what year did lakers win their first championship?
1948 NBL Finals
entailment
 The following year , the Lakers and three other NBL franchises jumped to the fledgling Basketball Association of America . Mikan led his new league in scoring , and again set a single @-@ season scoring record . The Lakers defeated the Washington Capitols in the 1949 BAA Finals . 

entailment
 The franchise began with the 1947 purchase of a disbanded team , the Detroit Gems of the National Basketball League ( NBL ) . The new team began playing in Minneapolis , Minnesota , calling themselves the Minneapolis Lakers in honor of the state 's nickname , " Land of 10 @,@ 000 Lakes " . Initially a member of the NBL , the Lakers won the 1948 NBL championship before joining the rival Basketball Association of America and winning five of the next six BAA and NBA championships in Minneapolis after the NBA formed in 1949 . The team was propelled by center George Mikan , who is described by the NBA 's official website as the league 's " first superstar " . After struggling financially in the late 1950s following Mikan 's retirement , they relocated to Los Angeles before the 1960 – 61 season . 

neutral
 The Lakers ' franchise began in 1947 when Ben Berger and Morris Chalfen of Minnesota purchased the recently disbanded Detroit Gems of the National Basketball League ( NBL ) for $ 15 @,@ 000 from Gems owner Maury Winston . Minneapolis sportswriter Sid Hartman played a key behind the scenes role in helping put together the deal and later the team . Inspired by Minnesota 's nickname , " Land of 10 @,@ 000 Lakes " , the team christened themselves the Lakers . Hartman helped them hire John Kundla from College of St. Thomas , to be their first head coach , by meeting with him and selling him on the team . 

entailment
 The Lakers won 60 games in the 1972 – 73 NBA season , and took another Pacific Division title . Wilt Chamberlain , playing in his final season , again led the league in rebounding and set the still standing NBA record for field @-@ goal percentage at 72 @.@ 7 % . The team defeated the Chicago Bulls in seven games in the conference semifinals , then the Golden State Warriors in five in the Western Division Finals . They played the New York Knicks in the 1973 NBA Finals . Los Angeles took the first game by three points , but New York won the series in five games . 

entailment
 The Lakers compiled a 60 – 22 record in the regular season and reached the 1980 NBA Finals , in which they faced the Philadelphia 76ers , who were led by forward Julius Erving . The Lakers took a 3 – 2 lead in the series , but Abdul @-@ Jabbar , who averaged 33 points a game in the series , sprained his ankle in Game 5 and could not play in Game 6 . Paul Westhead decided to start Johnson at center in Game 6 ; Johnson recorded 42 points , 15 rebounds , 7 assists , and 3 steals in a 123 – 107 win , while playing guard , forward , and center at different times during the game . Johnson became the only rookie to win the NBA Finals MVP award , and his clutch performance is still regarded as one of the finest in NBA history . He also became one of four players to win NCAA and NBA championships in consecutive years . 
