Harman Patil (Editor)

1969–70 Los Angeles Lakers season

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Head coach
  
Joe Mullaney

Record
  
46–36 (.561)

Arena
  
The Forum

Place
  
Division: 2nd (Western)

Playoff finish
  
NBA Finals(Lost to Knicks 3–4)

The 1969-70 NBA season was the Lakers' 22nd season in the NBA and tenth season in Los Angeles.

Contents

Offseason

After the tumultuous previous two seasons under the fiery head coach Butch Van Breda Kolff, the Lakers replaced him with the low key Joe Mullaney.

Draft picks

  • 1st round, 12th pick – Willie McCarter, G, Drake University
  • 1st round, 15th pick – Rick Roberson, C, University of Cincinnati
  • 2nd round, 27th pick – Dick Garrett, G, Southern Illinois University

    • Regular season

    After barely losing the NBA title the previous season, the veteran Lakers had high hopes coming into the 1969–70 season. However, 7 games into the season, Wilt Chamberlain suffered a severe knee injury and it was thought he would miss the next 10–12 months. Elgin Baylor also missed 28 games due to injury, and Jerry West missed 8. 1st draft pick Willie McCarter also missed almost the entire season. But the Lakers received key contributions from rookies Rick Roberson and Dick Garrett, and managed to battle the Atlanta Hawks for 1st place in the Western Division for most of the season. Chamberlain returned for the final few games, and while the Lakers finished 2nd in the division to Atlanta by 2 games, they were at full strength for the playoffs.

    Season standings

    x – clinched playoff spot

    West Division Semifinals

    The Lakers will still adjusting to playing at full strength with Wilt Chamberlain in the lineup, and it showed in the first round of the playoffs against the upstart Phoenix Suns. After winning game 1, the Suns stunned the Lakers by winning the next three games. Facing a 3–1 series deficit, the Lakers became the 2nd team in NBA history to overcome such a deficit and win the series.

    (2) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (3) Phoenix Suns: Lakers win series 4–3

  • Game 1 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 128, Phoenix 112
  • Game 2 @ Los Angeles: Phoenix 114, Los Angeles 101
  • Game 3 @ Phoenix: Phoenix 112, Los Angeles 98
  • Game 4 @ Phoenix: Phoenix 112, Los Angeles 102
  • Game 5 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 138, Phoenix 121
  • Game 6 @ Phoenix: Los Angeles 104, Phoenix 93
  • Game 7 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 129, Phoenix 94

    • West Division Finals

    After winning the final 3 games of the first round vs. Phoenix, the Lakers appeared to be hitting their stride. In a rematch of the 1969 Western Division finals (won by the Lakers in 5 games), the Lakers swept the Hawks, although each game was close except for game four.

    (1) Atlanta Hawks vs. (2) Los Angeles Lakers: Lakers win series 4–0

  • Game 1 @ Atlanta: Los Angeles 119, Atlanta 115
  • Game 2 @ Atlanta: Los Angeles 105, Atlanta 94
  • Game 3 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 115, Atlanta 114 (OT)
  • Game 4 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 133, Atlanta 114

    • NBA Finals

    (E1) New York Knicks vs. (W2) Los Angeles Lakers: Knicks win series 4–3

  • Game 1 @ New York: New York 124, Los Angeles 112
  • Game 2 @ New York: Los Angeles 105, New York 103
  • Game 3 @ Los Angeles: New York 111, Los Angeles 108 (OT)
  • Game 4 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 121, New York 115 (OT)
  • Game 5 @ New York: New York 107, Los Angeles 100
  • Game 6 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 135, New York 113
  • Game 7 @ New York: New York 113, Los Angeles 99

    • Awards and records

  • Jerry West, All-NBA First Team
  • Jerry West, NBA All-Defensive First Team
  • Jerry West, NBA All-Star Game
  • Elgin Baylor, NBA All-Star Game
  • Dick Garrett, NBA All-Rookie Team 1st Team

    • References

    1969–70 Los Angeles Lakers season Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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