1962 NBA Playoffs
Encyclopedia
The 1962 NBA Playoffs
was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association
's 1961-1962 season
. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Boston Celtics
defeating the Western Division champion Los Angeles Lakers
, four games to three in the NBA Finals
.
The Celtics won their fourth consecutive championship, becoming the first (and as of 2010, only) NBA team to do so. The Celtics' game seven victory occurred in overtime, with Boston's Bill Russell
tying his own NBA finals record with 40 rebounds.
This was the second NBA Finals series played between the Celtics and Lakers, though it was the first one the Lakers played in since the franchise moved to Los Angeles
.
Though the NBA has existed since 1947, this is the earliest NBA Finals played between two teams that still reside in their present (2010) locations.
Division Semifinals
(1) Los Angeles Lakers have division semifinals byes.
(2) Cincinnati Royals vs. (3) Detroit Pistons
:
Pistons win series 3-1
Division Finals
(1) Los Angeles Lakers
vs. (3) Detroit Pistons
:
Lakers win series 4-2
Division Semifinals
(1) Boston Celtics have division semifinals byes.
(2) Philadelphia Warriors vs. (3) Syracuse Nationals
:
Warriors win series 3-2
Division Finals
(1) Boston Celtics
vs. (2) Philadelphia Warriors:
Celtics win series 4-3
VS. (1) Los Angeles Lakers
:
Celtics win series 4-3
NBA Playoffs
The National Basketball Association Playoffs is a best-of-seven elimination tournament among sixteen teams in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference , ultimately deciding the final four teams who will play in the NBA Conference Finals.-Format:Following the NBA regular season, eight teams in...
was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
's 1961-1962 season
1961-62 NBA season
The 1961–62 NBA season was the 16th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Boston Celtics winning their 4th straight NBA Championship, beating the Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals.-Notable occurrences:...
. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
defeating the Western Division champion Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, four games to three in the NBA Finals
1962 NBA Finals
The 1962 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 1961-62 National Basketball Association season, and was the conclusion of the 1962 NBA Playoffs. The best-of-seven series was played between the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers and the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics...
.
The Celtics won their fourth consecutive championship, becoming the first (and as of 2010, only) NBA team to do so. The Celtics' game seven victory occurred in overtime, with Boston's Bill Russell
Bill Russell
William Felton "Bill" Russell is a retired American professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association...
tying his own NBA finals record with 40 rebounds.
This was the second NBA Finals series played between the Celtics and Lakers, though it was the first one the Lakers played in since the franchise moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
Though the NBA has existed since 1947, this is the earliest NBA Finals played between two teams that still reside in their present (2010) locations.
Western Division
Champion: Los Angeles LakersLos Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
Division Semifinals
(1) Los Angeles Lakers have division semifinals byes.
(2) Cincinnati Royals vs. (3) Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
:
Pistons win series 3-1
- Game 1 @ Detroit: Detroit 123, Cincinnati 122
- Game 2 @ Cincinnati: Cincinnati 129, Detroit 107
- Game 3 @ Detroit: Detroit 118, Cincinnati 107
- Game 4 @ Cincinnati: Detroit 112, Cincinnati 111
Division Finals
(1) Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
vs. (3) Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
:
Lakers win series 4-2
- Game 1 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 132, Detroit 108
- Game 2 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 127, Detroit 112
- Game 3 @ Detroit: Los Angeles 111, Detroit 106
- Game 4 @ Detroit: Detroit 118, Los Angeles 117
- Game 5 @ Los Angeles: Detroit 132, Los Angeles 125
- Game 6 @ Detroit: Los Angeles 123, Detroit 117
Eastern Division
Champion: Boston CelticsBoston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
Division Semifinals
(1) Boston Celtics have division semifinals byes.
(2) Philadelphia Warriors vs. (3) Syracuse Nationals
Syracuse Nationals
The Syracuse Nationals were an American professional basketball team that existed from 1946 to 1963 as part of the National Basketball League and National Basketball Association . They are currently known as the Philadelphia 76ers, and are the NBA's oldest continued franchise.The team began in...
:
Warriors win series 3-2
- Game 1 @ Philadelphia: Philadelphia 111, Syracuse 103
- Game 2 @ Syracuse: Philadelphia 97, Syracuse 82
- Game 3 @ Philadelphia: Syracuse 101, Philadelphia 100
- Game 4 @ Syracuse: Syracuse 106, Philadelphia 99
- Game 5 @ Philadelphia: Philadelphia 121, Syracuse 104
Division Finals
(1) Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
vs. (2) Philadelphia Warriors:
Celtics win series 4-3
- Game 1 @ Boston: Boston 117, Philadelphia 89
- Game 2 @ Philadelphia: Philadelphia 113, Boston 106
- Game 3 @ Boston: Boston 129, Philadelphia 114
- Game 4 @ Philadelphia: Philadelphia 110, Boston 106
- Game 5 @ Boston: Boston 119, Philadelphia 104
- Game 6 @ Philadelphia: Philadelphia 109, Boston 99
- Game 7 @ Boston: Boston 109, Philadelphia 107 (Sam JonesSam Jones (basketball)Samuel Jones is a retired American professional basketball player at shooting guard and a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He was known for his quickness and game-winning shots, especially during the NBA Playoffs...
hits series-winning shot)
NBA finals
(1) Boston CelticsBoston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
VS. (1) Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
:
Celtics win series 4-3
- Game 1 @ Boston: Boston 122, Los Angeles 108
- Game 2 @ Boston: Los Angeles 105, Boston 103
- Game 3 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 117, Boston 115 (Jerry WestJerry WestJerry Alan West is a retired American basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . His nicknames include "Mr...
steals Sam JonesSam Jones (basketball)Samuel Jones is a retired American professional basketball player at shooting guard and a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He was known for his quickness and game-winning shots, especially during the NBA Playoffs...
's inbound pass and hits game winning-shot) - Game 4 @ Los Angeles: Boston 115, Los Angeles 103
- Game 5 @ Boston: Los Angeles 126, Boston 121 (Elgin BaylorElgin BaylorElgin Gay Baylor is a retired Hall of Fame American basketball player and former NBA general manager who played 13 seasons as a forward for the NBA's Minneapolis Lakers/Los Angeles Lakers....
scores NBA final record 61 points) - Game 6 @ Los Angeles: Boston 119, Los Angeles 105
- Game 7 @ Boston: Boston 110, Los Angeles 107 (OT) (Frank Selvy misses the championship-winning shot in official time; Bill RussellBill RussellWilliam Felton "Bill" Russell is a retired American professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association...
grabs NBA final record 40 rebounds)