1974 NBA Finals

The 1974 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1973–74 National Basketball Association (NBA) season. The Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeated the Western Conference champion Milwaukee Bucks 4 games to 3 to win the NBA championship.

1974 NBA Finals
TeamCoachWins
Boston Celtics Tom Heinsohn 4
Milwaukee Bucks Larry Costello 3
DatesApril 28–May 12
MVPJohn Havlicek
(Boston Celtics)
Hall of FamersBucks:
Oscar Robertson (1980)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1995)
Celtics:
Dave Cowens (1991)
John Havlicek (1984)
Don Nelson (2012, coach)
Paul Westphal (2019)
Jo Jo White (2015)
Coaches:
Tom Heinsohn (1986, player/2015, coach)
Officials:
Darell Garretson (2016)
Mendy Rudolph (2007)
Eastern FinalsCeltics defeat Knicks, 4–1
Western FinalsBucks defeat Bulls, 4–0

Background

Milwaukee Bucks
Main article: 1973–74 Milwaukee Bucks season

The Milwaukee Bucks returned to the NBA Finals after a three-year absence. Some of the cast from the 1971 championship team, such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (then Lew Alcindor), Jon McGlocklin, Bob Dandridge and the retiring Oscar Robertson returned for another title run; however, starting guard Lucius Allen, who averaged 17.6 points and 5.2 assists per game, was injured and did not play in the series. The Bucks eliminated the Los Angeles Lakers and the Chicago Bulls in five and four games, respectively, to advance to the Finals.

Boston Celtics
Main article: 1973–74 Boston Celtics season

The Boston Celtics won a franchise record 68 games in the 1972–73 season, but a shoulder injury to John Havlicek quashed their title hopes, as they lost in seven games to the New York Knicks in the conference finals. Havlicek returned healthier for the 1973–74 season, and with Dave Cowens, Paul Silas and Jo Jo White entering the prime of their careers, the Celtics appeared poised for another title run. The Celtics, though winning 12 fewer games than the previous season, made the Finals, defeating the Buffalo Braves in six games before ousting the defending champion New York Knicks in five games.

Road to the Finals
Milwaukee Bucks (Western Conference champion)Boston Celtics (Eastern Conference champion)
# Western Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Milwaukee Bucks5923.720–
2 x-Chicago Bulls5428.6595
3 x-Detroit Pistons5230.6347
4 y-Los Angeles Lakers4735.57312
5 Golden State Warriors4438.53715
6 Seattle SuperSonics3646.43923
7 Kansas City–Omaha Kings3349.40226
8 Phoenix Suns3052.36629
9 Portland Trail Blazers2755.32932
1st seed in the West, best league record		 Regular season
# Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Boston Celtics5626.683–
2 x-New York Knicks4933.5987
3 y-Capital Bullets4735.5739
4 x-Buffalo Braves4240.51214
5 Atlanta Hawks3547.42721
6 Houston Rockets3250.39024
7 Cleveland Cavaliers2953.35427
8 Philadelphia 76ers2557.30531


1st seed in the East, 2nd best league record

Defeated the (4) Los Angeles Lakers, 4–1 Conference Semifinals Defeated the (4) Buffalo Braves, 4–2
Defeated the (2) Chicago Bulls, 4–0 Conference Finals Defeated the (2) New York Knicks, 4–1

Regular season series

These teams split the four-game season series, each winning once at home and on the road.

November 30, 1973
Boston Celtics 93, Milwaukee Bucks 117
Milwaukee Arena, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
February 6, 1974
Boston Celtics 105, Milwaukee Bucks 104
Milwaukee Arena, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
February 10, 1974
Milwaukee Bucks 95, Boston Celtics 86
Providence Civic Center, Providence, Rhode Island

Series summary
GameDateHome teamScoreRoad team
Game 1Sun. April 28Milwaukee83–98 (0–1)Boston
Game 2Tue. April 30Milwaukee105–96 (OT) (1–1)Boston
Game 3Fri. May 3Boston95–83 (2–1)Milwaukee
Game 4Sun. May 5Boston89–97 (2–2)Milwaukee
Game 5Tue. May 7Milwaukee87–96 (2–3)Boston
Game 6Fri. May 10Boston101–102 (2OT) (3–3)Milwaukee
Game 7Sun. May 12Milwaukee87–102 (3–4)Boston

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 105-96 to even the series at a game apiece as it headed to Boston.

This game, played on April 30, was the last NBA Championship Series game played in the month of April to date.

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. This would be the last time the home team won in the series.

Game 4

With Ron Williams unable to handle the Celtics' 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 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 regaining homecourt advantage.

Game 5

The Celtics stole the homecourt advantage back with a 96–87 win in Milwaukee. John Havlicek and Dave Cowens scored 28 points each and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored 37 points. 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.

The second overtime was a furious nip-and-tuck affair, with the lead changing hands 11 times. After Bob Dandridge hit a pair of free throws, Havlicek, who had nine of his team's 11 points in the period, hit a short jumper from the baseline and was fouled by Dandridge. Havlicek hit the foul shot to put the Celtics up 93–92. Then, the frenzied exchange of baskets occurred with neither team leading by more than a point. Abdul-Jabbar hit a skyhook, then Havlicek hit a jumper. Oscar Robertson then scored the next two Bucks baskets, sandwiching a Jo Jo White jumper. Then, Havlicek scored again. On the next possession, Dave Cowens fouled Abdul-Jabbar in the lane, his sixth.

Mickey Davis put the Bucks up 100-99 with a basket with 24 seconds left. With the shot clock turned off, the Celtics worked for a final shot. Coach Tom Heinsohn screamed for a timeout, but with seven seconds left, Havlicek lofted a baseline 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 from the high post. McGlocklin couldn't get free, however, and Davis was covered as he cut to the basket. 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 which swished in with two seconds left. Jo Jo White put up a failed desperation heave, and that was it. The series was tied at three games apiece and going back to Milwaukee. Havlicek ended with a game-high 36 points and Abdul-Jabbar led the Bucks with 34 points, including the game-winner.

Game 7

Home court 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, who still scored 26 points. 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."

Aftermath

As of the 2018–19 season, this remains the Bucks' last appearance in the NBA Finals. The Celtics returned to the finals two years later, winning their 13th title.

Television

This was the first of 17 consecutive NBA Finals to be televised by CBS.

Team rosters

Boston Celtics

Milwaukee Bucks
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gollark: Finally, one would be obtainable by demanding one from God-Emperor TJ09.
gollark: One would be put in the *AP* at random.
gollark: One in the cave, one by raffle, one by posting trades automatically and randomly picking offers, one via a secret link, one via breeding random dragons (they'd occasionally produce a new CB sinnerscale)...
gollark: They would each be given out in annoying ways.

See also
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