Jerry West

Cross-checked NBA and Lakers historical features, official box scores, Finals moment collections, record summaries, and recurring fan discussion. Finals stakes, the plays behind West's 'Mr. Clutch' identity, and the emotional importance of his lone championship outweigh selecting his five highest scoring totals.

1. #1. West recorded 42 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists—the only 40-point triple-double in a Finals Game 7—and became the only Finals MVP ever selected from the losing team. NBA: Facts about Game 7 history · NBA Archive 75: Jerry West
2. #2. West scored 34 points and forced overtime with his legendary 60-foot buzzer-beater, the defining visual of his 'Mr. Clutch' reputation despite New York ultimately winning Game 3. NBA: Jerry West's 60-foot buzzer-beater · NBA: Top Finals moments—West's 1970 shot
3. #3. After seven previous Finals defeats, West supplied 23 points and nine assists as Los Angeles closed the 1972 Finals and he finally secured his only championship as a player. Lakers: First championship in Los Angeles · Lakers: 1972 Finals Game 5 running diary
4. #4. West opened the 1969 Finals by scoring 53 points with 10 assists in a two-point victory over Boston, launching the series that earned him the inaugural Finals MVP award. Lakers alumni profile: Jerry West · NBA: Celtics–Lakers 1969 Finals Game 1 box score
5. #5. West scored 36 and, with four seconds left in a tied 1962 Finals Game 3, stole Boston's inbound pass and converted the championship-series buzzer-beating layup. NBA: West's steal and winning layup in 1962 · NBA: Celtics–Lakers 1962 Finals Game 3 box score

Reviewed through 2026-07-17