West sparks Lakers despite broken nose

• Posted By: Scott Harrison
• Posted On: 12:31 a.m. | October 31, 2012

Jan. 20, 1965: Lakers’ Jerry West, with a piece of tape “protecting” his broken nose, drives to the basket. Lakers’ Elgin Baylor screens out unidentified Knickerbocker in game at the Sports Arena. West scored 38 points as the Lakers won 119-103.

West broke his nose on Jan. 14 in an early fourth-quarter collision with the Detroit Pistons’ Ray Scott. After the collision, West continue to play, leading the Lakers to a 104-100 victory. Scott twisted his foot in the collision and had to leave the game.

While getting his nose reset, West missed two games before rejoining the Lakers against the New York Knicks.

The 1964-65 Lakers won the Western Division but lost the NBA Finals to the Boston Celtics.

This picture by staff photographer Larry Sharkey was published on Page 2 of the Jan. 21, 1965, Los Angeles Times Sports section.

The Lakers’ Jan. 21, 1965, game was part of a double-hitter. In a preliminary game, The Times reported that The Times team beat the Herald Examiner team 74-30.