Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson and ‘The Showtime Lakers’ reunite in Hawaii

Magic Johnson and the showtime Lakers show us that they still got a little left in the tank

Magic Johnson and the showtime Lakers showing us know they still got a little left in the tank 🔥https://t.co/QpOc01wljD

The Showtime Lakers were ahead of their time

The Los Angeles Lakers were the most exciting team in the league in the 1980s. Their fast-paced offense, led by Magic Johnson, had defenses on edge.

During that time, the style of play was more methodical and slow paced. Coaches would design plays for their bigs. The point guard would slowly bring the ball up the court, pass it in the post to the power forward or center, and let them get to work.

With Magic Johnson’s unique abilities, the Lakers saw the opportunity to play a different style than the rest of the league. It paid off with eight trips to the NBA Finals and five NBA titles during the decade.

The late Jerry Buss, who was the longtime owner of the Lakers, influenced the team to play an up-tempo style that got fans off their seats.

Their offense was a breath of fresh air. Every time they ran the ball up the court, you knew something exciting was going to happen. Magic Johnson’s fast break game was a sight to behold

The Lakers had a simple but effective strategy. Rebounders like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Kurt Rambis would hurl an outlet pass to Magic. The oversized point guard would then throw an incredible pass to trailing players such as James Worthy, Byron Scott and Michael Cooper. This would result in a quick layup or a slam dunk that would send the Staples Center into a frenzy.

The Showtime Lakers have become a gold standard for teams that are focused on playing up-tempo. Their influence on basketball is more noticeable than ever. All you would have to do is watch an NBA highlight package on YouTube or ESPN to see it for yourself.

The 2022-23 NBA season gets underway on October 18.