1970s NBA Finals-The Last Seconds of Every Deciding Game

The 1970s was perhaps one of the most competitive decades in the history of the NBA. Eight different teams claimed the title during the 1970s, with only the Celtics and Knicks winning the championship twice. Eight different champions in one decade is a feat that has not been matched in a league that has been dominated by dynasties. Enjoy this nostaligic trip through the most hotly-contested decade in NBA history. If you enjoy the video please make sure to click the LIKE button. No ownership of this material is claimed.

[@entertainmentsportsandmore5783]

From 1970 to 1973 - NBA Finals footage was still on ABC. From 1974 to end of 1970s - The NBA Finals footage to CBS.

[@spider_hoss]

I like the old trophy. Kind of has a Stanley Cup vibe to it.

[@Jeff98177]

Bullets fans had to watch the Warriors win the championship on their floor in 1975, and then the Sonics did it 4 years later. And game 5 on June 1, 1979 was the last one played without the three-point arc.

[@trav8028]

Same in '71 when the Bucks won it on the Bullets floor in Baltimore

[@rockvilleraven]

@@trav8028 Even then the Bullets played a few games a year in the DC area at Cole Field House in College Park, because Abe Pollin was testing the market there. The attendance was better there and Pollin built the Capital Centre in Suburban Landover.

[@manuginobilisbaldspot424]

The Bullets/Wizards really went to the Finals FOUR TIMES in a decade. As someone born in 1979 that's been an NBA fan since 1985, it gets more absurd to say by the year. They haven't been to the CONFERENCE FINALS since I was born (July 79).

[@phoolvio]

Red puffing his cigar to Hondo and Heinsohn... priceless!

[@hamburg1306]

Fascinating. Yes I thank you for the 2 Knicks championships. Aside from that I remember the 77 Trailblazers and CBS cut out of the broadcast because they had to just had to broadcast the Kemper Open.

[@user-qv3wb2gy1f]

Yes, indeed. After T'Blazers' Game VI series-clinching 109-107 victory at home over Sixers in 1976-1977 season's World Championship Series, CBS (which televised game) by-passed showing T'Blazers' post-game locker room celebration/inaugural presentation, N.B.A.'s current World Championship trophy to air last round, Kemper Open P.G.A. tournament from Charlotte, N.C. metro. area

[@privatepenguin3137]

This is before my time...but It was way better when a team won it all...then just ran into the locker room for the celebration and trophy presentation. Much better than the nonsense now.

[@josecarranza7555]

It’s better to celebrate it on the court with the fans.

[@calvinbealer7264]

Great 😃👍 Memories from 1970s NBA.

[@retromaven2159]

Agree, though I wish there'd been a couple more 😁!

[@richardoconnor8984]

Something about the CBS coverage 75-79 was way more exciting -- thanks to Brent Musberger and better production. The ABC games looked and sounded flat.

[@trav8028]

CBS also started to present the Trophy to the winning team, something that ABC wasnt doing in their coverage

[@billny33]

Wow, I didn't think there was any footage of the Lakers clinching in 72.

[@retromaven2159]

Sometimes you just have to look in the right places 😉!!

[@DrJohnnyJ]

Tresvant was a career bench-warmer who found himself in a starting role due to injuries. He did a good job.

[@70sfan]

Great video! Can we expect more 1970s NBA footage in near future?

[@retromaven2159]

That is my ardent hope....

[@emeanuele]

Hey 70sFan!

[@billny33]

Next level suspense and excitement with that 77 finale. Great job by Musberger there.

[@hectorlopez1069]

Thanks for uploading this clip.

[@retromaven2159]

My pleasure.

[@Patrick-tx9rh]

The Sonics winning it all in 1979! Yeah baby! Bring em’ back!

[@spryfolII]

A lot of people crap on the 70's NBA because of the things that happened off the court. Nothing on the court was to be crapped on because back then, the NBA was truly FANTASTIC. No matter what city you were in, you were guarenteed good basketball on a nightly basis, with quality teams, players and coaches. Styles were pretty much the same as they were in the 80's, the East was physical and more basic fundementally sound, the West was wide open, run n gun, and when the playoffs came around, every team felt as though if they got hot anything could happen, and usually did. Teams like Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle, Washington, New York and Milwaukee all tasted Championship champagne for the first time while Boston Beantowns tradition going. Other cities like San Antonio, Denver,Indiana and KC, came on board and had success right away. The only real issue the NBA had other than the drugs was the fact that even though it was on a Major Network, it was always pre-empted, and that left room for the local stations to televise about half the season. CBS with Brent Musburger as its lead voice, had a style to its broadcast that to this day still stands tall, even in some cases surpass what is being done on television today. It always seemed like a BIG GAME, and CBS took their coverage seriously, but leaving room to even elevate its coverage once Larry and Magic came in the league in '79. If you were old enough to have enjoyed the NBA back then, you really got a treat because its night n day what it is today. I believe it was better back then. No whinning, no load management, everyone played hard every night, and the teams really looked out for the fans.

[@retromaven2159]

I don't think it can be understated how Red Auerbach rebuilt the entire Celtics' roster in the 1970s with Havlicek being the only holdover from the Russell Era. That team could easily have won 4 titles instead of the two they did win. The fact that he did it a 3rd time with Bird in the 80s remains the defacto argument for him being the greatest head coach/GM of all-time.

[@spryfolII]

@@retromaven2159 Great assessment! I believe Red Auerbach is the greatest Coach/GM and its not even close. The man won as a coach, left coaching to be the GM and collected another 5 championships as GM . How good is that? The man just had the touch, and with the Bird thing, remember he drafted Bird a year early. How did that happen? hahaha

[@robertcgordon]

@@retromaven2159 Drafted Jo Jo and Cowens consecutive years. Then adding Silas. Red was the best indeed.

[@retromaven2159]

@@jab1289 Perhaps, but no one was going to beat the Lakers in 1972. Boston added Silas the following year and reached another level. If Hondo doesn't get hurt in Game #3 of the 1973 East Finals then they cruise to the title. They caught a break when the Bucks lost their point guard prior to the 74 playoffs. 1975 remains the enigma to me. The Bullets just bombed them from the perimeter and they could not win a game in Washington. Then Red let Silas go after the 1976 title run and that era came to a rapid end. Yes, what could have been.

[@hamburg1306]

RIP George McGinnis. “I don’t know what Maurice Lucas is doing, George McGinnis is wide open”

[@dshooter6391]

The 70's was a decade of parity!

[@Patrick-tx9rh]

That’s what I love about the NBA back then different teams winning champions. Regional action on CBS back in the late 70’s.

[@Papichulo-xc5nd]

D shooter misconception. 70s was watered down Fromm ABA and expansion just like the 90s

[@DavidChen322]

Wow I had no idea that the championship trophy was like the NHL trophy, passed around every year and the winning team added to the trophy.

[@JayDogTitan-he6wo]

I remember the '78 Bullets like it was yesterday.

[@oldsensei8350]

John havlicek had so many rings he ran out of fingers

[@chrisbath3956]

Havlicek's former teammate Bill Russell won a record 11 NBA championships in 13 seasons with the Celtics.

[@oldsensei8350]

@@chrisbath3956 of course your right..havlicek had 8 ...6 with russell t wo without him...infact havlicek was 8 and 0 in the finals

[@HowardLore]

As of Today, Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Rick Barry are the only two living Finals MVPs from the 70s RIP Willis Reed Wilt Chamberlain John Havlicek Jo Jo White Bill Walton Wes Unseld Dennis Johnson

[@hectorlopez1069]

This is interesting to watch.

[@c.moriarty1178]

5:55 The final basket of Wilt's career

[@DanStrayer]

11:58 Jesus, that trophy! Sod the Larry O’Brien: that’s a keeper that rivals the Cup, or apparently died trying. “Around since 1913?” What the hell?

[@kevinevans5921]

The Bullets my favorite team won the championship when I was in 3rd grade, the first year I followed basketball. And haven’t won since 😩

[@emeanuele]

3:38 Last day as Lew. Isn't it?

[@jab1289]

The 1971 Bucks: One of the biggest one-year dynasties ever.

[@retromaven2159]

To be fair they did have the best record in the league in 1974 and probably would have beaten the Celtics if their point guard Lucius Allen hadn't torn up his knee the last week of the regular season. But yes they did underachieve in that time frame

[@diamonddog13]

Back then the players couldn't wait to get off the court - even when they won at home!

[@everythingcollectibles]

@4:57; Wilts last block in the NBA :(

[@johnward6699]

It's the finals I became a Phoenix suns fan 45 years ago

[@sjdrifter72]

How's it worked out for ya?

[@pauls6677]

It’s been 50 years since the knicks won it all. Bullets have not reached conference finals since 1979. If denver wins today will be the first non California or Texas team from the western conference since Seattle in 1979. Also, to look at it one way was Portland winning the championship comparable to the curse of the NY Jets winning Super Bowl 3. Passed on Moses and Jordan. Picked Oden over Durant. Unlucky in 2000

[@vinnymac7565]

14:33 He's like get that shit out of here.

[@braziliantvhd2768]

4:10 Notice how the announcer said Los Angeles Lakers have won there first NBA title ever, hmm, wonder why he didn't say 6th title.

[@Wowvod]

Rip hondo.

[@dshooter6391]

Indeed!

[@ridhowiranatakusumah6531]

phil jackson

[@hectorlopez1069]

That would be the last NBA championship that the Knicks would win it in 1973.

[@hectorlopez1069]

The Milwaukee bucks would finally win it in 2021 against the Phoenix Suns.

[@braziliantvhd2768]

11:25 Wait, there was an NBA cup? Why did they do away with it

[@ridhowiranatakusumah6531]

in this era il be kyle lowery

[@hectorlopez1069]

I didn't know the warriors won it in 1975.

[@retromaven2159]

They were favored to repeat in 1976, and posted the best record during the regular season to give them homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs. But the Cinderella Suns upset them in Game #7. No more titles until Steph Curry arrived.