1973 NBA Finals

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1973 NBA finals
TeamCoachWins
New York Knicks Red Holzman 4
Los Angeles Lakers Bill Sharman 1
DatesMay 1–10
MVP
Willis Reed
(New York Knicks)
Hall of FamersKnicks:
Jerry Lucas (1980)
Willis Reed (1982)
Bill Bradley (1983)
Dave DeBusschere (1983)
Walt Frazier (1987)
Earl Monroe (1990)
Phil Jackson (2007, as a coach)
Dick Barnett (2024)
Lakers:
Wilt Chamberlain (1979)
Jerry West (1980)
Gail Goodrich (1996)
Pat Riley (2008, as a coach)
Coaches:
Red Holzman (1986)
Bill Sharman (2004)
Officials:
Darell Garretson (2016)
Mendy Rudolph (2007)
Eastern finalsKnicks defeated Celtics, 4–3
Western finalsLakers defeated Warriors, 4–1
← 1972
NBA finals
 1974 →

The 1973

NBA Finals MVP
.

Background

Los Angeles Lakers

Main article: 1972–73 Los Angeles Lakers season

The Los Angeles Lakers entered the

1973 NBA Playoffs as co-favorites in the West with the Milwaukee Bucks, but both teams faced inspired opponents in the first round. The Chicago Bulls gave the Lakers all they could handle before the Lakers came from behind in Game 7 to take the series. The Lakers next faced the Golden State Warriors
for the Western Conference championship (the Warriors had upset the Bucks in six games). In Game 1, the Lakers won by 2, and in Game 2 the Lakers won by 10. In Game 3 at Oakland, the Lakers routed the Warriors 126–70, but the Warriors won Game 4 to send the series back to Los Angeles. In the Forum, the Lakers took Game 5 and advanced to their fifth NBA Finals series in six seasons.

New York Knicks

Main article: 1972–73 New York Knicks season

One year after their NBA Finals loss, the Knicks were back in the playoffs. For some of the Knicks, including Jerry Lucas and Earl Monroe, this was probably their last shot at an NBA title. In the first round they paired against the Baltimore Bullets. The Knicks won games 1 and 2 in New York, but lost Game 3 at Baltimore (in that game, the Bullets used a strange lineup of two centers and three guards). New York would take Games 4 and 5 and Walt Frazier averaged 20 points per game in this series. In the Conference Finals, the Knicks faced the 68–14 Boston Celtics, who not only had the league's best record but also, to that point, the third-best won-lost record in NBA history. The Celtics routed New York, 134–108, Game 1 at the Boston Garden, but the Knicks returned the favor with a 129–96 rout in Game 2 at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks then beat the Celtics in Game 3 in Boston, and took a 3–1 series lead with a double overtime Easter Sunday win back in New York. Boston came back with two critical wins, winning 98–97 in Boston on two Paul Silas free throws, then regaining the home-court advantage with a 110–100 win at New York in Game 6. For Game 7, however, the Celtics were without their star John Havlicek, who was nursing an elbow injury. In that Game 7, played in Boston, the Celtics unbeaten record in seventh games played in Boston Garden was snapped when New York won easily, 94–78.

Road to the Finals

Main article:
1973 NBA Playoffs
Los Angeles Lakers (Western Conference champion) New York Knicks (Eastern Conference champion)
#
Western Conference
Team W L PCT
1 z-Milwaukee Bucks 60 22 .732
2 y-Los Angeles Lakers 60 22 .732
3 x-Chicago Bulls 51 31 .622
4 x-Golden State Warriors 47 35 .573
5 Detroit Pistons 40 42 .488
6 Phoenix Suns 38 44 .463
7
Kansas City–Omaha Kings
 36 46 .439
8 Seattle SuperSonics 26 56 .317
9 Portland Trail Blazers 21 61 .256
2nd seed in the West, 3rd best league record 		Regular season
#
Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT
1 z-Boston Celtics 68 14 .829
2 x-New York Knicks 57 25 .695
3 y-Baltimore Bullets 52 30 .634
4 x-Atlanta Hawks 46 36 .561
5 Houston Rockets 33 49 .402
6 Cleveland Cavaliers 32 50 .390
7 Buffalo Braves 21 61 .256
8 Philadelphia 76ers 9 73 .110
2nd seed in the East, 4th best league record
Defeated the (3) Chicago Bulls, 4–3 Division Semifinals Defeated the (2)
Baltimore Bullets
, 4–1
Defeated the (4) Golden State Warriors, 4–1 Division Finals Defeated the (1) Boston Celtics, 4–3

Series summary

After losing the first game, the Knicks reeled off four straight wins to reclaim the NBA title. This is the Knicks' most recent NBA Championship to date. New York would not make it back to the NBA Finals until 1994.

This would also be the last Finals appearance of the decade for the Lakers. Their next appearance would be in 1980, which would be the first of nine Finals appearances in 12 years for the franchise.

Game Date Home team Result Road team
Game 1 May 1 Los Angeles Lakers 115–112 (1–0) New York Knicks
Game 2 May 3 Los Angeles Lakers 95–99 (1–1) New York Knicks
Game 3 May 6 New York Knicks 87–83 (2–1) Los Angeles Lakers
Game 4 May 8 New York Knicks 103–98 (3–1) Los Angeles Lakers
Game 5 May 10 Los Angeles Lakers 93–102 (1–4) New York Knicks

Knicks win series 4-1

This was the only NBA Championship for Jerry Lucas and Earl Monroe.

Game 5 of the series was Wilt Chamberlain's last game played in the NBA. Chamberlain scored the last points of the game, and of his career, on an uncontested fast break dunk with one second remaining.

ABC televised its last NBA Finals, until 2003. This is, to date, the last time a New York/Los Angeles NBA Finals of any combination has taken place, as well as the fifth-to-last championship series contested by both cities in any sport (the 1981 World Series is the last matchup in the 20th century, and the 2024 World Series is the latest).

Game summaries

Game 1

May 1
New York Knicks 112, Los Angeles Lakers 115
Scoring by quarter: 26–29, 23–30, 30–36, 33–20
Pts: Dave DeBusschere 25
Rebs: Dave DeBusschere 16
Asts: Walt Frazier
8		 Pts: Gail Goodrich 30
Rebs: Wilt Chamberlain 20
Asts: Wilt Chamberlain 6
Los Angeles leads series, 1–0

Game 2

May 3
New York Knicks 99, Los Angeles Lakers 95
Scoring by quarter: 24–23, 26–23, 26–26, 23–23
Pts: Bill Bradley 26
Rebs: DeBusschere, Reed 9 each
Asts: Jerry Lucas
5		 Pts: Jerry West 32
Rebs: Wilt Chamberlain 20
Asts: Goodrich, West 5
Series tied, 1–1

Game 3

May 6
Los Angeles Lakers 83, New York Knicks 87
Scoring by quarter: 24–26, 23–18, 13–25, 23–18
Pts: Jim McMillian 22
Rebs: Wilt Chamberlain 13
Asts
: Wilt Chamberlain 5		 Pts: Willis Reed 22
Rebs: Dave DeBusschere 11
Asts: Earl Monroe 6
New York leads series, 2–1
Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York
Attendance: 19,694
Referees: Jack Madden, Don Murphy

Game 4

May 8
Los Angeles Lakers 98, New York Knicks 103
Scoring by quarter: 16–29, 28–26, 25–27, 29–21
Pts: Goodrich, West 23
Rebs: Wilt Chamberlain 19
Asts: Bill Bridges
7		 Pts: Dave DeBusschere 33
Rebs: Dave DeBusschere 14
Asts: Walt Frazier 8
New York leads series, 3–1

Game 5

May 10
New York Knicks 102, Los Angeles Lakers 93
Scoring by quarter: 23–16, 16–25, 32–18, 31–34
Pts: Earl Monroe 23
Rebs: Willis Reed 12
Asts
: Willis Reed 7		 Pts: Gail Goodrich 28
Rebs: Wilt Chamberlain 21
Asts: Jerry West 4
New York wins NBA Finals, 4–1
The Forum, Inglewood, California
Attendance: 17,505
Referees: Don Murphy, Darell Garretson

Team rosters

New York Knicks

1972–73 New York Knicks roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Player Height Weight DOB From
SG 12 Dick Barnett 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1936–10–02 Tennessee State
PG 17 Henry Bibby 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1949–11–24 UCLA
SF 24 Bill Bradley 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1943–07–28 Princeton
PF
 		22 Dave DeBusschere 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1940–10–16 Detroit Mercy
PG 10 Walt Frazier 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1945–03–29 Southern Illinois
C 40 John Gianelli 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1950–06–10 Pacific
PF
 		18 Phil Jackson 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1945–09–17 North Dakota
PF
 		32 Jerry Lucas 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1940–03–30 Ohio State
SG 7 Dean Meminger 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1948–05–13 Marquette
SG 15 Earl Monroe 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1944–11–21 Winston-Salem State
C 19 Willis Reed 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1942–06–25 Grambling State
C 6 Tom Riker 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1950–02–28 South Carolina
F
 		43 Harthorne Wingo 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1947–09–09 Friendship College
Head coach
Assistant(s)
Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Roster
Updated: 1973–05–10

Los Angeles Lakers

1972–73 Los Angeles Lakers roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Player Height Weight DOB From
PF
 		32 Bill Bridges 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 228 lb (103 kg) 1939-04-04 Kansas
C 30 Roger Brown 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1950-02-23 Kansas
C 13 Wilt Chamberlain 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) 275 lb (125 kg) 1936-08-21 Kansas
C 31 Mel Counts 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1941-10-16 Oregon State
C 14
Leroy Ellis
 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1940-03-10 St. John's
SF 24 Keith Erickson 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1944-04-19 UCLA
SG 25 Gail Goodrich 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1943-04-23 UCLA
SF 33 Travis Grant 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1950-01-01 Kentucky State
PF
 		52 Happy Hairston 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 255 lb (116 kg) 1942-05-31 NYU
SF 5 Jim McMillian 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1948-03-11 Columbia
PG 15 Jim Price 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1949-11-27 Louisville
SG 12 Pat Riley 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1945-03-20 Kentucky
SG 21 Flynn Robinson 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1941-04-28 Wyoming
SF 31
John Trapp
 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1945-10-02 UNLV
PF
 		30 Bill Turner 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1944-02-18 Akron
PG 44 Jerry West 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1938-05-28 West Virginia
Head coach
Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Roster
Updated: 2013-03-22

See also

References

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