1972 NBA Finals

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 1972 NBA Finals was the played at the conclusion of the 1971-72 NBA season. The Western Conference Champion Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Eastern Conference Champion New York Knicks in five games. The Los Angeles Lakers got their first NBA championship since the Lakers moved to Los Angeles from Minneapolis. New York had dethroned the 1968-69 NBA Champion Boston Celtics to get to their second NBA Finals appearance (first is 1969-70 season when the Knicks edged out the Lakers in Game 7).

Television: ABC - Keith Jackson, Bill Russell

[edit] Game-By-Game Summary

Game 1: Although without Willis Reed because of his knee injury. Jerry Lucas scored 26 points but was only one of several Knicks who was red hot. Bill Bradley hit 11 of 12 shots from the field as New York shot 53 percent for the game. The team took advantage of a nearly perfect first half to jump to a good lead and won easily, 114-92. Early in the second half, the Forum crowd began filing out dejectedly. It looked like another Los Angeles fold in the Finals.

Game 2: Knicks forward Dave DeBusschere hurt his side and didn't play after the first half. Hairston scored 12 points in the second half, and Los Angeles evened the series with a 106-92 win.

Game 3: DeBusschere attempted to play in the first half and missed all six of his field-goal attempts. He was hurting and elected not to play in the second half. DeBusschere explained :"I didn't feel I was helping the team,". The Lakers danced out to a 22-point lead and regained the home-court advantage with a 107-96 win.

Game 4: The game went into overtime, but at the end of regulation, Wilt Chamberlain picked up his fifth foul. In 13 NBA seasons, he had never fouled out of a game, a statistic of which he was immensely proud. Immediately speculation started along press row that he would play soft in the overtime. Instead, he came out in a shotblocking fury that propelled the Lakers to a 116-111 win. At three games to one, their lead now seemed insurmountable.

Game 5: The Lakers won their first NBA Championship on the score of 114-100 after 12 years since they moved to Los Angeles in 1960. Jerry West also win his first NBA Championship after of 12 years of waiting. Wilt Chamberlain scored 24 points and 29 rebounds and he earned his second Finals MVP Award.

[edit] Series Summary

Game	Date	Home Team	Result	Road Team
Game 1	April 26	Los Angeles	92-114	New York
Game 2	April 30	Los Angeles	106-92	New York
Game 3	May 3	New York	96-107	Los Angeles
Game 4	May 5	New York	111-116	Los Angeles
Game 5	May 7	Los Angeles	114-100	New York