Bulls vs. Lakers Playoffs Comparison: Summary and Year by Year

Here you can compare, side by side, the all-time postseason performance of the Chicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Lakers, and how far these two NBA teams advanced in Playoffs each year.

The Chicago Bulls have been present in the NBA Playoffs 36 times in 60 seasons while the Los Angeles Lakers did it 65 times in their 78 seasons. Between the two they total 23 of the 79 NBA championships (29.1%).

They have faced each other in 5 playoff series, 1 of them won by the Bulls and 4 by the Lakers.

On this page, after a summary of their Playoff history (with championships won, playoff appearances and all-time records), you can see, side by side, how far the Bulls and the Lakers advanced in the postseason each year. Also, if they met that year, a note with details of the outcome of the series.

Summary of Their Playoff History
	Chicago Bulls	Los Angeles Lakers
Playoff Appearances:	36 (61.0%)	65 (84.4%)
Playoffs Missed:	23 (39.0%)	12 (15.6%)
NBA Titles:	6	17
Finals Lost:	0	15
All-time Playoff Record:	187 wins 162 losses (.536)	466 wins 321 losses (.592)
Total NBA Seasons:	60 1966-67 to present	78 1948-49 to present

Teams Comparison Playoff Performances Year by Year
Playoffs	Chicago Bulls	Los Angeles Lakers
2026	TBD	TBD
2025	DNQ (lost Play-in)	Lost Western Conference 1st Round
2024	DNQ (lost Play-in)	Lost Western Conference 1st Round
2023	DNQ (lost Play-in)	Lost Western Conference Finals
2022	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round	DNQ
2021	DNQ	Lost Western Conference 1st Round
2020	DNQ	NBA Champions

Playoffs	Chicago Bulls	Los Angeles Lakers
2019	DNQ	DNQ
2018	DNQ	DNQ
2017	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round	DNQ
2016	DNQ	DNQ
2015	Lost Eastern Conference Semis	DNQ
2014	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round	DNQ
2013	Lost Eastern Conference Semis	Lost Western Conference 1st Round
2012	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round	Lost Western Conference Semis
2011	Lost Eastern Conference Finals	Lost Western Conference Semis
2010	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round	NBA Champions

Playoffs	Chicago Bulls	Los Angeles Lakers
2009	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round	NBA Champions
2008	DNQ	Lost NBA Finals
2007	Lost Eastern Conference Semis	Lost Western Conference 1st Round
2006	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round	Lost Western Conference 1st Round
2005	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round	DNQ
2004	DNQ	Lost NBA Finals
2003	DNQ	Lost Western Conference Semis
2002	DNQ	NBA Champions
2001	DNQ	NBA Champions
2000	DNQ	NBA Champions

Playoffs	Chicago Bulls	Los Angeles Lakers
1999	DNQ	Lost Western Conference Semis
1998	NBA Champions	Lost Western Conference Finals
1997	NBA Champions	Lost Western Conference Semis
1996	NBA Champions	Lost Western Conference 1st Round
1995	Lost Eastern Conference Semis	Lost Western Conference Semis
1994	Lost Eastern Conference Semis	DNQ
1993	NBA Champions	Lost Western Conference 1st Round
1992	NBA Champions	Lost Western Conference 1st Round
1991	NBA Champions	Lost NBA Finals
	* The Bulls defeated the Lakers 4-1 in the Finals.
1990	Lost Eastern Conference Finals	Lost Western Conference Semis

Playoffs	Chicago Bulls	Los Angeles Lakers
1989	Lost Eastern Conference Finals	Lost NBA Finals
1988	Lost Eastern Conference Semis	NBA Champions
1987	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round	NBA Champions
1986	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round	Lost Western Conference Finals
1985	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round	NBA Champions
1984	DNQ	Lost NBA Finals
1983	DNQ	Lost NBA Finals
1982	DNQ	NBA Champions
1981	Lost Eastern Conference Semis	Lost Western Conference 1st Round
1980	DNQ	NBA Champions

Playoffs	Chicago Bulls	Los Angeles Lakers
1979	DNQ	Lost Western Conference Semis
1978	DNQ	Lost Western Conference 1st Round
1977	Lost Western Conference 1st Round	Lost Western Conference Finals
1976	DNQ	DNQ
1975	Lost Western Conference Finals	DNQ
1974	Lost Western Conference Finals	Lost Western Conference Semis
1973	Lost Western Conference Semis	Lost NBA Finals
	* The Lakers defeated the Bulls 4-3 in the Western Conference Semifinals.
1972	Lost Western Conference Semis	NBA Champions
	* The Lakers defeated the Bulls 4-0 in the Western Conference Semifinals.
1971	Lost Western Conference Semis	Lost Western Conference Finals
	* The Lakers defeated the Bulls 4-3 in the Western Conference Semifinals.
1970	Lost Western Division Semis	Lost NBA Finals

Playoffs	Chicago Bulls	Los Angeles Lakers
1959	-	Lost NBA Finals (as Minneapolis Lakers)
1958	-	DNQ (as Minneapolis Lakers)
1957	-	Lost Western Division Finals (as Minneapolis Lakers)
1956	-	Lost Western Division Semis (as Minneapolis Lakers)
1955	-	Lost Western Division Finals (as Minneapolis Lakers)
1954	-	NBA Champions (as Minneapolis Lakers)
1953	-	NBA Champions (as Minneapolis Lakers)
1952	-	NBA Champions (as Minneapolis Lakers)
1951	-	Lost Western Division Finals (as Minneapolis Lakers)
1950	-	NBA Champions (as Minneapolis Lakers)

Playoffs	Chicago Bulls	Los Angeles Lakers
1949	-	NBA Champions (as Minneapolis Lakers)
1948	-	-
1947	-	-