1969 NBA Finals

The 1969 National Basketball Association championship series, in which the Boston Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers four games to three.

Game 7 of the 1969 NBA Finals: The decisive seventh game of the 1969 NBA Finals, won by Boston 108–106 in Los Angeles. Boston secured the championship in the Lakers’ arena despite a late rally.
Best-of-seven playoff format: A competition format in which the first team to win four games wins the series. The championship required Boston to win four games, not merely the decisive finale.
Red Auerbach: An American basketball coach and executive who built the Boston Celtics dynasty of the 1950s and 1960s. He shaped the Celtics organization that reached the 1969 Finals.
Boston Celtics dynasty (1957–1969): The Boston Celtics’ run of 11 NBA championships in 13 seasons from 1957 through 1969. The 1969 title was the dynasty’s final championship in its original era.
Bill Russell: An American basketball center who led the Boston Celtics to 11 NBA championships as a player. He captained Boston in his final game and won his 11th championship.
Home-court advantage: The competitive benefit a team may gain by playing at its own venue. The Lakers hosted Game 7, but Boston won on the road.
Bill Sharman: An American basketball player and coach who led the Los Angeles Lakers as head coach in 1969. He coached the Lakers’ star-studded team through the series.
Los Angeles Lakers–Boston Celtics rivalry: The long-running NBA rivalry between the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics. The series added another chapter to a rivalry defined by repeated Finals meetings.
Jerry West: An American basketball guard who played his entire NBA career for the Los Angeles Lakers. His 42-point average earned him the first NBA Finals Most Valuable Player award despite the loss.
NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award: The annual award recognizing the most valuable player of the NBA Finals. The 1969 series introduced the award, given to Jerry West despite his team’s defeat.

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