“Apologies to Bill and Wilt” proceeds to have a whole video about Wilt

“He didn’t adapt to basketball, basketball was forced to adapt to him.” That is some G.O.A.T worthy praise

We have to give Jerry West his flowers as much as we can, guys. With Elgin's death in March, he's not going to be around forever, and even though I myself am not a Lakers fan, the man has given the organization everything from a player, to a coach, to an executive for most of his life. We love you, Jerry, regardless of what team we support!

Youre literally better than first take , undisputed , all nba media combined

Genuine chills, you simply cannot write a better team sports narrative

It might be a tough choice when making the case for the greatest NBA team of all time, but there's no question about who is the greatest creator of NBA-related KZfaq content. You're simply on a whole 'nother level, Clayton.

This needs to be the next Last Dance, the Lakers from 1959-72, finally getting the ring. Call it the "Last Chance"

Also, in the end, Baylor did get his ring even though he didn’t win it. The team gifted him one for being their cornerstone for the decade and a driving force in their success.

This guy here is pretending to have a basketball channel to read his poetry out to many people at once. I absolutely love it! The videos seems to get more poetic as time passes by, just as my enjoyment seems to raise as well

Clayton’s content is just different. The quality of these videos make them worth the wait.

Imagine how many titles Wilt Chamberlain would have won if he had Hannum or Sharman coaching him for the bulk of his career.

I appreciate that you illustrated how important Baylor was for the championship team despite him retiring at the beginning of the season. He is arguably the greatest player to never win a ring.

As a Celtics fan I hate that there's 3 Laker teams in this list, but sometimes you have to admire the builds and embrace the arguments. Good job Clayton

In game four Wilt had broken his hand. While it was reported it was "strained", it was indeed broken. Wilt refused to allow this to stop him. He had the hand shot with Novocain, wrapped it tight, and went on to score 24 points and get 29 rebounds in the game five victory. Wilt stepped up and cemented history.

I lived in LA that year, age 7, and bled purple and gold. I went to an autograph appearance at some community center and stood in line for two hours to get a Gail Goodrich signed program. We listened to the games on radio because they weren't often on TV. Once the streak got to ten games we had a chart of all the upcoming games and marked off the wins. What could have been the 34th win in a row was one we had already anticipated would be tough -- Kareem and the Bucks, I believe in Milwaukee. The streak ended and we were miserable and hated the Bucks more than ever. But we still had two goals: best won-loss record and championship. It's hard to overstate the joy and satisfaction of reaching both of those goals. Jerry West was my personal hero and frankly over the years I haven't really changed my mind because as an executive he's not just the best talent evaluator ever, he's a decent and articulate person who is certainly the most important NBA figure ever. At the time, I don't remember much debate even among fans of other teams: Wilt was the greatest basketball player, ever. This was so obvious that no one bothered to dispute it. Put all that together and it was the greatest team ever. As Clayton says, there were other greatest teams ever, but this was mine.

Wilt Chamberlain was part of the team that broke the regular season winning record of his previous team. Pure dominance.

Jerry West was a monster that year. His jumper was unstoppable and he controlled the offense better than any other guard in the league.

As someone who knows the history of the NBA, it's amazing to see someone so young who gives credit to the teams and players of old. This was beautifully done.

You're the Summoning Salt of basketball, dude. Savantesque story-telling, good music choice, nice cadence, nice pace, nice voice balance, excellent presentation... I love these videos Clayton. Thanks.

I had a feeling you were gonna include this team. They're easily in consideration as the best team of the 1970s, on top of being Wilt's best team ever. What's cool too is this team had to go head to head against a young Kareem and his very good Bucks squad, so it's not like this Lakers team faced nobody.

I remember that year and that team like yesterday, and the 33 game winning streak, I watched jabber and the bucks end it on my dad's little black n white tv downstairs, but I knew they'd win it, 69/13, awesome

My man Elgin Baylor had one of the unluckiest basketball careers of all time. He watched his teammate become the logo on the franchise he saved, lost 8 finals, retired before they won, then he became the manager of the Clippers with owner Donald Sterling.

Discussion on the semi-final round with the Bucks defines their greatness. Behind 2-0, Wilt's challenge to his teammates was the stuff of legend. In his 13th year he played his greatest 4 game series in his career in his play against Jabaar.

It is as if fate decided to make two different builds using the Duncan Robinson character preset. For him, they granted height and basketball skill. For you, they minmaxed for storytelling. Great stuff. This series is awesome man, I cannot wait for the next.

Clayton’s writing has reached a whole new level. My man is a true poet. I nearly teared up over basketball that happened near 3 decades before I was born

the fact that there are 3 Lakers teams which have a case for the greatest team of all time is insane

The disrespect elgin & wilt receives is ridiculous...these two were legendary and innovators. Elgin kept the lakers from folding...for that alone, should be considered one of the top tier 5 greats

I’m a devout Celtics fan, but it would be wrong of me to deny the ‘72 Lakers of their rightful place, as the greatest NBA team of all time. It was the best year of Chamberlain’s third act and the long awaited coronation of West’s stellar career. Their back court was historically significant, Happy Hairston and Jim McMillian were dynamic role players, and Chamberlain was the centrifugal force in Sharman’s scheme. In imitating Red Auerbach and Bill Russell’s approach, Sharman’s Lakers achieved unprecedented success - despite a grueling schedule that included back-to-back-to-back games, poor traveling conditions, and a Western Conference occupied by the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks.

I was at that Warriors game where they won by 63 points. The backups got tied from playing so much after the game was already won that the starters had to come back to finish the game. And that was when they really pulled ahead.

You’re literally my favorite KZfaqr, you tell the STORY of basketball in such a beautiful way that doesn’t devolve into hot takes and screaming matches

No team EARNED a championship more than this one. They endured the hard road and in the end it was worth it. They may not have been the dynasty they could’ve been but they became the champions they were. One of the three greatest teams of all time. I can’t imagine the mental toughness of this team. Teams that make the finals so often and WIN have a hard time keeping it up. Imagine LOSING all of those years and having to do it all over again. This team was special. The Bill Russell piece was the best of the player series in my opinion and this is the best of the team series. I love that Clayton lets a little bit of sentimentality shine through on the cases where you can tell he’s been moved by the story. It means we get moved as well.

On the day we lost Jerry West, this video hits different. RIP to the Logo 🙏🏽✨ May his legacy forever be remembered

I've never seen anyone bring basketball history to life quite like Clayton. Wow. Also, paying my respects to the late, trailblazing forward who was Eglin Baylor. I read about you growing up and always made it a note to talk about you when I could. One of the great career tragedies that you missed out on this championship squad, but you are far from forgotten!

Please don’t stop making series like these… your quality is absolutely outstanding

The last 3 minutes made me cry. No cap i didnt thought that i would get such a deep dive to a legendary team through a youtube Video. Incredible work clayton.

I knew they won but your foreshadowing a loss made me so nervous they were gonna lose somehow. Your storytelling is art.

If only people would turn their brains on and make it possible for you to do this as a job. We need more of these, always a highlight of my day when I get the notification for a MTC

Once more a most dope video Clayton! I never am missing your Videos!

ty clayton this made my whole morning lol that assist west makes at 14:20 is legitimately one of the best ive ever seen

I had to watch that clip at 16:58 again, absolutely unreal seeing a play like that on a court that still has no 3 point lane and extra narrow paints, Wilt was on a level all his own.

I appreciate how you’ve been giving love to the guys who aren’t just the big names on these all time great teams and how vital they were to the team’s success

honestly this is some of the best basketball content ever made. The time and waiting for his video is always payed off with well built points and structure 100/10

killing it as always mr crowley, my goat

Damn, the Lakers have had a lot of really good teams.

"it took the greatest team of all time to beat fate" Hell of a video. I always think this team, 96 bulls and 17 warriors are the three greatest teams ever

This is without a doubt one of the best videos about basketball history I have ever watched.

I love your work Crowley. ESPN should just give you some money and get out of your way.

The part about Wilt is true. He never left the lower-left low-post position to set a screen or to create space. This was the year he first went out and set screens. He also went outside to help out on defense instead of staying under the basket.

Having suffered through all those years of torment and heartbreak in the 1960s, this video touched my heart more than I can possibly express. Thanks so much for putting this together. And, yes, it was an awful torment to see the breakthrough finally happen and to not have Elgin Baylor part of it. Even in victory, there was ambivalence for the team of my youth.

As a life long Laker fan who was lucky enough to see many of those teams across the seasons, I am very happy to finally witness someone who was able to tell it like it really was about this truly phenomenal team. Mr. Crowley has honestly and objectively put this team in its rightful place among the pantheon of great teams, and as a fan and as a player of this great game, and an eye witness to all the great teams that came since then, with Magic, Kareen, Worthy and Wilks, to the three peat of Kobie and Shack, this team the long overdue first of the Los Angeles Championships remains the greatest team in Laker history in my opinion, and the greatest NBA All-Time. My Laker season seats were 3 seats away from Chick and Lynn Shackelford up in Section 27 where you could see the game in its entirety and really appreciate the speed and precision of that team. I'd listen to Chick's play-by-play as the game unfolded right before me. Sadly, after that Championship, it became hard to afford my season-seats so I bought one of the first Sony Beta-Max units so I could still see my beloved games. It's been many decades now since those amazing games and I've seen championship after championship since then, but that unique team is the one which all the others to follow have been compared too, and to this day they remain truly magical. Thank you Clayton.

I've been waiting for a documentary on the Lakers team that won 33 games in a row and won the 1972 NBA Championship. Clayton Crowley covered every aspect of that team. Well done Clayton!

I'm not crying...you're crying! This was surprisingly moving. GREAT video.

This might be your best video yet, which is saying a LOT, given the absolute quality that everything else has been

I think it felt like one of Wilt's sweetest championship victories.

Rest in peace the great Jerry West. Thanks for the great memories of three great eras of Lakers

this is a masterpiece, once you end the series i will like to see one of coaches.. that will be awesome. Congratulations for such a great job. There is no way that any basketball player or fan would not love the work and passion you put on this amazing series. Thank you for dedicating this huge time and effor to us. Personally I enjoy it.

That "Finally" hit different, tbh.

Clayton, these last few days have been absolutely sh*t. So I can't thank you enough for posting this to distract even if for a few minutes.

Clayton, this is possibly the most outstanding basketball documentary I have ever had the priviledge to enjoy. The research, the narrativa, the script... Unbelievable! I cant wait for the Next one. Superb

I saw this great laker team in person in buffalo against the braves... So fun to watch.. and live on tv afew times too of course.. the ten guys they mentioned in the video were great and the also had the banged up veteran Keith Erickson and rookie Jim cleamens... Such a deep squad

Admittedly minor point: I'm not sure Elgin was the first star pro athlete in L.A. The Rams were very popular, and Crazy Legs Hirsch was a big deal. Also, the 1959 L.A. Dodgers had Duke Snider.

I got my friend into basketball partly by showing him your GOAT videos on teams and players. It's been really fun talking to him about it and using your videos for context. Im a huge history guy so history videos about some of my favorite people are things I'll rewatch many times over. These are fantastic.

Here after The Logo passed. I’m so happy Jerry West got this title as a player. He deserved to have this much fun and win!

The fact that this man only has 63k subs is a crime!

I saw every home game that year. The team had two apparent weaknesses: 1) ball handling and 2) a weak bench at forward and guard. Once Baylor retired, West was the only one that could bring the ball upcourt against pressure. The next year, the Knicks made them pay. 2) The bench looked bad: John Q. Trapp and Pat Riley but the Lakers often pulled further ahead with the bench on the court.

thank you for giving elgin baylor his credit

14:20 That pass man, jerry was so good

I just watched all of this, as Wilt was a Dear Friend, who I met at the age of 10, and became Adult BFFs later... I was supposed to take him Furniture Shopping the week he passed away, and I still Cry to this day... Coincidentally, Jerry West's Son , Mike West, is basically my Best Friend now, we went to both Junior High ( Paul Revere Junior High) and High School ( Palisades High School) together. Mike graduated in 1980 and I graduated in 1981. Here's something many don't know about Wilt- He was EXTREMELY INTELLIGENT !!! That's what Wilt liked most about me, he gravitated towards Cerebrally Gifted People. I wish that some of you could have really gotten to know him, you would probably have Loved him..

The fact you took more time to create this video shows the time and dedication and effort and I speak for all of us when I say thanks

This is a terrific video and makes a strong argument for the 72 Lakers being the greatest team of all-time, but one could make an equally strong argument that this wasn't even Wilt Chamberlain's best team. The 1967 Philadelphia 76ers were not only the NBA's first great team, they were a team that transcended eras. The 67 76ers had the most physically intimidating frontcourt (e.g., Chamberlain, Luke Jackson, Chet Walker) in NBA history, they won a then record 68 games in a 81 game schedule, and they still hold the NBA record for the most wins (e.g., 46-4) in the first 50 games of the regular season. In terms of a balanced team, the 67 76ers ranked #1 in points scored, #3 in points allowed, and #1 in net offense/defense rating. Wilt was named the league MVP with an incredible stat line of 24.1 points, .683 field goal percentage, 24.2 rebounds, 7.8 assists, and he was considered the league's best defensive player. The reference to the 67 season being an "aberration" for Chamberlain not only ignores his history of carrying less talented squads to Game 7's (e.g., 1962 and 1965 East Finals) against the loaded Celtics, but doesn't acknowledge that the Big Dipper may have had the greatest playoff run in NBA history. In 15 playoff games, Wilt averaged 21.7 points, .579 field goal percentage, 29.1 rebounds, 9.0 assists, and an unofficial 9.2 blocked shots. In 1980, the NBA polled basketball writers about their opinions on the best teams and players in NBA history. Their rankings of the Top 3 greatest NBA teams in the league's 35 year history are as follows... 1) 1967 Philadelphia 76ers 2) 1972 Los Angeles Lakers 3) 1970 New York Knicks

33 game winning steak. no one has come close to that record. I believe they would have one in the 1968-69 season when they acquired Wilt Chamberlain. But they had the wrong coach. Butch Van Bed Koff an ex marine who hated Chamberlain from the start and would not let Chamberlain play the last 5 minutes of the game. Can you imagine if Frank Vogel hated Le Bron James. They might not have won their most recent championship. I have been a Laker fan since the 1971 72 season, when they won their first nba championship. They had the right coach who played for the Boston Celtics. He new how Chamberlain should play Kareem Abdul Jabbar of the Bucks who took over the fourth quater and helped his team to win game six blocking 3 of kareems 3 sky hooks in a row to go to the nba finals.

The 1972 Lakers get my vote for all-time best team. Some people say that in the finals the Knicks didn't have Willis Reed, but the Knicks had a Hall of Fame replacement in Jerry Lucas. The Knicks were packed with Hall of Famers, but no team was going to beat the Lakers in '72. Another stat cited by some detractors is that the Lakers made something like 25 turnovers per game. But the Lakers were a fast-breaking, high-scoring team that took chances. The backcourt of West and Goodrich was lightning-quick and scored about half the Laker points. Happy Hairston and Wilt Chamberlain gave the Lakers a big rebound margin in almost every game. And rookie sharpshooter Jim McMillian did everything very efficiently and was the perfect complement for a team full of stars. How can you argue with 33 straight wins?

So it seems the Lakers have had the highest highs throughout NBA history. The hype is real.

I'm absolutely loving this serie, but this video and the Bucks' one just make me wonder: "Why stopping at 1970 and not wanting to go further back?". Why not including the 67' Philly and especially Russell's Celtics? It seems counterintuitive to me that the actual most winning team in basketball history isn't even in the list. And I just can't wrap my mind around it. If it's just for the sake of the number, then it's stupid: he makes the numbers, no one will complain if there would be 9 o 10 videos instead of 8. I think there's more on the plate. A real reason why he would not consider those teams, such as he didn't considered Kobe on the previous saga. And just as he did with Kobe, I want a brief video of explanation. GOSH!

Was convinced the Warriors would have been the next team, but now I'm hoping it's the 1982-83 Philadelphia 76'ers, because you've never done a video on Dr. J as far as I know!

A huge part of that team was the guy who took Elgin’s place in the lineup. Jim Macmillan. Elgin was my all time favorite player BTW.

Bro I feel myself becoming a Lakers fan more and more bc of pieces like this. Your narrative telling is pure poetry and very authentic! Thank you Clayton, I have a new appreciation for these marquee stars and the franchise!

some people say championships are not remembered for their value, but rather for their cost, and this championship is remembered not only because of how fluent it was, how everything just "clicked", but also because these guys were the underdogs, the context of everything was a struggling team who hit the wall enough times to break it through just by persevering.

Excellent job. Well done! I grew up in the LA area and lived thru seeing the Lakers coming short every year. Jerry West did everything he could to win. Played thru so much physical pain that man of today's players whine and cry and refuse to play for having a bruised thigh or calf muscle. West won finals MVP in 69 playing with 2 very sore hamstrings and a pulled groin in game 3 and had 42 pts 13 rebounds and 12 assists in game 7. So that 1971-72 Lakers team that looked on paper like a 45 win team at best is my pick for the greatest NBA team ever.

Always interesting to see how the dribbling rules have changed since this era.

From the books I’ve read & the time line of players & teams in history of the NBA at the time, you’ve bent the narratives phenomenally. Like you’ve made helluva case here even tho in my mind, there comes a few points in the videos where my mind brings up obvious counter arguments but that’s the point right? Not to be objective but to paint these teams the best possible light for the GOAT team. Which you’re doing magnificently

Crazy how the teams I knew the least about can turn out to be some of the most compelling

I hope you do series like this for other sports, because you truly make the best sports videos ever. Would love to see football, soccer, and baseball videos like this! Thanks for the hard work!

As a huge fan of this series and the "making the Case" for the greatest player... this might have been the best video out of all of them. Fantastic work again and so worth the wait!

I turned off Nba 2k22 just to watch Clayton. What a time to be alive!

In November of '71 I was a young 13yr old adolescent in my first year of Jr High, I was FORTUNATE to have seen the LA Lakers in the early stages of their 33 game winning streak. They came into town on Thanksgiving evening to play the Seattle Supersonics, my big Brother and I had the nose bleed seats because the coliseum was a sellout. It was the one and ONLY time I would get a chance to see NBA great Ledgens, Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West Gail Goodrich and a young Rookie forward name Jim McMillan who had a "sweet jump shot." The Lakers quite naturally won the game and yet I still had a good time.

watching this video made me cathartic

I am really mixed about this Lakers team because when I was growing up watching NBA I did a lot of research about this team and its genuinely sad and frustrating I am not kidding if health allowed them this team could have 5peated If Wilt was healthy in 69 Game 7 ; If they didn't choked in 70 ; If West and Baylor were healthy in 71 ; If West was healthy in 73 this team could have achieved so so so much more

I emulated many players of the 60's-70s. Some, I could do exactly what they did. But I never could copy Jerry West. I tried but it never worked as he did it. But when I watched this video, I FINALLY SAW something I'd never seen before and it hit me like a ton of bricks. So I'm typing and smiling and have mini chills on my arms KNOWING what I missed! I'm 63 years old but if I were young again, I'd give you some Jerry West, Earl Monroe, and Tiny Archibald.

Another great video clayton!!! Enjoyed it alot!!

You make fantastic videos that I always look forward too. Brilliant stuff. Thank you

Another masterfully done video by Clayton Crowley, the GOAT of sports documentarians.

Amazing content, per usual. Thank you, my guy.

insane video - as always. thank you

Cheers big dog. Love all the stuff you make.

Soon as these come out I’m watching. Brilliant series bro keep them coming

Liked the video before starting. Just knew Clayton was going to deliver AGAIN. Cant wait for the next one whenever its ready!

Great work man. Love this series. Definitely subscribed

This was immense. Kudos to you for the hours put into doing the research, writing, and editing in this video.

This channel is so good, best basketball content ever!