On June 8th in sports history, one significant event took place in 1968 during the NBA Finals. The Boston Celtics, led by player-coach Bill Russell, faced off against the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 6 of the championship series at the Los Angeles Forum.
The game was a closely contested affair, with both teams trading leads throughout. However, in the final seconds, the Lakers held a one-point lead and had possession of the ball. Lakers guard Jerry West, who had been instrumental in keeping his team in the game, attempted to inbound the ball, but it was stolen by Celtics point guard Sam Jones.
Jones quickly passed the ball to Bill Russell, who was standing at the top of the key. With time running out, Russell took a jump shot that bounced off the rim and into the hands of Celtics forward Don Nelson. Nelson, who was not known for his offensive prowess, quickly put up a shot from the free-throw line that miraculously went through the hoop as time expired, giving the Celtics a 105-104 victory and their tenth NBA championship.
The moment became known as "The Shot Heard 'Round the World" and is considered one of the most iconic moments in NBA Finals history. Bill Russell's legacy as a player and coach was further cemented with this victory, as he became the first African American head coach to win an NBA championship.
The 1968 NBA Finals also marked the end of an era for the Celtics, as it was the last time the team won a championship with their legendary core of Russell, Jones, John Havlicek, and others. The Lakers, meanwhile, would go on to dominate the NBA in the 1970s and 1980s, led by players such as West, Wilt Chamberlain, and later, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
