1 of that best-of-7 series after Cowens recorded 15 points and 18 rebounds. However, they bowed out to the Knicks in Game 7. Cowens was chosen the NBA MVP as well as MVP of the All-Star Game that same season. Cowens and fellow Celtic Bill Russell both have the distinction of being named MVP of the league but not being included on the All-NBA First Team. The following season, Cowens averaged 19.0 PPG, 15.7 RPG, 4.4 APG and 1.3 BPG while guiding the Celtics to a record of 56–26. Cowens was instrumental in bringing the Celtics into the playoffs, where they defeated the Buffalo Braves in six games and the New York Knicks in five. In the finals, the Celtics faced the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks. The teams split the first six games, with each team winning at least once on their home court. This led to a decisive Game 7, where the Celtics faced the Bucks in Milwaukee. The Celtics prevailed thanks to a strong performance by Cowens, who recorded 28 points and 14 rebounds as the Celtics took their 12th NBA championship. Cowens won his second NBA championship ring as a member of the 1975–1976 Celtics team that defeated the Phoenix Suns, 4–2, in the NBA Finals. Leave of absence from the Celtics Eight games into the 1976–77 season on November 10, 1976, and with the Celtics on a four-game losing streak, Cowens left the team for "undisclosed reasons". Speculations included that Cowens was upset that the team didn't offer Paul Silas a new contract after the previous season and traded him to the Denver Nuggets. Other speculations were that he was unhappy with coach Tom Heinsohn and also his involvement in a lawsuit from the previous season where he allegedly struck a fan during a game against the Houston Rockets. Cowens returned to the team in January 1977 and led them to the playoffs, where they lost in the second round to the Philadelphia 76ers. Cowens averaged 18.6 points and 14 rebounds a game in the 1977–78 season, but the Celtics missed the playoffs for the first time since his 1970–71 rookie season. After Coach Satch Sanders was fired following a 2–12 start to the 1978–1979 season, Cowens served as player-coach for the remainder of the season. The team finished the year with a 29–53 record. Late career In his final season with the Celtics (1979–80), Cowens helped