The Lakers are arguably the most celebrated franchise in NBA history, winners of 16 championships and playoff participants in 60 of their first 65 seasons. Their all-time roster is studded with legendary names: Magic, Kareem, Kobe, Shaq, Wilt, West.
They reached a new low on Sunday, however, suffering a 122-73 road loss to the Mavericks — the most lopsided since their founding in 1947.
Largest losses, Lakers franchise history
49 — at Dallas, 1/22/2017
48 — at Utah, 3/28/2016
48 — vs. Clippers, 3/6/2014
46 — at Portland, 1/9/1995
44 — at Boston, 11/11/1955 (team based in Minneapolis)
“We didn’t show up to play, which is frustrating,” Lakers coach Luke Walton said. “And honestly, it’s embarrassing. For us as a team, for us as an organization, for our Lakers fans that are so good to us.”
“It just snowballed,” said Lakers forward Julius Randle, a Dallas native. “They kicked our butts today.”
Adding insult to injury, Sunday’s defeat came on the 11th anniversary of one of the most remarkable moments in team history, Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game. As various observers pointed out on social media, the Lakers scored eight fewer points today than Bryant did all by himself in the second-highest individual scoring game in NBA annals.
