1969 NBA Finals Game 7 vs Boston Celtics

Lore & Background

In Game 7, Lakers owner Jack Kent Cooke had ordered thousands of balloons with 'World Champion Lakers' printed on them suspended from the rafters of the Forum. Flyers were placed in every seat stating, 'When, not if, the Lakers win the title, balloons will be released from the rafters, the USC marching band will play "Happy Days Are Here Again" and broadcaster Chick Hearn will interview Elgin Baylor, Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain in that order.' Before the game, the Celtics circulated a memo about the Lakers' celebration plans. Jerry West became furious with Cooke upon seeing the balloons. Russell noted the giant net and said to West, 'Those fucking balloons are staying up there.' With only two true guards on the Laker roster and West still feeling the effects of a hamstring pull, Celtics coach Russell ordered his players to fast break at every opportunity. Los Angeles shot poorly early, and the Celtics led 24–12 after the first quarter, 59–56 at halftime, and 91–76 after the third quarter. Early in the fourth quarter, Chamberlain incurred his fifth foul. With just over 5 minutes remaining and the Lakers trailing 103–94, Chamberlain landed awkwardly when grabbing a rebound and came to the bench with an injured knee. Behind backup center Mel Counts, the Lakers cut the lead to 103–102 with two minutes left. Chamberlain then informed Van Breda Kolff that he was ready to return, but the coach told him 'we're doing fine without you,' and Chamberlain stayed on the bench.

In Their Own Story

Jerry West dribbled upcourt, his legs feeling like lead weights, his jersey plastered to his skin. He glanced toward the bench where Wilt sat, hands on knees, gasping for air. In double overtime with the score knotted, West drove into the paint, absorbing a collision from Sam Jones and John Havlicek before launching a fading jumper that clanged off the iron. The rebound tipped wildly through chaos until the final buzzer sounded. He had done everything humanly possible, yet the championship remained agonizingly out of reach.

Reader's Guide

The game did not go to double overtime; it went to a single overtime, with the final score 108-106 in regulation and the Celtics winning in overtime. The claim that the Lakers built a massive 20-point lead during regulation is incorrect; the Lakers led by as many as 17 points in the first half. The statement that John Havlicek secured two crucial free throws in the second overtime is false; there was no second overtime, and Havlicek's free throws occurred in the single overtime period. The claim that this victory marked the Boston Celtics' final NBA championship until 1984 is incorrect; the Celtics won in 1974 and 1976 before 1984.

Did You Know?

• The Celtics became the first team in NBA history to overcome a 2–0 series deficit to win the championship.
• Jerry West won the Finals MVP award despite being on the losing team, the only time this has happened in NBA Finals history.
• This was the first year a Finals MVP award was given.
• The Celtics remain the only 4th seed team to win the Finals and the second-lowest seeded team overall to win the Finals after the Houston Rockets in 1995.
• This series marked the first time in NBA Finals history that a Game 7 was won by the road team.