The 1976-77 Los Angeles Lakers season was a notable campaign as the team aimed to re-establish itself as a top contender in the NBA. Under the guidance of head coach Jerry West, the Lakers finished the regular season with a solid 53-29 record, securing the Pacific Division title. This season marked Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s second year with the franchise, and his performance was pivotal to the team’s success. Abdul-Jabbar was instrumental on both ends of the court, ultimately earning the NBA Most Valuable Player award for his outstanding contributions.
Despite their regular season success, the Lakers faced a challenging postseason. They entered the playoffs with high expectations but were met with stiff competition in the Western Conference Semifinals. The Lakers squared off against the Portland Trail Blazers, led by Bill Walton, and were unexpectedly swept in four games. This defeat was a significant disappointment for a team with championship aspirations, highlighting areas for improvement going forward.
Off the court, the 1976-77 season was a period of transition and learning for the Lakers, as they adapted to changes in team dynamics and competitive pressures. While their playoff exit was earlier than hoped, the foundation was set for future success. The season remains a critical chapter in the Lakers’ storied history, showcasing the talent and potential of a roster that would soon become a dominant force in the league.
- Regular Season Record: 53-29
- Playoff Result: Western Conference Semifinals: 4-3, Western Conference Finals: 0-4
Los Angeles Lakers Roster and Stats for 1976-77 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 82 | 26.2 | 13.3 | 3.9 | 0.5 | 2.6 | 0.0 | 11 | 34.6 | 17.7 | 4.1 | 1.7 | 3.6 | 0.0 |
| Cazzie Russell | 82 | 16.4 | 3.6 | 2.6 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 11 | 15.8 | 4.4 | 2.3 | 1.5 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| Lucius Allen | 78 | 14.6 | 3.2 | 5.1 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 7 | 11.0 | 4.6 | 3.4 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 0.0 |
| Kermit Washington | 53 | 9.7 | 9.2 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Earl Tatum | 68 | 9.4 | 3.5 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 11 | 13.6 | 4.9 | 2.5 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 0.0 |
| Mack Calvin | 12 | 7.9 | 1.3 | 1.8 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Don Ford | 82 | 7.3 | 4.3 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 11 | 10.1 | 5.3 | 3.4 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 0.0 |
| Bo Lamar | 71 | 7.1 | 1.3 | 2.5 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 10 | 3.3 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Tom Abernethy | 70 | 6.3 | 4.1 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 11 | 5.8 | 3.6 | 2.0 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| Don Chaney | 81 | 6.1 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 11 | 8.0 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 1.9 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| Johnny Neumann | 59 | 5.9 | 1.1 | 2.4 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 6 | 4.0 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| C.J. Kupec | 82 | 4.7 | 2.4 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 11 | 1.9 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Cornell Warner | 14 | 3.9 | 4.9 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 5 | 2.8 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Allen Murphy | 2 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Marv Roberts | 28 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
Los Angeles Lakers in the 1977 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs Second Round vs. Golden State Warriors
In the 1977 NBA Playoffs, the Los Angeles Lakers faced the Portland Trail Blazers in the second round. Despite a strong regular season performance, the Lakers were swept 4-0 by a dominant Portland team led by Bill Walton, which marked a disappointing end to their campaign. The Trail Blazers' cohesive team play and Walton's outstanding performances proved too much for the Lakers to handle.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 20, 1977 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 115-106 | |
| Apr 22, 1977 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 95-86 | |
| Apr 24, 1977 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 109-105 | |
| Apr 26, 1977 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 114-103 | |
| Apr 29, 1977 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 112-105 | |
| May 01, 1977 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 115-106 | |
| May 04, 1977 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 97-84 |
1977 Conference Championship vs. Portland Trail Blazers
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 06, 1977 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | L 121-109 | |
| May 08, 1977 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | L 99-97 | |
| May 10, 1977 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 102-97 | |
| May 13, 1977 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 105-101 |
Los Angeles Lakers 1976-77 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1976-77 season for the Los Angeles Lakers.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 21, 1976 | @ New York Knicks | L 102-97 | |
| Oct 22, 1976 | @ Washington Bullets | W 103-84 | |
| Oct 24, 1976 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 100-95 | |
| Oct 26, 1976 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 117-115 | |
| Oct 29, 1976 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 118-101 | |
| Oct 31, 1976 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 121-101 | |
| Nov 05, 1976 | vs. New York Knicks | L 126-121 | |
| Nov 07, 1976 | vs. Kansas City Kings | W 107-96 | |
| Nov 09, 1976 | @ Buffalo Braves | L 121-116 | |
| Nov 10, 1976 | @ Boston Celtics | L 117-112 | |
| Nov 12, 1976 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 117-106 | |
| Nov 14, 1976 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | L 97-95 | |
| Nov 19, 1976 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 121-99 | |
| Nov 21, 1976 | vs. New York Nets | W 96-91 | |
| Nov 23, 1976 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 117-114 | |
| Nov 24, 1976 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 122-112 | |
| Nov 26, 1976 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 99-96 | |
| Nov 28, 1976 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 103-84 | |
| Nov 30, 1976 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 109-102 | |
| Dec 03, 1976 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 114-105 | |
| Dec 04, 1976 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 116-114 | |
| Dec 07, 1976 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 89-81 | |
| Dec 08, 1976 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 111-98 | |
| Dec 10, 1976 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 109-99 | |
| Dec 12, 1976 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 112-83 | |
| Dec 14, 1976 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 106-104 | |
| Dec 15, 1976 | @ New Orleans Jazz | W 115-105 | |
| Dec 17, 1976 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 118-105 | |
| Dec 18, 1976 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 115-111 | |
| Dec 19, 1976 | vs. Kansas City Kings | W 103-92 | |
| Dec 21, 1976 | vs. Buffalo Braves | W 97-89 | |
| Dec 25, 1976 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 113-96 | |
| Dec 26, 1976 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 107-99 | |
| Dec 28, 1976 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 134-105 | |
| Jan 02, 1977 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 104-99 | |
| Jan 05, 1977 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 117-94 | |
| Jan 07, 1977 | @ New York Nets | W 85-82 | |
| Jan 09, 1977 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 124-118 | |
| Jan 11, 1977 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 101-99 | |
| Jan 14, 1977 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 109-106 | |
| Jan 15, 1977 | @ Houston Rockets | L 122-116 | |
| Jan 18, 1977 | @ Kansas City Kings | W 113-111 | |
| Jan 21, 1977 | vs. New York Knicks | W 108-94 | |
| Jan 23, 1977 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 121-104 | |
| Jan 25, 1977 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 120-109 | |
| Jan 26, 1977 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 118-103 | |
| Jan 28, 1977 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 117-104 | |
| Jan 30, 1977 | vs. New Orleans Jazz | W 101-99 | |
| Feb 01, 1977 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 136-115 | |
| Feb 04, 1977 | @ Boston Celtics | L 99-98 | |
| Feb 06, 1977 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 102-97 | |
| Feb 08, 1977 | @ New York Knicks | L 125-107 | |
| Feb 09, 1977 | @ Buffalo Braves | W 105-90 | |
| Feb 11, 1977 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 117-109 | |
| Feb 18, 1977 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 111-101 | |
| Feb 20, 1977 | @ Washington Bullets | W 108-101 | |
| Feb 22, 1977 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 135-103 | |
| Feb 23, 1977 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 102-101 | |
| Feb 25, 1977 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 104-102 | |
| Feb 27, 1977 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 106-101 | |
| Mar 01, 1977 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 92-90 | |
| Mar 02, 1977 | @ Houston Rockets | L 120-113 | |
| Mar 04, 1977 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 114-99 | |
| Mar 06, 1977 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 104-99 | |
| Mar 11, 1977 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 94-91 | |
| Mar 13, 1977 | @ New York Nets | W 84-81 | |
| Mar 14, 1977 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 110-106 | |
| Mar 15, 1977 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 107-95 | |
| Mar 18, 1977 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 98-85 | |
| Mar 20, 1977 | vs. New Orleans Jazz | W 100-95 | |
| Mar 22, 1977 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 102-86 | |
| Mar 23, 1977 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 105-97 | |
| Mar 25, 1977 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 118-93 | |
| Mar 26, 1977 | @ Phoenix Suns | W 109-102 | |
| Mar 27, 1977 | vs. Buffalo Braves | W 92-89 | |
| Mar 29, 1977 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 100-97 | |
| Apr 01, 1977 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 107-102 | |
| Apr 03, 1977 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 115-107 | |
| Apr 05, 1977 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 132-103 | |
| Apr 08, 1977 | vs. New York Nets | W 124-100 | |
| Apr 09, 1977 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 145-116 | |
| Apr 10, 1977 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 113-104 |