The 1961–62 NBA season was the Lakers' 14th season in the NBA and second season in Los Angeles. For the first time since 1959, the Lakers advanced to the NBA Finals, and it was the first NBA Finals appearance for the team in the city of Los Angeles. For the second time, they met the Boston Celtics, who they would meet five further times in the 1960s. However, the Lakers lost in seven games; Frank Selvy missed a potential winning shot in Game 7 after the Lakers had lost Game 6 in Los Angeles, and the Celtics pulled away in overtime to win their fourth straight title.[1]
x – clinched playoff spot
| 1961-62 NBA Records | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=100 | Team | BOS | CHI | CIN | DET | LAL | NYK | PHI | STL | SYR |
| Boston | — | 9–1 | 7–1 | 5–3 | 6–3 | 8–4 | 8–4 | 7–2 | 10–2 | |
| Chicago | 1–9 | — | 1–9 | 3–7 | 2–8 | 6–4 | 0–10 | 4–6 | 1–9 | |
| Cincinnati | 1–7 | 9–1 | — | 6–6 | 5–7 | 5–4 | 3–5 | 9–3 | 5–4 | |
| Detroit | 3–5 | 7–3 | 6–6 | — | 4–8 | 5–4 | 1–7 | 7–5 | 4–5 | |
| Los Angeles | 3–6 | 8–2 | 7–5 | 8–4 | — | 6–2 | 6–3 | 10–2 | 6–2 | |
| New York | 4–8 | 4–6 | 4–5 | 4–5 | 2–6 | — | 4–8 | 4–4 | 3–9 | |
| Philadelphia | 4–8 | 10–0 | 5–3 | 7–1 | 3–6 | 8–4 | — | 6–3 | 6–6 | |
| St. Louis | 2–7 | 6–4 | 3–9 | 5–7 | 2–10 | 4–4 | 3–6 | — | 4–4 | |
| Syracuse | 2–10 | 9–1 | 4–5 | 5–4 | 2–6 | 9–3 | 6–6 | 4–4 | — | |
| 1961–62 game log | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Opponent | Score | High points | Record | ||
| 1 | October 19 | 113–118 | Elgin Baylor (35) | 1–0 | ||
| 2 | October 20 | @ Philadelphia | 115–122 | Jerry West (36) | 1–1 | |
| 3 | October 24 | 124–122 | Elgin Baylor (31) | 2–1 | ||
| 4 | October 25 | 120–116 | Elgin Baylor (36) | 3–1 | ||
| 5 | October 27 | Detroit | 118–128 | Elgin Baylor (27) | 4–1 | |
| 6 | October 28 | Detroit | 126–135 | Jerry West (40) | 5–1 | |
| 7 | November 1 | Cincinnati | 115–120 | Elgin Baylor (41) | 6–1 | |
| 8 | November 3 | Cincinnati | 132–114 | Elgin Baylor (30) | 6–2 | |
| 9 | November 4 | 125–112 | Jerry West (42) | 7–2 | ||
| 10 | November 7 | 127–110 | Elgin Baylor (37) | 8–2 | ||
| 11 | November 8 | St. Louis | 118–124 | Jerry West (42) | 9–2 | |
| 12 | November 13 | Chicago | 113–127 | Elgin Baylor (39) | 10–2 | |
| 13 | November 15 | Chicago | 118–133 | Elgin Baylor (36) | 11–2 | |
| 14 | November 17 | @ Philadelphia | 125–121 | Elgin Baylor (37) | 12–2 | |
| 15 | November 18 | 103–101 | Elgin Baylor (32) | 13–2 | ||
| 16 | November 21 | N Detroit | 102–108 | Elgin Baylor (26) | 13–3 | |
| 17 | November 23 | @ St. Louis | 122–114 | Elgin Baylor (40) | 14–3 | |
| 18 | November 24 | 100–89 | Elgin Baylor (34) | 15–3 | ||
| 19 | November 25 | @ Detroit | 103–104 | Elgin Baylor (31) | 15–4 | |
| 20 | November 26 | @ Cincinnati | 102–117 | Elgin Baylor (37) | 15–5 | |
| 21 | November 28 | 121–111 | Elgin Baylor (49) | 15–6 | ||
| 22 | December 1 | Philadelphia | 138–117 | Jerry West (36) | 15–7 | |
| 23 | December 2 | Philadelphia | 119–129 | Jerry West (32) | 16–7 | |
| 24 | December 4 | Syracuse | 120–131 | Elgin Baylor (50) | 17–7 | |
| 25 | December 5 | Syracuse | 120–125 | Elgin Baylor (45) | 18–7 | |
| 26 | December 6 | Syracuse | 121–123 (OT) | Elgin Baylor (47) | 19–7 | |
| 27 | December 8 | @ Philadelphia | 151–147 (3OT) | Elgin Baylor (63) | 20–7 | |
| 28 | December 9 | @ Detroit | 114–107 | Elgin Baylor (38) | 21–7 | |
| 29 | December 11 | St. Louis | 119–132 | Elgin Baylor (52) | 22–7 | |
| 30 | December 13 | St. Louis | 136–137 (OT) | Elgin Baylor (52) | 23–7 | |
| 31 | December 15 | @ Chicago | 94–97 | Elgin Baylor (28) | 23–8 | |
| 32 | December 16 | N Syracuse | 128–123 | Elgin Baylor (42) | 23–9 | |
| 33 | December 17 | N Detroit | 122–116 | Jerry West (47) | 24–9 | |
| 34 | December 19 | Boston | 101–104 | Jerry West (29) | 25–9 | |
| 35 | December 20 | N Chicago | 102–98 | Elgin Baylor (35) | 26–9 | |
| 36 | December 23 | @ St. Louis | 129–126 | Elgin Baylor (47) | 27–9 | |
| 37 | December 25 | @ Cincinnati | 141–127 | Elgin Baylor (40) | 28–9 | |
| 38 | December 26 | @ Boston | 117–129 | Elgin Baylor (30) | 28–10 | |
| 39 | December 27 | N Syracuse | 111–119 | Elgin Baylor (48) | 29–10 | |
| 40 | December 28 | @ Syracuse | 121–114 | Elgin Baylor (44) | 30–10 | |
| 41 | December 29 | N Philadelphia | 123–118 | Elgin Baylor (52) | 30–11 | |
| 42 | January 1 | Philadelphia | 111–114 | Jerry West (36) | 31–11 | |
| 43 | January 3 | Philadelphia | 123–124 | Jerry West (44) | 32–11 | |
| 44 | January 7 | Boston | 118–95 | Jerry West (31) | 32–12 | |
| 45 | January 13 | @ St. Louis | 108–107 | Jerry West (43) | 33–12 | |
| 46 | January 14 | N Detroit | 108–118 | Jerry West (31) | 33–13 | |
| 47 | January 17 | New York | 121–129 | Jerry West (63) | 34–13 | |
| 48 | January 19 | New York | 107–108 | Jerry West (32) | 35–13 | |
| 49 | January 20 | @ Cincinnati | 124–125 | Jerry West (36) | 35–14 | |
| 50 | January 21 | @ Chicago | 112–111 (OT) | Jerry West (36) | 36–14 | |
| 51 | January 23 | N Boston | 103–118 | Jerry West (32) | 36–15 | |
| 52 | January 24 | Cincinnati | 123–136 | Jerry West (50) | 37–15 | |
| 53 | January 25 | Cincinnati | 112–116 | Elgin Baylor (39) | 38–15 | |
| 54 | January 28 | Chicago | 109–124 | Elgin Baylor (36) | 39–15 | |
| 55 | January 30 | Chicago | 92–107 | Jerry West (36) | 40–15 | |
| 56 | January 31 | @ Detroit | 123–122 (OT) | Jerry West (39) | 41–15 | |
| 57 | February 1 | N Boston | 115–130 | Selvy, West (22) | 41–16 | |
| 58 | February 3 | @ St. Louis | 127–124 | Jerry West (45) | 42–16 | |
| 59 | February 4 | @ Chicago | 105–113 | Rudy LaRusso (30) | 42–17 | |
| 60 | February 5 | N Cincinnati | 134–128 (OT) | Jerry West (46) | 43–17 | |
| 61 | February 6 | @ New York | 112–116 | Jerry West (36) | 43–18 | |
| 62 | February 8 | N Cincinnati | 109–113 | Rudy LaRusso (23) | 43–19 | |
| 63 | February 12 | St. Louis | 117–113 | Rudy LaRusso (28) | 43–20 | |
| 64 | February 14 | St. Louis | 107–130 | Jerry West (30) | 44–20 | |
| 65 | February 16 | @ Detroit | 121–127 | Jerry West (40) | 44–21 | |
| 66 | February 17 | @ New York | 128–121 | Rudy LaRusso (31) | 45–21 | |
| 67 | February 18 | Boston | 99–125 | Elgin Baylor (38) | 46–21 | |
| 68 | February 20 | Boston | 115–96 | Krebs, West (19) | 46–22 | |
| 69 | February 22 | N New York | 116–118 | Jerry West (36) | 47–22 | |
| 70 | February 23 | N Chicago | 124–117 (OT) | Jerry West (39) | 48–22 | |
| 71 | February 24 | @ Cincinnati | 114–118 | Jerry West (34) | 48–23 | |
| 72 | February 25 | Detroit | 99–128 | Elgin Baylor (45) | 49–23 | |
| 73 | February 27 | Detroit | 100–107 | Jerry West (34) | 50–23 | |
| 74 | March 3 | @ St. Louis | 125–134 | Rudy LaRusso (42) | 50–24 | |
| 75 | March 4 | @ Syracuse | 124–115 | Jerry West (35) | 51–24 | |
| 76 | March 9 | @ New York | 100–122 | Jerry West (28) | 51–25 | |
| 77 | March 11 | @ Boston | 105–119 | Jerry West (31) | 51–26 | |
| 78 | March 12 | N New York | 106–119 | Elgin Baylor (37) | 52–26 | |
| 79 | March 13 | Cincinnati | 111–120 | Jerry West (37) | 53–26 | |
| 80 | March 14 | St. Louis | 115–125 | Rudy LaRusso (50) | 54–26 |
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 1| March 24| Detroit| W 132–108| Elgin Baylor (35)| Elgin Baylor (17)| Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena| 1–0|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 2| March 25| Detroit| W 127–112| Jerry West (40)| West, Baylor (13)| Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena| 2–0|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 3| March 27| @ Detroit| W 111–106| Elgin Baylor (34)| Elgin Baylor (17)| Cobo Arena| 3–0|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 4| March 29| @ Detroit| L 117–118| Elgin Baylor (45)| Elgin Baylor (17)| Cobo Arena| 3–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 5| March 31| Detroit| L 125–132| Elgin Baylor (37)| Elgin Baylor (19)| Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena| 3–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 6| April 3| @ Detroit| W 123–117| West, Baylor (38)| —| Cobo Arena| 4–2|-|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 1| April 7| @ Boston| L 108–122| Elgin Baylor (35)| Elgin Baylor (17)| Jerry West (4)| Boston Garden
7,467| 0–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 2| April 8| @ Boston| W 129–122| Jerry West (40)| Jim Krebs (13)| Frank Selvy (6)| Boston Garden
12,364| 1–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 3| April 10| Boston| W 117–115| Elgin Baylor (39)| Elgin Baylor (23)| Frank Selvy (5)| Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena
15,180| 2–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 4| April 11| Boston| L 103–115| Elgin Baylor (38)| Elgin Baylor (14)| Elgin Baylor (6)| Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena
15,104| 2–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 5| April 14| @ Boston| W 126–121| Elgin Baylor (61)| Elgin Baylor (22)| Frank Selvy (5)| Boston Garden
13,909| 3–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 6| April 16| Boston| L 105–119| West, Baylor (34)| Elgin Baylor (15)| West, LaRusso (5)| Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena
14,030| 3–3|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 7| April 18| @ Boston| L 107–110 (OT)| Elgin Baylor (41)| Elgin Baylor (22)| three players tied (4)| Boston Garden
13,909| 3–4|-