Wilt Chamberlain Lakers Championship 1972

Lore & Background

During the previous season (1971–1972), the Lakers had posted the longest winning streak in NBA history with 33 straight victories. In the 1972 NBA Finals, the Lakers defeated the New York Knicks in five games to win their sixth NBA Championship. However, even though the Lakers managed to make it to the NBA Finals for a second consecutive time, they proved unable to repeat as champions. The Knicks defeated them in five games. Following the season, Wilt Chamberlain retired.

In Their Own Story

The air inside The Forum was thick with anticipation as the Lakers prepared for Game 5 against New York. Wilt Chamberlain stood under the basket, wiping sweat from his brow, knowing this was likely his final shot at a title. As the Knicks pressed, looking to force a sixth game back in New York, Wilt caught an entry pass near the baseline. With a gentle but unstoppable hook shot over two defenders, he sent the ball soaring into the net. The buzzer sounded shortly after, sealing the victory and sending the crowd into a frenzy that echoed the roar of a true dynasty.

Reader's Guide

The defending champion Lakers returned intact, albeit another year older. They staged another season-long battle for best record in the Western Conference with the Milwaukee Bucks. Both teams ended up with 60–22 records and they split their regular season matchups, winning three games apiece. At the time, the NBA had no tiebreaking formula beyond head-to-head record. In a special league meeting, they attempted to schedule a tiebreaking game between the two teams. However, the players' union intervened and demanded the players be paid an extra 1/82 share of the salaries; the owners objected so ultimately the tie was broken by a coin flip, which was won by Milwaukee.

Did You Know?

• The 1972 Lakers' 69-13 season record was broken by the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls (72-10), not the 1985-86 Bulls.
• Wilt Chamberlain was not the first official NBA Finals MVP; the award was first given in 1969 to Jerry West, and Chamberlain won it in 1972.
• This was Chamberlain's second NBA championship (not fourth), and his only title with the Lakers; he previously won one with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1967.
• The Lakers did not sweep the Knicks; the series result was 4-1, as correctly stated in the STATS section, but the DID YOU KNOW section says 'sweeping their way back to the top.'
• The Lakers' fourth title in six years is incorrect; the Lakers won titles in 1972, 1980, 1982, 1985, etc. They had not won a championship since moving to Los Angeles before 1972 (their only previous L.A. Finals appearanc