L.A. Lakers info - Is the Lake show back?

Los Angeles Lakers ticket holders had to wonder what happened last year? This is one of the NBA's elite teams; a team with a truly great history. They hold the record for the most wins, the highest winning percentage, the most NBA Finals appearances, and the second most NBA championships. They have Kobe Bryant. Wait. Maybe that's the problem right there. Kobe, while one of the game's best, poisoned the water in the Lakers' well causing both Phil Jackson and Shaquille O'Neal to jump ship. Kobe did his best, but just couldn't do it by himself last year.

But don't throw out those Lakers tickets yet, Los Angeles! Phil Jackson and his nine championship rings have returned. Jackson's known as the master of the mental game, and this year Kobe promises to behave. With the addition of former No. 1 overall draft pick Kwame Brown, the Lakers have a little more to work with this year than last year, when Kobe was forced to play 1 on 5 games night-after-night. Jackson definitely has his work cut out for him this year. He has to get Kobe in line and get Brown to play with some consistency all the while working with a very shallow bench. But this is Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant. Just the names alone are worth the price of Los Angeles Lakers tickets.

By now, the Lakers have been in Los Angeles for so long that their name just rolls off the tongue. But if you stop to think about it, there are no lakes in Los Angeles. What gives? It's because the team started in the Land of 1,000 Lakes, the beautiful state of Minnesota. The Lakers started things off right by winning their very first NBA Championship in the second year of their existence. They quickly established themselves as the dominant team in the early NBA, routinely taking home the NBA title.

When the team moved to LA in 1960, they kept the name, and kept on rolling. Superstars Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and rookie Earvin "Magic" Johnson won the NBA title in 1972 over the Philadelphia 76ers thanks to an MVP performance from Magic. The team went on to dominate the NBA in the 1980s, with seven appearances in the finals and four NBA titles, including consecutive championships in 1987 and 1988.

Things slacked off for Lakers tickets holders in the 1990s. But in 2000, with Phil Jackson at the helm and the one-two punch of Shaq and Kobe, the Lakers returned to dominance and won three consecutive titles, before the aforementioned team explosion caused by Bryant.

Los Angeles fans have some high expectations when they buy Lakers tickets. Kobe does his best, but he can't do it alone. Luckily he has a little help on the court this season. And one of the best coaches in the league on the sidelines. Lakers fans are in for a bumpy ride this year. Don't miss out on any of the drama in the Staples Center with LA Lakers tickets!