The1991–92 Los Angeles Lakers season was the 44th season for theLos Angeles Lakers in theNational Basketball Association, and their 32nd season inLos Angeles, California.^[1] This was the start of a new era for the Lakers, as they were coming from anNBA Finals defeat to theChicago Bulls in five games, but also with the sudden retirement of their long-time superstar, All-Star guardMagic Johnson, after he announced that he wasHIV positive.^[2][3][4]

During the off-season, the Lakers acquiredSedale Threatt from theSeattle SuperSonics.^[5][6] In October, the Lakers played in the internationalMcDonald's Open tournament inParis, France, where Johnson was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player after helping the Lakers win gold.^[7][8]

Starting the regular season without Johnson for the first time since the1978–79 season, the Lakers won 10 of their first 13 games, including a nine-game winning streak, and held a 28–18 record at the All-Star break.^[9] However, the team struggled playing below .500 inwinning percentage for the remainder of the season, losing seven straight games in February and posting a 3–9 record during that month. The Lakers ultimately finished in sixth place in thePacific Division with a 43–39 record, which earned them the eighth seed in theWestern Conference;^[10] it was their worst record since the1975–76 season.^[11]

James Worthy averaged 19.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.4 steals per game, but only played 54 games due to a knee injury,^[12][13][14] whileSam Perkins averaged 16.5 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, and Threatt provided the team with 15.1 points, 7.2 assists and 2.0 steals. In addition,Byron Scott contributed 14.9 points and 1.3 steals per game, whileA.C. Green provided with 13.6 points and 9.3 rebounds per game, andVlade Divac averaged 11.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game, but only played just 36 games due to a back injury.^[15][16] Meanwhile, sixth manTerry Teagle contributed 10.7 points per game off the bench, second-year forwardElden Campbell averaged 7.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game, and second-year guardTony Smith provided with 4.4 points per game.^[17]

During theNBA All-Star weekend at theOrlando Arena inOrlando, Florida, and despite his HIV infection, Johnson would briefly return to the NBA, as he and Worthy were both selected for the1992 NBA All-Star Game, as members of the Western Conference All-Star team, despite controversy;^[18][19][20] Johnson scored 25 points along with 5 rebounds, 9 assists and 2 steals, and made all 3 of his three-point field-goal attempts, and was named theNBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player, as the Western Conference defeated the Eastern Conference, 153–113.^[21][22][23] It was also the final All-Star appearance for both Johnson and Worthy. Head coachMike Dunleavy finished tied in seventh place inCoach of the Year voting.^[24]

In the Western Conference First Round of the1992 NBA playoffs, and for the second consecutive year, the Lakers faced off against the top–seeded, and Pacific Division championPortland Trail Blazers, a team that featured All-Star guardClyde Drexler, All-Star guardTerry Porter, andJerome Kersey. However, without Worthy and Perkins due to season-ending injuries, the Lakers lost the first two games to the Trail Blazers on the road at theMemorial Coliseum, but managed to win Game 3 at home in overtime, 121–119 at theGreat Western Forum. Game 4 of the series was played at theThomas & Mack Center inParadise, Nevada, home of theNCAA'sUNLV Runnin' Rebels basketball team, due to the1992 Los Angeles riots;^[25][26][27] the Lakers lost to the Trail Blazers, 102–76, thus losing the series in four games.^[28][29][30] The Trail Blazers would lose in six games to the defending NBA championChicago Bulls in the1992 NBA Finals.^[31][32][33]

Following the season, Dunleavy left and took a coaching job with theMilwaukee Bucks,^[34][35] and Teagle was released to free agency.

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College
2	52	Anthony Jones	Forward	United States	Oral Roberts

1991–92 Los Angeles Lakers roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Player Height Weight DOB From SF 6 Chucky Brown 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 214 lb (97 kg) 1968–02–29 NC State C 41 Elden Campbell 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1968–07–23 Clemson C 12 Vlade Divac 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) 243 lb (110 kg) 1968–02–03 Serbia PF 45 A.C. Green 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1963–10–04 Oregon State C 54 Jack Haley 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1964–01–27 UCLA SF 25 Keith Owens 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1969–05–31 UCLA PF 14 Sam Perkins  6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1961–06–14 North Carolina PF 43 Cliff Robinson 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1960–03–13 USC SG 4 Byron Scott 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1961–03–28 Arizona State SG 34 Tony Smith 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1968–06–14 Marquette PG 2 Rory Sparrow 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1958–06–12 Villanova SG 20 Terry Teagle 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1960–04–10 Baylor PG 3 Sedale Threatt 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1961–09–10 West Virginia Tech SF 42 James Worthy  6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1961–02–27 North Carolina

Head coach Mike Dunleavy Sr. Assistant(s) Bill Bertka Jim Eyen Randy Pfund Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured Roster Updated: 1992–04–08

y - clinched division title

x - clinched playoff spot

z - clinched division title

y - clinched division title

x - clinched playoff spot

The Lakers were the first team in NBA history to start the season with three straight overtime games, with their season opener being a double-overtime loss to the Houston Rockets. They went 1-2 during that time. After a third loss, to the Phoenix Suns, they went on a nine-game winning streak to finish November with an 11–4 record, which would be their longest winning streak of the season. They struggled in February, going 3–9, with a seven-game losing streak. They would finish the season with a 43–39 record, placing sixth in the Pacific Division and clinching the eighth and final seed for the playoffs.

Player statistics citation:^[17]

Starting point guardMagic Johnson missed the first three games with an unspecified "stomach ailment". On November 7, 1991, Johnson announced that he had tested positive forHIV and would immediately retire.^[2][3][36] Johnson discovered his condition after attempting to purchaselife insurance, and failing the HIV test conducted by Lakers team doctor. During the press conference, he stated that his wife Cookie and unborn child were HIV negative, and that he would become an advocate for HIV education and prevention. The NBA world was shocked; U. S. presidentGeorge H. W. Bush said: "For me, Magic is a hero, a hero for anyone who loves sports."^[37] Johnson was still listed on the roster, as an injured reserve, and continued to be paid.

Johnson was voted in on the West team for the1992 NBA All-Star Game in Orlando. Columnists and other people speculated on whether he would play. Because HIV is spread through blood, some players voiced concerns about being infected if Johnson were to get a bleeding wound and touch them.Utah Jazz forwardKarl Malone was the most vocal player to express concern.^[18][38] Nevertheless, Johnson played in the All-Star Game, leading the West to a 153–113 win and being named the All-Star Most Valuable Player (MVP). The game ended with 14.5 seconds remaining; when Johnson drained a last-minutethree-pointer, other players ran on the court to congratulate Johnson and exchange high-fives.^[21][22][23] It would be Johnson's last game until he made a brief return at the end of the1995–96 season.^[39]

Despite being HIV positive, Johnson was chosen for theU.S. team for the1992 Summer Olympics inBarcelona, Spain. The squad was quickly dubbed theDream Team because of its abundance of NBA stars such as Jordan,Karl Malone and Bird, but Johnson was the main attraction.^[40] At the Olympic Opening Ceremony, Germantennis playerSteffi Graf ordered colleagueBarbara Rittner to photograph her with Johnson, and in the match against Spain, Spanish captainJuan Antonio San Epifanio and his squad demonstratively hugged him, showing that his HIV infection did not matter to them. During the tournament, Johnson struggled with knee problems and played for only a fraction of the games. The point guard position was mostly run by Utah Jazz all-time assist leaderJohn Stockton, but Johnson's presence alone was enough to provokestanding ovations from the crowd. He used the spotlight to attempt to inspireHIV positive people in several interviews.^{[citation needed]}

• The Lakers withMagic Johnson on the team would win the1991 McDonald's Open by winning games against France'sLimoges CSP and Spain'sMontigalà Joventut.

• Magic Johnson was given theNBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award after his return from retirement at the1992 NBA All-Star Game.

• Magic Johnson was given theJ. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award.

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