1968 NBA Finals

1968 NBA Finals
TeamCoachWins
Boston Celtics Bill Russell (player-coach) 4
Los Angeles Lakers Butch van Breda Kolff 2
DatesApril 21–May 2
Hall of FamersCeltics:
Sam Jones (1984)
John Havlicek (1984)
Bailey Howell (1997)
Don Nelson (2012, coach)
Bill Russell (1975)
Lakers:
Elgin Baylor (1977)
Gail Goodrich (1996)
Jerry West (1980)
Coaches:
Bill Russell (2021)
Officials:
Mendy Rudolph (2007)
Earl Strom (1995)
Eastern finalsCeltics defeated 76ers, 4–3
Western finalsLakers defeated Warriors, 4–0
← 1967 NBA finals 1969 →

The 1968 NBA World Championship Series pitted the Boston Celtics from the East, against the Los Angeles Lakers from the West, for the sixth time in ten years. The Celtics won their tenth NBA Championship in twelve seasons, by defeating the Lakers in six games. Significantly, Game 6 marked the first time that any NBA competition had taken place during the month of May. This was the last NBA Finals without a Finals MVP named as the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award was introduced the following year.

Series summary

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Game Date Home team Result Road team
Game 1 April 21 Boston Celtics 107–101 (1–0) Los Angeles Lakers
Game 2 April 24 Boston Celtics 113–123 (1–1) Los Angeles Lakers
Game 3 April 26 Los Angeles Lakers 119–127 (1–2) Boston Celtics
Game 4 April 28 Los Angeles Lakers 119–105 (2–2) Boston Celtics
Game 5 April 30 Boston Celtics 120–117 (OT) (3–2) Los Angeles Lakers
Game 6 May 2 Los Angeles Lakers 109–124 (2–4) Boston Celtics

Celtics win series 4–2

Team rosters

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Boston Celtics

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1967–68 Boston Celtics roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
F/C 28 Embry, Wayne 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1937-03-26 Miami (OH)
PG 11 Graham, Mal 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1945-02-23 NYU
G/F 17 Havlicek, John 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 203 lb (92 kg) 1940-04-08 Ohio State
SF 18 Howell, Bailey 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1937-01-20 Mississippi State
PF 27 Jones, Johnny 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1933-03-12 Cal State LA
SG 24 Jones, Sam 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 198 lb (90 kg) 1933-06-24 North Carolina Central
F 19 Nelson, Don 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1940-05-15 Iowa
C 6 Russell, Bill 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1934-02-12 San Francisco
SF 16 Sanders, Satch 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1938-11-08 NYU
C/G 20 Siegfried, Larry 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1939-10-14 Ohio State
G/F 12 Thacker, Tom 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1939-11-02 Cincinnati
PG 26 Weitzman, Rick 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1946-04-30 Northeastern
Head coach
Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Los Angeles Lakers

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1967–68 Los Angeles Lakers roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
SG 30 Anderson, Cliff 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1944-09-07 Saint Joseph's
PF 23 Barnes, Jim 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1941-04-13 UTEP
SF 22 Baylor, Elgin 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1934-09-16 Seattle
SG 21 Clark, Archie 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1941-07-15 Minnesota
C 31 Counts, Mel 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1941-10-16 Oregon State
SG 12 Crawford, Freddie 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 189 lb (86 kg) 1941-12-33 St. Bonaventure
SG 11 Goodrich, Gail 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1943-04-23 UCLA
PF 52 Hamilton, Dennis 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1944-05-08 Notre Dame
SF 33 Hawkins, Tom 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1936-12-22 Notre Dame
C 14 Imhoff, Darrall 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1938-10-11 California
C 34 Mueller, Erwin 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1944-03-12 San Francisco
PG 44 West, Jerry 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1938-05-28 West Virginia
SF 24 Wetzel, John 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1944-10-22 Virginia Tech
Head coach
Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

See also

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