On This Date in Sports May 5, 1969: The Dynasty
In collaboration with the Sportsecyclopedia.com
The greatest dynasty in the history of North American professional sports comes to an end, as the Boston Celtics beat the Los Angeles Lakers 108-106 in Game 7 at Forum. It is the 11th championship in 13 years for Boston, spanning the entire career of Bill Russell. After the game, Russell who served as player-coach the last three seasons would announce his retirement.
The Boston Celtics became the NBA’s greatest dynasty in 1957 when they acquired Bill Russell at the 1956 NBA draft from the St. Louis Hawks for Ed Macauley. The Celtics won the NBA championship in Russell’s rookie season, losing in a rematch the following season. From there the Celtics dominated, winning eight straight NBA Championships from 1959-1966 under coach Red Auerbach. After Auerbach stepped down to concentrate on his job as General Manager, Bill Russell took over, serving as player-coach, becoming the first African American to serves as head coach in the NBA.
The Celtics failed to make the NBA Finals in Russell’s first year as coach, losing a hard-fought series in the Eastern Conference Finals in 1967 to the Philadelphia 76ers. That would be the only head to head series that Russell would lose to Wilt Chamberlain, as he had won the first six meetings against the Warriors and Sixers. In 1968, the Celtics regained their crown, beating the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals in six games. It was the sixth time the Celtics had beaten the Lakers in the last ten NBA Finals.
After another defeat at the hands of the Celtics, the Lakers coached by Butch van Breda Koff looked to get over the hump and acquired Wilt Chamberlain from the 76ers and finished the 1968/69 season with a record of 55-27, winning the Western Division. The Celtics meanwhile, finished fourth in the East with a record of 48-34. The Lakers rolled to the NBA Finals, beating the San Francisco Warriors in six games and the Atlanta Hawks in five. The Celtics meanwhile showing that winning is a habit beat the 76ers in five and the New York Knicks in six to reach the NBA Finals for the 12th time in 13 years.
In Game 1 of the NBA Finals, the Lakers got a big night from Jerry West, winning 120-118 at the Forum. The logo had a game-high 53 points, adding ten assists as Wilt Chamberlain hit the winning basket with 23 seconds left. West was on fire again in Game 2, scoring 41 points as John Havlicek scored 43 with the Lakers winning 118-112.
Back home on their famous parquet at the Boston Garden, the Celtics got back in the series with a 111-105 win in Game 3. Havlicek again led all scorers with 34 points, adding 13 rebounds and seven assists. Game 4 would be defined by sloppy play, as the two teams combined for 50 turnovers. In the game’s final seconds Sam Jones had the ball with the Celtics down one avoided a block by Chamberlain and put the ball up. In a dramatic series changing the moment the ball bounced off the front of the rim bounced off the back of the rim and slipped in as the buzzer sounded, giving Boston an 89-88 win to even the series.
Back in Los Angeles for Game 5, the Lakers regained control of the series with a 117-104 win, as Jerry West dominated again, scoring a game-high 39 points, while Wilt Chamberlain was the chairman of the board with 31 rebounds. The home fires remained burning in Game 6, as the Celtics won 99-90 at the Boston Garden to force a decisive seventh game.
With the home team winning the first six games of the series, the Lakers were confident they would win their first championship in Los Angeles as they played Game 7 at the Forum. So much so, they had their celebration plan choreographed. The postgame intermarry ended up in the hands of Bill Russell who used it as motivation for his team heading on the floor, one last time as a player. The first half was close, as the Celtics went into the locker with a 59-56 lead. Coming out of the half, the Lakers perhaps thinking too much of their postgame party came out flat as they were outscored 32-20 in the third quarter. Trailing by 15 points, Butch van Breda Koff benched Chamberlain with five fouls, sparking a Laker comeback. Wilt asked to get back in the game but was kept on the bench as the Lakers cut the deficit to one point with 1:32 left. Needing a big shot, Don Nelson with the shot clock running down tossed in an 18-foot jumper to give Boston a 105-102 lead. Down the stretch the Celtics made all the necessary shots, winning 108-106 as the Lakers ran out of time. In his final game, Bill Russell had six points with 21 rebounds.
Despite his team losing, Jerry West who again scored 42 points in Game 7 won the first NBA Finals MVP, averaging 37.9 points in the seven-game series. He is the only Finals MVP from a -losing team.