HOW YOU THINK IS EVERYTHING Dr. J's Get-Well Medicine.(A)(IBD 10 SECRETS TO SUCCESS)

Byline: Cord Cooper

1Elgin Baylor and Julius Erving became National Basketball Association stars by seeing possibilities where others might have seen obstacles.

Fighting knee problems through most of his 14-year career with the Minneapolis and Los Angeles Lakers, Baylor led the franchise to eight NBA Finals and played in 11 All-Star games.

He joined the struggling Minneapolis team in 1958 and single-handedly transformed it, team owner Bob Short said later. The franchise was a low-scoring money loser on the verge of bankruptcy, Short said. During his first season, Baylor led the team to second place in the Western Division and on to the Finals. He played in the NBA All-Star Game and was named NBA Rookie of the Year.

Baylor helped the Lakers build a strong bond with fans when they moved to Los Angeles in 1960. In November of that year, he scored a then-record 71 points against the New York Knicks.

During the 1961-62 season, Baylor and Jerry West combined for almost 70 points per game. The Lakers won the Western Division by 11 games and played in the Finals. The next season, Baylor had the second highest scoring average in the league, at 34 points per game.

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