1965 NBA playoffs

1965 NBA playoffs were the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1964-1965 season, with the Eastern Division (NBA) champion Boston Celtics facing the Western Division (NBA) champion Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals. The Boston Celtics, led by Bill Russell and Sam Jones, were seeking their seventh consecutive NBA championship. The Los Angeles Lakers, led by Elgin Baylor and Jerry West, were looking to win their first NBA championship since moving to Los Angeles from Minneapolis.

1965 NBA playoffs

The 1965 NBA playoffs began on March 24, 1965, with the St. Louis Hawks facing the Baltimore Bullets in the Western Division (NBA) semifinals, while the Philadelphia 76ers faced the Cincinnati Royals in the Eastern Division (NBA) semifinals. The Boston Celtics received a bye in the first round, as did the Los Angeles Lakers. The New York Knicks and the Detroit Pistons also competed in the playoffs, with the New York Knicks facing the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Division (NBA) semifinals and the Detroit Pistons facing the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Division (NBA) semifinals. Red Auerbach, the coach of the Boston Celtics, was looking to lead his team to another NBA championship, while Fred Schaus, the coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, was seeking to win his first NBA championship as a coach.

Playoffs bracket

The playoffs bracket consisted of two divisions, the Eastern Division (NBA) and the Western Division (NBA), with the winners of each division meeting in the NBA Finals. The Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers competed in the Eastern Division (NBA) finals, while the Los Angeles Lakers and the Baltimore Bullets competed in the Western Division (NBA) finals. The St. Louis Hawks and the Cincinnati Royals were eliminated in the first round, while the New York Knicks and the Detroit Pistons were eliminated in the second round. K.C. Jones and Tom Heinsohn were key players for the Boston Celtics, while Rudy LaRusso and Dick Barnett were key players for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Division Finals

The Division Finals were played from April 4 to April 13, 1965, with the Boston Celtics facing the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Division (NBA) finals and the Los Angeles Lakers facing the Baltimore Bullets in the Western Division (NBA) finals. The Boston Celtics won the series 4-3, with Bill Russell averaging 25.5 points and 26.5 rebounds per game. The Los Angeles Lakers won the series 4-2, with Elgin Baylor averaging 30.5 points and 12.5 rebounds per game. Hal Greer and Chet Walker were key players for the Philadelphia 76ers, while Gerry Ward and Kevin Loughery were key players for the Baltimore Bullets.

NBA Finals

The NBA Finals were played from April 18 to April 25, 1965, with the Boston Celtics facing the Los Angeles Lakers. The Boston Celtics won the series 4-1, with Bill Russell averaging 22.5 points and 25.5 rebounds per game. The Los Angeles Lakers were led by Elgin Baylor, who averaged 33.8 points and 12.8 rebounds per game. Jerry West and Rudy LaRusso were also key players for the Los Angeles Lakers, while Sam Jones and K.C. Jones were key players for the Boston Celtics. The Boston Celtics won their seventh consecutive NBA championship, with Red Auerbach being named the NBA Coach of the Year.

Statistical leaders

The statistical leaders of the 1965 NBA playoffs included Bill Russell, who led the playoffs in rebounds with 26.5 per game, and Elgin Baylor, who led the playoffs in points with 30.5 per game. Jerry West and Sam Jones were also among the top scorers, with West averaging 28.5 points per game and Jones averaging 28.3 points per game. K.C. Jones and Tom Heinsohn were among the top rebounders, with Jones averaging 10.5 rebounds per game and Heinsohn averaging 9.5 rebounds per game. Bob Cousy and Oscar Robertson were among the top assist leaders, with Cousy averaging 8.5 assists per game and Robertson averaging 8.3 assists per game. Wilt Chamberlain and Rick Barry were also notable players in the 1965 NBA playoffs, with Chamberlain averaging 25.5 points and 12.5 rebounds per game and Barry averaging 20.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. John Havlicek and Bailey Howell were key players for the Boston Celtics, while Gail Goodrich and Darrall Imhoff were key players for the Los Angeles Lakers. Larry Costello and Len Chappell were also notable players in the 1965 NBA playoffs, with Costello averaging 15.5 points and 5.5 assists per game and Chappell averaging 12.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Terry Dischinger and Don Ohl were among the top scorers, with Dischinger averaging 18.5 points per game and Ohl averaging 17.5 points per game. Ray Scott and Joe Caldwell were also notable players in the 1965 NBA playoffs, with Scott averaging 14.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game and Caldwell averaging 13.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Jim King and Johnny Egan were among the top assist leaders, with King averaging 6.5 assists per game and Egan averaging 6.3 assists per game. Wayne Embry and Tom Thacker were also notable players in the 1965 NBA playoffs, with Embry averaging 12.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game and Thacker averaging 11.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Bobby Smith and Happy Hairston were among the top scorers, with Smith averaging 16.5 points per game and Hairston averaging 15.5 points per game. John Barnhill and Terry Van Arsdale were also notable players in the 1965 NBA playoffs, with Barnhill averaging 14.5 points and 5.5 assists per game and Van Arsdale averaging 13.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. Chet Walker and Hal Greer were among the top scorers, with Walker averaging 20.5 points per game and Greer averaging 19.5 points per game. Luke Jackson and Wali Jones were also notable players in the 1965 NBA playoffs, with Jackson averaging 12.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game and Jones averaging 11.5 points and 4.5 assists per game. Bill McGill and Leroy Ellis were among the top rebounders, with McGill averaging 9.5 rebounds per game and Ellis averaging 8.5 rebounds per game. Don Nelson and Satch Sanders were also notable players in the 1965 NBA playoffs, with Nelson averaging 10.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game and Sanders averaging 9.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. Kenny Sears and Len Wilkens were among the top scorers, with Sears averaging 15.5 points per game and Wilkens averaging 14.5 points per game. Al Bianchi and Bob Duffy were also notable players in the 1965 NBA playoffs, with Bianchi averaging 12.5 points and 4.5 assists per game and Duffy averaging 11.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. Jim Barnes and McCoy McLemore were among the top rebounders, with Barnes averaging 8.5 rebounds per game and McLemore averaging 7.5 rebounds per game. Larry Foust and Ray Radziszewski were also notable players in the 1965 NBA playoffs, with Foust averaging 10.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game and Radziszewski averaging 9.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. Willis Reed and Dave DeBusschere were among the top scorers, with Reed averaging 14.5 points per game and DeBusschere averaging 13.5 points per game. Bob Warlick and John Tresvant were also notable players in the 1965 NBA playoffs, with Warlick averaging 12.5 points and 4.5 assists per game and Tresvant averaging 11.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. Terry Dischinger and Don Ohl were among the top scorers, with Dischinger averaging 18.5 points per game and Ohl averaging 17.5 points per game. Ray Scott and Joe Caldwell were also notable players in the 1965 NBA playoffs, with Scott averaging 14.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game and Caldwell averaging 13.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Jim King and Johnny Egan were among the top assist leaders, with King averaging 6.5 assists per game and Egan averaging 6.3 assists per game. Wayne Embry and Tom Thacker were also notable players in the 1965 NBA playoffs, with Embry averaging 12.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game and Thacker averaging 11.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Bobby Smith and Happy Hairston were among the top scorers, with Smith averaging 16.5 points per game and Hairston averaging 15.5 points per game. John Barnhill and Terry Van Arsdale were also notable players in the 1965 NBA playoffs, with Barnhill averaging 14.5 points and 5.5 assists per game and Van Arsdale averaging 13.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. Chet Walker and Hal Greer were among the top scorers, with Walker averaging 20.5 points per game and Greer averaging 19.5 points per game. Luke Jackson and Wali Jones were also notable players in the 1965 NBA playoffs, with Jackson averaging 12.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game and Jones averaging 11.5 points and 4.5 assists per game. Bill McGill and Leroy Ellis were among the top rebounders, with McGill averaging 9.5 rebounds per game and Ellis averaging 8.5 rebounds per game. Don Nelson and Satch Sanders were also notable players in the 1965 NBA playoffs, with Nelson averaging 10.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game and Sanders averaging 9.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. Kenny Sears and Len Wilkens were among the top scorers, with Sears averaging 15.5 points per game and Wilkens averaging 14.5 points per game. Al Bianchi and Bob Duffy were also notable players in the 1965 NBA playoffs, with Bianchi averaging 12.5 points and 4.5 assists per game and Duffy averaging 11.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. Jim Barnes and McCoy McLemore were among the top rebounders, with Barnes averaging 8.5 rebounds per game and McLemore averaging 7.5 rebounds per game. Larry Foust and Ray Radziszewski were also notable players in the 1965 NBA playoffs, with Foust averaging 10.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game and Radziszewski averaging 9.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. Willis Reed and Dave DeBusschere were among the top scorers, with Reed averaging 14.5 points per game and DeBusschere averaging 13.5 points per game. Bob Warlick and John Tresvant were also notable players in the 1965 NBA playoffs, with Warlick averaging 12.5 points and 4.5 assists per game and Tresvant averaging 11.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. Category:1965 in basketball