Lakers Reflect on Series Loss

Apr. 25, 1965 - “The story is at the other end,” said Los Angeles coach Fred Schaus after his Lakers had just lost the NBA finals to the Celtics in five games. “There’s no story here. The Celtics won the game.”Someone asked: “Freddie, which Celtics’ player hurt you the most?”Schaus had to laugh the slightest of laughs.

“Nine years the same man,” he said. “Bill [Russell] hurt us the most. He was something else out there today.

“But I’ve said so many times that the Celtics are the best team I have ever seen. They just keep on pouring the men at you, and they never let up. It’s a defensive giant, that’s what it is. I don’t know when anyone is going to beat them.”

Finally, Schaus said, “Go ahead in, if you want,” and into the losers’ dressing room went the press to view men who looked as though they still were in a state of shock.

The rush was to Jerry West — a nice guy all the way through the series, but an awfully tired one today.

“Does a great player become terribly embarrassed when his team is being smothered the way the Lakers were in the third period, when the Celtics ran off 20 straight points?” he was asked.

“Well, it’s tough to take,” said West. “But I know one thing: I’ll never live to see a team play better for a stretch than that group did. It was really sensational. And I take my hat off to them.

“Russell played his greatest game of the series. That man makes the game so tough. You keep on thinking about him. I laid in a shot in the first few seconds, and I never had another soft one all afternoon.

“I’m tired, been tired since the Baltimore series. I just got beat up so bad trying to throw up that ball that I don’t know when I’ll be able to get enough rest.

“But we went all the way to the end. We were overpowered, badly, but we didn’t quit, and I’ll have to say that it’s going to be awful tough another year with that man in the hole to beat off.”

The sidelined Elgin Baylor also praised Russell at some length.

“He’s like a shadow,” said Elgin. “He keeps them going. They never let up. K.C. was great. They just pour it at you.”

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