1968-69 Russell goes toward sunset with 11th title
NY was not visible, making the Playoffs just once from 1956 to 1966. But a
couple of interesting moves allowed this team to show their muscle in the
league. A change of coach helped the Knicks to get out of the hole, Red
Holzman(former Hawks coach i) replaced Dick McGuire in midseason. Bill Bradley
Walt Frazier, and Phil Jackson all made up the core of their team (all rookies),
and Dave DeBusschere (traded from Detroit for Walt Bellamy) and Howie Komives.
But attention was focused on a much bigger trade. Wilt Chamberlain moved to
the Lakers for Jerry Chambers, Archie Clark and Darrall Imhoff. Together with
Jerry West and Elgin Baylor, they were to bring the Lakers a championship in the
league that comprised 14 teams now ( joined by Milwaukee and Phoenix). The
Celtics, with their aging team, won just 48 games in the regular season,
finishing fourth in the East. But they bested Philadelphia in the Playoffs,
defeated the Knicks in six games, and defeated the Lakers 4-3 in the Finals.
Two excellent basketball players made their debuts in 1968: Elvin Hayes and
Wes Unseld. Hayes, a huge forward for the San Diego Rockets, put on the crown of
the league scoring king with 28.4 points (and also averaged 17.1 rebounds).
Unseld, the second pick in the draft (after Hayes), became only the second
player in NBA history to win the MVP and Rookie of the Year awards s(Chamberlain
was the first). Unseld averaged 13.8 ppg with 18.2 rpg.
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