The 2006–07Los Angeles Lakers season was the 59th in the NBA and 61st overall. The season ended with the Lakers being eliminated in five games in a rematch against the Phoenix Suns from the 2006 playoffs in the First Round. The Lakers finished in second place in the Pacific Division, 7th seed in the playoffs. Ultimately, even though team captain Kobe Bryant was the leading NBA scorer with 31.6 PPG, the Lakers were defeated in five games by the Suns. This was the second consecutive season where the Lakers had their season ended by the Suns.
Draft picks
In the NBA draft, the Lakers, as expected, chose young talent. In the draft, the Lakers selected Jordan Farmar, the PG for UCLA with 26th pick. Los Angeles also traded their 51st pick to the Detroit Pistons for SF Maurice Evans. The Lakers also had a trade with the Dallas Mavericks, trading away a future second round pick for J. R. Pinnock.
Round
Pick
Player
Position
Nationality
School/Club Team
1
26
Jordan Farmar
Guard
UCLA
2
51
Cheick Samb
Center
WTC Cornellà
Roster
Injuries and surgeries
Besides the signings, L.A.'s most notable move was the injury bug. Kobe Bryant, the reigning scoring champion had successful surgery on his knee and would decline playing for Team USA at the 2006 World Championship, where they finished 3rd, with bronze. Center Chris Mihm, who was the starting big man before having an ankle injury, also underwent successful surgery and was not expected to play at all in the upcoming season.
Regular season
The beginning success
The Lakers started their season opener hosting the Phoenix Suns, the team who knocked them out of the playoffs. Kobe Bryant was out, allowing Maurice Evans to play in his place. Centers Kwame Brown and Chris Mihm were out on injury, forcing Bynum in their place. Even with two of their starters out on injuries, it didn't seem to affect the team, as Odom led the team until Bryant recovered. The next night at Oracle Arena against the Golden State Warriors, Odom had stats, almost recording his first triple-double of the season, 22 points with nine rebounds and nine assists. Ronny Turiaf, known for his sideline celebrations, had career-highs in almost every category, including 23 points and nine rebounds for a 110-98 win. Bryant also sat this out.
Going downhill
By March, the Lakers were in disarray. Radmanović was fined $500,000 for lying to the organization about his injury, Walton, Brown and Odom were playing on injuries, and despite some 40-point games, Bryant was unable to stop the Lakers fall. Coach Jackson suffered his first seven-game losing streak of his career in result. It seemed impossible for the Lakers to make the playoffs. Bryant decided to step his game up even further. scored 65 points against the Trail Blazers on March 16. He also scored 60 points against the Grizzlies on March 22. In the March 16th game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Bryant recorded his second-highest outbreak of his career with 65 points, single-handedly winning the game after being down by 12 with four minutes in regulation. He continued by getting 50, 60, and another 50 in games against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Hornets respectively. By doing so, Bryant recorded the second-longest streak of scoring 50+ points in NBA history behind Wilt Chamberlain. Two days after his game against New Orleans, Kobe ended his streak in a game against the Golden State Warriors in Los Angeles with 43 points. Bryant's high scoring month continued. He scored 53 in an overtime loss against the Houston Rockets two games later. But Bryant's scoring binge, which led to the team's five-game winning streak, was followed by the aforementioned seven-game losing streak. Throughout the season, the Lakers were 14-6 in games where Bryant scored 40+ points.
Season standings
Record vs. opponents
Playoffs
Despite stumbling in the playoffs with a 42-40 record, after finishing March and April with a combined 9-14 standing, the Lakers felt something to prove. The Phoenix Suns had something to prove too. With a 61-21 record, the Suns hoped to avoid last season's epic seven-game series and steam-roll through the playoffs. In the first game, the Lakers started out strong, with Bryant showing his usual scoring dominance with 28 points, holding the Suns to just 39 points. But the Suns, led by Leandro Barbosa led a furious comeback, highlighted a buzzer beater from just in front of the half-court line. L.A. lost the game 95-87, and Bryant having 39 points. But any hopes of putting up a better fight in the second game was soon dashed. The Suns crushed the Lakers by 28 points, a 126-98 victory in Game 2. Phoenix defense held the Laker starters to just 51 points, while all six Suns, including all starters, scored in double-figures. Down 0-2, the series went to L.A. for a Game 3 which the Lakers won 95-89 before losing badly at home in Game 4 as Steve Nash dished out 23 assists in a 113-100 win. The Suns went back home and took Game 5 119-110.
In their most notable move, L.A. signed three-point specialist PF Vladimir Radmanović to a five year/$31 million contract from cross-town rivals Clippers. Addressing the need for veterans, they also signed PG Shammond Williams for a one-year, $5 million deal. To make ties with existing players, L.A. signed Brian Cook to a 3-year extension. Devean George, who won three titles with the Lakers in the early 2000s declined FA and signed with the Mavericks, leaving Bryant the remaining player from the glory days. Most of the signings the Lakers did was sign and cut/trade. Pinnock, Mamadou N'diaye, Marcus Douthit and Devin Green were all cut before the season started.
