Table of Contents CHAPTER PAGE Meet the Lakers 4 Glory Days 6 Home Court 12 Dressed for Success 14 We Won 16 Go-To Guys 20 Calling the Shots 24 One Great Day 26 Legend Has It 28 It Really Happened 30 Team Spirit 32 Timeline 34 Fun Facts 36 Talking Basketball 38 Great Debates 40 For the Record 42 Pinpoints 44 Glossary 46 Fast Break 47 Index 48 ABOUT OUR GLOSSARY In this book there may be several words that you are reading for the first time Some are sports words some are new vocabulary words and some are familiar words that are used in an unusual way All of these words are defined on page 46 Throughout the book sports words appear in bold type Regular vocabulary words appear in bold italic type
Meet the Lakers M ost basketball fans expect their favorite team to go to go through ups and downs Some years are good and aanndd some years aren’t That simply won’t do for fans of the Los s Angeles Lakers They have come to expect teams loaded with talent and coaches who know how to win This tradition began in the 1940s when the Lakers played in an entirely different part of the United States In the 1960s they moved west to California Ever since that day the National Basketball Association NBA has truly been national This book tells the story of the Lakers They are known as a glamorous team but don’t let that fool you Los Angeles wins with talent teamwork focus and energy Of course the he Lakers can’t help but crack a few smiles along the way That’s hat’s why it’s so much fun to root for them Kobe Bryant flips a pass to Pau Gasol The Lakers are at their best when they combine talent teamwork and energy 5
