Simulated 1969 NBA Finals

 1969

Actual Result: Aside from the '67 Sixers win, Boston won every NBA Title during the 60s.  Yet again, they beat the Lakers.

MVP: Wes Unseld

East Semis: Boston Celtics d. Philadelphia 76ers (4-1)

                   New York Knicks d. Baltimore Bullets (4-0)

West Semis: Atlanta Hawks d. San Diego Rockets (4-2)

                    Los Angeles Lakers d. San Francisco Warriors (4-2)

Simulation: Boston's last title was '61, it's the Lakers with the most titles in the decade with 3 and they are the defending champs.  Oh yeah, they added Wilt in the offseason.  Both Lakers and Celtics reach the final four; LA faces the Hawks, who now play in Atlanta - the Celtics take on the Knicks, this is the furthest they've advanced in the playoffs since the early 50s.  

East Finals (April) New York Knicks (54-28)  v. Boston Celtics (48-34)

West Finals (April) Los Angeles Lakers (55-27) v. Atlanta Hawks (48-34)

East Finals Game 1 (NY) Knicks 111 Celtics 98

The Knicks had the top record in the East and they get game 1.  Willie Reed scores 26 with 16 rebounds. 25 for Dick Barnett. Double/double for Walt Frazier.  Double/double for Bailey Howell in the loss. Bill Russell held to just 4 points.   

East Finals Game 2 (Boston) Knicks 130 Celtics 121 (OT)

The Knicks go up 2-0. All five starters coming through. 24 points/13 rebounds for Walt Frazier. 23-15 for Dave DeBuschere. Dick Barnett had 24.  23 rebounds for Willis Reed. 20 pts for Bill Bradley. 30 for John Havlicek in the loss. 23-12 for Howell, 26 rebounds for Russell. 22 pts for Sam Jones

East Finals Game 3 (NY) Celtics 106 Knicks 105

With 4 minutes to play the Knicks led by 5, with 1 to play, that lead was 2. Havlicek scored from the block, drawing a foul and the Celtics had their first lead of the quarter, up 1 with 30 seconds left.  DeBusschere drove the lane as the clock neared zero - but he was blocked by Russell and the Celtics had their first win of the series. 27 and 11 for Havl(LA)icek. 22 and 14 for Howell. 21 rebounds for Russell. Dick Barnett scored 25 for the Knicks. 21-12 for Willis Reed. Double/double for DeBusschere. 

East Finals Game 4 (Boston) Celtics 109 Knicks 103

Boston evens the series at 2.  Hondo again leads the Celts in scoring; 23 pts, 10 boards. 22 for Sam Jones. 29 Russell rebounds.  Willie Reed scores 25 with 21 rebounds. Double/double for Frazier and DeBusschere.  

East Finals Game 5 (NY) Knicks 115 Celtics 113

Bill Bradley scores from the left wing with 11 seconds left and the Knicks take game 5.  Huge game for Reed, 34 pts and 23 rebounds. 22 and 10 for Frazier. Double/double for DeBusschere. Hondo scores 30 in the loss. Howell goes 20-10. Russell with 20 boards. The Knicks are a game from their first NBA Finals appearance since 1951.

East Finals Game 6 (Boston) Knicks 128 Celtics 119

The New York Knicks win the East and head to their first NBA Finals. Willis Reed is the series MVP, he scores 20 with 25 rebounds. 21 and 16 for DeBusschere. 20 for Dick Barnett.  Havlicek scores 31 with 10 assists in the loss.

West Finals Game 1 (LA) Lakers 123 Hawks 102

30 for Jerry West in an easy game 1 for LA.  Mel Counts with a big 25 and 10 off the bench in relief of Wilt, who scored just 6 points in 28 minutes in his least impactful postseason game ever. Double/double for Elgin Baylor and Bill Hewitt. Lou Hudson went 24-10 in the defeat. Double/double for Zelmo Beaty and Paul Silas.  

West Finals Game 2 (LA) Hawks 126 Lakers 117

The Hawks take game 2 in LA and we will head to Atlanta.  Lou Hudson scores 32. 28-16 for Zelmo Beaty. Bill Bridges double/double. Wilt bounces back with 22-23 in the loss. 32 for West. 

West Finals Game 3 (Atlanta) Lakers 114 Hawks 98

LA returns favor, beating the Hawks in Atlanta. Wilt goes 26 and 21, Baylor goes 22 and 12, Jerry West plays just 16 minutes.  23 for Hudson in the defeat. Bridges double/double.

West Finals Game 4 (Atlanta) Hawks 135 Lakers 125

The series is all tied up headed back to LA for pivotal game 5.  Lou Hudson again leads the Hawks with 26 points. Bill Bridges scores 20 with 18 boards. Double/double for Paul Silas. Jerry West goes for 44 in the defeat. 23 for Baylor, Wilt has a triple double, 17 pts, 25 rebounds, 10 blocks.  

West Finals Game 5 (LA) Lakers 123 Hawks 101

Easy game 5 home win for the Lakers, they move a game away from their 6th Finals appearance of the decade.  27 for West, Another Wilt triple double, 21 pts, 17 boards, 11 blocks. Elgin Baylor triple double, its the first time in playoff history teammates have triple doubled in the same game, 14 pts, 18 boards, 10 assists.  Double/doubles for Bill Bridges and Paul Silas in the loss.  

West Finals Game 6 (Atlanta) Hawks 135 Lakers 125

We are going to Game 7 in the West Finals.  Zelmo Beaty dominates, 34 points, 10 rebounds. 23-17 for Bill Bridges. 22 for Joe Caldwell. Lou Hudson double/double.  Wilt scores 27 with 23 boards. 25 for West. Double/double for Baylor.  

We head back to LA - Game Seven.  

West Finals Game 7 (LA) Lakers 114 Hawks 110

Lakers by a point entering the 4th, that remained the margin with 8 minutes to play. Tied with 6 minutes left.  Tied with 4 minutes left.  Back to back Wilt dunks gave the Lakers a 2 pt lead with 2 to play.  The bank is open for Joe Caldwell from the foul line to tie the score at 1:40.  Bill Hewitt and Caldwell exchange jumpers and with 1 minute to play in game 7 the score was still tied.  Elgin Baylor soared for a driving dunk that was immediately matched by a Lou Hudson dunk and with 30 seconds left - the game was once again tied.  The Lakers gave the ball to Jerry West - he hit a 24 footer with 19 seconds left, former Laker Walt Hazzard missed the tying shot, West hit 2 FT and the clock expired. 37 pts and 12 assists for West in the closeout game and he's the series MVP; Wilt gets his third triple double of the series, 26 pts, 21 boards, 10 blocks.  20 pts for Baylor and a double/double for Counts.  Lou Hudson scored 24 in the loss.

NBA FINALS (April/May) LOS ANGELES LAKERS v. NEW YORK KNICKS

The Lakers are attempting to go back to back and win the franchise's 8th Championship, it would be the 4th since the move to LA for the team of the Decade, the Lakers.  They face the New York Knicks, who have not appeared in the NBA Finals in 18 years.  

LAKERS

HC- Butch van Breda Kolff

C Wilt Chamberlain (32) All Star

PF Bill Hewitt (24)

SG Elgin Baylor (34) 5th MVP, 1st Team All NBA

PG Johnny Egan (30) 

SG Jerry West (30) 2nd Team All NBA

KNICKS

HC-Red Holzman

C Willis Reed (26) 2nd MVP, 2nd Team All NBA

PF Dave DeBusschere (28) 2nd Team All NBA

SF Bill Bradley (25)

PG Walt Frazier (23)

SG Dick Barnett (32)

NBA Finals Game 1 (LA) Lakers 127 Knicks 110

The Lakers open defense of their title with a home win.  Mr. Clutch Jerry West was the series MVP in the West Finals and scores 35 with 13 assists.  28 points and 29 rebounds for Wilt Chamberlain. 27 points and 14 rebound for Elgin Baylor.  The Lakers Big 3 hunting for the 4th title in the decade for LA.  30 for Walt Frazier in the loss. Double/double for Willis Reed.

NBA Finals Game 2 (LA) Lakers 133 Knicks 104

Overwhelming performance in game 2. West scores 34. 26-21 for Wilt. John Egan scores 21. Double/double for Baylor.  Between '62 and '73 the only season where Jerry West wasn't 1st Team All NBA was this one, but he is 2 games from his first Finals MVP.  Bill Bradley scores 22. 21 with 13 boards for Dave DeBusschere. Double/double for Willis Reed.  

NBA Finals Game 3 (NY) Knicks 123 Lakers 95

Big home win for the Knicks; 24 points and 21 rebounds for Willis Reed. This is the 5th year of what will be a 10 year career for Reed, all with the Knicks. Dave DeBusschere scores 27. Bill Bradley scores 20. 26 points and 10 assists for West in the loss. Wilt had 23 rebounds but was held to 10 points. Double/double for Baylor.

NBA Finals Game 4 (NY) Lakers 116 Knicks 106

The Lakers take game 4 on the road and are now one win away from the 8th World Championship in franchise history.  Mel Counts gets a start and leads the Lakers with 27 points and 10 rebounds. Counts was a Celtic in his second season when Boston lost the NBA Finals to these Lakers in '66. LA acquired him from the Bullets in a 3 team trade that sent out Rudy LaRusso in the middle of last season; he'll have a 12 year NBA career.  25 points and 10 rebounds for Baylor.  23 and 10 assists for West.  19 points and 20 rebounds for Wilt.  Hell of a game for Willis Reed in the defeat, 35 points and 26 rebounds. 21 for Frazier. Double/double for DeBusschere.  

NBA Finals Game 5 (LA) Lakers 119 Knicks 115

Willis Reed scored with under 10 seconds left to cut the Lakers lead to 2 - but Jerry West sunk two foul shots to end the game and clinch the series for the Lakers. 32 points and 8 assists for West as he wins the Finals MVP.  Mel Counts again starts and again has a really strong performance, 28 points and 11 boards.  Double/doubles for both Wilt and Baylor.  It's the third different team with which Wilt has an NBA Championship.  34-12 for Reed in the loss.

NBA Finals History

1947 (BAA): Philadelphia Warriors d. Chicago Stags (4-1)

1948 (BAA): Baltimore Bullets d. Philadelphia Warriors (4-2)

1949 (BAA): Minneapolis Lakers d. Washington Capitols (4-2)

1950: Minneapolis Lakers d. Syracuse Nationals (4-2)

1951: Rochester Royals d. New York Knicks (4-3)

1952: Rochester Royals d. Syracuse Nationals (4-3) - MVP: Jack Coleman (PF 27 yrs)

1953: Boston Celtics d. Minneapolis Lakers (4-3) - MVP: Bob Cousy (PG, 24)Back 

1954: Minneapolis Lakers d. Syracuse Nationals (4-2) - MVP: George Mikan (C, 29)

1955: Minneapolis Lakers d. Boston Celtics (4-3) - MVP: Clyde Lovellette (C, 25)

1956: Philadelphia Warriors d. St Louis Hawks (4-0) - MVP: Neil Johnston (C, 26)

1957: Boston Celtics d. St Louis Hawks (4-2) - MVP Bob Pettit (C, 24)

1958: Boston Celtics d. St Louis Hawks (4-1) - MVP Bob Cousy (PG, 29)

1959: Syracuse Nationals d. Minneapolis Lakers (4-1) - MVP Dolph Schayes (PF, 30) 

1950s Playoffs All NBA 

1st Team

C George Mikan (Lakers)

F Bob Pettit (Hawks) - Playoff Player of the Decade

F Dolph Schayes (Nationals)

G Bob Cousy (Lakers)

G Bill Sharman (Lakers)

2nd Team

C Bill Russell (Lakers)

F Neil Johnston (Warriors)

F Clyde Lovellette (Lakers)

G Slater Martin (Lakers/Hawks)

G Paul Seymour (Nationals)

1960: St Louis Hawks d. Boston Celtics (4-2) - MVP Bob Pettit (PF, 27)

1961: Boston Celtics d. St Louis Hawks (4-0) - MVP Bill Russell (C, 26)

1962: Los Angeles Lakers d. Boston Celtics (4-2) MVP Elgin Baylor (SF, 27)

1963: Cincinnati Royals d. Los Angeles Lakers (4-1) MVP Oscar Robertson (PG, 24)

1964: San Francisco Warriors d. Cincinnati Royals (4-3) MVP Wilt Chamberlain (C, 27)

1965 Philadelphia 76ers d. Los Angeles Lakers (4-3) MVP Wilt Chamberlain (C, 28)

1966 Los Angeles Lakers d. Boston Celtics (4-3) MVP Elgin Baylor (SF, 31)

1967 Philadelphia 76ers d. San Francisco Warriors (4-2) MVP Wilt Chamberlain (C, 30)

1968 Los Angeles Lakers d. Boston Celtics (4-2) MVP Elgin Baylor (SF, 33)

1969 Los Angeles Lakers d. New York Knicks (4-1) MVP Jerry West (SG, 30)

1960s Playoffs All NBA

1st Team

C Wilt Chamberlain (Warriors/Sixers/Lakers) Playoff Player of the Decade

F Elgin Baylor (Lakers)

F John Havlicek (Celtics)

G Jerry West (Lakers)

G Sam Jones (Celtics)

2nd Team

C Bill Russell (Celtics)

F Bob Pettit (Hawks)

F Chet Walker (Sixers)

G Oscar Robertson (Royals)

G Hal Greer (Sixers)