Even though the Los Angeles Lakers won the NBA championship in 1980, they fell apart after that.
Magic Johnson suffered a knee injury the following season, and with him and fellow guard Norm Nixon at odds, the team lost in the first round of the 1981 playoffs.
When the 1981-82 season started, head coach Paul Westhead boxed in his own team by forcing them to play slow-down basketball, a style they were very unsuited for.
