Coach Butch van Breda Kolff replaced Joe Mullaney. The Lakers got to the finals but lost without Baylor, West averaged 26.9 points per game, Chamberlain averaged 20.7 points, Harry "Happy"Hairston averaged 18.6 points and Gail Goodrich averaged 17.5 points. The Lakers lost in the playoffs against the Bucks and Baylor retired. In1971-1972 the Lakers without Baylor won 14 straight in November and 16 straight in December The Bucks then

stopped the Lakers streak at 33 games won in a row but the season record was still 69 -13. That season the Lakers blew right threw the playoffs winning the championship which was the first LA championship and Wilt was MVP.

In1973 Wilt Chamberlain retired and the Lakers got Elmore Smith. Goodrich averaged 25.3 points per game. The Lakers had a losing season so they traded Elmore Smith, Brian Winters, Junior Bridgeman and Dave Meyers for Karrem Abdual-Jabbar. West became new coach and Goodrich went to New Orleans and the Lakers lost in the division finals.

On Dec. 9 the Lakers Kermit Washington got in a fight. When Rudy Tomjanvich tried to break it up Kermit threw a punch and got suspended for 60 days. Rudy broke his jaw, cheek, and eye and had to have surgery. That season the Lakers lost to Seattle in the playoffs.