Parades were planned. Postgame speeches had been choreographed. Champagne would be chilled, opened and poured. And balloons would float from the sky when the inevitable happened.
The Lakers were going to slay the NBA’s unstoppable dragons — Bill Russell and the Boston Celtics. Lakers owner Jack Kent Cooke was sure of it. His players were sure of it. The city was sure of it.
Titles were sure to follow. This was Mr. 100 points in a game, an unstoppable force on offense joining two other all-time greats — Elgin Baylor and Jerry West. No team would be more talented.