The 1971-1972 Lakers

The Lakers won 69 games, including a league-record 33-game winning streak, on their way to the NBA title.

[@gdobie1west988]

Lakers were my favorite team back in the 70's and 80's. Used to listen to all of their games here in Arizona, with the legendary Chick Hearn at the mike. Sure miss the good old days.

[@mcscotty325]

Wilt, you weren't in your twilight in 71-72. In your mid-thirties, on wonky knees with flimsy wrists, you were perfection, painting your masterpiece over the next two seasons. A baller, the likes of which the world has never seen, and never will again until infinity. RIP, oh great basketball god.

[@clubhouseme]

I know right Wilt and Jerry West in their twilight still amazing

[@treyvonnerobinson]

@@clubhouseme they weren’t in their twilight tbh

[@lloydkline1518]

@@treyvonnerobinson wilt retire in 1973& jerry west in 1974: elgin baylor retire in 1971 :: it was expansion era ;

[@garrison6863]

What a great team that was. You had three Hall of Famers, West, Goodrich and Wilt, and two good complementary players in Hairston and McMillian. Sharman convinced Wilt to concentrate on defense and he became a really good team player that year. Goodrich and West supplied the scoring, I mean over 50 points per game. And West that year was the point guard, about 9 assists per game. Man could they run the court, really nice passing, perfect give and go plays. A real pleasure to watch.

[@lloydkline1518]

Wow: you know your basket history ; nba ; bill sharman pioneer shoot around before games; great backcourt gail goodrich , jerry west ;; don"t that about happy hairston & mcmillian ; l.a lakers early 1970s ; elgin baylor retired very early 1971/ 1972 season: ❤ elgin baylor ;& connie hawkins i think connie hawkin played for l.a lakers too; basketball magician dribbing : hugh hands ; bigger than dr.j & george mcguiness: very good dribbing big man 6 feet 8 inches : good passer ; rebounder; etc etc

[@rtmhrj]

This team made me fall in love with basketball, what a great season and fitting cap to West's great career

[@hiphoprbloverjon9180]

Legendary.

[@OVOChatgpt]

Wilt had a high IQ, he would be unstoppable today.... This team was beast mode

[@gerryhoops2643]

I remember them. Think today's Golden State Warriors, three great shooters, with Wilt at center.

[@ddenuci]

10/25/13. We just lost the great Bill Sharman, 87 years old. RIP

[@lloydkline1518]

Great legendary nba basketball coach

[@ddenuci]

@@lloydkline1518 Yup, won an ABA championship with the Utah Stars, and then followed that up the very next year winning an NBA championship with the Lakers.

[@lloydkline1518]

@@ddenuci i hear he had eye problems

[@lloydkline1518]

@@ddenuci bob cousy his backcourt partner

[@zenshirou3201]

Legendary team

[@morrisparrish76]

WTF has the 33 game winning streak been downplayed for over 50 years?

[@RikSchneider]

If you look at the 72 Lakers lineup, that might be the best team of all time

[@Tunes342]

shaqpopcorn34, Wilt was asked to take a lesser role his last 7 years in the league, that's the only reason his playoff average is 22ppg,when you look at his first 7 years and he was the main offensive option and didn't take a lesser role, he was averaging over 30 ppg with ease. The fact that Mikan has 5 titles just means he was on better teams than Wilt. Winning more titles doesn't make you better,it just means that you played on better teams

[@MichaelCorleone_]

Salute you sir, the Original defender of Wilt’s legacy on the internet. The pioneer who worked off information he KNEW not that he searched up. A true basketball historian. Don’t worry, the position of Wilt’s legacy defender is in good hands.

[@UncleMikeNJ]

May 7, 1972, 50 years ago tonight: On their 8th Finals try, the Lakers win their 1st NBA Championship since moving to Los Angeles. 69 regular-season wins, a record at the time. 33 straight, still a record in North American major league sports. Beating a recent champion in 5 games. The greatest player ever, Wilt Chamberlain. The greatest shooter ever, Jerry West. And they did it in a league with 17 teams, not watered-down, and no "plumbers." Steph Curry would have been frustrated. LeBron James would have whined. And Kyrie Irving would have pissed himself.

[@ethanweeter2732]

Beat the 1970 and 1971 champs to win the Finals.

[@master-kq3nw]

excellent team

[@Tunes342]

Amjbmcg, If Reed was there the Lakers still would've won,they beat the Knicks in the regular season with Reed, that 72 Laker team had a great chemistry. Wilt never choked,his teams just loss. Just like in 70, people blame Wilt,but Wilt wasn't guarding Walt Frazier who had 36 points and 19 assists and 7 steals and the mvp of that series and game 7. Wilt is the greatest

[@lloydkline1518]

@@VictorLionsTV early 1960s used to chewup willis reed ": knee surgry changed wilt game; bill russell/ 1969 boston celtic game 7 nba championship;; wilt should""ve score 30 points against against 35 years bill russell;; wilt score justed 18 points :: ❤ wilt too ;; knee surgry hurt wilt postup games too; wilt used to be unstoppable when wilt wheel toward the basket to score ;; wilt wilt the ball & move out the way

[@loydkline]

NY Knicks love to talk Willis reed; NY Knicks roadblock for l.a Lakers; LA Lakers wasn't afraid of Willis reed & NY knicks together 1971/ 1972 nba basketball season

[@user-iv9er3nr6z]

Pre knee surgery wilt had a high scoring points parade playing against willis reed and ny knick, 50s points 40s points etc etc pre knee surgery wilt used to eat up Willis reed, willis reed & ny Knicks never beat bill Russell and Boston Celtics in a playoffs series 1969

[@zenshirou3201]

33-0

[@am88ification]

they were all past their prime, but still, maybe :)

[@pjtheory]

Today's NBA is stocked with terrific athletes whose basketball skills are generally one-dimensional. The all around player is no longer a centerpiece of today's NBA landscape. That landscape mainly consists of very good guards/small forwards, good power forwards, and mediocre centers. In terms of mythical matchups, the 1991-1993 threepeat Bulls were 1-6 against Hakeem's Rockets, so those who believe that the Bulls would have defeated Wilt's 1972 Lakers are borderline delusional. The 1996-1998 threepeat Bulls would have had a better shot of defeating the 1972 Lakers, but due to Luc Longley's limited skill set, Rodman would have been required to play some center. There is little chance that the 6'7" 225 pound Rodman would contain the 7'1" 295 pound Chamberlain nor would the Bulls backup power forwards be able to contain the athletic Hairston. In 1971-1972, Wilt Chamberlain and Happy Hairston became the only center/forward tandem to collect over 1,000 rebounds in a season.

[@daonly]

Pat Riley vs Phil Jackson..

[@danieln.7261]

Gregg Popovich.

[@tomstreet2859]

@@danieln.7261 No dude he means Pat Riley and Phil Jackson were players on these teams. Riley was on the Lakers and Jackson on the Knicks.

[@treyvonnerobinson]

@@danieln.7261 🤡

[@user-iv9er3nr6z]

Phil Jackson & pat Riley seshould've tic tac battles🎉 future coach, x& o contest & battles

[@Tunes342]

shaqpopcorn34, In Wilts day they didn't play as many games that's number 1 and number 2, Wilt was asked to take a lesser role on his teams in the last 7 years of his career,whereas Lebron has always been the number 1 scoring option and never took a lesser role.

[@nicholassingh1476]

EPIC

[@manny4552]

The great elgin baylor retired after ten games that season.And as wilt said,he, west, and goodrich were the big stars but the rest of the team was pretty damn good,not nearly as bad as wilt often said.Happy hairston was a rebound specialist and they had leroy ellis,flynn robinson,keith erickson,pat riley, john trapp,and jim cleamens off the bench.Jim macmillian was a young guy but he played well that season. replacing baylor.

[@AirDraconian]

wilt chamberlain is a good team captain

[@geoffreygilchrist5762]

shaqpopcorn34 you have no idea Wilt is the most dominating player in NBA history 100 pts in one game. 50 pts average and 30 reb in one season. Retired when he was stlll mvp calibre get a decent opinion

[@Tunes342]

kingcam0775, I don't think any of those teams could beat this 72 Laker team, remember the 72 Lakers had to beat those same Bucks the next year in order to play the Knicks for the title

[@Tunes342]

shaqpopcorn34, The Lakers would've beat the Knicks that year even if Reed was there. In 1970, the Lakers lost because Walt Frazier dropped 39 points and dished out 19 assists. Wilt outscored Willis 21 to 4 and snatched 24 rebounds in game 7,but Frazier was too much. The Knicks beat the Lakers Willis didn't destroy Wilt. Wilt and West were old,the only reason they didn't win the 1973 title. Like I said Wilt took a lesser role his last 7 years, so during that time period Nate may have outscored him,but Wilt shot a higher percentage vs Nate. What happened in 1967 when they went head to head. Wilt got the better of Nate and won his first title. You have to look at field goal percentage. Efficiency matters.

[@lloydkline1518]

Early 1960s wilt would""ve to chewup willis reed / ny knick 50 point first matchup: put wiillis reed in his stomach to digest before knee surgry:: bill russell say wilt should run willis reed off court game 7 1970 championship game; willis reeed knee surgry knee

[@lloydkline1518]

Wilt & philadelpia 76er 1967/ 1968 beat willis reed & ny knick in the playoff ;; 1968

[@brianrapp2883]

1972 Where Were YOU in 72 Brian Rapp #1. Laker Fan was at USC John Mckay Football camp Don Linsey was nñmy Middelinebacker coach we sat at USC vs UCLA. Games with Lovely Linda Linsey Tunnel 21 Row 19 we Loved Julies Bar obradvichs mom and Cold beers and BIG WILT #13 and Jerry west #44 PAT. RILEY chick hern and Nike Anoapole state beach World champ beach volleyball with wilt PAT riley nike named his Topanga Son Riley Anapole in his Honer canyonlocalfilmscom Shaka Shak Rules

[@davidramos4317]

Laaaaaakers

[@drums2825]

everyone but jordan

[@jamessollazzo4860]

less talent, more cohesion

[@jamessollazzo4860]

i still think if the knicks had willis, they would of beaten the lakers in 1972

[@loydkline]

Nba basketball 🏆 champion wilt & l.a Lakers wasn't afraid of Willis reed & NY knicks basketball team

[@loydkline]

Early 1960s wilt would've score 50s points against Willis reed & NY knick

[@user-iv9er3nr6z]

Pre knee surgery wilt used to chew up Willis reed & ny Knicks 50s&40s scoring points parade playing against willis reed, 1971/ 1972 l a Lakers wasn't 👻 👽 scary healthy Willis reed and ny Knicks 1971/1972 , Dave cowen and healthy John havlichek & Boston Celtics says anytime to Willis reed and ny Knicks playoff series 1973&1974

[@instrumentalistjade8367]

Back then there are no floppers. 😁😁

[@tomstreet2859]

Indeed if you flopped in front of Wilt...I'm sure he'd give you something real to feel the next time you tried to go at him.