• Game One: Reed outscored Chamberlain 37-17, mostly by popping out of the post for jump shots while Wilt stayed down low. The Knicks jumped out to a 35-25 lead after the first quarter and extended it by a point at halftime. But the Lakers stormed back in Q3, outscoring NY 38-24 to take a 92-89 lead. A key factor was Knicks G Dick Barnett getting into foul trouble after holding down Jerry West during the first half. But NY turned up their defense and won the fourth quarter 35-20.
  West praised the Knicks. "They're such a very, very intelligent team. Reed is so active, and they recognize this and use him so well in their offense. And they all can hit. They just work for an open 15' shot."
  
  Wilt Chamberlain guards Walt Frazier.
  Game Two: The Lakers started faster, and the game was tied 52-52 at halftime and 83-83 going into the final period. Chamberlain did a better job on Reed, forcing 17 missed shots. The game was nip-and-tuck until the final minute. West made two FTs with 0:46 left to put LA up 105-103. Then Chamberlain blocked Reed's shot, but the Knicks retrieved the ball. But a miss and a three-second violation allowed the Lakers to escape with a two-point win.
  
  Chamberlain guards Willis Reed.
• Game Three: Back home, the Lakers raced to a 56-42 halftime lead. But the Knicks reversed the momentum in Q3 as DeBusschere and Barnett started hitting perimeter shots. The visitors finally tied the score at 96 with two minutes left. After Reed's FT put the Knicks ahead by one, West's jumper put LA back on top by one. But Barnett returned the favor at the 0:19 mark. As the Lakers worked for the final shot, Barnett fouled Wilt, a notoriously poor free throw shooter. He made only one of two to even the score again. DeBusschere hit what seemed to be the game winner to make it 102-100 with only three seconds left and the Lakers out of timeouts. But Jerry West took the inbounds pass, dribbled to within two strides of midcourt, and let fly a 60-footer. Swish! With no three-point shot yet in the NBA, the game went into overtime.
  
  West (far right) sinks a 60' shot to send Game 3 into overtime.
  Unfortunately for the Lakers, West's heroics was in vain since the Knicks scored the final three points for a 111-108 victory.
• Game Four: Another overtime classic. Playing with a sprained thumb, West tallied 37 with 18 assists as neither team led by more than seven points at any of the first three quarter breaks. A bench-warmer proved to be the hero for the Lakers as John Tresvant hit three baskets in the overtime to even the series again, 121-115.
  
  Reed grabs a rebound.
• Game Five: Whether it's the World Series or the NBA Finals, Game Five is the pivotal contest when the teams are tied with two wins apiece. Knicks fans recall this game as one of the greatest in their team's history. With LA leading 25-15 a little over eight minutes into the game, Reed tried to go around Wilt from the foul line but tripped over The Dipper's extra large foot and feel to the floor, writhing in pain from a torn thigh muscle. The Garden crowd grew quiet as Willis was helped off the court. With no Knick capable of checking Wilt, the Lakers expanded their lead to 53-40 at the half. In the locker room, Bill Bradley suggested the Knicks forget about using a pivot man on offense and employ a 3-2 zone offense to force Chamberlain to come out from the basket or give them open shots. But the Knicks had no one to check Chamberlain on defense. So the Lakers tried to get the ball inside during the third quarter only to have the defense collapse on Wilt and get turnovers. Inspired by 19,500 rabid fans chanting "Let's go, Knicks!," NY outscored the Lakers 35-29 in the period. The momentum continued in the final quarter until Bradley hit two straight jumpers to take an 89-87 lead with 5:19 left. The Lakers never regained the advantage as they committed 30 turnovers, and West failed to score a field goal in the second half. Chamberlain scored only four points in the half despite being guarded by much shorter players. Final score: Knicks 107 Lakers 100
• Game Six: The Lakers corrected their mistakes from Game 5 and dominated the Knicks 135-113. Chamberlain sank 20-of-27 for 45 points and West added 33. Wilt also pulled down 27 rebounds. Rookie G Dick Garrett started hot and ended with 18 unexpected points.

Game Seven

Reed comes out from Game 7 warmups to a roar from the crowd.

• Quarter 1
  Chamberlain easily won the tip from Reed, who didn't try to jump and stayed at midcourt as the Lakers missed a shot. Then Willis electrified the crowd by taking a pass from "Clyde" Frazier and hitting the first basket of the game - a "jumper" from the top to the key.
  Reed recalled: "Clyde wanted to see if I could make it. I was surprised that he passed me that first shot. But that's the kind of team we had, open man. You know, Red said, 'I don't care who shoots it as long as you're the open man.'"
  Willis didn't guard Chamberlain as Wilt followed a missed shot for LA's first basket. A half-minute later, Reed hit another basket from the top of the key. He then fouled Chamberlain, who missed both free throws. Walt Frazier, told by Coach Holzman to shoot more with Reed's status uncertain, got his first basket on the way to a 15-point quarter. Dave DeBusschere's jumper extended the lead to 9-2. With Barnett hounding Jerry West, the Knick lead reached 15-6 before Wilt finally got his first points on a putback.
  West had also gotten shots in both injured thumbs before the game and would receive another dose at halftime.
  Holzman's game plan called for the Knicks to attack Dick Garrett, who scored 20 in Game 6. As a result, the rookie picked up his third foul and went to the bench. West hit his first basket to make it 24-16, but a Frazier jumper upped the lead to ten again. Late in the period, Reed landed awkwardly on his bad leg after trying for a rebound but gutted out the rest of the period. Chamberlain finally made one of his "Big Dipper" shots, but the Knicks stayed hot.
  Knicks 38 Lakers 24
  
  Frazier shoots as Bradley blocks out West.
  
  
• Quarter 2
  Continuing to play at their pace, the Knicks stretched the lead to 57-33 midway through the period. Two minutes later, the shooting statistics read: Knicks 24-for-40 (60%), Lakers 15-for-38 (39.5%). Continuing to keep Chamberlain from getting the ball directly under the hoop, Reed committed his third foul and was replaced for the first time. Garrett, who scored 18 in the first half of Game 6, sank only four. Chamberlain finally hit a free throw after missing his first seven. Frazier finished the half with 21 points. DeBusschere added 12 and Bradley 11. For LA, West led with 13, two more than Wilt. Knicks 69 Lakers 42

• Quarter 3
  Reed stayed in the locker room and barely made it back for the start of the period. Nate Bowman was ready for the tip but surrendered to Willis. When he picked up his fourth personal with 5:44 remaining in the period and NY leading 79-54, Reed left the court for good. With Bowman, taller by an inch but not as strong as Willis, guarding Reed, the Knicks collapsed on Wilt when he got the ball and conceded the open shots. The strategy worked as the Lakers shaved only two points off the lead during the period.
  Knicks 94 Lakers 69

• Quarter 4
  The Lakers didn't employ a press. Mullaney explained afterward, "If we used the press, we would have had to employ a completely different lineup. That would mean taking out our veterans and some of our better scorers." Showing some heart, LA "won" the final 12 minutes 30-19.
  FINAL: Knicks 113 Lakers 99

Watch Game 7 ...

Ned Irish

Red Holzman

Walt Bellamy

Dave DeBusschere

Bill Bradley

Walt Frazier

Willis Reed

Lew Alcindor

Joe Mullaney

Happy Hairston

Willis Reed shoots over Wilt Chamberlain.

West drives past Frazier and Reed.

John Tresvant

Elgin Baylor shoots over Dave DeBusschere

West drives past Dick Barnett.

Walt Frazier drives past
Jerry West.

Reed makes a layup.

Reed trips over Chamberlain's foot.

West shoots.

Frazier guards Dick Garrett

Game 7 action.