1968–69 Los Angeles Lakers season

1968–69 Los Angeles Lakers season
Division champions
Head coachButch van Breda Kolff
General managerFred Schaus
Owner(s)Jack Kent Cooke
ArenaThe Forum
Results
Record55–27 (.671)
PlaceDivision: 1st (Western)
Playoff finishNBA Finals
(lost to Celtics 3–4)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionKTLA
RadioKNX
< 1967–68 1969–70 >

The 1968–69 NBA season was the Lakers' 21st season in the NBA and ninth season in Los Angeles. This season saw the Lakers acquire Wilt Chamberlain from the Philadelphia 76ers in a trade that sent Jerry Chambers, Archie Clark, and Darrall Imhoff to the 76ers. The team also lost future star Gail Goodrich to the Phoenix Suns via expansion draft.

The Lakers would make it to the NBA Finals, but would lose to the Boston Celtics in seven games despite being the heavy favorites. This marked the Lakers' seventh consecutive defeat to the Celtics in the NBA Finals.

Jerry West, who averaged nearly 38 points per game in the Finals, became the inaugural recipient of the Finals Most Valuable Player award. To date he is the only player in NBA history to win the award as a member of the losing team.

Offseason

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Draft picks

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Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
1 11 Bill Hewitt (PF)  United States USC

Roster

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1968–69 Los Angeles Lakers roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
SG 30 Anderson, Cliff 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1944-09-07 Saint Joseph's
SF 22 Baylor, Elgin 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1934-09-16 Seattle
PF 52 Carty, Jay 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1941-07-04 Oregon State
C 13 Chamberlain, Wilt 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) 275 lb (125 kg) 1936-08-21 Kansas
PF 31 Counts, Mel 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1941-10-16 Oregon State
SG 12 Crawford, Freddie 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 189 lb (86 kg) 1941-12-33 St. Bonaventure
PG 21 Egan, Johnny 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1939-01-31 Providence
SG 24 Erickson, Keith 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1944-04-19 UCLA
SF 33 Hawkins, Tom 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1936-12-22 Notre Dame
PF 30 Hewitt, Bill 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1944-08-08 USC
PG 44 West, Jerry 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1938-05-28 West Virginia
Head coach
Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Roster
Last transaction: October 17, 1968

Regular season

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Season standings

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Western Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Neutral Div
x-Los Angeles Lakers 55 27 .671 – 32–9 21–18 2–0 30–10
x-Atlanta Hawks 48 34 .585 7 28–12 18–21 2–1 26–14
x-San Francisco Warriors 41 41 .500 14 22–19 18–21 1–1 20–20
x-San Diego Rockets 37 45 .451 18 25–16 8–25 4–4 20–20
Chicago Bulls 33 49 .402 22 19–21 12–25 2–3 19–21
Seattle SuperSonics 30 52 .366 25 18–18 6–29 6–5 15–23
Phoenix Suns 16 66 .195 39 11–26 4–28 1–12 8–30

Record vs. opponents

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1968-69 NBA Records
Team ATL BAL BOS CHI CIN DET LAL MIL NYK PHI PHO SDR SFW SEA
Atlanta – 2–4 3–3 6–1 4–2 6–0 3–4 4–2 2–4 1–5 6–0 3–4 4–3 4–2
Baltimore 4–2 – 5–2 6–0 4–3 7–0 3–3 5–1 3–4 2–4 6–0 5–1 3–3 4–2
Boston 3–3 2–5 – 4–2 5–2 5–1 2–4 5–1 1–6 5–2 6–0 4–2 3–3 3–3
Chicago 1–6 0–6 2–4 – 1–5 3–3 3–4 5–1 2–4 1–5 4–2 3–3 4–3 4–3
Cincinnati 2–4 3–4 2–5 5–1 – 3–4 2–4 5–1 4–2 3–4 4–2 2–4 3–3 3–3
Detroit 0–6 0–7 1–5 3–3 4–3 – 3–3 2–4 3–4 3–4 4–2 3–3 2–4 4–2
Los Angeles 4–3 3–3 4–2 4–3 4–2 3–3 – 5–1 5–1 1–5 6–0 7–0 4–3 5–1
Milwaukee 2–4 1–5 1–5 1–5 1–5 4–2 1–5 – 0–6 0–6 6–2 4–2 3–3 3–5
New York 4–2 4–3 6–1 4–2 2–4 4–3 1–5 6–0 – 4–3 5–1 3–3 5–1 6–0
Philadelphia 5–1 4–2 2–5 5–1 4–3 4–3 5–1 6–0 3–4 – 5–1 4–2 2–4 6–0
Phoenix 0–6 0–6 0–6 2–4 2–4 2–4 0–6 2–6 1–5 1–5 – 1–7 2–4 3–3
San Diego 4–3 1–5 2–4 3–3 4–2 3–3 0–7 2–4 3–3 2–4 7–1 – 3–3 3–3
San Francisco 3–4 3–3 3–3 3–4 3–3 4–2 3–4 3–3 1–5 4–2 4–2 3–3 – 4–3
Seattle 2–4 2–4 3–3 3–4 3–3 2–4 1–5 5–3 0–6 0–6 3–3 3–3 3–4 —

Game log

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1968–69 game log
# Date Opponent Score High points Record
1 October 18 @ Philadelphia 96–114 Elgin Baylor (36) 0–1
2 October 19 @ New York 118–96 Wilt Chamberlain (29) 1–1
3 October 22 @ Cincinnati 103–107 Elgin Baylor (35) 1–2
4 October 23 @ Detroit 110–117 Elgin Baylor (31) 1–3
5 October 25 Baltimore 111–117 Jerry West (34) 2–3
6 October 27 San Diego 116–152 Elgin Baylor (32) 3–3
7 October 29 Atlanta 124–125 Elgin Baylor (28) 4–3
8 November 1 Chicago 114–101 Wilt Chamberlain (29) 4–4
9 November 3 @ Phoenix 127–109 Elgin Baylor (40) 5–4
10 November 5 @ Chicago 112–109 (OT) Elgin Baylor (31) 6–4
11 November 6 N Milwaukee 115–128 Elgin Baylor (33) 7–4
12 November 8 New York 100–102 Jerry West (29) 8–4
13 November 10 New York 109–130 Elgin Baylor (26) 9–4
14 November 15 San Diego 119–127 Jerry West (34) 10–4
15 November 16 @ San Francisco 119–112 Jerry West (37) 11–4
16 November 17 Seattle 94–105 Elgin Baylor (26) 12–4
17 November 19 Boston 106–116 Elgin Baylor (30) 13–4
18 November 22 San Francisco 100–98 Jerry West (23) 13–5
19 November 24 Chicago 100–103 Elgin Baylor (35) 14–5
20 November 26 @ New York 100–104 Wilt Chamberlain (23) 14–6
21 November 28 @ Philadelphia 107–122 Elgin Baylor (32) 14–7
22 November 29 @ Boston 93–92 Elgin Baylor (19) 15–7
23 December 1 Milwaukee 112–119 Elgin Baylor (34) 16–7
24 December 3 Phoenix 108–122 Wilt Chamberlain (35) 17–7
25 December 5 @ Baltimore 90–108 Jerry West (20) 17–8
26 December 6 @ Atlanta 99–94 Elgin Baylor (30) 18–8
27 December 7 @ Chicago 81–90 Jerry West (27) 18–9
28 December 8 San Diego 118–132 Wilt Chamberlain (35) 19–9
29 December 13 Atlanta 105–103 Elgin Baylor (25) 19–10
30 December 14 @ Seattle 136–120 Johnny Egan (26) 20–10
31 December 15 Seattle 114–115 Jerry West (28) 21–10
32 December 17 Cincinnati 108–112 Jerry West (36) 22–10
33 December 20 San Francisco 101–133 Elgin Baylor (25) 23–10
34 December 22 Philadelphia 99–102 Jerry West (27) 24–10
35 December 25 @ Phoenix 119–99 Jerry West (26) 25–10
36 December 26 @ Detroit 95–94 Jerry West (29) 26–10
37 December 28 @ Chicago 86–93 Jerry West (27) 26–11
38 December 29 Detroit 108–111 Jerry West (34) 27–11
39 December 30 @ San Diego 131–126 (OT) Jerry West (40) 28–11
40 December 31 Detroit 127–107 Jerry West (29) 28–12
41 January 3 @ Philadelphia 101–130 Keith Erickson (20) 28–13
42 January 4 @ Atlanta 121–111 Keith Erickson (30) 29–13
43 January 7 @ Baltimore 100–93 Elgin Baylor (30) 30–13
44 January 10 @ Boston 82–88 Elgin Baylor (21) 30–14
45 January 11 @ Atlanta 100–104 Elgin Baylor (25) 30–15
46 January 17 Cincinnati 107–128 Chamberlain, West (27) 31–15
47 January 19 Cincinnati 117–132 Elgin Baylor (34) 32–15
48 January 21 @ Milwaukee 122–105 Jerry West (44) 33–15
49 January 22 @ Detroit 115–116 Jerry West (28) 33–16
50 January 24 @ Atlanta 106–110 Elgin Baylor (34) 33–17
51 January 26 N Cincinnati 126–113 Wilt Chamberlain (60) 34–17
52 January 28 Chicago 118–125 Jerry West (28) 35–17
53 January 29 @ San Diego 122–120 Wilt Chamberlain (30) 36–17
54 January 31 Milwaukee 104–105 Elgin Baylor (33) 37–17
55 February 1 @ San Francisco 106–101 (OT) Elgin Baylor (34) 38–17
56 February 2 San Francisco 122–117 (3OT) Mel Counts (31) 38–18
57 February 3 @ Seattle 107–114 Wilt Chamberlain (33) 38–19
58 February 7 Philadelphia 109–106 Jerry West (34) 38–20
59 February 8 @ Phoenix 122–104 Elgin Baylor (30) 39–20
60 February 9 Phoenix 116–134 Wilt Chamberlain (66) 40–20
61 February 12 @ Seattle 109–92 Wilt Chamberlain (32) 41–20
62 February 14 San Diego 109–115 Johnny Egan (28) 42–20
63 February 16 @ Milwaukee 97–106 Wilt Chamberlain (29) 42–21
64 February 18 @ New York 113–109 Wilt Chamberlain (31) 43–21
65 February 19 @ Baltimore 88–110 Wilt Chamberlain (26) 43–22
66 February 21 Boston 124–102 Wilt Chammberlain (35) 43–23
67 February 23 Philadelphia 125–121 Wilt Chamberlain (36) 43–24
68 February 25 Seattle 111–114 (OT) Mel Counts (23) 44–24
69 February 28 Phoenix 117–121 Elgin Baylor (31) 45–24
70 March 1 @ San Diego 119–113 Elgin Baylor (37) 46–24
71 March 2 San Francisco 92–107 Jerry West (20) 47–24
72 March 4 Baltimore 116–108 Jerry West (29) 47–25
73 March 7 Boston 99–105 (OT) Elgin Baylor (34) 48–25
74 March 9 Baltimore 109–120 Jerry West (34) 49–25
75 March 11 Detroit 101–137 Wilt Chamberlain (34) 50–25
76 March 12 @ San Francisco 85–97 Jerry West (28) 50–26
77 March 14 Milwaukee 103–111 Jerry West (23) 51–26
78 March 16 @ Boston 108–73 Bill Hewitt (19) 52–26
79 March 18 @ Chicago 93–92 Jerry West (28) 53–26
80 March 19 @ Cincinnati 128–136 (OT) Baylor, West (28) 53–27
81 March 21 Atlanta 103–116 Elgin Baylor (21) 54–27
82 March 23 New York 111–128 Jerry West (34) 55–27

Playoffs

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1969 playoff game log
Division Semi-finals: 4–2 (home: 1–2; road: 3–0)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 March 26 San Francisco L 94–99 Jerry West (36) Wilt Chamberlain (30) Jerry West (7) The Forum
10,697 		0–1
2 March 28 San Francisco L 101–107 Jerry West (36) Wilt Chamberlain (17) Jerry West (11) The Forum
15,119 		0–2
3 March 31 @ San Francisco W 115–98 Jerry West (25) Wilt Chamberlain (28) Jerry West (9) Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena
13,221 		1–2
4 April 2 @ San Francisco W 103–88 Jerry West (36) Wilt Chamberlain (14) Jerry West (5) Cow Palace
14,812 		2–2
5 April 4 San Francisco W 103–98 Jerry West (29) Wilt Chamberlain (27) Jerry West (13) The Forum
17,309 		3–2
6 April 5 @ San Francisco W 118–78 Jerry West (29) Wilt Chamberlain (25) Jerry West (8) Cow Palace
8,924 		4–2
Division finals: 4–1 (home: 3–0; road: 1–1)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 April 11 @ Atlanta W 95–93 Jerry West (25) Wilt Chamberlain (29) Baylor, Egan (6) The Forum
16,190 		1–0
2 April 13 Atlanta W 104–102 Wilt Chamberlain (23) Wilt Chamberlain (29) Johnny Egan (11) The Forum
15,136 		2–0
3 April 15 @ Atlanta L 86–99 Johnny Egan (19) Wilt Chamberlain (22) West, Baylor (4) Alexander Memorial Coliseum
7,140 		2–1
4 April 17 @ Atlanta W 100–85 Wilt Chamberlain (25) Wilt Chamberlain (19) Jerry West (5) Alexander Memorial Coliseum
7,140 		3–1
5 April 20 Atlanta W 104–96 Elgin Baylor (29) Wilt Chamberlain (29) Elgin Baylor (12) The Forum
16,273 		4–1
NBA Finals: 3–4 (home: 3–1; road: 0–3)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 April 23 Boston W 120–118 Jerry West (53) Wilt Chamberlain (23) Jerry West (10) The Forum
17,554 		1–0
2 April 25 Boston W 118–112 Jerry West (41) Wilt Chamberlain (19) Egan, West (8) The Forum
17,559 		2–0
3 April 27 @ Boston L 105–111 Jerry West (24) Wilt Chamberlain (26) Jerry West (6) Boston Garden
14,037 		2–1
4 April 29 @ Boston L 88–89 Jerry West (40) Wilt Chamberlain (31) West, Baylor (4) Boston Garden
15,128 		2–2
5 May 1 Boston W 117–104 Jerry West (39) Wilt Chamberlain (31) Jerry West (9) The Forum
17,553 		3–2
6 May 3 @ Boston L 90–99 West, Baylor (26) Wilt Chamberlain (18) Wilt Chamberlain (4) Boston Garden
15,128 		3–3
7 May 5 Boston L 106–108 Jerry West (42) Wilt Chamberlain (27) Jerry West (12) The Forum
17,568 		3–4
1969 schedule

Awards

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References

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