“Seven games is always bad for the Lakers” – Wilt Chamberlain explained why Game 7s were a nightmare for the Lakers
Wilt Chamberlain knows that the sooner the Lakers close out a series, the better their chances of winning are. This was his mindset in the 1972 playoffs. He believed a short series was the key to the Lakers winning their first championship since moving to Los Angeles.
The Lakers’ series against the Milwaukee Bucks in the Western Conference Finals was a good example to support his claim. After dropping the first game of that series, LA won the next four games to advance to the 1972 NBA Finals. “I hate seven‐game series; there is no way I wanted this series to go seven games,” Chamberlain quipped.
The Lakers lost two finals in seven-game streaks prior to his acquisition.They were defeated by the Knicks in 1970 and the Celtics in 1962 and 1966.For Wilt, ending the series early is crucial.Wilt was under time pressure.
When he joined the Lakers in 1968, Chamberlain was already 35 years old. He knew that with young players such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the rise, winning another championship was harder. Chamberlain showed signs of slowing down offensively in the 1971-72 seasons. Despite owning career averages of 30.1 points, 22.9 rebounds, and 4.4 assists, that season saw “The Big Dipper” diminish his impact on offense,
Fortunately, he could be replaced in scoring by guys like Jerry West and Gail Goodrich.Wilt could now concentrate on defense and grabbing rebounds to support the Purple and Gold.Chamberlain’s defensive presence was terrifying.His performance against the Bucks in the WC Finals, especially in Game 3 of that series, amply demonstrated this.
Despite only scoring seven points during the game, “The Stilt” more than made up for it by grabbing ten rebounds and blocking ten shots.Of those ten blocks, six were directed at Abdul-Jabbar.“He is too skilled and knowledgeable.When the Bucks lost Game 3 of the WC Finals, coach Larry Costello stated, “I would rather have the guys draw up and take the 15-foot jump jumper.”
