What Stands Out About Lakers' 33-game Win Streak?

This was an older squad with a championship window closing rather than opening. And its nucleus of legends — an early "super squad" with the exception of the ganging-up-as-free-agents aspect — had seen better days.



Jerry West was 33 years old, had played 12 seasons, and was already known as "The Logo," despite a 0-7 Finals record that worried no one more than him. Elgin Baylor was 37, and his unrivaled above-the-rim approach was hampered by age and knee problems; he wouldn't even get it to the start of the streak. He only appeared in nine games, including three in a row from Oct. 29 to Oct. 31, before retiring. Wilt Chamberlain was exalted for his enormous scoring, rebounding, passing, and shot-blocking achievements at the age of 35, but he was positioned more as a figure of futility than exalted for his prodigious scoring, rebounding, passing, and shot-blocking accomplishments. His career ran up against the greatest dynasty in professional sports, the Boston Celtics, headed by Bill Russell. He broke through once, guiding the 1967 Philadelphia 76ers to a stunning championship run, but he was mostly known as an NBA villain due to his stature and abilities. So Baylor resigned, new coach Bill Sharman — a former Celtics player — replaced him with second-year Jim McMillian, and the Lakers defeated Baltimore in the Forum on Nov. 5. They won 33 games in the following two months, including 16 on the road, including Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's.

The Lakers, who were already the top offensive and second-best defensive teams in the NBA, outscoring opponents by 10.5 points per game on average before the win streak, improved on everything: 123.3 points per game, 107.3 points allowed, and a 16.0 average margin of victory. In those 33 triumphs, they shot 50.2 percent compared to 41.6 percent for their opponents. They were only forced into overtime once (against Phoenix on Dec. 10) and their "narrowest" win came in the streak-starter against the Bullets by four points. It came to an end in Milwaukee on Jan. 7, and the Bucks are still celebrating it as one of their best triumphs ever. Until 1995-96, the Lakers had the best record in the league, going from 6-3 to 39-3 to 69-13.

But here's the true story behind the Lakers' winning streak: If they hadn't won the NBA championship that spring, it would have been squandered or, worse, mocked. Ask the Golden State Warriors whether their 73-9 season in 2015-16 would have been better if they hadn't lost in the NBA Finals to Cleveland. Then magnify that squandered grandeur by approximately a factor of ten. The Lakers' 12-3 postseason tear through the Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks, and New York Knicks upheld the streak's prestige. West winning his ring, Chamberlain quieting some critics, and those 33 straight games being validated by the Lakers' 12-3 postseason tear through the Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks, and New York Knicks upheld the streak's prestige.