1974 NBA Finals

NBA Finals summary


caption =
year = 1974
runnerup = Milwaukee Bucks
runnerup_coach = Larry Costello
runnerup_games = 3
champion = Boston Celtics
champion_coach = Tom Heinsohn
champion_games = 4
date= April 28 - May 12
MVP = John Havlicek
(Boston Celtics)
television = CBS (U.S.)
announcers = Pat Summerall, Rick Barry, and Rod Hundley
HOFers = Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dave Cowens, John Havlicek, Oscar Robertson
radio_network =
radio_announcers =
referees_1 =
referees_2 =
referees_3 =
referees_4 =
referees_5 = Game 5:
referees_6 = Game 6:
referees_7 = Game 7:
ECF result = Celtics defeat Knicks, 4-1
WCF result = Bucks defeat Bulls, 4-0

eries Summary

"Celtics win series 4-3"

Game 1

Before the series started, Bucks point guard Lucius Allen would be lost for the series with a knee injury. In Game 1, the Celtics took advantage, harassing a 35-year old Oscar Robertson and Allen's replacement, Ron Williams, into frequent turnovers. The Celtics took a 35-19 lead in the first quarter and never looked back on the way to a 98-83 win in Milwaukee. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored 35 points for the Bucks.

Game 2

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored 36 points, but more importantly, he took more of a role in running the Bucks' offense from the post, given their backcourt issues. His passing enabled Bob Dandridge to score 24 points.

On the defensive end, Abdul-Jabbar forced Dave Cowens into shooting 3-of-13 from the floor, including a block of a Cowens shot at the end of regulation to force overtime. The Bucks won in overtime, 105-96, to even the series at a game apiece as it headed to Boston.

Game 3

Sensing he was no match for Abdul-Jabbar in the paint, Dave Cowens decided to shoot more from the outside and scored 30 points, despite foul trouble that reduced him to 32 minutes of playing time. The Celtics' press also turned up the heat, forcing 11 first-quarter turnovers and helping Boston to a 21-point lead. With Cowens in foul trouble, seldom-used 7-footer Henry Finkel did an admirable job of spot defense on Abdul-Jabbar, who finished with 26 points. At game's end, the Bucks had turned the ball over 27 times, enough for a 95-83 Boston win.

Game 4

With Ron Williams unable to handle the Celtic press and shooting guard Jon McGlocklin nursing a sprained ankle, Bucks coach Larry Costello turned to little-used forward Mickey Davis for help in the backcourt. Davis at 6'7" presented matchup problems on offense for Jo Jo White, forcing Celtics coach Tom Heinsohn to assign press-master Don Chaney to guard him. This enabled Oscar Robertson to more effectively set up the Bucks' offense.

Davis contributed 15 points and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar shredded the Celtics for 34 points and six assists from the low post. Milwaukee got the lead and kept it down the stretch for a 97-89 win at Boston Garden, thereby getting back their homecourt advantage.

Game 5

The Celtics stole the homecourt advantage back with a 96-87 win in Milwaukee. They would have a chance to close it out at home in Game 6.

Game 6

Dave Cowens got into foul trouble early and watched from the bench as Milwaukee took a 12-point lead in the first half. The Celtics were down by six late in the game, but they came back to force overtime. John Havlicek hit a long jumper to tie it at 86-86 with a little over a minute left, then Oscar Robertson was caught in a 24-second violation as time expired. In the first overtime, Milwaukee led 90-88 when Don Chaney got a steal and passed to Havlicek. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was back on defense and forced Havlicek to take a pull-up jumper. Havlicek missed but got the long rebound and scored to send the game into a second overtime.

In the second extra period Havlicek scored nine of Boston's 11 points. With seven seconds left he had the ball on the right baseline, and the Boston bench screamed for a timeout. Instead, Havlicek lofted a rainbow over Abdul-Jabbar for a 101-100 lead.

The Bucks called for a timeout, and instead of setting up a play for Abdul-Jabbar, strangely decided to set up a play for a hobbled Jon McGlocklin where Abdul-Jabbar would set a pick. McGlocklin couldn't get free, however, and Abdul-Jabbar, with the ball, moved to the right of the lane, dribbled to the baseline, and let fly a "sky-hook" from 17 feet with two seconds left. The Celtics put up a failed desperation heave, but that was it. The series was tied at three games apiece and going back to Milwaukee.

Game 7

Homecourt advantage apparently meant very little in this series. The Celtics decided to abandon man-to-man defense and double and triple team Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. This freed Dave Cowens more on the offensive end, as he hit 8 of 13 shots in the first half on his way to 28 points and 14 rebounds. John Havlicek added 16 as the Celtics cruised to an easy 102-87 win and their first title in the "post-Bill Russell era."

Team rosters

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titlestyle = background:#008040; color:white;
bodystyle = background:#efe196;
title = Boston Celtics 1973-74 NBA Champions
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7 Williams !10 White !12 Chaney !17 Havlicek (Finals MVP) !18 Cowens !19 Nelson !20 Hankinson !29 Finkel !32 Downing !33 Kuberski !35 Silas !44 Westphal !Coach Heinsohn

ee also

*1974 NBA Playoffs

External links

* [http://www.nba.com/history/finals/19731974.html NBA History]