Mar. 14, 1964 - Wilt Chamberlain, 7-1 ace of the San Francisco Warriors, methodically chopped up the Lakers tonight before 11,876 at the L.A. Sports Arena, pouring in 55 points and giving the Warriors a 111-95 victory — the one they needed to virtually clinch the Western Division Crown.
The Warriors, beaten at home last night by one of the top Laker efforts of the season, came prepared. Simply put, the Lakers were beaten to a pulp and saw their three-game win streak shattered when they wore out in the second half.
Unless coach Fred Schaus’s crew is too bruised and battered to show up, the Lakers will host the crippled Philadelphia 76ers on a 7:00 game tomorrow night that means absolutely nothing to the two third-place clubs.
There was no crying on the part of the Lakers, but they were perturbed about the “protection” Wilt received while the Warriors were belting the daylights out of them on the boards.
“I fouled out,” complained Laker Jim Krebs, “and I haven’t really bumped him yet.”
Laker coach Alex Hannum, who maintains the Warriors still have to win their last two games to clinch things, explained the rough outing by saying “we had a lot of desire” out there.
Chamberlain, though, might have beaten the Lakers all by himself. He made 22 field goals, and only a couple of them were dunks. His famous fadeaway jumper — impossible to guard — was never better.
Elgin Baylor flipped in 28 points, but his scoring mate, Jerry West, after getting 13 in the first period, tired perceptibly and had only six more the rest of the night.
For Chamberlain, who saves his greatest games for L.A., it was the fifth time he soared over the 49-point mark against the Lakers in 12 games this season. There seems to be no way to stop him.
