MADISON SQUARE GARDEN - May 9, 1973
I’ve been traveling virtually coast to coast the past week to follow the 1973 NBA Finals between the Lakers and the Knicks.
THE LATE SHOW
I now know why I can’t remember much from this series, even though I was a big Knicks fans when I was 9 years old in 1973.
The 1st 2 games in L.A. had start times of 11pm ET and 10:30pm ET! Not very fan friendly for 9 year old followers. And of course we didn’t have any means to record TV shows back then.
Game 3 was at 2pm on a Sunday. But game 4 in New York “last night” didn’t start until 8:30pm ET. Again, it was too late for me to stay up to watch the end of the game when I was in 4th grade.
But I was able to catch all the action on my virtual time travel trip.
Here’s the situation in the NBA Finals going into “last night.”
In game 1, the Knicks were clearly tired as they were playing in L.A. just 2 days after their emotional 7th game victory in Boston in the Conference Finals.
Walt Frazier was outscored in the 1st half 19 - 2 by Jerry West.
The Lakers went up by 20 in the 3rd quarter.
But the Knicks made a valiant comeback attempt, forcing numerous Lakers turnovers in a 33 - 20 4th quarter. They fell just short. The Lakers won it 115 - 112.
LAKERS LEAD THE SERIES 1 - 0
In game 2, the Knicks regrouped, they slowed down the tempo and played great defense.
They fouled Wilt Chamberlain when he tried to score. Wilt wilted at the free throw line going 1 for 9.
The Knicks won it 99 - 95.
SERIES TIED 1 - 1
In game 3, Wilt seemed afraid to shoot, apparently fearing the free throw line. He attempted only 3 field goals.
In addition, Jerry West, already hampered by a left hamstring injury, suffered a pull in his right hamstring and missed the 4th quarter. Before leaving the game West was ineffective going 5 for 13.
The Knicks won it 87 - 83.
The 83 points were the Lakers lowest point total in a playoff game since the advent of the 24 second clock.
KNICKS LEAD THE SERIES 2 - 1
The Lakers were not looking good going into game 4 “last night.” Jerry West was considered doubtful with his double hamstring injuries.
GAME 4
West did in fact start game 4. But early on he was ineffective.
In addition, to West’s struggles, The Knicks may have been inspired by the date. May 8th marked the 3 year anniversary of their 1st championship, also against the Lakers, in 1970.
The Knicks raced out to a 21 point lead in the 2nd quarter.
And they led by 13 at 88 -75 with 9 minutes to play.
KNICKS 88 LAKERS 75: 9 minutes to play in game 4
The sellout crowd at Madison Square Garden began chanting, “Goodbye Lakers.”
And then the game turned.
“Suddenly the Lakers led by an ailing Jerry West, came alive,” wrote Larry Fox, in the New York Daily News.
In the next 4 minutes of play the Lakers cut the lead to 10 at 94 - 84.
And then the Knicks went cold.
The Lakers held them scoreless for 4 minutes. In this stretch, Knicks guard Walt Frazier, who had played the entire game and controls the ball on offense, fouled out.
Without Frazier guarding him, Jerry West hit a clutch shot from the top of the key with 1:16 to go to pull the Lakers to within 2 points at 94 - 92.
KNICKS 94 LAKERS 92: 1:16 to play in game 4
The Knicks, who were now without their best ball handler, Walt Frazier, needed a basket badly. They called timeout.
After the game Jerry West told Mal Florence of the Los Angeles Times, “They didn’t look like they had any guys who wanted to take a shot at that stage of the game.”
Doug Ives, writing in the Long Beach Press-Telegram described the action as the Knicks had the ball entering the final minute, “New York hadn’t scored in 5 minutes and panic was about to set in. Defensed brilliantly, Bill Bradley was forced to take a long jumper with only 2 seconds left on the 24 second clock. The shot missed and was heading into the hands of Wilt Chamberlain.”
Larry Fox wrote, “The huge form of Wilt Chamberlain loomed underneath to snatch the rebound.”
Chamberlain told Mal Florence after the game, “Yes, I had it for a moment, but I couldn’t quite control it.”
Larry Fox described why Chamberlain couldn’t secure the rebound, “But Willis Reed was there too, inspirational hero of the great Knick victory 3 years ago. Reed tipped the ball back up. Again Chamberlain was there to pick it off.”
But Chamberlain couldn’t get the ball the 2nd time either.
Wilt told Larry Fox, “Dave (DeBusschere) slipped in front of me.”
Knicks forward, Dave DeBusschere had managed to grab the ball.
Doug Ives described this part of the play, “DeBusschere, the 12 year veteran, giving away 8 inches, managed to wrest the ball from Chamberlain’s grasp and in the same motion push the ball toward the basket with Wilt draped all over him.”
DeBusschere made the basket.
Fox wrote, “DeBusschere leaped into the air in exultation when he scored on the rebound.”
But that’s not all. DeBusschere was also fouled on the play.
Doug Ives wrote, “The ball swished through. Chamberlain was called for a foul, and while 19,964 fans went beserk, DeBusschere sank the ensuing free throw that turned a 2 point game into a 5 point game.
It was a 3 point play at the most critical moment. The first Knicks points in nearly 5 minutes of action and with Frazier out of the game.
It was a back breaking moment for the Lakers.
KNICKS 97 LAKERS 92: 48 seconds to play in game 4
Jerry West told Mal Florence, “It was the biggest play of the series. If we had gotten the ball, the clock was in our favor.”
DeBusschere told Fox in the New York Daily News, “Nothing goes through your mind on a play like that. You just look at the ball and look at your man. It’s instinct.”
Doug Ives quoted DeBusschere saying, “I was just hoping for a foul. I never expected the ball to go up and in.”
DeBusschere also spoke to Joe O’Day of the Daily News, about the play, “I was in the right spot at the right time. But you’ve got to give Willis (Reed) a lot of credit on the play. He kept the ball in play as he battled Wilt.”
The game wasn’t quite over after DeBusschere’s 3 point play, but the Lakers never got closer than 3 points.
KNICKS 103 LAKERS 98: FINAL SCORE
Jerry West, playing on two bad legs, was nearly the game’s hero. He managed to score 11 points in the 4th quarter, totaling 23 for the game.
But it was DeBusschere who was the high scorer of the game. He shot a brilliant 13 for 21 to net 33 points. Many of his baskets came on long range bombs in the 1st half when he poured in 22 points and helped the Knicks get out to a lead that peaked at 47 - 26.
Jerry West told Joe O’Day of the Daily News, “He also killed us with his outside shooting. He was taking those long shots. Sure he’ll make some of them, but tonight he was always on. And it killed us at the beginning.”
KNICKS LEAD THE SERIES 3 - 1
Now the series heads back to Los Angeles. No team has won a game by more than 5 points in this closely fought Finals.
Chamberlain, who is averaging 18 rebounds a game in the series, lamented to Larry Fox about the Lakers situation, “A lot of tough bounces. We’ve had a chance to win ‘em all.”
Even though the Lakers will playing the next game at home, there is trouble ahead as they try to stave off elimination. Jerry West told Dwight Chapin of the Los Angeles Times, “There’s just no way I can be 100%. I just can’t run well at all. It shows up particularly on defense. I just don’t have the quickness. But we’re at the stage where I just have to play. There’s no choice.”
Then West added, “They’ve won 3 in a row by close scores. Maybe we can too.”
The Sports Time Traveler™ will be making another virtual cross country trip to cover game 5.
Please Share The Sports Time Traveler™
If you enjoy The Sports Time Traveler™ please share my site with your friends.
And please let anyone know that if they contact me directly at Len@Fermaninnovation.com I will sign them up for a free subscription.
As always, a great article with great memories. Dave DeBusshcere was one of my favorite Knicks. He played defense very well and oh do I long for the days of defense in the NBA. Keep the great articles coming Len!!!