1962 NBA Finals

1962 NBA finals
Dates	April 7–18
Hall of Famers	Celtics:; Carl Braun (2019); Bob Cousy (1971); Tom Heinsohn (1986 as player, 2015 as coach); K. C. Jones (1989); Sam Jones (1984); Frank Ramsey (1982); Bill Russell (1975); Lakers:; Elgin Baylor (1977); Jerry West (1980); Coaches:; Red Auerbach (1969); Officials:; Mendy Rudolph (2007); Earl Strom (1995)
Eastern finals	Celtics defeated Warriors, 4–3
Western finals	Lakers defeated Pistons, 4–2

The 1962 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1962 NBA Playoffs, which concluded the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 1961–62 season. The best-of-seven series was played between the Western Division champion Los Angeles Lakers and Eastern Division champion Boston Celtics. This was the Celtics' sixth straight trip to the Finals, and they won the best-of-seven series in Game 7, 110–107 in overtime. It was the second time in NBA history and the most recent Finals in which the series was decided by overtime in Game 7. The only other Finals series decided in overtime in the seventh game was the 1957 Finals.

Series summary

Game	Date	Home team	Result	Road team
Game 1	April 7	Boston Celtics	122–108 (1–0)	Los Angeles Lakers
Game 2	April 8	Boston Celtics	122–129 (1–1)	Los Angeles Lakers
Game 3	April 10	Los Angeles Lakers	117–115 (2–1)	Boston Celtics
Game 4	April 11	Los Angeles Lakers	103–115 (2–2)	Boston Celtics
Game 5	April 14	Boston Celtics	121–126 (2–3)	Los Angeles Lakers
Game 6	April 16	Los Angeles Lakers	105–119 (3–3)	Boston Celtics
Game 7	April 18	Boston Celtics	110–107 (OT)^[1] (4–3)	Los Angeles Lakers

Celtics win series 4–3

Team rosters

Boston Celtics

Los Angeles Lakers

Records

During the series, Lakers forward Elgin Baylor scored a Finals record 61 points in Game 5 and 284 points total in the series. Celtics center Bill Russell set a still-standing record for rebounds in a 7-game series with 189, and tied his own record for rebounds in a single game with 40 in Game 7.^[2]

The potential championship-winner bounces off the rim

In the last 5 seconds of regulation in Game 7, Los Angeles’ Frank Selvy missed an open 12-footer from the baseline that would have won the championship for the Lakers and ended the Celtics dynasty.^[3] Instead, the game went into overtime in which the Celtics won the game and thus the title. For the Lakers, it would start the pattern of not winning the big games in the NBA Finals, something that lasted until 1972 when the Lakers finally won their first title in Los Angeles. The Lakers would not defeat the Celtics in the NBA Finals until 1985, where they clinched the title at Boston Garden; the Lakers would lose to the Celtics in the Finals in 1963, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1984 and 2008. After the 1985 Finals, the Lakers would beat the Celtics in the NBA Finals again in 1987 and 2010, both times in Los Angeles.

References

^ "Los Angeles Lakers at Boston Celtics Box Score, April 18, 1962". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved February 18, 2012.
^ The Official NBA Basketball Encyclopedia. Villard Books. 1994. pp. 413–414, 416. ISBN 0-679-43293-0.
^ "1962 NBA Finals. Frank Selvy's Shot". Youtube. Archived from the original on December 14, 2021.

Other sources

"1961-62 NBA Season Summary", basketball-reference.com. Retrieved March 28, 2014.

External links

Sports Illustrated (April 30, 1962) Too Much To Beat This Year
1962 Finals at NBA.com
1962 NBA Playoffs at Basketball-Reference.com

[basketballref-1] "Los Angeles Lakers at Boston Celtics Box Score, April 18, 1962". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved February 18, 2012.

[encyc-2] The Official NBA Basketball Encyclopedia. Villard Books. 1994. pp. 413–414, 416. ISBN 0-679-43293-0.

[3] "1962 NBA Finals. Frank Selvy's Shot". Youtube. Archived from the original on December 14, 2021.

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