Back to the Top - Alternative Lakers 1975 Story

[janmagn]

Hello everybody, and welcome to my dynasty! This time I'm jumping back to 1975, to a time where in this alternative history the NBA and the ABA have merged a year earlier, with all functional ABA teams joining the NBA. I'm taking control of the Lakers, a team that had just had it's worst season in Los Angeles. My job here is to take that team and make it into a contender.

Enjoy!

[janmagn]

BREAKING!

ABA merges with NBA; 10 teams to join the NBA

The NBA just announced in a press conference that they will merge with their rival league, ABA. ABA teams will join the newly formed league and form a 28 team league. The league also announced that in next summer the league will expand by two more teams: the Charlotte Hornets and the Toronto Raptors will make the league into a 30 team league. The NBA will also add the three-point line, a fan favourite from the ABA to its games. Offseason gets a change, too. The draft order will now be determined by a lottery, that will weigh towards the worst teams outside the playoffs. NBA will also give out awards for the rookie of the year, sixth man of the year and defensive player of the year and naming three All-NBA teams, two All-Defensive teams and two All-Rookie teams starting this season. Next year they plan to start giving out a award for the most improved player.

[janmagn]

Lakers roster for the 74-75 season:

PG: Lucius Allen, 6'2'' 175lbs, 28 years old
PG: Stu Lantz, 6'3'' 175lbs, 28 years old
SG: Gail Goodrich, 6'1'' 175lbs, 31 years old
SG: Pat Riley, 6'4'' 205lbs, 30 years old
SG: Brian Winters. 6'4'' 185lbs, 22 years old
SF: Cazzie Russell. 6'5'' 218lbs, 30 years old
PF: Corky Calhoun, 6'7'' 210lbs, 25 years old
PF: Happy Hairston, 6'7'' 225lbs, 32 years old
PF: Connie Hawkins, 6'8'' 210lbs, 33 years old
PF: Kermit Washington, 6'8'' 230lbs, 24 years old
C: Zelmo Beaty, 6'9'' 225lbs, 35 years old
C: Elmore Smith, 6'11'' 250lbs, 25 years old

Analysis:

As you can see, our team is pretty old, with only younger, promising guys being Winters, Washington and Smith. If this team can't win games this season, a rebuild is needed.

[janmagn]

Opening night:

Seattle Supersonics @ Los Angeles Lakers

Predicted Starting Lineups:

Slick Watts -PG- Gail Goodrich
Fred Brown -SG- Brian Winters
Junior Brisker -SF- Cazzie Russell
Spencer Haywood -PF- Happy Hairston
Tom Burleson -C - Zelmo Beaty

[janmagn]

Lakers win season opener against Supersonics!

Supersonics-Lakers
102-107
Player of the Game: Zelmo Beaty

The Los Angeles Lakers opened their 74-75 season with a win against the Seattle Supersonics. Lakers started the game hot, leading 8-0 in the beginning of the game. Sonics would then fight back from that lead, and the Sonics led By three points in the end of each quarter, showing how close this match really was.

A lot about Lakers' early lead can be given to veteran guard Gail Goodrich, who with his pull-up jumpers scored 20 points on 9-17 shooting tonight. Goodrich was in foul trouble for most of the night and he was Limited to just 26 minutes on the floor. Zelmo Beaty added 21 points on 6-8 shooting and 8 rebounds. He was a force in the paint tonight, scoring effiecently and drawing fouls, shooting 9-13 from the line. Point guard Lucius Allen, who got the suprise start over Brian Winters, scored 18 points while keeping the Lakers in the game when Goodrich sat. Cazzie Russell added 11 points and 7 rebounds, Connie Hawkins scored 9 points in just 13 minutes and Happy Hairston pulled down 11 rebounds. Brian Winters struggeled mightly, scoring only two points on 1-11 shooting. The MVP for the Sonics was Fred Brown, who scored 35 points, but even that wasn't good enough to beat down the Lakers.

[janmagn]

BREAKING!

November 22nd, 1974

Lakers trade for Rick Barry!

The Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors have agreed on a trade that will send Rick Barry and Derrick Dickey from the Warriors to the Lakers in exchange for Happy Hairston, Brian Winters and 1975 1st round draft pick. Barry has averaged 22.6 points in 12 games so far with the Warriors. With his addition to the squad, the Lakers are looking like a championship favourite.


Next Game: Los Angeles Lakers (5-5) @ Utah Stars (7-2)

Predicted Starting Lineups:

Lucius Allen -PG- Wali Jones
Gail Goodrich -SG- Ron Boone
Rick Barry -SF- Bruce Seals
Connie Hawkins -PF- Jim Eakins
Zelmo Beaty -C- Moses Malone

[janmagn]

Stars shine too bright, beat Lakers 109-85

November 22nd, 1974
Salt Lake City, Utah

Los Angeles Lakers @ Utah Stars
85-109
Player of the Game: Moses Malone (23/15/2/3/2)
The Los Angeles Lakers have just faced a tough lost against one of the best teams of the Western Conference, the Utah Stars (8-2). This was also the debut for star SF Rick Barry. Barry played great in the first half, having a statline of 14/5/2/1/2 at the half. He struggeled mightly in the third quarter, but got back into the game in the fourth, finishing with 26/7/4 with 12-28 shooting. For the Lakers, it was a rough night for everyone shooting wise. Lucius Allen showed why he is one of the best defenders in the league, stealing the ball 4 times and blocking it 3 times.

The game started with Stars taking a convincing 7-0 lead. However soon the Lakers got the brightest Star Moses Malone to foul trouble, forcing him to sit for the rest of the quarter. Lakers would ultimately win the first quarter 27-22.

The Stars got the game to control soon after that, taking the lead in the 2nd, extending it to 12 points in the third and ultimately winning by 24 points. Let's hope the Lakers can fight back from this tough lost.

[janmagn]

December 1st, 1974

Around the League

League Leaders

Points per Game
1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (MIL) 29.1
2. Rick Barry (LAL) 23.6 *note: has played 4 games with the Lakers
3. Bob Lanier (DET) 21.7
4. Ron Boone (UTA) 21.4
5. George McGinnis (IND) 21.4


Rebounds per Game
1. Moses Malone (UTA) 14.2
2. Curtis Perry (PHX) 13.2
3. Bill Walton (POR) 12.9
4. Artis Gilmore (KEN) 12.7
5. Sam Lacey (KCK) 12.6

Assists per Game
1. Dave Bing (DET) 8.7
2. Kevin Porter (WAS) 8.6
3. Warren Jabali (SD) 8.3
4. Randy Smith (BUF) 7.6
5. Louie Dampier (KEN) 7.0

Steals per Game
1. Norm van Lier (CHI) 2.6
2. Walt Frazier (NY) 2.5
3. Lucius Allen (LAL) 2.3
4. Dave Twardzik (VIR) 2.3
5. George McGinnis (IN) 2.1

Blocks per Game
1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (MIL) 2.6
2. Artis Gilmore (KEN) 2.4
3. Red Robbins (VIR) 2.2
4. David Vaughn (VIR) 2.1
5. Chet Walker (CHI) 2.1

FG%
1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (MIL) .624
2. Artis Gilmore (KEN) .594
3. Swen Nater (SA) .588
4. Jamaal Wilkes (GS) .571
5. Leon Benbow (CHI) .569

Players of the Month:
East: George McGinnis (IND)
West: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (MIL)

Rookies of the Month:
East: John Drew (ATL)
West: Bill Walton (POR)