets' experience and playoff poise overshadowed the Lakers' talent, marking a swift exit for the team.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 25, 1996 | vs. Houston Rockets | L 87-83 | |
| Apr 27, 1996 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 104-94 | |
| Apr 30, 1996 | @ Houston Rockets | L 104-98 | |
| May 02, 1996 | @ Houston Rockets | L 102-94 |
Los Angeles Lakers 1995-96 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1995-96 season for the Los Angeles Lakers.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 03, 1995 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 98-96 | |
| Nov 04, 1995 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 103-89 | |
| Nov 07, 1995 | @ Minnesota Timberwolves | L 93-92 | |
| Nov 08, 1995 | @ Utah Jazz | L 108-98 | |
| Nov 10, 1995 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 100-97 | |
| Nov 11, 1995 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 123-105 | |
| Nov 14, 1995 | @ Sacramento Kings | W 106-100 | |
| Nov 15, 1995 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 114-97 | |
| Nov 17, 1995 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | W 114-91 | |
| Nov 19, 1995 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | W 109-88 | |
| Nov 21, 1995 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | L 109-108 | |
| Nov 24, 1995 | vs. Sacramento Kings | L 99-98 | |
| Nov 25, 1995 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 114-113 | |
| Nov 29, 1995 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 107-96 | |
| Dec 01, 1995 | vs. Vancouver Grizzlies | W 113-100 | |
| Dec 03, 1995 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 104-96 | |
| Dec 05, 1995 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 117-89 | |
| Dec 06, 1995 | @ Houston Rockets | L 112-99 | |
| Dec 08, 1995 | vs. Toronto Raptors | W 120-103 | |
| Dec 10, 1995 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 87-82 | |
| Dec 12, 1995 | @ New York Knicks | L 97-82 | |
| Dec 13, 1995 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 101-98 | |
| Dec 15, 1995 | @ Washington Bullets | L 122-114 | |
| Dec 16, 1995 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 108-88 | |
| Dec 19, 1995 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 109-105 | |
| Dec 20, 1995 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 109-98 | |
| Dec 22, 1995 | vs. Sacramento Kings | W 116-83 | |
| Dec 23, 1995 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 102-99 | |
| Dec 26, 1995 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 102-91 | |
| Dec 28, 1995 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 107-99 | |
| Dec 30, 1995 | @ Utah Jazz | L 99-82 | |
| Jan 02, 1996 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 90-89 | |
| Jan 05, 1996 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 116-100 | |
| Jan 07, 1996 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 96-93 | |
| Jan 09, 1996 | vs. Minnesota Timberwolves | W 106-104 | |
| Jan 12, 1996 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 101-100 | |
| Jan 15, 1996 | vs. Miami Heat | W 96-88 | |
| Jan 19, 1996 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | W 106-100 | |
| Jan 20, 1996 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | L 93-82 | |
| Jan 24, 1996 | @ Boston Celtics | W 124-107 | |
| Jan 26, 1996 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | W 100-88 | |
| Jan 27, 1996 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 100-98 | |
| Jan 30, 1996 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 128-118 | |
| Feb 02, 1996 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 99-84 | |
| Feb 04, 1996 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 110-103 | |
| Feb 06, 1996 | @ Denver Nuggets | W 99-78 | |
| Feb 07, 1996 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 106-96 | |
| Feb 14, 1996 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 87-86 | |
| Feb 16, 1996 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 119-114 | |
| Feb 20, 1996 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | W 121-104 | |
| Feb 21, 1996 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | W 112-108 | |
| Feb 23, 1996 | @ Dallas Mavericks | W 114-88 | |
| Feb 24, 1996 | @ Houston Rockets | L 96-94 | |
| Feb 26, 1996 | vs. New York Knicks | W 114-96 | |
| Feb 28, 1996 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | W 99-80 | |
| Mar 01, 1996 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 100-95 | |
| Mar 03, 1996 | vs. Houston Rockets | L 111-107 | |
| Mar 07, 1996 | @ Sacramento Kings | W 102-89 | |
| Mar 08, 1996 | @ Phoenix Suns | W 119-97 | |
| Mar 12, 1996 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | L 105-99 | |
| Mar 14, 1996 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 106-103 | |
| Mar 15, 1996 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 117-95 | |
| Mar 17, 1996 | vs. Orlando Magic | L 98-97 | |
| Mar 19, 1996 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 94-71 | |
| Mar 21, 1996 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 104-93 | |
| Mar 24, 1996 | vs. Charlotte Hornets | L 103-94 | |
| Mar 26, 1996 | @ Orlando Magic | W 113-91 | |
| Mar 27, 1996 | @ Miami Heat | W 106-95 | |
| Mar 29, 1996 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 102-89 | |
| Mar 31, 1996 | @ Toronto Raptors | W 111-106 | |
| Apr 02, 1996 | @ Charlotte Hornets | L 102-97 | |
| Apr 03, 1996 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 105-89 | |
| Apr 05, 1996 | vs. Vancouver Grizzlies | W 104-94 | |
| Apr 07, 1996 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 107-97 | |
| Apr 09, 1996 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 98-91 | |
| Apr 10, 1996 | @ Minnesota Timberwolves | W 111-90 | |
| Apr 12, 1996 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 94-81 | |
| Apr 14, 1996 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 118-114 | |
| Apr 16, 1996 | @ Dallas Mavericks | W 113-95 | |
| Apr 18, 1996 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 103-100 | |
| Apr 20, 1996 | vs. Minnesota Timberwolves | W 106-82 | |
| Apr 21, 1996 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 92-88 |