Moses Malone in 1981-1982 had one of the greatest seasons ever...

[dankok8]

I always knew it was a great season but upon further analysis I think it's on a very short list of the greatest ever. Only Wilt and Kareem in their peak years ever dominated throughout the regular season so thoroughly. Funny thing is Moses started the year a bit slow but the second half of the season he was as dominant as any player ever. He just steamrolled the best centers in the league. For the entire season he averaged 31.1 ppg and 14.7 rpg on 51.9% shooting. He was second in the league in scoring and led in rebounding, PER, and Win Shares.

Month-by-Month:

October (2 games): 39.0 ppg, 10.5 rpg

November (15 games): 25.3 ppg, 13.7 rpg

December (12 games): 28.5 ppg, 15.4 rpg

January (13 games): 28.7 ppg, 13.8 rpg

February (14 games): 38.1 ppg, 17.3 rpg on 55% shooting

March (16 games): 35.0 ppg, 14.1 rpg

April (9 games): 28.1 ppg, 15.6 rpg



During the all-star game on January 31st, Moses had 12 points and 11 rebounds in just 20 minutes played but West coach Pat Riley decided to bench Moses in the 4th quarter in favor of Kareem. The West lost the game and Moses was pissed and this event is rumored to have motivated his tear on the league. For 33 straight games from February 2nd to April 6th, Moses averaged 36.0 ppg and 15.8 rpg.

His game against Sikma and the Supersonics on February 11th is one of the all-time legendary performances. Moses outrebounded the entire Seattle team 32-21, grabbed an NBA record 21 offensive rebounds, and outrebounded center Jack Sikma by a 32-3 margin (and also outscored him 38-16). Sikma was in his prime that season averaging 19.6/12.7 and one of the best defenders and rebounders in the league.


Here are his performances against the best centers in the league.


vs. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (5 games)

Moses: 34.8 ppg, 15.8 rpg

Kareem: 21.8 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 3.2 apg on 51.8% shooting

Kareem left one game in the 1st half with an ankle injury but Moses still killed an aging Kareem. Moses had games of 36/10, 37/22, 23/9, 39/17, and 37/21 against the Lakers.


81-82 Season

10/30/1981

Kareem: 33/10/2 (11/25, 11/16)
Moses: 36/10 (18/?, 0/2)

Rockets win 113-112 in double OT. Moses scores a game-winning lay-up with one second remaining.

11/11/1981

Kareem: 21/9/3 (9/21, 3/3)
Moses: 37/22 (15/?, 7/9)

Lakers win 95-93. Kareem had 4 points in the last minute to fuel the Lakers comeback.

11/29/1981

Kareem: 23/3/4 (10/14, 3/5)
Moses: 23/9 (9/?, 5/6)

Lakers win 122-104. Magic had 12/11/11 for LA and Hayes had a 30/12 game for Houston.

3/21/1982

Kareem: 12/6/4 (6/9, 0/1)
Moses: 39/17 (12/?, 15/18)

Lakers win 107-102. Kareem left the first half with an ankle injury and did not return. Moses had 25 points in that half and just 14 in the second. Magic took over late.

4/6/1982

Kareem: 20/3/3 (7/14, 6/8)
Moses: 37/21 (9/?, 19/21)

Lakers win 108-97.

Cumulative Stats

Kareem: 21.8 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 3.2 apg on 51.8 %FG/69.7 %FT/55.9 %TS
Moses: 34.4 ppg, 15.8 rpg on 82.1 %FT

Moses just dominated Kareem this year in 3 out of the 5 games. He’s the clear winner here.


vs. Robert Parish (2 games)

Moses: 37.5 ppg, 11.5 rpg

Parish: 11.0 ppg

Moses had games of 37/11 and 38/12 against the Celtics.


vs. Jack Sikma (5 games)

Moses: 31.4 ppg, 16.0 rpg

Sikma: 17.8 rpg

Moses had games of 21/11, 28/15, 24/9, 38/32, and 46/13 against the Sonics.


vs. Mychal Thompson (5 games)

Moses: 36.2 ppg, 13.6 rpg, 1.4 apg on 60.8% shooting

Thompson: 21.4 ppg, 12.4 rpg, 3.4 apg on 59.3% shooting

Moses had games of 28/10, 34/8, 29/20, 49/12, and 41/18 against the Blazers.


vs. Artis Gilmore (2 games)

Moses: 29.0 ppg, 16.0 rpg

Gilmore: 21.5 ppg

Moses had games of 31/16 and 27/? against the Bulls.



Overall in 19 games against the five best centers in the league above, Moses averaged a monstrous 33.8 ppg and 14.8 rpg. He went 17-1-1 in scoring and we don't have rebounds for all games but of course he dominated them pretty badly on the glass.

[Marchesk]

21 offensive rebounds in a game :eek:

That would just demoralize a defense. That beats scoring 60 in a game.

[Duggrr]

Month-by-Month:

October (2 games): 39.0 ppg, 10.5 rpg

November (15 games): 25.3 ppg, 13.7 rpg

December (12 games): 28.5 ppg, 15.4 rpg

January (13 games): 28.7 ppg, 13.8 rpg

February (14 games): 38.1 ppg, 17.3 rpg on 55% shooting

March (16 games): 35.0 ppg, 14.1 rpg

April (9 games): 28.1 ppg, 15.6 rpg


:biggums:

[TiagoSimoes]

thats some ridiculous shit over there. sadly, today a big with a 20/10 is amazing, when in the past you had these monsters

[Marchesk]

A 38/32 game is just sick. But didn't Love have a 30 rebound game at some point?

[La Frescobaldi]

A 38/32 game is just sick. But didn't Love have a 30 rebound game at some point?
Against the Knicks tho, and Stoudamire who was pretty much always a deficit on defense.

[dankok8]

Moses' domination against the best in the league was unreal. And that Seattle game is crazy. Outrebounded the whole Seattle team 32-21, outrebounded Sikma 32-3! Remember Sikma averaged 12.7 rpg that season!

[Marchesk]

Moses' domination against the best in the league was unreal. And that Seattle game is crazy. Outrebounded the whole Seattle team 32-21, outrebounded Sikma 32-3! Remember Sikma averaged 12.7 rpg that season!

Moses must have been seriously amped for that game. Getting 21 offensive boards takes a lot of energy!

[B-hoop]

Damn, serious domination! Nice thread OP :cheers:

[GimmeThat]

thats some ridiculous shit over there. sadly, today a big with a 20/10 is amazing, when in the past you had these monsters

I only got to see Shaq play.

but yea, pretty much

[Pointguard]

Moses was a freight train. Once he got going, opposing centers had this watch the greatness thing going on. It was a bit wild because it all came from a hard hat "I will outwork you" type of approach. Moses never appeared to be much bigger than other centers but a lot of times they weren't in the game after the third quarter.

[Gotterdammerung]

Great thread.

I wonder if anyone will do one about the head to head matchups between Hakeem Olajuwon and Moses Malone? I realize Hakeem was drafted at the end of Moses' prime, but their careers overlapped long enough. :cheers:

[jlip]

Just a little more info.

http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?t=272312

[Lakers2877]

Hes criminally underrated. He was a bad dude

[Psileas]

Moses' domination against the best in the league was unreal. And that Seattle game is crazy. Outrebounded the whole Seattle team 32-21, outrebounded Sikma 32-3! Remember Sikma averaged 12.7 rpg that season!

I bet his rebounding rate that game was something crazy, as well, and, despite this, it would only be the 3rd-4th most impressive statistical fact of it, after the 32-21 outrebounding (outrebounding a team is freakishly hard, let alone doing it by 11 boards, probably an all-time record) and outrebounding Sikma 32-3, (which may be the biggest rebounding domination a great rebounder might have ever suffered in a game) along with the number of offensive rebounds he got. 5th most impressive thing would be his 38 points. :oldlol:

Some bigs are too size and strength conscious, and this is one of their biggest weaknesses. Wilt often was so, Gilmore was as well, Yao was, Robinson wasn't much into banging bodies, either. Mo Malone, like Shaq, was among the ones who didn't give a crap and would punish you as much as the refs would allow. And his relentlessness was awarded with lots of fouls drawn - and you couldn't hack-a-Mo, another weakness of many bigs that Malone didn't have.

Kind of disappointingly short postseason, though, with those best of 3 series...

[HomieWeMajor]

Statpadding cokehead

[La Frescobaldi]

Hes criminally underrated. He was a bad dude

exactly. his best days came before a lot of national tv.

[Nowitness]

Pure luck. Third option on a contender, even during that season.

[La Frescobaldi]

Pure luck. Third option on a contender, even during that season.
Moses was the leader of that Sixers ring team, no mistake about that.

[theaussieguy]

people seem to forget that during these days there wasn't much flash in basketball, people feared the carry and bounced the ball appropriately which resulted in an ultimately dorky game in comparison to what we have today where big men would dorkily bounce the ball and throw it in the hoop from beneath (lets not act like this would be hard if u were as big as some of these guys)

[LAZERUSS]

I bet his rebounding rate that game was something crazy, as well, and, despite this, it would only be the 3rd-4th most impressive statistical fact of it, after the 32-21 outrebounding (outrebounding a team is freakishly hard, let alone doing it by 11 boards, probably an all-time record) and outrebounding Sikma 32-3, (which may be the biggest rebounding domination a great rebounder might have ever suffered in a game) along with the number of offensive rebounds he got. 5th most impressive thing would be his 38 points. :oldlol:

Some bigs are too size and strength conscious, and this is one of their biggest weaknesses. Wilt often was so, Gilmore was as well, Yao was, Robinson wasn't much into banging bodies, either. Mo Malone, like Shaq, was among the ones who didn't give a crap and would punish you as much as the refs would allow. And his relentlessness was awarded with lots of fouls drawn - and you couldn't hack-a-Mo, another weakness of many bigs that Malone didn't have.

Kind of disappointingly short postseason, though, with those best of 3 series...

In terms of percentage of rebounds, yeah. But in terms of mathematical disparity, Wilt's 55-19 obliteration of Russell (who would have been considered light years ahead of Sikma in rebounding), is still the most impressive domination in rebounding history.

[LAZERUSS]

Statpadding cokehead

Oh of course. Taking a 40-42 team to the Finals after outplaying a near-prime KAJ and his heavily-favored Lakers in the first round was "stats-padding." Averaging 17.6 rpg in a season in which the next best guy was at 12.8 rpg was "stats-padding." Putting up a 31-15 regular season was "stats-padding." Taking a Sixer team on his back to a 65-17 record, and then a 12-1 run thru the post-season en route to a title and a FMVP, including trashing KAJ in the Finals..."stats-padding." And being the most dominant and feared player in the league from 78-79 thru 82-83 (and winning THREE MVPs) was...you're right again..."stats-padding."

[JellyBean]

Moses was on a different level.

[LAZERUSS]

Moses was one of the most remarkable players in NBA history. He was not a behemoth (only 6-10, and at his peak, probably about 245 lbs.); he was not overly athletic (he was not a great leaper); he was not the strongest center in the league (Gilmore and perhaps a couple of others); and he was not the most skilled, either (albeit, as Psileas pointed out, he was a good FT shooter for the center position...especially in a few of his post-season runs.)

What he was... was arguably the most RELENTLESS player in NBA history. He would just keep coming. And no other center so thoroughly outplayed Kareem over the course of career H2Hs as Moses did (albeit, KAJ was past his peak.)

[HomieWeMajor]

Oh of course. Taking a 40-42 team to the Finals after outplaying a near-prime KAJ and his heavily-favored Lakers in the first round was "stats-padding." Averaging 17.6 rpg in a season in which the next best guy was at 12.8 rpg was "stats-padding." Putting up a 31-15 regular season was "stats-padding." Taking a Sixer team on his back to a 65-17 record, and then a 12-1 run thru the post-season en route to a title and a FMVP, including trashing KAJ in the Finals..."stats-padding." And being the most dominant and feared player in the league from 78-79 thru 82-83 (and winning THREE MVPs) was...you're right again..."stats-padding."
He routinely missed open layups just to pad his rebound numbers everybody in the NBA knows this. Research your NBA history pops.

[LAZERUSS]

He routinely missed open layups just to pad his rebound numbers everybody in the NBA knows this. Research your NBA history pops.

So did Rodman.

Who cares? Those two were LIGHT YEARS better than their rivals.

[LAZERUSS]

He routinely missed open layups just to pad his rebound numbers everybody in the NBA knows this. Research your NBA history pops.

BTW, where do rank Kareem?

[HomieWeMajor]

BTW, where do rank Kareem?
2 after Jordan

[LAZERUSS]

2 after Jordan

And yet Moses just POUNDED Kareem in their 40 career H2H's, INCLUDING their post-season H2H's.

[dankok8]

I bet his rebounding rate that game was something crazy, as well, and, despite this, it would only be the 3rd-4th most impressive statistical fact of it, after the 32-21 outrebounding (outrebounding a team is freakishly hard, let alone doing it by 11 boards, probably an all-time record) and outrebounding Sikma 32-3, (which may be the biggest rebounding domination a great rebounder might have ever suffered in a game) along with the number of offensive rebounds he got. 5th most impressive thing would be his 38 points. :oldlol:

Some bigs are too size and strength conscious, and this is one of their biggest weaknesses. Wilt often was so, Gilmore was as well, Yao was, Robinson wasn't much into banging bodies, either. Mo Malone, like Shaq, was among the ones who didn't give a crap and would punish you as much as the refs would allow. And his relentlessness was awarded with lots of fouls drawn - and you couldn't hack-a-Mo, another weakness of many bigs that Malone didn't have.

Kind of disappointingly short postseason, though, with those best of 3 series...

Excellent post. Moses probably set a few other records in that game. And yes maybe the highest TRB% in a single game ever!

In the postseason Sikma got his revenge on Moses and really stymied him on defense. Malone averaged 24.0/17.0 in a 3-game miniseries loss and on just 43% shooting. Sikma averaged 20.7/13.7 and had a monster Game 3 with 30 points and 17 rebounds easily outplaying Malone as the Sonics routed the Rockets. It was a blowout by halftime.


Moses was one of the most remarkable players in NBA history. He was not a behemoth (only 6-10, and at his peak, probably about 245 lbs.); he was not overly athletic (he was not a great leaper); he was not the strongest center in the league (Gilmore and perhaps a couple of others); and he was not the most skilled, either (albeit, as Psileas pointed out, he was a good FT shooter for the center position...especially in a few of his post-season runs.)

What he was... was arguably the most RELENTLESS player in NBA history. He would just keep coming. And no other center so thoroughly outplayed Kareem over the course of career H2Hs as Moses did (albeit, KAJ was past his peak.)

Great post really bang on. Moses' only problem is complete lack of good playoff performances outside of his '81 and '83 runs. He was pretty awful the rest of his career in the postseason.

[G.O.A.T]

Good Article from SI about Moses part way into the 1982-83 season (http://www.si.com/vault/1983/02/28/626861/this-may-be-one-for-the-books) after they signed him away from Houston for 6 years 13.2 million, which was unheard of at the time.

There is another article somewhere in my files about how no teams were going after Moses in 1982 Free Agency because the league was hurting so bad financially and Moses wanted to stay in Houston, no one thought anyone could offer him enough to make him sign elsewhere.

Then a computer system called FAMS (Free Agent Market something or other) valued Malone at 2.3 Million a year from the Nets and said it would raise them from 40-some wins to 60 some wins and they sort of got involved, it lead to a desperate Philadelphia going all biblical and trying to get Moses to lead them to the promise land.

[G.O.A.T]

He routinely missed open layups just to pad his rebound numbers everybody in the NBA knows this. Research your NBA history pops.

I've heard like five people say that, and if it is true, imagine how high his shooting percentage would have been if say he did it four times a game...

[OldSchoolBBall]

February (14 games): 38.1 ppg, 17.3 rpg on 55% shooting

March (16 games): 35.0 ppg, 14.1 rpg


Damn, nearly 37 pts/16 reb for two straight months. :bowdown: :eek:

[choppermagic]

Damn, nearly 37 pts/16 reb for two straight months. :bowdown: :eek:

And ESPN creams their pants if Lebron shoots 60% for 3 weeks scoring 25ppg.

I really wish for another dominant big man to come back and balance the league a little more to the paint. I think a heck of a lot of "bigs" in today's game would simply cry if they face one of these game giants of the past. I can't imagine how demoralizing letting your opposing player grab 21 offensive boards against you is. It's like playing against your much older brother when you are 8 or something like that. Bosh would probably complain to the media that is was unfair and he has a "family to feed"...

[Dr.J4ever]

I saw every game of the 1982-83 Sixers season. Every one of them. Away games were on a local channel, and home games were on a special cable channel. I also saw some games at the old Spectrum.

Yes, Moses was truly dominant. But let's not get forget how history shaped out. Moses came from Houston as the most dominant big man in the game, but never having played for a premiere team. Yes none of the teams he was on were considered title contenders, and no, not even that flukish Rocket team that made the Finals in 1981 can be a real contender.

Philly had a team built around the Doctor, and had gone to 2 of the last 3 Finals. The 76ers were considered by all at the time as true contenders, and one of the powerhouses in the NBA. In 1981, after Philly and Julius lost by 1 point to Bird's Celtics in Game 7 of the ECF, everyone knew it was the real "championship". This is because waiting for the winner of the Boston-Philly war was the lowly Houston Rockets led by Malone.

In an era where the big man played the most vital part in team success, Philly decided to match LA's KAJ, and Boston with it's famous front court, with the best big man in the game in Moses. Bird and Magic tossed passes to their huge front court post men, and they often got the credit when they won. Why can't Doc get some love here tossing passes to Moses in the half court?

So when you guys say that Sixer team was carried by Moses, i don't agree. Moses was simply the final piece in that Sixer puzzle. Philly with Dawkins and Jones could never match KAJ and Parish/Mchale. Moses solved all their rebounding woes, and the Sixer break was better than ever.

Proof that Julius was the true leader of the Sixers in 1982-83 and beyond is that when Doc declined, so did the Sixers. Malone and Toney and then a young Barkley, and Cheeks were still going strong, but the Sixers were never true contenders in 1984 and beyond. Why? Doc declined. Plain and simple.

I am not disparaging Moses. I am simply telling you what we thought at the time about our Sixers.

[Psileas]

I saw every game of the 1982-83 Sixers season. Every one of them. Away games were on a local channel, and home games were on a special cable channel. I also saw some games at the old Spectrum.

Yes, Moses was truly dominant. But let's not get forget how history shaped out. Moses came from Houston as the most dominant big man in the game, but never having played for a premiere team. Yes none of the teams he was on were considered title contenders, and no, not even that flukish Rocket team that made the Finals in 1981 can be a real contender.

Philly had a team built around the Doctor, and had gone to 2 of the last 3 Finals. The 76ers were considered by all at the time as true contenders, and one of the powerhouses in the NBA. In 1981, after Philly and Julius lost by 1 point to Bird's Celtics in Game 7 of the ECF, everyone knew it was the real "championship". This is because waiting for the winner of the Boston-Philly war was the lowly Houston Rockets led by Malone.

In an era where the big man played the most vital part in team success, Philly decided to match LA's KAJ, and Boston with it's famous front court, with the best big man in the game in Moses. Bird and Magic tossed passes to their huge front court post men, and they often got the credit when they won. Why can't Doc get some love here tossing passes to Moses in the half court?

So when you guys say that Sixer team was carried by Moses, i don't agree. Moses was simply the final piece in that Sixer puzzle. Philly with Dawkins and Jones could never match KAJ and Parish/Mchale. Moses solved all their rebounding woes, and the Sixer break was better than ever.

Proof that Julius was the true leader of the Sixers in 1982-83 and beyond is that when Doc declined, so did the Sixers. Malone and Toney and then a young Barkley, and Cheeks were still going strong, but the Sixers were never true contenders in 1984 and beyond. Why? Doc declined. Plain and simple.

I am not disparaging Moses. I am simply telling you what we thought at the time about our Sixers.

On the bolded part: Doc still wouldn't get credit, because Moses would miss the first shot to grab the offensive rebound (couldn't help it :D )

As for the rest, true that, Phili was really good before Moses got there, they just never had the frontline that would put them over the Celtics/Lakers. When they got him, it was slaughter and it's a shame that Doc wasn't in his prime any longer and the rest of the core started fading in the following seasons - although I still can't find a good excuse to losing to the Nets in '84, with both Moses and Erving underperforming.
It would be interesting to see a Sixer team with Moses and Erving co-existing since the late 70's.

[Dr.J4ever]

On the bolded part: Doc still wouldn't get credit, because Moses would miss the first shot to grab the offensive rebound (couldn't help it :D )

As for the rest, true that, Phili was really good before Moses got there, they just never had the frontline that would put them over the Celtics/Lakers. When they got him, it was slaughter and it's a shame that Doc wasn't in his prime any longer and the rest of the core started fading in the following seasons - although I still can't find a good excuse to losing to the Nets in '84, with both Moses and Erving underperforming.
It would be interesting to see a Sixer team with Moses and Erving co-existing since the late 70's.

Me and Laz discussed this a little bit. Wow, history would have been considerably different if Doc and Moses played together from the late 70s onwards.

Doc's finesse game, and Moses physical monster game in the paint were complementary, to put it mildly. Against Boston in the early 80s, Boston often was not the better team athletically, but their size demolished Philly in the paint. Dawkins was painstakingly inconsistent, and C.Jones was a defensive player, and not much more.

Against the Lakers, Riley told his Lakers, "no rebounds, no rings", and the Laker greyhounds gang rebounded their way to 2 titles over the Sixers of Doc.

Moses solved all those issues.

[Pointguard]

Me and Laz discussed this a little bit. Wow, history would have been considerably different if Doc and Moses played together from the late 70s onwards.

Doc's finesse game, and Moses physical monster game in the paint were complementary, to put it mildly. Against Boston in the early 80s, Boston often was not the better team athletically, but their size demolished Philly in the paint. Dawkins was painstakingly inconsistent, and C.Jones was a defensive player, and not much more.

Against the Lakers, Riley told his Lakers, "no rebounds, no rings", and the Laker greyhounds gang rebounded their way to 2 titles over the Sixers of Doc.

Moses solved all those issues.
He didn't solve it. He had a temporary solution, that never factored in again. He, nor Philly never played like that again. That team had a great sense of urgency that year. Moses was unique in that he could put his head down and just go like an overcharged energizer bunny and get serious production. When teams started going at Philly because they were champions they didn't have that champion push back. Its hard to repeat.

[jlitt]

Top 6 centers all time imo.

Wilt
Kareem
Moses 3x mvp btw
Russell
Hakeem
Shaq

Moses is criminally underrated.

[Dr.J4ever]

He didn't solve it. He had a temporary solution, that never factored in again. He, nor Philly never played like that again. That team had a great sense of urgency that year. Moses was unique in that he could put his head down and just go like an overcharged energizer bunny and get serious production. When teams started going at Philly because they were champions they didn't have that champion push back. Its hard to repeat.

Moses solved all the issues the Sixers had in going up against teams like Boston and LA. It was mostly rebounding, and just a half court post up game that's needed when the game slows down.

In 1984, yes the Sixers were not ready. At that point, they had a run of 3 Finals and one Game 7 ECF in 4 years. With Doc and Bobby Jones showing the most decline, the Sixers were not the same team.

In 1985, even with the arrival of Barkley, Doc's even steeper decline that year were not enough to offset a still prime Moses, Cheeks, mostly healthy Toney.

As I said, as Doc declined, so did the Sixers.

[Iceman#44]

Damn, nearly 37 pts/16 reb for two straight months. :bowdown: :eek:


:bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown:

[Pointguard]

Moses solved all the issues the Sixers had in going up against teams like Boston and LA. It was mostly rebounding, and just a half court post up game that's needed when the game slows down.

In 1984, yes the Sixers were not ready. At that point, they had a run of 3 Finals and one Game 7 ECF in 4 years. With Doc and Bobby Jones showing the most decline, the Sixers were not the same team.

In 1985, even with the arrival of Barkley, Doc's even steeper decline that year were not enough to offset a still prime Moses, Cheeks, mostly healthy Toney.

As I said, as Doc declined, so did the Sixers.
It was a great year. They stampeded the league. You really had to believe it was just their time. That mix was great.

[Dr.J4ever]

Good Article from SI about Moses part way into the 1982-83 season (http://www.si.com/vault/1983/02/28/626861/this-may-be-one-for-the-books) after they signed him away from Houston for 6 years 13.2 million, which was unheard of at the time.

There is another article somewhere in my files about how no teams were going after Moses in 1982 Free Agency because the league was hurting so bad financially and Moses wanted to stay in Houston, no one thought anyone could offer him enough to make him sign elsewhere.

Then a computer system called FAMS (Free Agent Market something or other) valued Malone at 2.3 Million a year from the Nets and said it would raise them from 40-some wins to 60 some wins and they sort of got involved, it lead to a desperate Philadelphia going all biblical and trying to get Moses to lead them to the promise land.

This 14 year old bought that SI magazine in the 1982-83 season. I think I still have it here somewhere. :bowdown:

[G.O.A.T]

It was a great year. They stampeded the league. You really had to believe it was just their time. That mix was great.

Steve Mix wasn't on the team in 1983...(just kidding)

[BoutPractice]

Obviously he was the greatest rebounder of his time by a mile, but watching him I noticed he's also very underrated offensively... it wasn't all putbacks. His quickness, agility and footwork, were nothing to laugh at. There's a bit of Hakeem before Hakeem in the way he scores his points, using quick, aggressive moves instead of relying on length like Wilt or Kareem were able to do.

[SHAQisGOAT]

:bowdown:

Prime Moses was a goddamn beast, too many people sleep on it.

[Dr.J4ever]

Obviously he was the greatest rebounder of his time by a mile, but watching him I noticed he's also very underrated offensively... it wasn't all putbacks. His quickness, agility and footwork, were nothing to laugh at. There's a bit of Hakeem before Hakeem in the way he scores his points, using quick, aggressive moves instead of relying on length like Wilt or Kareem were able to do.

Funny you mention Hakeem. Hakeem had his moves because Moses taught it to him. Yes, you heard it. Hakeem learned his drop steps from Moses.

When Hakeem was with the Univ of Houston, the so called "phi slamma jama", he would approach Moses then with the Rockets, and Moses schooled him with his drop steps, and all.

This is a forgotten fact of history.

[LAZERUSS]

What would an 81-82 Moses do to THIS era?

[Dr.J4ever]

What would an 81-82 Moses do to THIS era?

I imagine him today playing with 4 "smalls" because Moses would be all the inside game you would need. Moses wasn't a great passer so you would need more players out there to handle the ball and to give Moses more room to dominate.

But in the paint, he would dominate. People forget that Moses had a decent 12 footer when he played with the 76ers. He could face up and drive, he could post up, drop step to you to death, and offensive rebound you 'till you're crying home to momma.

On the boards, he would be the best in the league without any doubt. On a team that featured him, Moses today would do 25-26ppg, 15-17 boards easy.

[Dr.J4ever]

The other thing about Moses is that he studied rebounding. He really studied it, meaning the bounce of the ball off the rim. He knew where the ball was headed depending on the type of shot, and where in the rim it bounced.

He said this during his 76er days. Of course, rebounding is desire, and Moses worked as hard as any player ever.

Man, that Sixer team in 83 was a combination of the last 2 MVPs in one team. Can you imagine that there were some doubters before that Sixer season? Some thought Moses would slow down Philly. Moses wasn't as good of an outlet passer as even Dawkins. Some believed there wasn't enough ball to go around for Doc and Moses.

Doc assimilated Moses in and made it work. It could have been a disaster, if not for Doc.

[dankok8]

What would an 81-82 Moses do to THIS era?

The number of available rebounds in Moses' prime is virtually identical to today. He would be an absolute monster in his peak, in discussion for best player in the league. Could put up 30+/15+ with today's bigs. Like those above said he had incredible quick feet and just sheer desire to go after every rebound.

[dankok8]

From 80-81 to 82-83...

vs. Kareem: (11 games)

Moses: 30.5 ppg, 16.0 rpg

Kareem: 21.8 ppg, 7.3 rpg

vs. Gilmore: (6 games)

Moses: 29.2 ppg, 14.6 rpg

Gilmore: 19.5 ppg, 11.8 rpg

vs. Parish: (9 games)

Moses: 27.9 ppg, 14.1 rpg

Parish: 17.0 ppg, 11.2 rpg

vs. Sikma: (12 games)

Moses: 30.3 ppg, 15.8 rpg

Sikma: 17.0 ppg, 11.2 rpg



84-85 already in decline...

vs. Kareem: (2 games)

Moses: 25.5 ppg, 13.5 rpg on 50.0% shooting

Kareem: 23.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg on 50.0% shooting

vs. Gilmore: (2 games)

Moses: 27.5 ppg, 11.5 rpg on 45.2% shooting

Gilmore: 15.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg on 50.0% shooting

vs. Parish: (6 games)

Moses: 26.5 ppg, 16.3 rpg on 48.6% shooting

Parish: 13.0 ppg, 8.5 rpg on 47.6% shooting

vs. Sikma: (2 games)

Moses: 26.0 ppg, 12.5 rpg on 55.2% shooting

Sikma: 22.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg on 46.9% shooting

vs. Hakeem: (2 games)

Moses: 26.5 rpg, 10.0 rpg on 51.7% shooting

Hakeem: 19.0 ppg, 11.5 rpg on 51.7% shooting

[riseagainst]

I imagine him today playing with 4 "smalls" because Moses would be all the inside game you would need. Moses wasn't a great passer so you would need more players out there to handle the ball and to give Moses more room to dominate.

But in the paint, he would dominate. People forget that Moses had a decent 12 footer when he played with the 76ers. He could face up and drive, he could post up, drop step to you to death, and offensive rebound you 'till you're crying home to momma.

On the boards, he would be the best in the league without any doubt. On a team that featured him, Moses today would do 25-26ppg, 15-17 boards easy.

15-17?

:coleman:

[La Frescobaldi]

15-17?

:coleman:
yeah, probly. The dude was absolutely ferocious on the boards