1968 NBA Finals

Last updated

1968 NBA Finals
TeamCoachWins
Boston Celtics Bill Russell (player-coach)4
Los Angeles Lakers Butch van Breda Kolff 2
DatesApril 21–May 2
Hall of Famers Celtics:
Sam Jones (1984)
John Havlicek (1984)
Bailey Howell (1997)
Don Nelson (2012, coach)
Bill Russell (1975)
Lakers:
Elgin Baylor (1977)
Gail Goodrich (1996)
Jerry West (1980)
Coaches:
Bill Russell (2021)
Officials:
Mendy Rudolph (2007)
Earl Strom (1995)
Eastern finals Celtics defeated 76ers, 4–3
Western finals Lakers defeated Warriors, 4–0
  1967 NBA Finals 1969  

The 1968 NBA World Championship Series pitted the Boston Celtics from the East, against the Los Angeles Lakers from the West, for the sixth time in ten years. The Celtics won their tenth NBA Championship in twelve seasons, by defeating the Lakers in six games. Significantly, Game 6 marked the first time that any NBA competition had taken place during the month of May. This was the last NBA Finals without a Finals MVP named as the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award was introduced the following year.

Contents

Series summary

GameDateHome teamResultRoad team
Game 1April 21Boston Celtics107–101 (1–0)Los Angeles Lakers
Game 2April 24Boston Celtics113–123 (1–1)Los Angeles Lakers
Game 3April 26Los Angeles Lakers119–127 (1–2)Boston Celtics
Game 4April 28Los Angeles Lakers119–105 (2–2)Boston Celtics
Game 5April 30Boston Celtics120–117 (OT) (3–2)Los Angeles Lakers
Game 6May 2Los Angeles Lakers109–124 (2–4)Boston Celtics

Celtics win series 4–2

Team rosters

Boston Celtics

1967–68 Boston Celtics roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOBFrom
F/C 28 Embry, Wayne 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)240 lb (109 kg)1937-03-26 Miami (OH)
PG 11 Graham, Mal 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)185 lb (84 kg)1945-02-23 NYU
G/F 17 Havlicek, John 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)203 lb (92 kg)1940-04-08 Ohio State
SF 18 Howell, Bailey 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)210 lb (95 kg)1937-01-20 Mississippi State
PF 27 Jones, Johnny 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)205 lb (93 kg)1933-03-12 Cal State LA
SG 24 Jones, Sam 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)198 lb (90 kg)1933-06-24 North Carolina Central
F 19 Nelson, Don 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)210 lb (95 kg)1940-05-15 Iowa
C 6 Russell, Bill 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)215 lb (98 kg)1934-02-12 San Francisco
SF 16 Sanders, Satch 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)210 lb (95 kg)1938-11-08 NYU
C/G 20 Siegfried, Larry 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)190 lb (86 kg)1939-10-14 Ohio State
G/F 12 Thacker, Tom 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)170 lb (77 kg)1939-11-02 Cincinnati
PG 26 Weitzman, Rick 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)175 lb (79 kg)1946-04-30 Northeastern
Head coach

Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Cruz Roja.svg Injured

Los Angeles Lakers

1967–68 Los Angeles Lakers roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOBFrom
SG 30 Anderson, Cliff 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)200 lb (91 kg)1944-09-07 Saint Joseph's
PF 23 Barnes, Jim 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)210 lb (95 kg)1941-04-13 UTEP
SF 22 Baylor, Elgin 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)225 lb (102 kg)1934-09-16 Seattle
SG 21 Clark, Archie 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)175 lb (79 kg)1941-07-15 Minnesota
C 31 Counts, Mel 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)230 lb (104 kg)1941-10-16 Oregon State
SG 12 Crawford, Freddie 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)189 lb (86 kg)1941-12-33 St. Bonaventure
SG 11 Goodrich, Gail 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)170 lb (77 kg)1943-04-23 UCLA
PF 52 Hamilton, Dennis 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)210 lb (95 kg)1944-05-08 Notre Dame
SF 33 Hawkins, Tom 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)210 lb (95 kg)1936-12-22 Notre Dame
C 14 Imhoff, Darrall 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)220 lb (100 kg)1938-10-11 California
C 34 Mueller, Erwin 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)230 lb (104 kg)1944-03-12 San Francisco
PG 44 West, Jerry 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)175 lb (79 kg)1938-05-28 West Virginia
SF 24 Wetzel, John 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)190 lb (86 kg)1944-10-22 Virginia Tech
Head coach

Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Cruz Roja.svg Injured

See also

Related Research Articles

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams. It is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada and is considered the premier professional basketball league in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boston Celtics</span> American professional basketball team

The Boston Celtics are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946 as one of the league's original eight teams, the Celtics play their home games at TD Garden, a shared arena with the NHL's Boston Bruins. The Celtics are regarded as one of the most successful teams in NBA history and are tied with the Los Angeles Lakers for the most NBA championships with 17. The Celtics currently hold the record for the most recorded wins of any NBA team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Larry Bird</span> American basketball player (born 1956)

Larry Joe Bird is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "the Hick from French Lick" and "Larry Legend", Bird is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He is the only person in NBA history to be named Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Player, Finals MVP, All-Star MVP, Coach of the Year, and Executive of the Year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Los Angeles Lakers</span> National Basketball Association team in Los Angeles, California

The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. The Lakers play their home games at Crypto.com Arena, an arena shared with the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers, the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association, and the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League. The Lakers are one of the most successful teams in the history of the NBA, with 17 NBA championships, tied with the Boston Celtics for the most in NBA history. The Lakers were the champions of the NBA's inaugural In-Season Tournament in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerry West</span> American basketball player and executive

Jerome Alan West is an American basketball executive and former player. He played professionally for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). His nicknames included "the Logo", in reference to his silhouette being the basis for the NBA logo; "Mr. Clutch", for his ability to make a big play in a key situation such as his famous buzzer-beating 60-foot shot that tied Game 3 of the 1970 NBA Finals against the New York Knicks; "Mr. Outside", in reference to his perimeter play with the Los Angeles Lakers and "Zeke from Cabin Creek" for the creek near his birthplace of Chelyan, West Virginia. West played the small forward position early in his career: he was a standout at East Bank High School and at West Virginia University, where he led the Mountaineers to the 1959 NCAA championship game. He earned the NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player honor despite the loss in the championship. He then embarked on a 14-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers and was the co-captain of the 1960 U.S. Olympic gold medal team, a squad that was inducted as a unit into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. In 2024, he will be inducted to the Hall of Fame as a contributor to the sport as an executive and consultant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Russell</span> American basketball player and coach (1934–2022)

William Felton Russell was an American professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. He was the centerpiece of the Celtics dynasty that won 11 NBA championships during his 13-year career. Russell is widely considered to be one of the greatest basketball players of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NBA Finals</span> Championship series of the National Basketball Association

The NBA Finals is the annual championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Eastern and Western Conference champions play a best-of-seven-game series to determine the league champion. The team that wins the series is awarded the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy, which replaced the original Walter A. Brown Trophy in 1976–77, though under the same name until 1984.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Worthy</span> American basketball player (born 1961)

James Ager Worthy is an American former professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Big Game James", he played his entire professional career with the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Widely regarded as one of the greatest small forwards in NBA history, Worthy was a seven-time NBA All-Star, a two-time All-NBA Team member who won three NBA championships and was voted the NBA Finals MVP in 1988. He was named to both the NBA's 50th and 75th anniversary teams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Celtics–Lakers rivalry</span> National Basketball Association rivalry

The Celtics–Lakers rivalry is a National Basketball Association (NBA) rivalry between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers. The Celtics and the Lakers are the two most storied franchises in the NBA, and the rivalry has been called the greatest in the league. The teams have met a record 12 times in the NBA Finals, with their first such meeting being in 1959. They would both go on to dominate the league in the 1960s and 1980s, facing each other in the Finals six times in the 1960s, three times in the 1980s, and twice since the year 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">76ers–Celtics rivalry</span> National Basketball Association rivalry

The 76ers–Celtics rivalry is a National Basketball Association (NBA) rivalry between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics. The two teams have the most meetings in the NBA playoffs, playing each other in 22 series, with the Celtics winning 15 of them. The 76ers are considered to be the Celtics' second biggest rival, behind only the Los Angeles Lakers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1969 NBA Finals</span> 1969 basketball championship series

The 1969 NBA World Championship Series to determine the champion of the 1968–69 NBA season was played between the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics. The Lakers were heavily favored due to the presence of three formidable stars: Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, and Jerry West. In addition, Boston was an aging team; they made the playoffs as the fourth place team in the Eastern Division, and were not favored to make it to the finals. The Celtics' finals victory – the last championship of the Bill Russell dynasty – is considered one of the great upsets in NBA history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2002 NBA Finals</span> 2002 basketball championship series

The 2002 NBA Finals was the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s championship series for the 2001–02 season. The best-of-seven playoff was contested between the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers, and the Eastern Conference champion New Jersey Nets. The Lakers swept the Nets, four games to none, to win the franchise's 14th NBA championship and third consecutive NBA championship. The 56th edition of the championship series was played between June 5 and 12 and was broadcast on NBC — the last NBA games broadcast on the network to date. Lakers coach Phil Jackson won his ninth ring, tying him with Red Auerbach for most all-time. During the series, he surpassed Pat Riley for most career playoffs wins with 156. Shaquille O'Neal of the Lakers was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the third consecutive year, after averaging 36.3 points, 12.3 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1986 NBA Finals</span> 1986 basketball championship series

The 1986 NBA Finals was the championship round of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 1985–86 season, and the culmination of the season's playoffs. It pitted the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics against the Western Conference champion Houston Rockets, in a rematch of the 1981 NBA Finals. It was the second and last NBA Championship Series of the 1980s not to feature the Los Angeles Lakers, who were eliminated by the Rockets on both occasions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1985 NBA Finals</span> 1985 basketball championship series

The 1985 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 1984–85 season, and the culmination of the season's playoffs. It featured the defending NBA champion and Eastern Conference playoff champion Boston Celtics against the Western Conference playoff champion Los Angeles Lakers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bailey Howell</span> American basketball player (born 1937)

Bailey E. Howell is an American former professional basketball player. After playing college basketball at Mississippi State, Howell played 12 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Howell was a six-time NBA All-Star, two-time NBA champion and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1997.

The 1962 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1962 NBA Playoffs, which concluded the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 1961–62 season. The best-of-seven series was played between the Western Division champion Los Angeles Lakers and Eastern Division champion Boston Celtics. This was the Celtics' sixth straight trip to the Finals, and they won the best-of-seven series in Game 7, 110–107 in overtime. It was the second time in NBA history and the most recent Finals in which the series was decided by overtime in Game 7. The only other Finals series decided in overtime in the seventh game was the 1957 Finals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2009 NBA Finals</span> 2009 basketball championship series

The 2009 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) 2008–09 season and the conclusion of the season's playoffs, played from June 4 and 14, 2009. A best-of-seven playoff series, it was contested between the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers, and the Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic. The Lakers were heavily favored to win the championship over the Magic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 NBA Finals</span> 2010 basketball championship series

The 2010 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) 2009–10 season and conclusion of the season's playoffs, held from June 3 to 17, 2010. A best-of-seven playoff series, it was contested between the Western Conference champion and defending champion Los Angeles Lakers and the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics. It was their twelfth Finals meeting overall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 NBA Finals</span> 2022 edition of the NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics

The 2022 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 2021–22 season and conclusion of the season's playoffs. In this best-of-seven playoff series, the Western Conference champion Golden State Warriors defeated the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics in six games, winning their fourth championship in eight years. Golden State's Stephen Curry was named the Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the first time in his career.