Retro POY '64-65 (Voting Complete)

[Doctor MJ]

In this thread we'll discuss and vote on the top 5 best player seasons of '64-65.

Trying something new now. Schedule will be Mon-Fri, and Thu-Mon. Typically this will be morning to morning.

Some things to start us off:

NBA
Season Summary http://www.basketball-reference.com/lea ... _1965.html
Playoff Summary http://www.basketball-reference.com/pla ... _1965.html
Award Voting http://www.basketball-reference.com/awa ... _1965.html
Final Box Score http://webuns.chez-alice.fr/finals/1965.htm

[Mean_Streets]

I will most likely have Russell at #1 for this year.

[Deus_DJ]

Yep, there is no way Chamberlain gets #1 this season and this is why(from the other thread)

I don't like too much "blame" either, and Cunningham's injury must have hurt. I just wonder how much Wilt Chamberlain helps a decent basketball team on offense playing the way he did that year. From 1960 to 1964, he has huge numbers (comparable to what we see in 66) playing that way, and while they clearly help his teams -- he's no cancer or drain -- I just don't think it's as much as we would intuitively expect. 1965, in some ways, was disastrous.

1965 was disastrous because he actually(IN REALITY) had a heart attack that totally destroyed his play while he was with the Warriors. The official meme is that he had pancreatitis...but this is false. A few doctors that examined Chamberlain said that they would bet their money that he wouldn't be alive in another year. That is how serious his condition was. Let me put it another way: his heart was hurting him so bad that he had to take himself out of a game with 36 seconds remaining because it was hurting him so much. This is someone that could take a lot of pain and had a LOT of stamina(stamina is obvious; pain for example where in 1972 he played game 5 with 2 broken wrists).

Glad I got this in before Bastillon comes here with his figures showing how ineffective Chamberlain was...without of course wondering why(in reality he's learned why but hopes everyone else is ignorant to it so that he court public opinion on Chamberlain)

[JordansBulls]

Russell is #1 this year because he won league MVP and the title the same year. Which is the same reason Willis Reed was #1 in 1970.

[ThaRegul8r]

Russell is #1 this year because he won league MVP and the title the same year.

Russell would have been Finals MVP too, had the award existed.

[JordansBulls]

Russell is #1 this year because he won league MVP and the title the same year.

Russell would have been Finals MVP too, had the award existed.

Well he only had to win 2 rounds in the 1st place to win the title anyway.

[Sedale Threatt]

Russell is #1 this year because he won league MVP and the title the same year. Which is the same reason Willis Reed was #1 in 1970.

Rote formulas, FTW.

[JordansBulls]

Russell is #1 this year because he won league MVP and the title the same year. Which is the same reason Willis Reed was #1 in 1970.

Rote formulas, FTW.

Well it is POY right? Which means Player of the Year. Can you explain how a player is not player of the year if he wins the league mvp of the entire league and the title the same year?

[Deus_DJ]

Let me note something from what I said earlier...by the end of the year Chamberlain had recovered from his condition. It was entirely his doing that the 76ers took Boston to 7 games and lost on a bad pass resulting in Havlicek stealing the ball. Chamberlain scored the last 10 points in the game and literally almost made a historic comeback. He may not deserve much props for the regular season because of his condition, but he sure came back in style and almost beat a great Celtics team.

[Manuel Calavera]

Russell is #1 this year because he won league MVP and the title the same year. Which is the same reason Willis Reed was #1 in 1970.

Rote formulas, FTW.

Well it is POY right? Which means Player of the Year. Can you explain how a player is not player of the year if he wins the league mvp of the entire league and the title the same year?

Nope, your logic is infallible.

[Sedale Threatt]

Russell is #1 this year because he won league MVP and the title the same year. Which is the same reason Willis Reed was #1 in 1970.

Rote formulas, FTW.

Well it is POY right? Which means Player of the Year. Can you explain how a player is not player of the year if he wins the league mvp of the entire league and the title the same year?

You voted for Connie Freaking Hawkins at No. 1 using this silly standard.

[JordansBulls]

You voted for Connie Freaking Hawkins at No. 1 using this silly standard.

He dominated his league. What is the problem with that?

[Sedale Threatt]

Yes, a terrible league. But never mind. I let myself get sucked into another game of checkers.

[penbeast0]

The best team in the league is EASILY the NBA champion Celtics and it isn’t close. They are 13 games better than the second best team in the regular season then beat that team 4-1 in the playoffs. Russell is, as always, the heart of the Celtics and the prima facie contender for MVP. Sam Jones (26/5/3 .505 ts%, 29ppg @ .518 playoffs) is clearly the second best player, easily topping Havlicek in minutes, points, efficiency and even rebounds and assists plus finishing tied for 3rd in the league in Defensive Win Shares!

The second best teams are LA and Cincinnati. In LA, West (31/6/5 .572ts%!) outscores Baylor by 4ppg on 4 less shots to be the top Laker. Plus, with Baylor out for the playoffs, West exploded for 41ppg! though his team didn’t have enough to compete with Boston.

In Cincinnati, Lucas looks better than Baylor with his rebounding and higher percentage shooting plus he stays healthy but Oscar is clearly the man (30/9/12 on .561 ts% though his rebounding and shooting percentage slipped a bit in the playoffs)

The other team over .500 in the league was St. Louis in the last year of Bob Pettit’s great career. Pettit was their star but he only played 50 games and slipped to 23/12/3 and was on the bench for their playoff series loss. (though they had Bill Bridges and Paul Silas at PF as well). Their top MVP contender is probably Zelmo Beaty but his numbers just aren’t impressive (17/12/3 in the higher paced 60s).

Otherwise, Wilt got traded halfway through the year though he still put up 35/23/3 on .513ts% -- his worst efficiency since his rookie year. Baltimore got big numbers from its front line of Walt Bellamy/Bailey Howell/Gus Johnson – and were still losers. Really, the contenders are the duos from the Celtics, Lakers, and Royals plus Wilt although the team he came from was the worst in the league (despite Nate Thurmond) and the one he went to was only .500 despite having Greer, Luke Jackson, and Chet Walker among others.

Therefore, my MVP rankings (which is based on contribution to winning) are:
1. Bill Russell
2. Jerry West
Gap
3. Oscar Robertson
4. Sam Jones
5. Wilt -- I think I may have dismissed his numbers too easily as just "wilt being wilt"

[penbeast0]

You voted for Connie Freaking Hawkins at No. 1 using this silly standard.

He dominated his league. What is the problem with that?

HEY! You can insult JB, you can insult Jordan (please do), you can insult Wilt or Shaq, or even Wes Unseld . . . . but rippin on the Hawk in his ABA (or even ABL) years is a cheap shot. He was unjustly kept out of the NBA and dominated every other league he played in. It's a shame we didn't get to see him against NBA competition before his knees gave out.

[Sedale Threatt]

That's all well and good, but there is no way in hell he was the best player in basketball, especially not simply because he dominated what at that point was a bush league. At any rate, that's over and done with. I just fail to see the point of automatically awarding the top spot in large part because they won the MVP, which can be debated in and of itself. It's just lazy.

[ThaRegul8r]

In the 1964-65 season, Russell won his second consecutive rebounding title with 24.1 rebounds per game (1.2 rpg over Wilt Chamberlain), and led the league in minutes played (3,466); he averaged 14.1 points and 5.3 assists (5th in the league [behind Oscar Robertson (11.5), Guy Rodgers (7.2), K.C. Jones (5.6), and Lenny Wilkens (5.5)]) in 43.4 minutes per game (3rd [behind Robertson (45.6) and Chamberlain (45.2)]). Russell led the league in defensive win shares with 14.43—the second-highest ever recorded, and led by 8.2 above runner-up K.C. Jones (6.2), the largest margin in NBA history. Russell narrowly finished second in the league in win shares by 0.08—16.87 to Oscar Robertson’s 16.95, was First Team All-NBA, and NBA Most Valuable Player, leading the Celtics to a 62-18 record. Russell would write, “For years the Celtics used the fast break, but to me the best team we ever had was in 1964-65, where we were so strong on defense” (Go Up For Glory [New York: Medallion, 1966], p. 159).

January 17, 1965, after Boston beat Cincinnati 101-98 for their 14th consecutive victory and 21 of 22, Royals coach Jack McMahon said, “Those old Celtics with Cousy, Sharman, Ramsey and Russell were great, but this team in the greatest. The old Celtics used to beat you with scoring. This Celtics’ team beats you with its defense.”

Russell led the NBA with 13 30-rebound games. Russell had the highest rebounding game, two of the top three, three of the top five, four of the top six, and five of the top ten rebounding games of the season:

49 — Bill Russell, Cincinnati vs. Detroit, March 11, 1965
43 — Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia vs. Boston, March 6, 1965
41 — Bill Russell, Boston vs. San Francisco, March 14, 1965
40 — Wilt Chamberlain, San Francisco vs. Detroit, November 9, 1963
38 — Bill Russell, Boston at New York, January 20, 1965
38 — Bill Russell, Boston vs. Los Angeles, March 3, 1965
37 — Nate Thurmond, San Francisco at Baltimore, October 27, 1964
37 — Walt Bellamy, Baltimore vs. St. Louis, December 4, 1964
37 — Jerry Lucas, Cincinnati at Detroit, January 20, 1965
36 — Bill Russell, Boston vs. Cincinnati, March 21, 1965

Jerry Lucas was voted the most valuable player in the game as the East defeated the West, 124-123, in last night’s National Basketball Association All-Star game at St. Louis. But Lucas said he couldn’t have made his 25 points without the help of Bill Russell.

Lucas, of Cincinnati, said Russell, of Boston, was his set-up man. “Bill helped my shooting accuracy (12 of 19) with his set ups,” said Lucas.

Eastern Division Finals – Boston Celtics (62-18) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (40-40): The Celtics faced the Philadelphia 76ers for the Eastern Division Finals. Before the series, Red Auerbach said that Satch Sanders, who sprained his ankle April 2, was “the key to the Philly series because Russell can’t do it all.” Russell injured his ankle Mar. 16 against the Knicks, Heinsohn was plagued with a foot injury during the season, and John Havlicek had a swollen right hand and injured knee. 76er coach Dolph Schayes said, “My team is better suited to face the Celtics than any in a long time.”

In the series opener, Tom Heinsohn had 23 points, Havlicek 20, Sam Jones 18, Larry Siegfried 13, and Bill Russell had 11 points, a game-high 32 rebounds and six assists as Boston won Game 1 108-98. Wilt Chamberlain led Philadelphia with 33 points and 31 rebounds, “but Boston’s Bill Russell played him in a standstill off the boards and frustrated his scoring bids on numerous occasions” (Herald-Journal, Apr. 4, 1965). Hal Greer had 27, “but the 76ers did not have enough offensive help from the rest of the squad. Boston’s smothering defense was why” (Herald-Journal, Apr. 4, 1965).

“Every game against Chamberlain is three days’ work,” said Russell. “He’s always been so tough to play there’s no talking about degrees” (The Miami News, Apr. 5, 1965).

Philadelphia won Game 2 109-103 behind Chamberlain’s 30 points, 39 rebounds, eight assists and eight blocked shots. “He simply overpowered the Celtics’ Bill Russell, the NBA’s Most Valuable Player” (Ocala Star-Banner, Apr. 7, 1965), who had 12 points, 16 rebounds, and five assists (Reading Eagle, April 7, 1965). Philadelphia coach Dolph Schayes “said Chamberlain was the key to the victory. ‘Anytime a man gives you 39 rebounds and puts up a defense like he did, it gives you an edge over anyone, even Boston. […] There also was his 30 points” (Prescott Evening Courier, Apr. 7, 1965). Hal Greer had 29, Sam Jones led Boston with a game-high 40 points.

Schayes predicted that the 76ers would win “in six or seven games.”

In Game 3, Russell had 19 points, 26 rebounds, eight assists and three steals to lead Boston to a 112-94 win. Russell outscored Chamberlain 15-8 in the first half, holding Chamberlain without a field goal until eight seconds left in the first half, and allowing him seven in the entire game. “The bearded Russell performed what most NBA followers would consider impossible. He limited ‘The Dipper’ to a single field goal in the first half and shut him off from the floor for the first 23 minutes and 47 seconds of play. During that same span, Russell turned shot-maker himself to total 15 points by halftime. Boston’s lead at the intermission was 14 points, making the Russell-Chamberlain figures all the more important” (Reading Eagle, Apr. 9, 1965). “Boston really put us in the hole early the way Russell was getting those offensive rebounds, going to the board and tapping in the ball,” said 76ers coach Dolph Schayes. Russell scored 12 in the first quarter, with two assists, a blocked shot and a steal as Boston led 34-27 (Herald Tribune, Apr. 9, 1965). “Russell really beat us with those tap-ins and he did a great job on the offensive boards,” Chamberlain said. “Heck, yes, he surprised me the way he scored early in the game. But I don’t know what I could do about it” (Eugene Register-Guard, Apr. 9, 1965). Chamberlain led Philadelphia with 24 points and 37 rebounds. “Chamberlain finished ahead 24-19 in the game and 37-26 in rebounds but the damage had been done. Russell had the better shooting average, a 9-7 edge in field goals, 8-1 bulge in assists, and was ahead 3-1 in steals” (Eugene Register-Guard, Apr. 9, 1965).

“This was not the best game for the Celtics,” Boston coach Red Auerbach said. “More guys played better in the first game. Russell did play better. He got a little sleep for the first time this week” (Eugene Register-Guard, Apr. 9, 1965).

Philadelphia won Game 4 134-131 in overtime, after Hal Greer’s 35-foot shot at the buzzer tied the game at 118-118 at the end of regulation. “It was a play set up by Dolph,” said Greer. “It went perfect. I didn’t throw it. It was a shot that went right in, like it should” (Eugene Register-Guard, Apr. 10, 1965). “The 76ers opened a five-point lead in the overtime and stayed on top after breaking a 123-123 tie on Lucious Jackson’s shot from the side” (Kentucky New Era, Apr. 10, 1965). Wilt Chamberlain led Philadelphia with 34 points, 34 rebounds and three assists. Chet Walker had 31, and Hal Greer had 27. Sam Jones led Boston with a game-high 36 points. Tom Heinsohn had 19, John Havlicek and Bill Russell had 18 each—Russell with 25 rebounds, and Satch Sanders had 15.

[On an aside, why do we never hear about Greer's shot? Everyone's seen Jerry West's, and while it would have won the game had a three-pointer existed, and they lost in overtime, Greer's team won the game, so whether there was a three-pointer or not, Game 4 would have ended in a Philly win.]

BOSTON (AP) — Boston Coach Red Auerbach, fuming over what he called a long count basket which evened the series, has guaranteed the Celtics will beat Philadelphia for their ninth straight Easten Division play-off crown.

The vow implies an assurance of a Celtic victory Sunday in the televised National Basketball Association game at Boston Garden. The best-of-seven set is knotted 2-2 after the 76ers won a 134-131 overtime thriller Friday night.

“We will win this thing, I’ll guarantee that,” Auerbach said. “I’m not worried about Philadelphia. They have come about as far as they can go.

“We had the game won Friday night and they took it away from us.”

The controversial 35-foot shot by Hal Greer came off an out of bounds play with one second of play remaining. It tied the score and forced the extra play during which Wilt Chamberlain scored six of his 34 points. He also had 34 rebounds in the game.

Auerbach said it was impossible for Greer to take a pass, turn around, dribble the ball and get off a shot in one second.

“I’m not saying the timer was dishonest, but I guess rooting for the home team he might hesitate,” said the Boston coach.

The Celtics were divided in their opinions as to whether Greer actually bounced the ball or not.

Dolph Schayes, Philadelphia coach, called the Boston beef sour grapes but admitted his club was lucky.

In effect, it now is a best two-of-three situation with Boston still holding the home court edge. This has been strictly a home court series to date.

“But we have the impetus now,” said Schayes. “And I also think the law of averages is with us.

“Wilt and Lucious Jackson haven’t played well for us at Boston yet. They are overdue for a good game on the road. Sunday will be the day.”

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Nobody, but nobody, was talking.

Wilt Chamberlain’s “Sports Illustrated” autobiography—“My Life In A Bush League”—was one of those unmentionables Friday night as his Philadelphia 76er teammates knocked off the Boston Celtics 134-131 in overtime in a National Basketball Assn. Eastern playoff Game.

The 76ers tied the regulation game at 118-all with one second left.

Philadelphia 76er owner Ike Richman chain-padlocked the gate that led to the Philadelphia dressing room in Convention Hall before the game. The press was barred.

“We’ve got a game to play,” Richman said. “We ain’t here to talk.”

He didn’t. Chamberlain didn’t talk afterwards, either. Dolph Schayes whom 7-foot-1 Wilt described as a nice guy but not much of a go-get ’em-leader type.

Chamberlain, in his story, hinted he had coaching ambitions and “would make a pretty good” one.

Chamberlain said in a statement issued by the 76ers before the game—“And I’m saying nothing else about it, baby”—that the article’s title was changed from “My View From The Top” without his knowledge or approval.

He said certain parts of the story “subjected me to uncalled-for embarrassment and humiliation” and added his attorney was checking the possibility of launching a lawsuit.

Richman, incidentally, is Wilt’s legal adviser.

A source close to the 76er management said the article actually wasn’t too bad “but why couldn’t the magazine wait until after the season was finished before publishing it.”

The magazine insisted the article—first of two parts, the second coming next week—“is all accurate.” Bob Ottum did the writing after spending many weeks following Wilt around the league.

Philadelphia and Boston players, in the first blush after reading the article—they clammed up afterward—were highly critical.

Johnny Kerr, a 76er veteran, said, “It looks as though everyone is out of step in basketball but him. I didn’t like it.”

But after Friday night’s thrilling, squeaky win, Kerr practically embraced Chamberlain.
(Eugene Register-Guard, Apr. 10, 1965.)

In Game 5, Bill Russell had 12 points and a game-high 28 rebounds, Sam Jones scored a team-high 29 points, and Tom Heinsohn scored 24 as Boston won 114-108 to take a 3-2 series lead. “Russell outdid his taller nemesis, Philadelphia’s Wilt Chamberlain, in a 114-108 Boston victory Sunday as the Celtics took a 3-2 edge in the best-of-7 series. […] As usual, he conceded scoring superiority to Chamberlain, 30 points to 12 Sunday. But it was Celtics’ Capt. Russell mastering Wilt in rebounds 28-21, blocked shots 12-2, assists, 7-2 and steals 3-0” (The Owosso Argus-Press, Apr. 10, 1965). Chamberlain led Philadelphia with 30 points and 21 rebounds, and Hal Greer had 28. K.C. Jones “hit a spectacular 45-foot desperation shot as the first period buzzer sounded” (St. Petersburg Times, Apr. 11, 1965). Russell fouled out with one second left in the game.

In Game 6, Chamberlain had 30 points and 26 rebounds—playing the last 11:42 with five fouls, as Philadelphia won 112-106 to force a seventh and deciding game. Chamberlain, “hampered by five fouls” (The Tuscaloosa News, Apr. 14, 1965) didn’t score in the fourth quarter, and Boston got within three, at 107-104 with 99 seconds left, but Hal Greer’s one-hander and a free throw by Chet Walker put them out of danger (Eugene Register-Guard, Apr. 14, 1965). Satch Sanders led Boston with 25, Bill Russell had 22 points and 21 rebounds. “Chamberlain finished with 30 points and 26 rebounds and as happened in the two previous games of this playoff at Convention Hall, Chamberlain outplayed Bill Russell of the Celtics in the battle of the big men” (New York Times, Apr. 14, 1965).

The Los Angeles Lakers, who wrapped up the Western Division title, “figure they’ll have a better chance against Philadelphia than against the defending champion Celtics. ‘We can match Philadelphia’s personnel better,’ said forward Rudy LaRusso, ‘but I’m afraid they won’t beat Boston’” (The Evening Independent, Apr. 15, 1965). “Leroy Ellis summed up the Laker feeling when he said: ‘I’d rather play Philadelphia and I’m sure everybody else would. We beat them seven out of 10 times during the season” (Reading Eagle, Apr. 14, 1965). About the seventh game coming down to Boston Garden, where they hadn’t won all season—the Celtics defeating the 76ers fifteen straight times on their home court, Philadelphia coach Dolph Schayes said, “We’re convinced the (Boston) Garden isn’t a jinxed court. It’s just like any other court—94 feet by 50 feet” (The Times-News, Apr. 14, 1965).

In Game 7, Sam Jones scored a game-high 37 points, John Havlicek scored 26, Tom Sanders 18, and Bill Russell had 15 points, 29 rebounds, eight assists and six blocked shots as Boston won 110-109 to win their ninth straight Eastern Division championship. “Consider, if you will, another entry for the ‘only sure things in life.’ Make it death, taxes and the Boston Celtics to win when big money is at stake” (The Deseret News, Apr. 14, 1965).

Boston led 110-107 when Sam Jones misread the clock and committed a 24-second violation. The Celtics let Chamberlain score unimpeded for his 30th point. With five seconds left, Philadelphia’s Johnny Kerr describes what happened:

We were playing the final game in Boston and they had a 3-point lead. Russell takes the ball out under his basket with five seconds to go. We were pressing them, and Russell throws the ball up and hits the guide wire on the backboard and it goes out of bounds. It’s our ball now. Everything was quiet. Auerbach put out his cigar. Heinsohn had fouled out and I think he was on the bench with a jacket over his head. We called a time-out. Schayes was coaching and he said, ‘What are we gonna do, what are we gonna do?’ Someone said, ‘Put John in to set the screen.’ I was out of the game by this time and Chamberlain was in. Everybody said, ‘Give the ball to Wilt.’ But Wilt says, ‘No, they’ll just foul me.’ Everybody just looked at him. So Schayes decided to put him in on the other side of the basket, out of the way. I was to go down to set a screen. Hal Greer was to take the ball out of bounds and throw it to Chet Walker, and then I was to come down and set a screen for Greer, who would just duck behind me, get a pass, and shoot. We’d worked that play out about a hundred times a year. It was a sensational play. So Schayes says, ‘Let’s make the play work for Hal.’ Fine. So I went down and I’m holding both K.C. Jones and Sam Jones down low, by their jerseys, and the ball goes over my head and I hear 13,909 fans screaming at the old Boston Garden because suddenly Havlicek is dribbling away with the ball. He’d intercepted the pass and was running away with it.

“I couldn’t believe it when Johnny Havlicek got that ball,” Boston coach Red Auerbach said. “I couldn’t believe it. I lost my voice” (The Free Lance-Star, Apr. 16, 1965).

“Sam Jones is a great player, he knows what to do with the ball,” said Philadelphia coach Dolph Schayes. “But Havlicek won the game for them. He made the key shots and then made the steal” (The Free Lance-Star, Apr. 16, 1965). “As soon as Greer let the ball go I knew it would be intercepted” (Tri City Herald, Apr. 16, 1965).

Wilt Chamberlain led Philadelphia with 30 points (12-15 FG, 6-13 FT) and 32 rebounds, 76er reserve forward Dave Gambee had 25, and Chet Walker had 24. “Chamberlain had the edge in scoring 30-15 and rebounds 32-29 while arch-rival Russell was ahead in blocked shots 6-1 and assists 8-2” (The Free Lance-Star, Apr. 16, 1965).

“The 7-1 Philly pivotman probably played what was his greatest series against the Celtics and almost realized a career ambition: to play on an NBA championship outfit” (Daytona Beach Morning Journal, Apr. 17, 1965).

“I’m thinking about retiring, yes,” Chamberlain said afterwards. “I’m certainly not looking forward to next year. I’ve lost some bad ones this year. The outcome loss of this game may have something to do with my decision. I haven’t made up my mind definitely about it yet and I don’t know when I will. I’ve got to go to the hospital first. I’ve got to talk to my doctor” (Tri City Herald, Apr. 16, 1965). “Wilt repeatedly turned aside questions aimed to pinning down the reason for his hospital visit. However, it is known he has had severe stomach disorders during the season.”

Philadelphia coach Dolph Schayes predicted the Celtics to sweep the Lakers. Hal Greer added, “Nothing to it. We’d beat the Lakers if we were to meet them. The Eastern Division series was really the one for the championship” (Toledo Blade, Apr. 18, 1965).

[ThaRegul8r]

NBA Finals – Boston Celtics (62-18) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (49-31): Elgin Baylor hurt his left knee in a “freak injury” four minutes into the Lakers’ first game of the Western Division playoffs against Baltimore, and underwent knee surgery at Daniel Freeman hospital, where “the uppermost layer of fibrous matter of his kneecap” was removed, as well as a tendon attached to it (The Tuscaloosa News, Apr. 5, 1965). Team physician Dr. Robert Kerlan said that part of Baylor’s kneecap was detached by the fall, and one-eighth of the cartilage was removed. Jerry West averaged 46.3 points a game against Baltimore to lead LA into the Finals. “Los Angeles should be easier after Philadelphia and that Wilt Chamberlain,” said Tommy Heinsohn. “But all playoffs are tough. We’ve got to be careful not to have a letdown after the 76ers finish” (The Free Lance-Star, Apr. 16, 1965).

LOS ANGELES (AP)—“Defense is the key to the Boston Celtics’ success,” said Los Angeles Laker Jerry West Thursday night.

“There’s no question about it,” West said. “Boston deserved to win because they played better defense.”

The defending champion Celtics beat Philadelphia, 110-109, for its ninth straight Eastern Division title and will begin a best-of-seven game series with the Lakers Sunday in Boston.

“BOSTON CAN apply the defensive pressure and Bill Russell in the hole makes a big difference,” he said. “They are a tremendous defensive team.”

West, hero of the Lakers Western Division series win over Baltimore while averaging 46.3 points a game, watched the Celtic-76er game on television.

“I was rooting for Philadelphia,” he said. “We could match them better personnel-wise.”

WEST, WHO scored despite being heavily guarded by Baltimore’s Wally Jones and several others, expects to be guarded by another Jones boy—K. C. Jones.

Does West think the Celts will use more than one man to cover him?

“I’M SURE they’re not particularly worried about me,” he said.

West viewed the Celtic win with mixed emotions.

“I’m glad they did win in a way. If they didn’t, it would seem like they were cheated,” he said, referring to Boston’s seasonal record which was best in the National Basketball Association.

Boston won Game 1 142-110, Sam Jones leading Boston with 25 points, John Havlicek with 22, Larry Siegfried with 19, Russell with 18 points and 28 rebounds, and K.C. Jones with 17 points and eight assists. K.C. Jones also held Jerry West to six points in the first half, where Boston took a 64-49 lead. “K. C. Jones played a whale of a game,” said West, who finished with 26 points. “They talk about Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain as the great ones, but he belongs in that class” (Toledo Blade, Apr. 19, 1965). “With the versatile K. C. at the throttle Boston took a 32-23 first period lead. In the first 12 minutes K. C. had 11 points, including fullcourt lay-up drives after two of his three steals, set up four other baskets, intercepted a pass and held West to two points” (The Spokesman-Review, Apr. 18, 1965). The Celtics’ 142 points set an NBA Finals record which would stand until 1985, and their 78 second-half points also set a record. Russell sat down with 9:48 left to play (The Spokesman-Review, Apr. 18, 1965).

Boston won Game 2 129-123, Russell leading the way with 23 points (10-11 FG) and game-highs of 25 rebounds and 10 assists. “Russell played his usual great game,” said Jerry West. “You just don’t get those tap-ins with Russell in there. Too many teams make the mistake of trying to drive through the middle on Boston and Russell’s always there.” Boston set a Finals record with five players scoring 20 or more points, John Havlicek leading Boston with a team-high 24 with six rebounds, Satch Sanders scored 23 with 10 rebounds and four assists, Tom Heinsohn 22 with nine rebounds, and Sam Jones 20 with five rebounds and three assists. Jerry West led LA with a game-high 45 points, five rebounds and five assists. “I didn’t feel the Boston defense played me differently in the second game,” West said. “I just shot better” (Herald-Tribune, Apr. 21, 1965). Boston led 62-60 at the half, but outscored the Lakers 39-29 in the third quarter, Satch Sanders scoring 13 with a pair of assists, Russell scoring 10, and Heinsohn scoring eight with a pair of assists (The Spokesman-Review, Apr. 21, 1965). Laker coach Fred Schaus called the Celtics “the greatest basketball team ever assembled anywhere.” “The Celtics are great because their defense is great, and defense is the name of the game,” Schaus said. “In K.C. Jones, Bill Russell, and Tom Sanders, the Celtics have got the greatest defensive men in those positions in the history of the game” (Toledo Blade, Apr. 19, 1965). “Boston put the game away in the start of the fourth quarter as they opened their fast break, with Russell batting a blocked shot directly to Sam Jones who fed John Havlicek the length of the court for a layup” (The Spokesman-Review, Apr. 21, 1965). “I feel a little better but I’ll never feel good until it’s over,” said Auerbach. “Heinsohn had one of his really good games. And Russell was his usual good self. Sam was a little off [9-23 FG] and K.C. wasn’t shooting like he was Sunday. This was a team effort. We played well but not really well.”

LA won Game 3 126-105, West with 43 points (13-25 FG) and 12 rebounds, LeRoy Ellis with 29 and 16, and Gene Wiley with a game-high 28 rebounds and 11 points. “It’s anybody’s playoff now,” said Laker coach Fred Schaus. “We have a good chance to win tonight and then it’s just a best of three series.” Sam Jones had 35 for Boston (12-26 FG, 13-15 FT), John Havlicek had 15 (6-23 FG), and Russell 14 (6-8 FG) and 19 rebounds. “Boston was forsaken by the usually reliable outside shooting of Sam Jones, Willie Naulls, Tom Sanders, and John Havlicek. The Celtics shot only 20 per cent from the floor in the opening period and totaled just 30 per cent for the entire half.” Tom Heinsohn, Satch Sanders, and K.C. Jones all fouled out in the fourth quarter (The Spokesman-Review, Apr. 21, 1965). Boston shot 33.0% to LA’s 47.8%, and were outrebounded 79-38. Outside of Russell, Boston shot 29.7 percent.

Boston won Game 4 112-98 to take a 3-1 series lead. Sam Jones led Boston with 37 points (16-27 FG), and five other Celtics were in double figures: Tom Heinsohn with 17, Satch Sanders with 15 (with 12 rebounds), K.C. Jones with 14, Bill Russell with 12 (on 4-6 FG) along with a game-high 23 rebounds, and John Havlicek with 12. Leroy Ellis led LA with 24 points, and Jerry West had 22—his lowest point total of the series—on 6-for-27 (22.2%) shooting. West was held to two points by K.C. Jones in the first quarter before scoring 11 in the second. Boston shot 42.5 percent to LA’s 41.9 percent, and outside of Jones and Russell—who were 20-for-33 (60.6%)—shot 34.3 percent.

In Game 5, Boston led by 16 after three and made a playoff-record 21 field goals in the fourth quarter, scoring an NBA Finals record 42 points (equaled by Portland in 1977 and surpassed by Philadelphia in 1982), and put on a 20-0 run to bury the Lakers 129-96 to finish the series. “Russell, a defensive master turned scorer in the early going, […] set the tone for a fifth game wrapup of the best-of-seven series.” Russell led the way with a team-high 22 points (6-9 FG, 10-12 FT), 30 rebounds and four assists before leaving to an ovation with six minutes left. In the second quarter he “scored 17 of his 22 points, grabbed 19 rebounds, made three assists, blocked three shots, and forced many Laker misses as Boston built a 57-48 halftime lead” (Herald-Journal, 26 Apr 1965). Russell’s 19 second quarter rebounds set an NBA playoff record for most rebounds in a quarter. “In the third period, Russell had four big assists while the Jones boys, Sam and K.C., scored 10 points each” (Herald-Journal, 26 Apr 1965).

“This is the greatest team I ever saw,” said Laker coach Fred Schaus. “That Boston four-man defensive press and then to find Russell waiting for you under the basket — that’s a helluva sight.” Sam Jones tied Russell for the team lead with 22 points (10-19 FG), K.C. Jones had a career-high 20 points (9-16 FG) and nine assists, John Havlicek 18 points and seven rebounds, and Satch Sanders 16 and 7. West led LA with 33 points (13-25 FG).

“I said before that this was the best defensive team I’ve had,” Boston coach Red Auerbach said. “I’m saying now it’s the greatest team. Look what this team did. It won a record 62 games for the season. It went through the playoffs like champions. There will never be a tougher series than the Philadelphia playoffs and then we came through like real champions in the fourth quarter against Los Angeles” (The Palm Beach Post, Apr. 27, 1965).

Russell was poked in the eye by Jerry West, and eye specialist Dr. Baruch Sachs said that internal hemorrhaging had occurred.

Russell set a Finals record for highest field-goal percentage in a 5-game series, shooting 70.2 percent, concluding a postseason in which he shot a career playoff-high 52.7 percent.

[fatal9]

Warriors record was 11-33 when they traded Wilt (1-5 in the games he missed, 10-28 overall with him), Sixers were 21-20 when they acquired him (they finished 40-40). Wilt averaged 39/24/3 on 50% during his time with the Warriors, if he was being held back due to injury, it didn't show statistically, or his play later on in the playoffs. After Warriors were winning more games the following season, there was an article I came across that commented on Wilt's Warrior season in '65 here: http://news.google.ca/newspapers?id=hTo ... 82,2609266. It's not very flattering.

That said, I think Wilt will make my top 5, unless the other candidates are just too strong, he played really well in the playoffs. Averaged 30.1 ppg, 31.4 rpg, 3.3 apg vs. Celtics on what seems like good efficiency, led Sixers to within a game of beating the Celtics. I do think the whole luck factor is overstated for this series, people wonder, what if Hondo didn't steal the ball? Well, what if Hal Greer didn't make a 35 footer at the buzzer in game 4 (tied series)? Then the series likely ends in 5. It goes both ways. Wilt also seemed to play well defensively in this series, which is theme from most of the recaps I have read. Aside from game 3 of the Royal series (had only 17/15/6, 6/19 shooting...he shot 55% in rest of the playoffs, which is why I assume he had a good shooting series vs. Celtics), he played well overall.

Some stats from Sixers vs. Celtics, recaps already posted above by reg but I wanted to bold some crazy statlines.

pts/rebs/asts/blks/stls (FGA/FGM)

G1: Wilt - 33/31/3/6 (?/?). Russell – 11/32/6. Celtics win.
G2: 30/39/8/8 (?/?). Russell – 12/16/5. Russell had 6 blks combined in the first two games. Sixers win.
G3: 24/37/1 (7/?, 10/15). Russell 19/26/8. Celtics win.
G4: 34/34/3 (11/?, 12/20). Russell – 18/?/?. Sixers win.
G5: 30/21/2/2/0 (13/?, 4/8 ). Russell – 12/28/7/12/3. Celtics win.
G6: 30/26/4 (13/?, 4/8). Plays fourth quarter with 5 fouls. Russell had 22/21. Sixers win.
G7: 30/32/2/10 (12/15, 6/13). Russell 15/29/9/6 (7/16).

[ThaRegul8r]

Some stats from Sixers vs. Celtics, recaps already posted above by reg but I wanted to bold some crazy statlines.

pts/rebs/asts/blks/stls (FGA/FGM)

[...]

G7: 30/32/2/10 (12/15, 6/13). Russell 15/29/9/6 (7/16).

Where'd the 10 blocks for Chamberlain come from? Multiple sources corroborate he had one:

“Chamberlain had the edge in scoring 30-15 and rebounds 32-29 while arch-rival Russell was ahead in blocked shots 6-1 [...].”

There's quite a difference between 1 and 10.