1972–73 Los Angeles Lakers season

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
1972–73 Los Angeles Lakers season
Conference champions
Division champions
Head coachBill Sharman
ArenaThe Forum
Results
Record60–22 (.732)
PlaceDivision: 1st (Pacific)
Conference: 2nd (Western)
Playoff finishNBA Finals
(Lost to Knicks 1–4)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
< 1971–72 1973–74 >

The 1972–73 NBA season was the Lakers' 25th season in the NBA and 13th season in Los Angeles.[1]

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 had defeated New York Knicks in five games to win their sixth NBA Championship. However, even though the Lakers managed to make 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.

Offseason[]

Draft picks[]

Main article: 1972 NBA Draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality School/Club Team
2 16 Jim Price Guard  United States Louisville

Roster[]

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

Roster
Last transaction: 2013-03-22

Regular season[]

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.

Season standings[]

Pacific Division
W L PCT GB Home Road Neutral Div
y-Los Angeles Lakers 60 22 .732 – 30–11 28–11 2–0 22–4
x-Golden State Warriors 47 35 .573 13 27–14 18–20 2–1 14–12
Phoenix Suns 38 44 .463 22 22–19 15–25 1–0 14–12
Seattle SuperSonics 26 56 .317 34 16–25 10–29 0–2 9–17
Portland Trail Blazers 21 61 .256 39 13–28 8–32 0–1 6–20
# 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


z – clinched division title
y – clinched division title
x – clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents[]

1972–73 NBA Records
Team ATL BAL BOS BUF CHI CLE DET GSW HOU KCO LAL MIL NYK PHI PHO POR SEA
Atlanta — 3–4 1–5 5–1 2–2 3–4 2–2 1–3 4–4 2–2 3–1 1–3 3–3 6–0 3–1 4–0 3–1
Baltimore 4–3 — 1–5 5–1 0–4 8–0 2–2 3–1 5–2 3–1 1–3 2–2 3–3 5–1 2–2 4–0 4–0
Boston 5–1 5–1 — 7–0 3–1 5–1 3–1 3–1 5–1 3–1 4–0 2–2 4–4 7–0 4–0 4–0 4–0
Buffalo 1–5 1–5 0–7 — 2–2 1–5 1–3 0–4 1–5 1–3 0–4 0–4 1–6 7–1 1–3 2–2 2–2
Chicago 2–2 4–0 1–3 2–2 — 3–1 3–4 3–3 4–0 5–2 1–5 2–4 3–1 4–0 4–2 5–1 5–1
Cleveland 4–3 0–8 1–5 5–1 1–3 — 1–3 1–3 4–3 2–2 1–3 1–3 0–6 6–0 1–3 1–3 3–1
Detroit 2–2 2–2 1–3 3–1 4–3 3–1 — 2–4 1–3 3–3 1–5 2–5 1–3 3–1 4–2 6–0 2–4
Golden State 3–1 1–3 1–3 4–0 3–3 3–1 4–2 — 3–1 4–2 3–4 1–5 2–2 4–0 2–4 5–1 4–3
Houston 4–4 2–5 1–5 5–1 0–4 3–4 3–1 1–3 — 0–4 1–3 1–3 1–5 5–1 2–2 2–2 2–2
Kansas City-Omaha 2–2 1–3 1–3 3–1 2–5 2–2 3–3 2–4 4–0 — 1–5 1–6 0–4 3–1 3–3 4–2 4–2
Los Angeles 1–3 3–1 0–4 4–0 5–1 3–1 5–1 4–3 3–1 5–1 — 3–3 2–2 4–0 6–1 6–0 6–0
Milwaukee 3–1 2–2 2–2 4–0 4–2 3–1 5–2 5–1 3–1 6–1 3–3 — 2–2 3–1 5–1 5–1 5–1
New York 3–3 3–3 4–4 6–1 1–3 6–0 3–1 2–2 5–1 4–0 2–2 2–2 — 6–1 3–1 3–1 4–0
Philadelphia 0–6 1–5 0–7 1–7 0–4 0–6 1–3 0–4 1–5 1–3 0–4 1–3 1–6 — 0–4 1–3 1–3
Phoenix 1–3 2–2 0–4 3–1 2–4 3–1 2–4 4–2 2–2 3–3 1–6 1–5 1–3 4–0 — 5–2 4–2
Portland 0–4 0–4 0–4 2–2 1–5 3–1 0–6 1–5 2–2 2–4 0–6 1–5 1–3 3–1 2–5 — 3–4
Seattle 1–3 0–4 0–4 2–2 1–5 1–3 4–2 3–4 2–2 2–4 0–6 1–5 0–4 3–1 2–4 4–3 —

Game log[]

Playoffs[]

1973 playoff game log
Conference Semifinals: 4–3 (Home: 4–0; Road: 0–3)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 March 30 Chicago W 107–104 (OT) Gail Goodrich (28) Wilt Chamberlain (20) Jerry West (9) The Forum
16,341 		1–0
2 April 1 Chicago W 108–93 Gail Goodrich (33) Wilt Chamberlain (21) Jerry West (19) The Forum
17,368 		2–0
3 April 6 @ Chicago L 86–96 Jim McMillian (24) Wilt Chamberlain (18) Jerry West (13) Chicago Stadium
14,606 		2–1
4 April 8 @ Chicago L 94–98 Jim McMillian (25) Wilt Chamberlain (30) Goodrich, West (5) Chicago Stadium
14,181 		2–2
5 April 10 Chicago W 123–102 Jerry West (36) Wilt Chamberlain (29) Jerry West (11) The Forum
17,505 		3–2
6 April 13 @ Chicago L 93–101 Jerry West (19) Wilt Chamberlain (26) Jerry West (5) Chicago Stadium
18,096 		3–3
7 April 15 Chicago W 95–92 Jerry West (27) Wilt Chamberlain (28) Jerry West (7) The Forum
17,505 		4–3
Conference Finals: 4–1 (Home: 3–0; Road: 1–1)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 April 17 Golden State W 101–99 Jim McMillian (37) Wilt Chamberlain (25) Jerry West (8) The Forum
17,505 		1–0
2 April 19 Golden State W 104–93 Jerry West (36) Wilt Chamberlain (20) Jerry West (6) The Forum
17,505 		2–0
3 April 21 @ Golden State W 126–70 Jim McMillian (28) Wilt Chamberlain (25) Jerry West (11) Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena
13,183 		3–0
4 April 23 @ Golden State L 109–117 Jerry West (32) Wilt Chamberlain (16) Gail Goodrich (7) Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena
8,000 		3–1
5 April 25 Golden State W 128–118 Gail Goodrich (44) Wilt Chamberlain (22) Jerry West (9) The Forum
17,505 		4–1
NBA Finals: 1–4 (Home: 1–2; Road: 0–2)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 May 1 New York W 115–112 Gail Goodrich (30) Wilt Chamberlain (20) Wilt Chamberlain (6) The Forum
17,505 		1–0
2 May 3 New York L 95–99 Jerry West (32) Wilt Chamberlain (20) Goodrich, West (5) The Forum
17,505 		1–1
3 May 6 @ New York L 83–87 Jim McMillian (22) Wilt Chamberlain (13) Wilt Chamberlain (5) Madison Square Garden
19,694 		1–2
4 May 8 @ New York L 98–103 Goodrich, West (23) Wilt Chamberlain (19) Bill Bridges (7) Madison Square Garden
19,694 		1–3
5 May 10 New York L 93–102 Gail Goodrich (28) Wilt Chamberlain (21) Jerry West (4) The Forum
17,505 		1–4
1973 schedule

Awards and records[]

References[]

  1. ^ 1972–73 Los Angeles Lakers
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