The 1970 Los Angeles Lakers were a team that was ready to bring the city of L.A. their first NBA Championship. Led by Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, and Wilt Chamberlain, they were as stacked as any team the NBA had ever seen.
Despite an early-season injury to Chamberlain, he would return just before the start of the playoffs and help lead the Lakers to the NBA Finals where they would square off with Willis Reed, Walt Frazier and the New York Knicks.
On May 6, 1970, the Lakers were facing elimination with Game 6 at home, but they made sure this series would go to a decisive Game 7, and made some history along the way.
The Lakers dominated the Knicks for a 135-113 win. As a team they shot 60.6 percent from the field, setting an NBA Finals record that would last 15 years. They also totaled 44 assists, setting another Finals record that has only been matched by the 1987 Lakers.
The field goal percentage record was undoubtedly sparked by Chamberlain, who made a ridiculous 20 of his 27 shots on his way to 45 points and 27 rebounds. Guard Dick Garrett also helped matters by knocking down nine of his 11 shots from the field.
The assists were, of course, led by West who totaled 13 of them to go along with his 33 points. Four other Lakers would dish out at least five and all but three players who saw the floor had at least one. Everything was a true team effort.
Lakers would lose Game 7
Unfortunately for the Lakers they would ultimately come up short in that Game 7. Of course that was the famous ‘Willis Reed Game’ in which the Knicks center who wasn’t expected to play, limped out on the floor and hit the first two shots of the game to spark the Knicks to victory.
Even still, this Lakers squad was a talented group as they showed on this day 48 years ago in setting multiple NBA Finals records.
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