1969 NBA Standings – A Year to Remember

The 1969 NBA season was one to remember, with some of the league’s most iconic teams and players in action. Check out the standings from that year and relive some of the greatest moments in NBA history

The 1969 NBA Season

The 1969 NBA season was one of the most competitive and unpredictable in recent memory. With several teams vying for the title, it was anyone’s guess as to who would come out on top. Ultimately, it was the New York Knicks who triumphed, narrowly defeating the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals.

This season was also notable for several individual accomplishments. Wilt Chamberlain set a new record for most points in a single game, while Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won the Rookie of the Year Award These achievements, along with the intense competition between teams, made the 1969 NBA season one to remember.

The Standings

During the 1969 NBA regular season the league experienced a major change as the Buffalo Braves, Cincinnati Royals, and San Diego Rockets relocated. The Atlanta Hawks were also sold and moved to Dallas. As a result of these changes, the NBA realigned itself into two conferences with two divisions each. The four divisions were the Atlantic, Central, Midwest, and Pacific.

The Teams

It was a year to remember in the NBA. The Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers met in the Finals for the first time ever, with the Celtics winning their 11th championship. Elsewhere, it was a year of change as theNew York Knicks won their first division title in 18 years, while the expansion Seattle SuperSonics made an immediate impact, finishing in second place in the Western Conference Here’s a look at how all the teams finished in 1969.

Eastern Conference

Boston Celtics 58-22
New York Knicks 57-23
Baltimore Bullets 42-38
Philadelphia 76ers 39-41
Detroit Pistons 37-43
Cleveland Cavaliers 35-45
Cincinnati Royals 34-46
Milwaukee Bucks 27-53

Western Conference

Los Angeles Lakers 69-13
Seattle SuperSonics 52-30

The Players

The 1969 NBA season was very unusual. There were several player and team milestones, as well as a number of memorable events. Here are some of the highlights:

• Wilt Chamberlain averaged 24.3 points per game making him the first player to average more than 24 points per game in a season.

• Chamberlain also became the first player to score 3,000 points in a season, finishing the year with 3,021 points.

• Bill Russell retired after 13 seasons with the Boston Celtics During his career, Russell won 11 NBA championships more than any other player in history.

• The San Diego Rockets (now the Houston Rockets) won their first division title, finishing the season with a 53-29 record.

• The Atlanta Hawks won their first ever NBA Championship defeating the Los Angeles Lakers in four games.

The Games

It was a close race for the 1969 NBA Championship The Boston Celtics had just won their 11th title in 13 years, but the up-and-coming Los Angeles Lakers were eager to take their place at the top. Both teams had identical 69-13 records heading into the playoffs. The stage was set for an epic showdown.

The first game of the series was a blowout, with the Lakers winning by 23 points. But the Celtics bounced back in Game 2, winning by 14 points. The next three games were all close, with the Lakers winning two of them by a single point. Game 6 went to overtime, and the Celtics finally pulled ahead to win by three points.

In the seventh and final game the Celtics were leading by four points with just seconds left on the clock. But Laker player Jerry West hit a miraculous shot from behind the half-court line, sending the game into overtime. The Lakers went on to win by three points, taking their first championship in franchise history.

It was a thrilling series that went down to the wire.Both teams gave everything they had, but in the end, it was the Lakers who were crowned champions.

The Playoffs

The 1969 NBA season was one of the most exciting seasons in Basketball History The playoffs featured intense rivalries, close games, and some of the best players in the league. Here are the standings from that unforgettable year.

Eastern Division
1. Baltimore Bullets (56-26)
2. New York Knicks (55-27)
3. Boston Celtics (54-28)
4. Philadelphia 76ers (53-29)
5. Cincinnati Royals (50-32)
6. Detroit Pistons (47-35)
7. Milwaukee Bucks (46-36)
8. Atlanta Hawks (45-37)

Western Division
1. Los Angeles Lakers (48-34)
2. San Francisco Warriors (48-34) – won playoff tiebreaker over Lakers, earned division title
3. Chicago Bulls (47-35)
4. Phoenix Suns (46-36)
5. Seattle SuperSonics (44-38) – won playoff tiebreaker over St Louis Hawks earned division title 6. St Louis Hawks (44-38

The Finals

The 1969 NBA Finals was the Championship Series of the 1968-69 NBA season The Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeated the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 3.

It was the 21st edition of the National Basketball Association (NBA) Championships, and was played at The Forum in Inglewood, California. Celtics owner Walter Brown was determined to prove that the league’s dominant team of the 1950s and 1960s could still compete against more modern teams.

The Lakers had won 33 games in a row dating back to early February, an NBA record that still stands today. In addition, they had appeared in seven straight Finals dating back to 1963 and were coming off a record 68-win season. Many expected them to easily win their 8th straight title.

The Aftermath

The 1969 NBA playoffs were the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association’s 1968-69 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals

The 1969 playoffs were noted for several dramatic finishes. In the Eastern Division Semifinals, Atlanta Hawks forward Lou Hudson made a jump shot at the regulation buzzer to force a Game 7 against the New York Knicks Atlanta would win that game 118-112. In the West Division Semifinals, Los Angeles Lakers guard Jerry West made a 60-foot shot at the halftime buzzer of Game 3 to tie the score at 54, but his team would ultimately lose that game in overtime, 135-134.

Several players had excellent performances during the 1969 playoffs. Lakers center Wilt Chamberlain set an NBA Playoff record by averaging 24.3 rebounds per game during the Finals. Chamberlain also became only the second player in NBA history to average more than 30 points and 20 rebounds per game in a single postseason (the other was Bob Pettit in 1958). Celtics forward John Havlicek set an NBA record by scoring 46 points in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals against Philly; this record would stand until Michael Jordan scored 49 points in 1986.

The Legacy

The 1969 NBA season was one of the most historic in the league’s young history. The Boston Celtics led by player-coach Bill Russell won their eleventh championship in thirteen years, cementing their legacy as one of the greatest dynasties in all of sports. This was also the first year of the NBA Finals’ now-iconic 2-2-1-1-1 format, which would continue until 1985. In addition, 1969 saw the dawn of a new era in basketball as the ABA was formed. The ABA would go on to absorb four NBA teams and provide some of the most exciting basketball ever seen.

The Future

The 1969 NBA season was one to remember. The Boston Celtics Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks dominated the league, and it was clear that the future of the NBA was in good hands. These three teams would continue to dominate the league for years to come, and they set the standard for excellence in the NBA.