Baltimore Cuts Lakers’ Series Lead to 2-1

Apr. 7, 1965 - Bailey Howell shook off a painful back injury to lead the Bullets to a 122-115 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers before 7,247 jubilant fans at the Baltimore Civic Center tonight. (Pictured below, Baltimore’s Gus Johnson blocks Rudy LaRusso.)

Baltimore, which lost the first two games of the best-of-seven series in Los Angeles, will have a chance to deadlock the battle for the Western Division NBA title tomorrow night.

Howell, who missed the second contest after suffering a severe muscle spasm in his back during the pregame workout, was under the care of physiotherapist William Neill 3d almost all day today.

The aggressive 6-8 forward tested his ailing back in a private drill at the Civic Center two hours before game time and informed coach Buddy Jeannette he was well enough to play in the “must win” encounter.

Jeannette took the gamble and walked off the court after the game smiling like the guy who had broke the bank at Monte Carlo. Howell, who played 40 minutes before fouling out with 56 seconds to play, scored 29 points and grabbed 17 rebounds to save the Bullets from a disastrous third defeat.

Bailey’s inspired clutch performance helped to overcome another tremendous effort by the Lakers’ incomparable Jerry West. The all-pro guard, who sparked Los Angeles’ two victories by scoring 49 and 52 points, poured 44 more through the nets.The pride of Cabin Cree, W. Va., also ran his streak of consecutive free throws to 31 before he missed a foul shot late in the fourth quarter.

The Lakers were without the services of their all-star forward Elgin Baylor, who injured his knee in the opening game and was lost for the playoffs.

“This Howell is a credit to the league,” Jeannette bubbled in the postgame celebrating. “What courage! Just the other night, this guy could hardly straighten up, and here he was saying, ‘It’s a crime if you don’t play me.’ Who am I to contribute to a crime?”

Tonight’s game didn’t belong to Howell alone, however. It also belonged to Wally Jones, who worked hard on defense and contributed two big back-to-back buckets near the end, and to Don Ohl, who had 29 points and a Laker-crushing theft.

“They ran and hustled every second,” said Jeannette. “You stand around and let the Lakers do as they please, and you’re in trouble. This is a pretty good club without Baylor — and this is no knock at Elgin, he’s a great one — but there is good balance here. And West, of course, is tremendous.”

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