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Reed Plays Hurt

In 1970, the Lakers were back in the finals, this time led by Chamberlain, who was traded there from Philadelphia two seasons earlier. The Lakers had lost the 1969 finals to the Celtics and were looking for redemption. They faced the New York Knicks, led by their own star big man in Willis Reed. In game five, with the series tied at 2-2, Reed tore a muscle in his right leg. The Knicks held on to win that game, but Reed missed game six, which allowed Chamberlain to score 45 in a Laker win. During warm-ups for game seven in New York, Reed shocked everyone when he took to the floor, bringing the crowd to its feet. He then whipped the fans into a frenzy by scoring the game’s first two baskets. The Knicks never looked back, winning 113-99. The opening points were the only ones for Reed in the game.

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