Articles from the Past #2: Jerry West, Perfectionist

[Andrew]

Here's another article, this one from April 25th, 1969. This article shows just how much of a perfectionist Jerry West is, as he was still somewhat unhappy with his game despite a great performance and a victory over Russell's Celtics in game one of the 1969 NBA Finals.

West Bemoans Shots He Missed in 53-Point Act Against Celtics
By Bill Becker
Special To The New York Times

Los Angeles, April 24—When a basketball player scores 53 points against the Boston Celtics, what more could he possibly ask for? The answer, if he is Jerry West, is 63 points.

West, in the best playoff performance of his career, led the Los Angeles Lakers to a 120-118 victory over the Celtics last night in the opening game of the National Basketball Association championship series.

Yet, afterward, the slim West Virginian recalled the baskets that got away.
“I blew a couple of easy layups in the first quarter,” he told reporters in the dressing room. “And there was another easy shot in the second I should have made.”

As the record clearly shows, West took 41 shots from the floor and sank 21 of them for the Western Division champions. He added 11 of 13 shots from the free-throw line, and he had 10 assists in helping other Lakers to score.

The Laker guard needed his hottest hand to prevail over John Havlicek, Bill Russell and Company. Havlicek, another brilliant marksman, inside and out, had 37 points to lead the Celtics. He sank 14 of 26 shots from the field and nine of nine free throws.

It was a running-and-gunning game, a delight and a nail-biter for the crowd of 17,557, which set an attendance record for the Forum in Inglewood. Each team took 100 shots from the floor, with the Lakers making 49 and the Celtics 47. The Celtics made it close all the way with their 80 percent foul-shooting.

To cap his night, West sank two free throws for the decisive points. Elgin Baylor added a final foul shot to give him a total of 24 points.
“It was West’s assists that beat us,” said Russell, the Celtics’ player-coach. “When we score 118 points, it usually is all we need to win. We’ll be back Friday.”

The marksmanship of West and Havlicek overshadowed the duel between Russell and Wilt Chamberlain, Laker center, under the boards. Russell outrebounded Wilt, 27 to 23, and outscored him, 16 points to 15, but the Laker giant made a half-dozen key blocks.

West also gave Wilt credit for setting up several of his scoring plays. “Wilt froze Russell so I could go in or get free,” said Jerry.

© The New York Times
(c)1994 NBA Properties, Inc. and/or Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

[Jackal]

Lol, atleast he didnt expect to make all shots. Sometimes it is frustrating for players to blow easy shots.

Nice of West to give credit to Wilt...

[Fresh8]

Jerry West sounds like a team player!

[magius]

Heroic Isiah Hobbles to Record 25-Point Quarter

Thomas takes on James Worthy during his 25-point third-quarter outburst.
(Andrew D. Bernstein/NBA Photos)

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The 1988 NBA Finals will rightly be remembered as the year the defending champion Lakers fulfilled coach Pat Riley's promise of a repeat.
But more than a few will recall Isiah Thomas' gutty performance in Game 6 at the Forum.

Although the Lakers came away with a narrow 103-102 win (the Lakers then won Game 7 to capture their second straight title), the most memorable moments from Game 6 belonged to Thomas.

The Pistons were down 56-48 early in the third quarter of Game 6 when Thomas scored the next 14 points in a variety of ways: two free throws, a 5-footer off an offensive rebound, three jumpers, a bank shot, and a layup.

Then, with a little more than four minutes to go in the period, Thomas landed on Michael Cooper's foot and had to be helped from the floor.

Despite a severely sprained ankle, Thomas returned 35 seconds later and continued the offensive assault. By the end of the quarter, he had hit 11 of 13 shots from the floor for 25 points, setting an NBA Finals record for points in a quarter. Better yet, he had single-handedly given his team an 81-79 lead.

The Pistons ultimately lost Game 6 to the Lakers, but it was no fault of the battle-weary Thomas. He finished the night with a jammed left pinkie, a poked eye, a scratched face, a ballooned ankle, 43 points, 8 assists, 6 steals, and enough respect to last a lifetime.

"We got a miraculous game from Isiah, as hurt as he was," Pistons coach Chuck Daly said afterward. "He got us back in the game. On offense, we didn't give him as much support as I would like. We were 45 seconds away from an NBA Championship. What can I say?"

"What Isiah Thomas did in the second half was just incredible," agreed Lakers coach Pat Riley.

Lakers guard Magic Johnson, Thomas' longtime friend, added: "I think he was just unconscious. I think he said, 'Okay, I'm going to take this game over.' I've seen him do that before. He was in his rhythm. When he starts skipping and hopping, that means he's in his rhythm. That means he's ready."