2014–15 Los Angeles Lakers season explained

Team:	Los Angeles Lakers
End Year:	2015
Wins:	21
Losses:	61
Division:	Pacific
Division Place:	5
Conf Place:	14
Coach:	Byron Scott
Gm:	Mitch Kupchak
President:	Jeanie Buss
Owners:	Jerry Buss family trust
Arena:	Staples Center
Playoffs:	Did not qualify
Bbr Team:	LAL
Television:	TWC SportsNet and TWC Deportes
Radio:	710 ESPN

The 2014–15 Los Angeles Lakers season was the franchise's 67th season, its 66th season in the National Basketball Association (NBA), and its 55th in Los Angeles. Coming off from one of the worst seasons in franchise history and missing the playoffs, the team looked to rebound. Mike D'Antoni resigned in late April following two miserable seasons, leaving the team without a head coach. In the offseason, Pau Gasol and Jodie Meeks left for Chicago and Detroit, respectively, leaving big shoes to fill. After failing to land the biggest names in the offseason like Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James, the Lakers brought back numerous key role players from last season including Nick Young, Jordan Hill, and Ryan Kelly. The Lakers later acquired point guard Jeremy Lin in a trade with Houston and won the bidding rights to power forward Carlos Boozer after being amnestied by Chicago in the offseason. The Lakers also drafted Kentucky's star power forward Julius Randle and shooting guard Jordan Clarkson in the 2014 NBA Draft. The team then hired Lakers Showtime player and former Coach of the Year, Byron Scott as head coach in late July. On December 14, 2014, Kobe Bryant scored 26 points to pass Michael Jordan for third on the NBA's all-time scoring list in a 100–94 win over Minnesota.

The Lakers started the season a franchise-worst 1–9. Rookie Julius Randle was injured opening night and missed the remainder of the season. On January 28, 2015, Kobe Bryant underwent season-ending surgery for a rotator cuff tear in his right shoulder.^[1] On March 21, 2015, Steve Nash announced his retirement. The Lakers finished with a 21–61 record, placing them last in the Pacific division for the second straight season and fourteenth in the Western conference. This was the first 60 loss season in franchise history.

Key dates

• June 26: The 2014 NBA draft took place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
• July 1: 2014 NBA free agency began.

Draft picks

See main article: 2014 NBA draft.

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College
1	7	Julius Randle	PF		Kentucky
2	46	Jordan Clarkson	PG		Missouri

Preseason

On October 23, 2014, point guard Steve Nash was ruled out for the season due to a recurring back injury.^[2]

Game log

|- style="background:#cfc;"| 1| October 6| Denver| | Jordan Clarkson (14)| Jordan Hill (11)| Jeremy Lin (10)| Valley View Casino Center
10,108| 1–0|- style="background:#fcc;"| 2| October 9| Golden State| | Carlos Boozer (16)| Randle, Davis (7)| Lin, Price (4)| Staples Center
13,128| 1–1|- style="background:#fcc;"| 3| October 12| Golden State| | Sacre, Ellington (12)| Jordan Hill (7)| Kobe Bryant (5)| Citizens Business Bank Arena
7,842| 1–2|- style="background:#fcc;"| 4| October 16| Utah| | Kobe Bryant (27)| Jordan Hill (14)| Kobe Bryant (4)| Honda Center
8,931| 1–3|- style= "background:#cfc;"| 5| October 19| Utah| | Kobe Bryant (26)| Carlos Boozer (9)| Ronnie Price (10)| Staples Center
17,733| 2–3|- style="background:#fcc;"| 6| October 21| Phoenix| | Kobe Bryant (27)| Wesley Johnson (8)| Ronnie Price (10)| Honda Center
8,037| 2–4|- style="background:#cfc;"| 7| October 22| Portland| | Julius Randle (17)| Randle, Sacre (8)| Jeremy Lin (5)| Citizens Business Bank Arena
7,174| 3–4|- style="background:#fcc;"| 8| October 24| Sacramento| | Jeremy Lin (19)| Ed Davis (13)| Jeremy Lin (7)| MGM Grand Garden Arena
10,890| 3–5

Regular season

On October 28, 2014, rookie Julius Randle broke his right tibia during the Lakers' season opener against the Houston Rockets, and was expected to miss the remainder of the season.^[3] Through the season's first 10 games, the Lakers were 1–9, the worst start in the 66-year history of the franchise.^[4]

Game log

|- style="background:#fcc;"| 1| October 28| Houston| | Kobe Bryant (19)| Jordan Hill (10)| Jeremy Lin (6)| Staples Center
18,997| 0–1|- style="background:#fcc;"| 2| October 29| @ Phoenix| | Kobe Bryant (31)| Jordan Hill (11)| Ronnie Price (5)| US Airways Center
17,523| 0–2|- style="background:#fcc;"| 3| October 31| L.A. Clippers| | Jordan Hill (23)| Carlos Boozer (7)| Jeremy Lin (9)| Staples Center
18,997| 0–3|- style="background:#fcc;"| 4| November 1| @ Golden State| | Kobe Bryant (28)| Bryant & Davis (6)| Lin & Price (6)| Oracle Arena
19,596| 0–4|- style="background:#fcc;"| 5| November 4| Phoenix| | Kobe Bryant (39)| Jordan Hill (15)| Carlos Boozer (4)| Staples Center
18,997| 0–5|- style="background:#cfc;"| 6| November 9| Charlotte| | Bryant & Lin (21)| Hill & Bryant (6)| Ronnie Price (8)| Staples Center
18,997| 1–5|- style="background:#fcc;"| 7| November 11| @ Memphis| | Kobe Bryant (28)| Jordan Hill (14)| Kobe Bryant (6)| FedEx Forum
17,618| 1–6|- style="background:#fcc;"| 8| November 12| @ New Orleans| | Kobe Bryant (33)| Ed Davis (11)| Kobe Bryant (5)| Smoothie King Center
17,359| 1–7|- style="background:#fcc;"| 9| November 14| San Antonio| | Carlos Boozer (19)| Jordan Hill (11)| Kobe Bryant (6)| Staples Center
18,997| 1–8|- style="background:#fcc;"| 10| November 16| Golden State| | Kobe Bryant (44)| Jordan Hill (11)| Ronnie Price (5)| Staples Center
18,997| 1–9|- style="background:#cfc;"| 11| November 18| @ Atlanta| | Kobe Bryant (28)| Hill & Boozer (10)| Jeremy Lin (10)| Philips Arena
17,848| 2–9|- style="background:#cfc;"| 12| November 19| @ Houston| | Kobe Bryant (29)| Carlos Boozer (13)| Kobe Bryant (7)| Toyota Center
18,245| 3–9|- style="background:#fcc;"| 13| November 21| @ Dallas| | Jeremy Lin (18)| Jordan Hill (10)| Kobe Bryant (7)| American Airlines Center
20,353| 3–10|- style="background:#fcc;"| 14| November 23| Denver| | Kobe Bryant (27)| Jordan Hill (14)| Jeremy Lin (5)| Staples Center
18,997| 3–11|- style="background:#fcc;"| 15| November 26| Memphis| | Kobe Bryant (22)| Ed Davis (8)| Lin & Price (5)| Staples Center
18,997| 3–12|- style="background:#fcc;"| 16| November 28| Minnesota| | Kobe Bryant (26)| Ed Davis (10)| Jeremy Lin (11)| Staples Center
18,997| 3–13|- style="background:#cfc;"| 17| November 30| Toronto| | Kobe Bryant (31)| Jordan Hill (12)| Kobe Bryant (12)| Staples Center
18,997| 4–13|- style="background:#cfc;"| 18| December 2| @ Detroit| | Jordan Hill (22)| Jordan Hill (13)| Kobe Bryant (13)| The Palace of Auburn Hills
14,083| 5–13|- style="background:#fcc;"| 19| December 3| @ Washington| | Kobe Bryant (29)| Davis & Boozer (8)| Jeremy Lin (5)| Verizon Center
18,490| 5–14|- style="background:#fcc;"| 20| December 5| @ Boston| | Kobe Bryant (22)| Ed Davis (9)| Bryant, Price & Ellington (3)| TD Garden
18,624| 5–15|- style="background:#fcc;"| 21| December 7| New Orleans| | Kobe Bryant (14)| Davis & Hill (7)| Lin & Bryant (4)| Staples Center
18,997| 5–16|- style="background:#cfc;"| 22| December 9| Sacramento| | Kobe Bryant (32)| Carlos Boozer (9)| Bryant & Price (6)| Staples Center
18,267| 6–16|- style="background:#cfc;"| 23| December 12| @ San Antonio| | Nick Young (29)| Carlos Boozer (13)| Kobe Bryant (9)| AT&T Center
18,581| 7–16|- style="background:#cfc;"| 24| December 14| @ Minnesota| | Kobe Bryant (26)| Carlos Boozer (13)| Johnson & Lin (6)| Target Center
15,008| 8–16|- style="background:#fcc;"| 25| December 15| @ Indiana| | Kobe Bryant (21)| Carlos Boozer (10)| Kobe Bryant (3)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
15,261| 8–17|- style="background:#fcc;"| 26| December 19| Oklahoma City| | Ed Davis (18)| Ed Davis (9)| Kobe Bryant (8)| Staples Center
18,997| 8–18|- style="background:#fcc;"| 27| December 21| @ Sacramento| | Nick Young (26)| Jordan Hill (9)| Jeremy Lin (5)| Sleep Train Arena
17,317| 8–19|- style="background:#cfc;"| 28| December 23| Golden State| | Carlos Boozer (18)| Carlos Boozer (9)| Ronnie Price (8)| Staples Center
18,997| 9–19|- style="background:#fcc"| 29| December 25| @ Chicago| | Wesley Johnson (18)| Ed Davis (14)| Ronnie Price (8)| United Center
22,865| 9–20|- style="background:#fcc;"| 30| December 26| @ Dallas| | Carlos Boozer (18)| Ed Davis (11)| Jeremy Lin (7)| American Airlines Center
20,424| 9–21|- style="background:#fcc;"| 31| December 28| Phoenix| | Nick Young (21)| Bryant & Davis (9)| Kobe Bryant (7)| Staples Center
18,997| 9–22|- style="background:#cfc;"| 32| December 30| @ Denver| | Kobe Bryant (23)| Kobe Bryant (11)| Kobe Bryant (11)| Pepsi Center
17,248| 10–22|- style="background:#fcc;"| 33| January 2| Memphis| | Lin & Davis (20)| Kobe Bryant (9)| Kobe Bryant (8)| Staples Center
18,997| 10–23|- style="background:#cfc;"| 34| January 4| Indiana| | Nick Young (22)| Bryant & Davis (6)| Kobe Bryant (6)| Staples Center1
8,997| 11–23|- style="background:#fcc;"| 35| January 5| @ Portland| | Jordan Hill (23)| Jordan Hill (11)| Ronnie Price (8)| Rose Garden
19,827| 11–24|- style="background:#fcc;"| 36| January 7| @ LA Clippers| | Jordan Clarkson (14)| Kobe Bryant (8)| Kobe Bryant (7)| Staples Center
19,487| 11–25|- style="background:#cfc;"| 37| January 9| Orlando| | Jeremy Lin (18)| Carlos Boozer (14)| Jeremy Lin (6)| Staples Center
18,997| 12–25|- style="background:#fcc;"| 38| January 11| Portland| | Wesley Johnson (17)| Carlos Boozer (9)| Ronnie Price (12)| Staples Center
18,997| 12–26|- style="background:#fcc;"| 39| January 13| Miami| | Bryant, Hill & Davis (12)| Tarik Black (9)| Kobe Bryant (7)| Staples Center
18,997| 12–27|- style="background:#fcc;"| 40| January 15| Cleveland| | Jordan Hill (20)| Bryant & Hill (6)| Kobe Bryant (17)| Staples Center
18,997| 12–28|- style="background:#fcc;"| 41| January 16| @ Utah| | Nick Young (23)| Jordan Hill (11)| Jeremy Lin (3)| EnergySolutions Arena
19,911| 12–29|- style="background:#fcc;"| 42| January 19| @ Phoenix| | Nick Young (24)| Ed Davis (11)| Jeremy Lin (10)| US Airways Center
17,435| 12–30|- style="background:#fcc;"| 43| January 21| @ New Orleans| | Jordan Hill (15)| Jordan Hill (13)| Wesley Johnson (4)| Smoothie King Center
16,268| 12–31|- style="background:#fcc;"| 44| January 23| @ San Antonio| | Nick Young (17)| Sacre & Boozer (7)| Ronnie Price (6)| AT&T Center
18,581| 12–32|- style="background:#fcc;"| 45| January 25| Houston| | Carlos Boozer (18)| Ed Davis (13)| Jeremy Lin (6)| Staples Center
18,997| 12–33|- style="background:#fcc;"| 46| January 27| Washington| | Wayne Ellington (28)| Jordan Hill (11)| Jeremy Lin (8)| Staples Center
18,997| 12–34|- style="background:#cfc;"| 47| January 29| Chicago| | Jordan Hill (26)| Jordan Hill (12)| Jeremy Lin (5)| Staples Center
18,997| 13–34|- style="background:#fcc;"| 48| February 1| @ New York| | Boozer & Clarkson (19)| Carlos Boozer (10)| Jeremy Lin (7)| Madison Square Garden
19,812| 13–35|- style="background:#fcc;"| 49| February 4| @ Milwaukee| | Carlos Boozer (28)| Ed Davis (20)| Jeremy Lin (6)| BMO Harris Bradley Center
19,812| 13–36|- style="background:#fcc;"| 50| February 6| @ Orlando| | Ryan Kelly (20)| Wesley Johnson (9)| Jordan Clarkson (6)| Amway Center
16,206| 13–37|- style="background:#fcc;"| 51| February 8| @ Cleveland| | Jordan Clarkson (20)| Ed Davis (9)| Jordan Clarkson (4)| Quicken Loans Arena
20,562| 13–38|- style="background:#fcc;"| 52| February 10| Denver| | Carlos Boozer (21)| Carlos Boozer (10)| Jordan Clarkson (7)| Staples Center
18,466| 13–39|- style="background:#fcc;"| 53| February 11| @ Portland| | Jordan Clarkson (17)| Ed Davis (9)| Jordan Clarkson (4)| Rose Garden
19,585| 13–40|- align="center"|colspan="9" bgcolor="#bbcaff"|All-Star Break|- style="background:#fcc;"| 54| February 20| Brooklyn| | Jeremy Lin (18)| Ed Davis (14)| Ronnie Price (8)| Staples Center
19,585| 13–41|- style="background:#cfc;"| 55| February 22| Boston| | Jeremy Lin (25)| Carlos Boozer (8)| Jeremy Lin (6)| Staples Center
18,997| 14–41|- style="background:#cfc;"| 56| February 25| @ Utah| | Jordan Clarkson (22)| Wayne Ellington (10)| Clarkson & Lin & Davis (3)| EnergySolutions Arena
19,911| 15–41|- style="background:#cfc;"| 57| February 27| Milwaukee| | Jordan Clarkson (16)| Ed Davis (9)| Jeremy Lin (6)| Staples Center
18,997| 16–41|- style="background:#fcc;"| 58| March 1| Oklahoma City| | Jeremy Lin (20)| Jordan Hill (12)| Jeremy Lin (8)| Staples Center
18,997| 16–42|- style="background:#fcc;"| 59| March 3| @ Charlotte| | Jeremy Lin (23)| Carlos Boozer (11)| Jeremy Lin (8)| Time Warner Cable Arena
18,997| 16–43|- style="background:#fcc;"| 60| March 4| @ Miami| | Ellington & Davis (14)| Ed Davis (12)| Jeremy Lin (9)| American Airlines Arena
19,600| 16–44|- style="background:#fcc;"| 61| March 6| @ Memphis| | Jordan Clarkson (25)| Carlos Boozer (9)| Jordan Clarkson (6)| FedEx Forum
19,600| 16–45|- style="background:#fcc;"| 62| March 8| Dallas| | Carlos Boozer (17)| Boozer & Davis (8)| Lin & Clarkson (5)| Staples Center
18,997| 16–46|- style="background:#cfc;"| 63| March 10| Detroit| | Jordan Hill (26)| Carlos Boozer (16)| Jordan Clarkson (8)| Staples Center
17,771| 17–46|- style="background:#fcc;"| 64| March 12| New York| | Jordan Hill (19)| Tarik Black (11)| Jeremy Lin (7)| Staples Center
18,997| 17–47|- style="background:#fcc;"| 65| March 15| Atlanta| | Boozer & Kelly (13)| Ed Davis (13)| Jordan Clarkson (6)| Staples Center
17,422| 17–48|- style="background:#fcc;"| 66| March 16| @ Golden State| | Clarkson & Ellington (17)| Jordan Hill (12)| Jordan Hill (5)| Oracle Arena
19,596| 17–49|- style="background:#fcc;"| 67| March 19| Utah| | Tarik Black (13)| Black & Hill (10)| Jordan Clarkson (6)| Staples Center
17,407| 17–50|- style="background:#cfc;"| 68| March 22| Philadelphia| | Jeremy Lin (29)| Ed Davis (11)| Jeremy Lin (5)| Staples Center
17,891| 18–50|- style="background:#fcc;"| 69| March 24| @ Oklahoma City| | Jordan Clarkson (30)| Tarik Black (6)| Lin & Clarkson (7)| Chesapeake Energy Arena
18,203| 18–51|- style="background:#cfc;"| 70| March 25| @ Minnesota| | Jordan Clarkson (20)| Ed Davis (9)| Lin & Clarkson (5)| Target Center
13,438| 19–51|- style="background:#fcc;"| 71| March 27| @ Toronto| | Jeremy Lin (18)| Tarik Black (10)| Jeremy Lin (5)| Air Canada Centre
19,800| 19–52|- style="background:#fcc;"| 72| March 29| @ Brooklyn| | Jordan Hill (22)| Jordan Hill (16)| Jordan Clarkson (7)| Barclays Center
17,732| 19–53|- style="background:#cfc;"| 73| March 30| @ Philadelphia| | Jordan Clarkson (26)| Wesley Johnson (11)| Jordan Clarkson (11)| Wells Fargo Center
13,501| 20–53|- style="background:#fcc;"| 74| April 1| New Orleans| | Jordan Clarkson (18)| Wesley Johnson (8)| Jordan Clarkson (10)| Staples Center
17,165| 20–54|- style="background:#fcc;"| 75| April 3| Portland| | Jordan Clarkson (27)| Wesley Johnson (15)| Jordan Clarkson (5)| Staples Center
18,997| 20–55|- style="background:#fcc;"| 76| April 5| LA Clippers| | Wesley Johnson (16)| Tarik Black (9)| Ryan Kelly (7)| Staples Center
18,997| 20–56|- style="background:#fcc;"| 77| April 7| @ LA Clippers| | Jordan Clarkson (20)| Ed Davis (11)| Jordan Clarkson (6)| Staples Center
19,438| 20–57|- style="background:#fcc;"| 78| April 8| @ Denver| | Jordan Clarkson (21)| Ed Davis (12)| Jordan Clarkson (9)| Pepsi Center
13,338| 20–58|- style="background:#cfc;"| 79| April 10| Minnesota| | Ryan Kelly (21)| Tarik Black (10)| Jordan Clarkson (9)| Staples Center
17,880| 21–58|- style="background:#fcc;"| 80| April 12| Dallas| | Jordan Clarkson (26)| Tarik Black (19)| Clarkson & Kelly (6)| Staples Center
18,071| 21–59|- style="background:#fcc;"| 81| April 13| @ Sacramento| | Jordan Clarkson (23)| Ed Davis (14)| Jabari Brown (7)| Sleep Train Arena
17,317| 21–60|- style="background:#fcc;"| 82| April 15| Sacramento| | Jabari Brown (32)| Ed Davis (12)| Vander Blue (8)| Staples Center
18,997| 21–61

Player statistics

Summer League

|-|}

Preseason

|-|}

Regular season

|| 59 || 38 || 25 || .448 || .314 || .829 || 3.2 || 3.5 || 0.9 || 0.2 || 14.5|-|| 35 || 35 || 34.5 || .373 || .293 || .813 || 5.7 || 5.6 || 1.3 || 0.2 || 22.3|-|| 76 || 59 || 29.5 || .414 || .351 || .804 || 4.2 || 1.6 || 0.8 || 0.6 || 9.9|-|| 52 || 34 || 23.7 || .337 || .336 || .832 || 2.8 || 1.8 || 0.6 || 0.5 || 6.4|-|| 70 || 57 || 26.8 || .459 || .273 || .738 || 7.9 || 1.5 || 0.5 || 0.7 || 12|-|| 74 || 30 || 25.8 || .424 || .369 || .795 || 2.6 || 4.6 || 1.1 || 0.4 || 11.2|-|| 42 || 0 || 23.8 || .366 || .369 || .892 || 2.3 || 1 || 0.5 || 0.3 || 13.4|-|| 71 || 26 || 23.8 || .499 || .000 || .627 || 6.8 || 1.3 || 0.6 || 0.2 || 11.8|-|| 65 || 36 || 25.8 || .412 || .370 || .813 || 3.2 || 1.6 || 0.5 || 0 || 10|-|| 19 || 5 || 29.9 || .412 || .371 || .753 || 1.9 || 2.1 || 0.6 || 0.1 || 11.9|-|| 43 || 20 || 22.8 || .345 || .284 || .800 || 1.6 || 3.8 || 1.6 || 0.1 || 5.1|-|| 79 || 24 || 23.3 || .601 || .000 || .487 || 7,6 || 1.2 || 0.6 || 1.2 || 8.3|-|| 67 || 18 || 16.9 || .412 || .000 || .671 || 3.5 || 0.8 || 0.4 || 0.6 || 4.6|-|| 63 || 39 || 19 || .575 || .000 || .551 || 5.8 || 0.7 || 0.3 || 0.4 || 6|-|| 9 || 0 || 9.6 || .231 || .000 || .583 || 0.4 || 0.3 || 0.3 || 0 || 2.2|-|}

Transactions

See main article: List of 2014–15 NBA season transactions.

Trades

Free agents

Re-signed

Player	Signed	Contract	Ref.

Nick Young

Jordan Hill

Xavier Henry

Wesley Johnson

Ryan Kelly

Additions

Player	Signed	Former team	Ref.

Subtractions

Player	Reason left	Date	New team	Ref.

Awards

Player	Award	Date awarded	Ref.

External links

• 2014–15 Los Angeles Lakers preseason at ESPN
• 2014–15 Los Angeles Lakers regular season at ESPN

• Web site: How the Lakers fell from contention to ruin during Kobe Bryant's final seasons . . September 6, 2019 . .

Notes and References

1. News: Bresnahan . Mike . Kobe Bryant to undergo season-ending surgery for torn rotator cuff . January 26, 2015 . Deseret News . https://web.archive.org/web/20151208104043/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765667199/Kobe-Bryant-to-undergo-season-ending-surgery-for-torn-rotator-cuff.html . December 8, 2015 . live.
2. Web site: Steve Nash Out For The Season. NBA.com. October 23, 2014. October 23, 2014.
3. News: Holmes. Baxter. Julius Randle likely out for season. October 29, 2014. ESPN.com. October 29, 2014.
4. News: Bresnahan . Mike . Kobe Bryant sticks to his guns, but Lakers stick to their losing ways . November 16, 2014 . Los Angeles Times . https://web.archive.org/web/20141119041049/http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/la-sp-lakers-warriors-20141117-story.html . November 19, 2014 . live .