1963 Overview

From Hoopedia

1962-63 NBA Season

For the second straight year, Jerry West and Elgin Baylor drove the Lakers to the top. And once again they flamed out against that immutable force, the Boston Celtics.

Significant changes took place prior to the season. The Warriors, who had the league’s top gate attraction in Wilt Chamberlain, moved to San Francisco and the Western Division. To compensate, Cincinnati, with Oscar Robertson, was moved to the East. The Chicago franchise changed its name from Packers to Zephyrs. Bob Cousy, 34, announced before the season that it would be his final one. Exciting rookies Zelmo Beaty, John Havlicek and Dave DeBusschere came into the league.

The Celtics didn’t have a 20 points per game scorer, yet won 58 games and another Eastern title. The Lakers won 53 games and a second straight Western title. Chamberlain posted astounding individual numbers with 44.8 points per game and 24.3 rebounds per game.

Each Divisional Finals went to seven games. Boston belted Cincinnati 142-131 in the East’s Game 7, while the Lakers held off a revived St. Louis team 115-100 to advance to the Finals. The Celtics helped Cousy go out on a high note by taking leads of 2-0 and 3-1 in the series before closing out the Lakers in six games, with the clincher coming in Los Angeles. Another Auerbach victory cigar gave his critics more to fume about.

“Anytime you’re winning, you get criticism,” he said. “Nothing instigates jealousy like winning.”

“Red was outspoken,” Jerry West recalled. “His sideline antics were funny. I happened to like him very much. When you talk to his ex-players, they all have great respect for him. I don’t know many players who would tell you that about their former coaches.”