1971–72 Los Angeles Lakers season

NBA season
team = Los Angeles Lakers
misc = NBA Champions
end_year = 1972
wins = 69
losses = 13
division = Pacific
division_place = 1
conf_place = 1
coach = Bill Sharman
arena = Great Western Forum
owners = Jack Kent Cooke
television =
radio =
playoffs = NBA Champions
bbr_team = LAL

The highlight of the Los Angeles Lakers season was winning their first NBA Title since moving to Los Angeles. The Lakers beat the New York Knicks in five games to win the title, after going 69-13 during the regular-season, an NBA record that stood for 24 seasons.

Offseason

NBA Draft

Regular season

Since moving to Los Angeles, the Lakers were repeatedly foiled by the Boston Celtics in their attempts to capture an NBA title. The Lakers lost the championship to them six times in eight years. In 1972, the Lakers strung together a record 33-game win streak under Coach of the Year Bill Sharman.

eason standings

Player stats

"Note: GP= Games played; FGPCT= Field goal percentage; FTPCT = Free throw percentage; REB = Rebounds; ASST = Assists; PTS = Points; PPG = Points per Game"

NBA Finals

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.

Award Winners

* Bill Sharman, NBA Coach of the Year
* Jerry West, All-NBA First Team
* Jerry West, All-NBA Defensive First Team
*Wilt Chamberlain, All-NBA Defensive First Team

References

* [http://www.databasebasketball.com/teams/teamyear.htm?yr=1971&tm=LAL&lg=N Lakers on Database Basketball]
* [http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAL/1972.html Lakers on Basketball Reference]

Navbox
name = Los Angeles Lakers 1971-72 NBA champions
titlestyle = background:#5c2f83; color:#fcb926;
title = Los Angeles Lakers 1971-72 NBA Champions
list1 =

5 McMillian !11 Cleamons !12 Riley !13 Chamberlain (Finals MVP) !14 Ellis !21 Robinson !24 Erickson !25 Goodrich !31 Trapp !44 West !52 Hairston !Head Coach Sharman