 | jy826 (15)
03/28/2008 |  This Los Angeles Laker squad seemed ready to win its first NBA championship. It had acquired Wilt Chamberlain from Philadelphia in the off-season who posted 20.5ppg, 21.1 rpg and 4.5 apg, to join guard Jerry West (25.9ppg and 6.9 apg) and Elgin Baylor (24.8ppg, 10.6 rgp and 5.4 apg) to form a squad that would accumulate the NBA's seond best record (55-27) and seemed ready to break the Boston Celtics (48-34 record) jinx as it had home court advantage for the Finals. Each teams won all three of its home games which lead to the seventh game. Things looked bleak for the Lakers as they trailed 91-76 after three quarters and Chamberlain twisted a knee in the fourth quarter while grabbing a rebound and had to leave the game. But thanks to to Jerry West, who finished the game with 42 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists and was named MVP of the series and Mel Counts, the Lakers cut the Celtics lead, to 103-102. Wilt Chamberlain also wanted to go back into the game but Laker coach Bill Van Brenda Koff, who had not gotten along with Chamberlain, refused to do so, with some believing that Van Brenda Koff wanted to show that he could lead the Lakers to a championship without Chamberlain. The Van Brenda Koff/Chamberlian situation along with some costly Laker turnovers and a freak shot by Don Nelson ( which hit the heel of the rim and went straight up in the air before coming down into the basket) in the final minutes gave the Celtics a 108-106 victory and the Lakers were still without a championship in Los Angeles.
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