The 1981–82 NBA season saw the Lakers win their third NBA Championship in Los Angeles, and their eighth overall in franchise history.
On November 18, 1981, at halftime while on the road at Utah, Magic Johnson and coach Paul Westhead had a verbal altercation in the locker room. It was stated by teammate Kareem Abdul-Jabbar that Johnson had offered input on the game, which resulted in Westhead twice telling him to "Shut up." Johnson then told reporters after this game that he would like to be traded anywhere,[2] resulting in a barrage of media coverage. One day after these events, Lakers owner Jerry Buss held a press conference at The Forum, where he announced the firing of Westhead, with his replacement being Pat Riley as "coach" and general manager Jerry West as "offensive coach". West came to the podium and clarified to media that Riley was indeed the head coach and that West himself would simply provide him support on the bench, which lasted for a period of 12 games. Although Johnson denied responsibility for Westhead's firing,[3] he was booed across the league, even by Lakers' fans.[4] However, Buss was also unhappy with the Lakers offense and had intended on firing Westhead days before the Westhead–Johnson altercation, but assistant GM West and GM Bill Sharman had convinced Buss to delay his decision.[5]
c - clinched homecourt advantage
y - clinched division title
x - clinched playoff spot
| 1981-82 NBA Records | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| width=100 | Team | ATL | BOS | CHI | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | KCK | LAL | MIL | NJN | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SAS | SDC | SEA | UTA | WAS |
| Atlanta | – | 1–5 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–4 | |
| Boston | 5–1 | – | 4–2 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 6–0 | |
| Chicago | 3–2 | 2–4 | – | 5–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–6 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | |
| Cleveland | 2–4 | 0–5 | 1–5 | – | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–6 | 0–6 | 0–6 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–5 | |
| Dallas | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | – | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–5 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 3–3 | 1–1 | |
| Denver | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | – | 1–1 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 5–0 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 2–0 | |
| Detroit | 4–2 | 0–6 | 6–0 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | – | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 | |
| Golden State | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 2–3 | 0–2 | – | 1–4 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 1–1 | |
| Houston | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 4–1 | – | 2–0 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 6–0 | 2–0 | |
| Indiana | 2–4 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | – | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–6 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–5 | |
| Kansas City | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 1–1 | – | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 0–5 | 1–5 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 0–2 | |
| Los Angeles | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | – | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 5–0 | 2–0 | |
| Milwaukee | 3–3 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | – | 4–1 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–2 | |
| New Jersey | 2–3 | 1–5 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 | – | 4–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 4–2 | |
| New York | 1–5 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 2–4 | – | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–5 | |
| Philadelphia | 3–3 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 5–1 | – | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 6–0 | |
| Phoenix | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | – | 3–3 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 1–1 | |
| Portland | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | – | 3–2 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 0–2 | |
| San Antonio | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 5–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 2–3 | – | 3–2 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | |
| San Diego | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 2–3 | – | 1–5 | 1–4 | 0–2 | |
| Seattle | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 5–1 | – | 5–0 | 1–1 | |
| Utah | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 0–5 | – | 1–1 | |
| Washington | 4–2 | 0–6 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — | |
|- style="background:#fcc;"| 1| October 30| Houston| L 112-113 (2OT)| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (33)| Magic Johnson (14)| Magic Johnson (12)| The Forum
15,884| 0-1|- style="background:#fcc;"| 2| November 3| @ Portland| L 100-102| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (33)| Magic Johnson (12)| Magic Johnson (10)| Memorial Coliseum
12,666| 0-2|- style="background:#cfc;"| 3| November 4| @ Seattle| W 106-103| Norm Nixon (22)| Magic Johnson (12)| Norm Nixon (7)| Kingdome
14,536| 1-2|- style="background:#fcc;"| 4| November 6| Phoenix| L 99-101| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (27)| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (14)| Magic Johnson (16)| The Forum
13,665| 1-3|- style="background:#cfc;"| 5| November 8| Dallas| W 121-111| Magic Johnson (24)| Abdul-Jabbar & Johnson (10)| Magic Johnson (15)| The Forum
9,870| 2-3|- style="background:#fcc;"| 6| November 10| @ San Antonio| L 102-128| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (29)| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (13)| Magic Johnson (7)| HemisFair Arena
11,365| 2-4|- style="background:#cfc;"| 7| November 11| @ Houston| W 95-93| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (21)| Abdul-Jabbar & Johnson (9)| Norm Nixon (11)| The Summit
15,535| 3-4|- style="background:#cfc;"| 8| November 13| Portland| W 119-115| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (29)| Mitch Kupchak (12)| Magic Johnson (15)| The Forum
17,505| 4-4|- style="background:#cfc;"| 9| November 14| @ Phoenix| W 98-97| Norm Nixon (24)| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (17)| Magic Johnson (9)| Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
14,068| 5-4|- style="background:#cfc;"| 10| November 15| Indiana| W 124-123 (2OT)| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (23)| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (20)| Norm Nixon (10)| The Forum
14,140| 6-4|- style="background:#cfc;"| 11| November 18| @ Utah| W 113-110| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (27)| Cooper & Johnson (8)| Magic Johnson (9)| Salt Palace
10,802| 7-4|- style="background:#cfc;"| 12| November 20| San Antonio| W 136-116| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (30)| Mitch Kupchak (17)| Magic Johnson (16)| The Forum
17,505| 8-4|- style="background:#cfc;"| 13| November 21| @ San Diego| W 119-117| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (33)| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (12)| Magic Johnson (10)| San Diego Sports Arena
11,057| 9-4|- style="background:#cfc;"| 14| November 24| @ Dallas| W 125-110| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (25)| Mark Landsberger (10)| Johnson & Nixon (9)| Reunion Arena
14,266| 10-4|- style="background:#cfc;"| 15| November 25| @ San Antonio| W 117-96| Jamaal Wilkes (26)| Abdul-Jabbar & Johnson (13)| Magic Johnson (9)| HemisFair Arena
13,653| 11-4|- style="background:#fcc;"| 16| November 27| San Diego| L 129-138| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (30)| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (7)| Norm Nixon (16)| The Forum
14,586| 11-5|- style="background:#cfc;"| 17| November 29| Houston| W 122-104| Abdul-Jabbar & Nixon (23)| Magic Johnson (11)| Johnson & Nixon (11)| The Forum
13,247| 12-5|- style="background:#cfc;"| 18| December 1| Utah| W 117-86| Magic Johnson (19)| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (11)| Magic Johnson (8)| The Forum
11,384| 13-5|- style="background:#fcc;"| 19| December 2| @ Seattle| L 96-104| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (30)| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (10)| Norm Nixon (8)| Kingdome
20,021| 13-6|- style="background:#cfc;"| 20| December 4| @ Denver| W 126-117| Norm Nixon (25)| Mitch Kupchak (13)| Magic Johnson (11)| McNichols Sports Arena
14,562| 14-6|- style="background:#cfc;"| 21| December 6| Kansas City| W 119-106| Johnson & Wilkes (22)| Mitch Kupchak (12)| Norm Nixon (10)| The Forum
15,321| 15-6|- style="background:#cfc;"| 22| December 8| Washington| W 102-98| Norm Nixon (24)| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (13)| Magic Johnson (10)| The Forum
10,459| 16-6|- style="background:#cfc;"| 23| December 11| Portland| W 124-116| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (29)| Magic Johnson (12)| Johnson & Nixon (10)| The Forum
15,658| 17-6|- style="background:#cfc;"| 24| December 13| Golden State| W 122-118| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (33)| Magic Johnson (13)| Abdul-Jabbar & Nixon (8)| The Forum
13,103| 18-6|- style="background:#fcc;"| 25| December 17| @ Golden State| L 115-120| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (28)| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (13)| Norm Nixon (7)| Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena
13,239| 18-7|- style="background:#cfc;"| 26| December 19| @ San Diego| W 106-100| Jamaal Wilkes (33)| Magic Johnson (13)| Magic Johnson (7)| San Diego Sports Arena
6,563| 19-7|- style="background:#cfc;"| 27| December 20| Atlanta| W 112-94| Jamaal Wilkes (36)| Jim Brewer (15)| Norm Nixon (12)| The Forum
12,460| 20-7|- style="background:#cfc;"| 28| December 22| @ Portland| W 124-110| Norm Nixon (27)| Magic Johnson (10)| 3 players tied (6)| Memorial Coliseum
12,666| 21-7|- style="background:#cfc;"| 29| December 25| @ Phoenix| W 104-101| Michael Cooper (30)| Jim Brewer (15)| Magic Johnson (8)| Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
14,056| 22-7|- style="background:#cfc;"| 30| December 27| San Diego| W 139-117| Mike McGee (27)| Mark Landsberger (12)| Magic Johnson (11)| The Forum
14,951| 23-7|- style="background:#cfc;"| 31| December 29| Utah| W 121-114| Jamaal Wilkes (34)| Brewer & Wilkes (9)| Magic Johnson (12)| The Forum
14,392| 24-7|- style="background:#fcc;"| 32| January 3| Seattle| L 90-110| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (26)| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (16)| Magic Johnson (14)| The Forum
17,505| 24-8|- style="background:#fcc;"| 33| January 8| @ Chicago| L 113-119| Magic Johnson (32)| Mark Landsberger (8)| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (7)| Chicago Stadium
18,947| 24-9|- style="background:#cfc;"| 34| January 9| @ Detroit| W 130-127| Magic Johnson (40)| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (13)| Norm Nixon (10)| Pontiac Silverdome
21,045| 25-9|- style="background:#fcc;"| 35| January 10| @ Milwaukee| L 107-118| Magic Johnson (28)| Jamaal Wilkes (9)| Norm Nixon (9)| MECCA Arena
11,052| 25-10|- style="background:#cfc;"| 36| January 12| @ Cleveland| W 114-100| Jamaal Wilkes (33)| Magic Johnson (14)| Norm Nixon (11)| Richfield Coliseum
8,259| 26-10|- style="background:#cfc;"| 37| January 15| @ Indiana| W 97-92| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (30)| Magic Johnson (15)| Eddie Jordan (6)| Market Square Arena
11,029| 27-10|- style="background:#cfc;"| 38| January 17| @ Kansas City| W 109-97| Magic Johnson (29)| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (11)| Magic Johnson (9)| Kemper Arena
9,879| 28-10|- style="background:#fcc;"| 39| January 19| @ Denver| L 139-140| 3 players tied (22)| Magic Johnson (16)| Magic Johnson (14)| McNichols Sports Arena
15,272| 28-11|- style="background:#cfc;"| 40| January 20| New Jersey| W 132-113| Jamaal Wilkes (30)| Kurt Rambis (9)| Magic Johnson (12)| The Forum
11,323| 29-11|- style="background:#cfc;"| 41| January 22| Detroit| W 123-111| Magic Johnson (26)| Johnson & Rambis (16)| Magic Johnson (12)| The Forum
14,955| 30-11|- style="background:#fcc;"| 42| January 26| Milwaukee| L 94-96| Jamaal Wilkes (18)| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (15)| Norm Nixon (13)| The Forum
16,042| 30-12|- style="background:#cfc;"| 43| January 28| Phoenix| W 97-87| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (31)| Magic Johnson (6)| Magic Johnson (11)| The Forum
14,623| 31-12|- align="center"|colspan="9" bgcolor="#bbcaff"|All-Star Break|- style="background:#cfc;"|- bgcolor="#bbffbb"|- style="background:#fcc;"| 44| February 2| @ Golden State| L 117-119| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (29)| Magic Johnson (14)| Magic Johnson (10)| Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena
13,329| 31-13|- style="background:#fcc;"| 45| February 3| New York| L 94-98| Jamaal Wilkes (26)| Jamaal Wilkes (10)| Norm Nixon (10)| The Forum
12,913| 31-14|- style="background:#cfc;"| 46| February 5| @ Washington| W 90-87| Magic Johnson (22)| Kurt Rambis (10)| Norm Nixon (7)| Capital Centre
19,035| 32-14|- style="background:#cfc;"| 47| February 7| @ Boston| W 119-113| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (35)| Jamaal Wilkes (8)| Norm Nixon (13)| Boston Garden
15,320| 33-14|- style="background:#cfc;"| 48| February 9| @ Atlanta| W 130-117| Bob McAdoo (22)| Abdul-Jabbar & Johnson (8)| Norm Nixon (10)| Omni Coliseum
12,913| 34-14|- style="background:#fcc;"| 49| February 10| @ Kansas City| L 102-125| Jamaal Wilkes (24)| Jamaal Wilkes (7)| Jordan & Nixon (4)| Kemper Arena
9,580| 34-15|- style="background:#fcc;"| 50| February 12| San Antonio| L 94-100| Jamaal Wilkes (23)| Magic Johnson (15)| Johnson & Nixon (8)| The Forum
17,505| 34-16|- style="background:#fcc;"| 51| February 14| Boston| L 103-108| Jamaal Wilkes (25)| Magic Johnson (10)| Magic Johnson (8)| The Forum
17,505| 34-17|- style="background:#cfc;"| 52| February 16| Seattle| W 108-101| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (26)| Jim Brewer (12)| Magic Johnson (18)| The Forum
15,047| 35-17|- style="background:#cfc;"| 53| February 19| Golden State| W 126-106| Magic Johnson (26)| Magic Johnson (14)| Norm Nixon (10)| The Forum
17,505| 36-17|- style="background:#cfc;"| 54| February 21| @ Denver| W 132-131| Norm Nixon (26)| Mark Landsberger (9)| Magic Johnson (8)| McNichols Sports Arena
17,337| 37-17|- style="background:#cfc;"| 55| February 23| Denver| W 145-129| Jamaal Wilkes (31)| Abdul-Jabbar & Rambis (7)| Norm Nixon (16)| The Forum
14,072| 38-17|- style="background:#cfc;"| 56| February 25| @ Seattle| W 104-98| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (31)| Magic Johnson (12)| Norm Nixon (12)| Kingdome
26,209| 39-17|- style="background:#cfc;"| 57| February 26| Philadelphia| W 116-114 (2OT)| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (41)| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (19)| Magic Johnson (10)| The Forum
17,505| 40-17|- style="background:#cfc;"| 58| February 28| Cleveland| W 102-101| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (32)| Kurt Rambis (17)| Norm Nixon (10)| The Forum
14,882| 41-17|- style="background:#fcc;"| 59| March 3| @ New Jersey| L 103-111| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (30)| Magic Johnson (8)| Norm Nixon (8)| Brendan Byrne Arena
15,623| 41-18|- style="background:#fcc;"| 60| March 4| @ New York| L 119-129 (OT)| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (39)| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (14)| Magic Johnson (9)| Madison Square Garden
14,937| 41-19|- style="background:#fcc;"| 61| March 7| @ Philadelphia| L 113-119| Abdul-Jabbar & Nixon (26)| Magic Johnson (11)| Magic Johnson (8)| The Spectrum
18,364| 41-20|- style="background:#cfc;"| 62| March 9| Kansas City| W 105-99| Magic Johnson (27)| Kurt Rambis (12)| Norm Nixon (5)| The Forum
11,614| 42-20|- style="background:#fcc;"| 63| March 12| Chicago| L 105-111| Magic Johnson (30)| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (10)| Magic Johnson (8)| The Forum
17,505| 42-21|- style="background:#cfc;"| 64| March 14| Dallas| W 138-116| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (28)| Magic Johnson (11)| Magic Johnson (13)| The Forum
13,809| 43-21|- style="background:#cfc;"| 65| March 16| @ Portland| W 120-108| Jamaal Wilkes (27)| Mark Landsberger (14)| Johnson & Nixon (9)| Memorial Coliseum
12,666| 44-21|- style="background:#cfc;"| 6| March 17| @ Utah| W 120-112| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (28)| Magic Johnson (10)| Magic Johnson (9)| Salt Palace
12,076| 45-21|- style="background:#cfc;"| 67| March 19| @ Dallas| W 112-106| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (23)| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (11)| Magic Johnson (10)| Reunion Arena
17,134| 46-21|- style="background:#cfc;"| 68| March 21| Houston| W 107-102| Magic Johnson (25)| Magic Johnson (16)| Magic Johnson (7)| The Forum
17,505| 47-21|- style="background:#fcc;"| 69| March 23| Dallas| L 116-118| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (32)| Magic Johnson (15)| Magic Johnson (14)| The Forum
13,516| 47-22|- style="background:#fcc;"| 70| March 26| @ San Antonio| L 105-110| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (28)| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (10)| Magic Johnson (10)| HemisFair Arena
14,850| 47-23|- style="background:#cfc;"| 71| March 28| @ Kansas City| W 116-111| Bob McAdoo (30)| Bob McAdoo (10)| Magic Johnson (8)| Kemper Arena
9,521| 48-23|- style="background:#cfc;"| 72| March 30| San Diego| W 143-120| Magic Johnson (29)| Bob McAdoo (9)| Norm Nixon (13)| The Forum
12,109| 49-23|- style="background:#cfc;"| 73| April 1| @ San Diego| W 117-100| Jamaal Wilkes (25)| Kurt Rambis (9)| Magic Johnson (17)| San Diego Sports Arena
7,064| 50-23|- style="background:#fcc;"| 74| April 2| Phoenix| L 99-109| Jamaal Wilkes (23)| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (9)| Johnson & Nixon (14)| The Forum
17,505| 50-24|- style="background:#cfc;"| 75| April 4 | Portland| W 129-111| Jamaal Wilkes (32)| Kurt Rambis (9)| Norm Nixon (13)| The Forum
13,230| 51-24|- style="background:#cfc;"| 76| April 6| @ Houston| W 108-97| Magic Johnson (23)| Magic Johnson (11)| Magic Johnson (10)| The Summit
15,676| 52-24|- style="background:#cfc;"| 77| April 9| Denver| W 153-128| Jamaal Wilkes (25)| Mark Landsberger (14)| Magic Johnson (16)| The Forum
16,433| 53-24|- style="background:#cfc;"| 78| April 11| Seattle| W 107-104| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (33)| Magic Johnson (12)| Johnson & Nixon (8)| The Forum
17,505| 54-24|- style="background:#fcc;"| 79| April 13| @ Golden State| L 101-106| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (27)| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (10)| Johnson & Nixon (9)| Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena
13,239| 54-25|- style="background:#cfc;"| 80| April 14| Utah| W 128-115| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (22)| Magic Johnson (11)| Magic Johnson (10)| The Forum
11,488| 55-25|- style="background:#cfc;"| 81| April 16| Golden State| W 125-109| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (26)| Kurt Rambis (12)| Magic Johnson (13)| The Forum
17,505| 56-25|- style="background:#cfc;"| 82| April 18| @ Phoenix| W 120-115| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (34)| Magic Johnson (15)| Magic Johnson (12)| Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
14,660| 57-25
|- style="background:#cfc;"| 1| April 27| Phoenix| W 115–96| Jamaal Wilkes (28)| Bob McAdoo (12)| Magic Johnson (10)| The Forum
13,623| 1–0|- style="background:#cfc;"| 2| April 28| Phoenix| W 117–98| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (24)| Magic Johnson (12)| Magic Johnson (12)| The Forum
15,558| 2–0|- style="background:#cfc;"| 3| April 30| @ Phoenix| W 114–106| Jamaal Wilkes (26)| Magic Johnson (14)| Magic Johnson (9)| Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
14,660| 3–0|- style="background:#cfc;"| 4| May 2| @ Phoenix| W 112–107| Jamaal Wilkes (24)| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (13)| Magic Johnson (12)| Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
11,932| 4–0|-|- style="background:#cfc;"| 1| May 9| San Antonio| W 128–117| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (32)| Magic Johnson (16)| Magic Johnson (14)| The Forum
15,700| 1–0|- style="background:#cfc;"| 2| May 11| San Antonio| W 110–101| Nixon & Wilkes (22)| Kurt Rambis (15)| Johnson & Nixon (9)| The Forum
17,505| 2–0|- style="background:#cfc;"| 3| May 14| @ San Antonio| W 118–108| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (26)| Abdul-Jabbar & Johnson (10)| Johnson & Nixon (10)| HemisFair Arena
15,800| 3–0|- style="background:#cfc;"| 4| May 15| @ San Antonio| W 128–123| Norm Nixon (30)| Abdul-Jabbar & Johnson (9)| Norm Nixon (10)| HemisFair Arena
15,800| 4–0|-|- style="background:#cfc;"| 1| May 27| @ Philadelphia| W 124–117| Nixon & Wilkes (24)| Magic Johnson (14)| Norm Nixon (10)| The Spectrum
18,364| 1–0|- style="background:#fcc;"| 2| May 30| @ Philadelphia| L 94–110| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (23)| Magic Johnson (11)| Norm Nixon (10)| The Spectrum
18,364| 1–1|- style="background:#cfc;"| 3| June 1| Philadelphia| W 129–108| Norm Nixon (29)| Magic Johnson (9)| Magic Johnson (8)| The Forum
17,505| 2–1|- style="background:#cfc;"| 4| June 3| Philadelphia| W 111–101| Johnson & Wilkes (24)| Abdul-Jabbar & Rambis (11)| Norm Nixon (14)| The Forum
17,505| 3–1|- style="background:#fcc;"| 5| June 6| @ Philadelphia| L 102–135| Bob McAdoo (23)| Magic Johnson (10)| Norm Nixon (13)| The Spectrum
18,364| 3–2|- style="background:#cfc;"| 6| June 8| Philadelphia| W 114–104| Jamaal Wilkes (27)| Magic Johnson (13)| Magic Johnson (13)| The Forum
17,505| 4–2|-