In 1969 the Celtics won the NBA Championship but Jerry West (a Laker) won NBA Finals MVP. How is tha

I did some research on West and I discovered that he won NBA Finals MVP without winnig the championship that series. How in the WORLD did that happen?

In 1969 the Celtics won the NBA Championship but Jerry West (a Laker) won NBA Finals MVP. How is that?fan gear

Glad to see that you're broadening your horizons "jd".

Jerry West played an outstanding series, scoring 42 points, grabbing 13 boards, and dishing 12 assists in a game 7 loss, all while playing on a badly injured leg.

He almost singlehandedly brought them back from what looked like a sure Celtic blowout in the 4th quarter.

He also scored 53 points in game 1, and 41 points in game 2.

The Celtics, as usual won and lost as a team. If there was ONE PLAYER that stood out in that classic series, it was West.

Great question

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I feel a Jerry West vs. MJ question coming soon....lol

They were both great players in their own right. Let's just leave it at that.

In 1969 the Celtics won the NBA Championship but Jerry West (a Laker) won NBA Finals MVP. How is that?nba draft ,nba teams

Let's keep this simple. Jerry West was named Finals MVP in 1969 despite losing the series because West was the best player during that 7-game series. Even the Celtics players thought so, that Havlicek went to the Lakers locker room after the series was over to tell West, "I love you". Russell also went to the Lakers locker room and held West's hand silently.

The Lakers that year were far more superior than the Celtics, but the Celtics won NOT because of one or 2 players, but because they played as a TEAM. Sam Jones was retiring, Russell was also retiring though he didn't announce it yet. All of the Celtics were old, save for Havlicek and Don Nelson, and if you examine their roster, they had no business being in the Finals, much less win over a Lakers team that featured Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West and Elgin Baylor, arguably the greatest at their respective positions up to that time.
Because that was the 1st year the MVP in the NBA, and they didnt know what how to do it. And he was the Most Valuable player in the finals
It's absolutely true that the media (who votes for finals MVP) did not like Russell at all.

Jerry West had an outstanding Finals that year... he scored 53 points in game 1 (won by the Lakers 120-118), and followed that up with 41 points in game 2, as the Lakers took a 2-0 lead in the series. (John Havlicek had scored 39 and 43 points in the first two games).

With the Lakers up 3 games to 2, West scored 26 of the Lakers' 90 points in a 99-90 loss to Boston in game 6 at Boston Garden. West played that game with a badly injured hamstring.

West then followed THAT up with a triple double in game 7, with 42 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists. Although the Celtics won the game 108-106, West was named Finals MVP....

West received a car for his MVP performance. Unfortunately for him, the car was GREEN.

The media loved Jerry West even more than they hated Bill Russell. And they hated Russell a lot...

In that 7th game, John Havlicek (the Celtics' leading scorer for the series) scored 26 and pulled down 16 rebounds.

Russell himself had 21 rebounds in his final game.

The MVP of that finals could have gone to Russell or Havlicek just as easily, but not only did the media love Jerry West as much as they hated Bill Russell, there was also a lot of sympathy for West, as 1969 marked the sixth time he had lost a final to Boston, and the third time he's lost in seven games to the Celtics (1962, 1966).

West was rewarded because, statistically, he was the best player of the finals.

As far as West "standing up" to Russell in the Finals, Russell was an old 35 that year... not only was he a 48 min/game player, he was also the coach, which took a little something away from his play on the court... Russell, as a young man, played the greatest game 7 ever played, with 30 points and 40 rebounds vs. the Lakers in 1962.

Russell was 10-0 in game 7's. Jordan is not close to him as a clutch player OR as a winner.

This was a good question, jd
becuase he was teh best player in teh series teh celtics were the better team. it like having a cavs spurs final. lebron is the best player and probably will win teh mvp but the spurs will win the championship
There is nothing in sports that says that only championship teams produce MVPs. The NFL picks a MVP for the season and that guy might not even make it to the Super Bowl. It is all about individual talent and effort when it comes to MVP status. I would much rather be an MVP for the whole season than to be picked MVP because of one game performance.

Jerry West was just that good and the voters just could not get around it.
Because Jerry West almost single-handedly beat the Celtics (a proof that no man can do it all alone).

I think that they gave him that prize as a consolation because as hoopfan said he played with an injured leg and almost scored 50.

At least you're getting more broader and deliberate on subjects now... =) hehe
jerry west was ballin thats why
It's called Racism!..you dumb bastard!...The people who voted did'nt want Russell to win..because he was black!

Russell = THE GREATEST!

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...I'm Native American!..or as I like to say..Original American!....My people Know a thing or 2 about bieng hated on!......and you!..what the F@ck are you?.....nevermind!..I don't want your people to feel disgraced!..you dumb bastard!..lol...(thanks yahoo...this is fun!)......

PS:....everyone today came from Africa!...it's already been proven!..Well except for you and robby g...you guy's came from my a.s.s....lol........you would'nt know that..because your a sheep!...

AROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
BECAUSE HE COULD
well thats like saying why did Ryan Howard get baseball MVP when the Phillies didnt make the playoffs. In today's sports world you dont have to be on the best team to be the most valuable...you just have to have the ability to change a game
Maybe they got bored of giving Cetic players the finals MVP, year after year. Remember, that's when the Celtics won 11 Titles in 13 years. Now we just suck.
Thats like everyone asking why Dirk was regular season MVP, and Dallas gets bumped in the 1st round this year. MVP should be changed to MVC(Most Valuable Champion)
Maybe it's because Jerry West help the Celtics to win... kind of like Kobe helped the Pistons to win. OK... it's a lie! Jerry West is way too awe inspiring even though the Lakers lost! So Jerry West won. Kobe, however, won the series for the Pistons...
Because he averaged 37.9 ppg and he had 42 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists in game 7.