Wilt's LAST Post-Season

[LAZERUSS]

Interesting research from another topic...

A 36 year old Wilt, in his LAST post-season, and against ALL of his centers (including their subs...except for Thurmond's subs in the WCF's)...overall, Wilt played 47.1 mpg in those 17 games, and his combined opposing centers played 46.3 mpg...


Wilt didn't just annihilate Thurmond in the '73 WCF's, either (23.6 rpg in 45 mpg to Nate's 17.2 rpg in 42.2 mpg). In the first round, against the Bulls "three-headed" monster of Dennis Awtry, Clifford Ray, and Tom Boerwinkle, Wilt outrebounded the three...combined... 172-95, in their seven game series (BTW, Wilt averaged 48 mpg in that series, and those three combined, averaged 47.7 mpg.) Then, in the Finals, he outrebounded the Knicks twosome of Reed and Lucas, who combined to play 48 mpg (same as Wilt's mpg)... 93-69.

Overall, in Wilt's LAST post-season, he outrebounded ALL of his centers...combined...383-250, or ...22.5 rpg to 14.7 rpg. He also collectively outshot them from the field by a .552 to .450 margin.

BTW, I could only find his blocked shots from eight of those 17 games, but in those eight, he blocked 67 shots (8.4 bpg.)

And in his very LAST game of his career... 23 points, on 9-16 FG/FGA, with 21 rebounds. Yet another 20-20 game.

[LAZERUSS]

BTW, in Wilt's LAST season, he led the league in rebounding (and by over 2 rpg); was voted First Team All-Defense (over the likes of Lanier, Hayes, Cowens, Kareem, and Thurmond), averaged 5.4 bpg (the all-time "official" record was set 12 years later by a prime Mark Eaton at 5.6 bpg); finished 4th in the MVP balloting; shot a still-record .727 from the field (a record that is likely to never be broken); and led his team to a 60-22 record, and a trip to the Finals.

[Iceman#44]

Interesting research from another topic...

A 36 year old Wilt, in his LAST post-season, and against ALL of his centers (including their subs...except for Thurmond's subs in the WCF's)...overall, Wilt played 47.1 mpg in those 17 games, and his combined opposing centers played 46.3 mpg...



BTW, I could only find his blocked shots from eight of those 17 games, but in those eight, he blocked 67 shots (8.4 bpg.)

And in his very LAST game of his career... 23 points, on 9-16 FG/FGA, with 21 rebounds. Yet another 20-20 game.
Man i hate the fact that NBA never keep stats about blocked shots during Wilt career...really...

[Iceman#44]

However 8.4 blocks x game at 36 y.o. during the last post season is insane. ..

[RoundMoundOfReb]

He wouldn't get nearly as many blocks today with the 3 point line...But still could see like 4-5 per game

[ImKobe]

Wilt is sometimes criminally underrated, people neglect the fact that he dominated even when he played on one leg at an old age.

[Psileas]

Man i hate the fact that NBA never keep stats about blocked shots during Wilt career...really...

And, to add insult to injury, the rival ABA did, at least certain teams.

But, as Lazer posted, it's been revealed that 36 y.o Wilt had more blocked shots than anyone since, save prime Mark Eaton (and only once, marginally). I think the same source had calculated Elmore Smith (another elite shot blocker of the era) at 300 blocks and, although I couldn't find figures for Kareem and Thurmond, Wilt allegedly was comfortably the leader.


Wilt is sometimes criminally underrated, people neglect the fact that he dominated even when he played on one leg at an old age.

And against players who were active way into the "Golden" 80's, I should add. Per ISH (and others) though, if you don't win the title (and the F.MVP), you're not really dominant. NBA, the only league that has only 1 dominant player per season. Or, at least, this would be the rule for the years Wilt was active. :rolleyes:

[Roundball_Rock]

Laz and Psileas,

If you put Wilt on the following teams how many rings do you think he would have won?

*80's Lakers
*80's Celtics
*90's Bulls
*2000's Lakers
*1999-2014 Spurs

I think Wilt had the terrible luck of playing in an era with the GOAT dynasty--and a fellow GOAT candidate. Wilt won 4 MVP's while Russell took 5. Had Wilt played in the 80's, 90's, 2000's he would have won more MVP's. KAJ has 6 and MJ 5 but they did not have to battle a Russell-caliber player for the award their entire prime. If Wilt won, say, 4 rings and 7 MVP's playing in another era he would be perceived much more favorably today.

[julizaver]

Interesting research from another topic...

A 36 year old Wilt, in his LAST post-season, and against ALL of his centers (including their subs...except for Thurmond's subs in the WCF's)...overall, Wilt played 47.1 mpg in those 17 games, and his combined opposing centers played 46.3 mpg...



BTW, I could only find his blocked shots from eight of those 17 games, but in those eight, he blocked 67 shots (8.4 bpg.)

And in his very LAST game of his career... 23 points, on 9-16 FG/FGA, with 21 rebounds. Yet another 20-20 game.

According to my data I have Wilt with 94 blocked shots from 14 games - 49 in 7 games vs Bulls, 29 in 4 vs Warriors and 16 in 3 vs Knicks. So he averaged around 6.7 bpg, which is pretty amazing not only for 36 years old.

[Psileas]

Laz and Psileas,

If you put Wilt on the following teams how many rings do you think he would have won?

*80's Lakers
*80's Celtics
*90's Bulls
*2000's Lakers
*1999-2014 Spurs

I think Wilt had the terrible luck of playing in an era with the GOAT dynasty--and a fellow GOAT candidate. Wilt won 4 MVP's while Russell took 5. Had Wilt played in the 80's, 90's, 2000's he would have won more MVP's. KAJ has 6 and MJ 5 but they did not have to battle a Russell-caliber player for the award their entire prime. If Wilt won, say, 4 rings and 7 MVP's playing in another era he would be perceived much more favorably today.

This is basically why I laugh at the rings argument, especially when it comes to Kareem's 6-2 edge, with his 6th ring coming with him being an All-Star by virtue of fame, his 5th one coming with him still being significantly worse than any version of active Wilt and playing for one of the deepest teams ever and his 4th one coming with him still not being necessarily better than old Wilt (more comfortable and prolific as a scorer, but worse at pretty much everything else) who still had by his side a player comparable to '69-'72 West, who arguably outplayed him over the course of the playoffs (Kareem wasn't as dominant throughout the whole postseason as in the Finals) and a very deep roster, too.

Wilt wouldn't even need to have played for all those teams, he'd just need healthier teams around him when they were competing. You see, Russell didn't win when he got injured in 1958. Magic didn't win in the Lakers' unhealthiest seasons (1981, 1983, 1989, 1991), neither did Bird (lots of seasons to recall), neither did Milwaukee Kareem (1972, 1973, 1974), Jordan's teams never faced any serious injury problems when it counted the most, but Pippen's migraine cost them a better chance in 1990 (he also missed part of Game 6 of the '98 Finals, but that's all).
Similarly with Wilt: In 1968, pretty much all the significant players of the Sixers were injured. Make them (and their opponents, if needed) reasonably healthy and they repeat. In 1969, West got injured in the Finals, then Wilt did too. In 1970, Wilt wasn't at 100%, we all know this, in 1971, Baylor's career was essentially over and West missed the playoffs. Ironically, it seems like his teams were healthier during his earlier years, when they couldn't compete on equal terms. So, just an average luck when it comes to injuries in years that mattered from a "competing for the title" standpoint would have been enough for 1-2 more rings, and this would be enough to elevate him in many people's minds, since 3 or 4 sounds clearly better than 2.

[RRR3]

Jlauber,
Every sane poster on here knows Wilt is top 2-5 all time. You don't have to convince anyone, the "Wilt haters" are people just trying to annoy you.

[Roundball_Rock]

This is basically why I laugh at the rings argument, especially when it comes to Kareem's 6-2 edge, with his 6th ring coming with him being an All-Star by virtue of fame, his 5th one coming with him still being significantly worse than any version of active Wilt and playing for one of the deepest teams ever and his 4th one coming with him still not being necessarily better than old Wilt (more comfortable and prolific as a scorer, but worse at pretty much everything else) who still had by his side a player comparable to '69-'72 West, who arguably outplayed him over the course of the playoffs (Kareem wasn't as dominant throughout the whole postseason as in the Finals) and a very deep roster, too.

Wilt wouldn't even need to have played for all those teams, he'd just need healthier teams around him when they were competing. You see, Russell didn't win when he got injured in 1958. Magic didn't win in the Lakers' unhealthiest seasons (1981, 1983, 1989, 1991), neither did Bird (lots of seasons to recall), neither did Milwaukee Kareem (1972, 1973, 1974), Jordan's teams never faced any serious injury problems when it counted the most, but Pippen's migraine cost them a better chance in 1990 (he also missed part of Game 6 of the '98 Finals, but that's all).
Similarly with Wilt: In 1968, pretty much all the significant players of the Sixers were injured. Make them (and their opponents, if needed) reasonably healthy and they repeat. In 1969, West got injured in the Finals, then Wilt did too. In 1970, Wilt wasn't at 100%, we all know this, in 1971, Baylor's career was essentially over and West missed the playoffs. Ironically, it seems like his teams were healthier during his earlier years, when they couldn't compete on equal terms. So, just an average luck when it comes to injuries in years that mattered from a "competing for the title" standpoint would have been enough for 1-2 more rings, and this would be enough to elevate him in many people's minds, since 3 or 4 sounds clearly better than 2.

:applause:

[jlip]

According to my data I have Wilt with 94 blocked shots from 14 games - 49 in 7 games vs Bulls, 29 in 4 vs Warriors and 16 in 3 vs Knicks. So he averaged around 6.7 bpg, which is pretty amazing not only for 36 years old.

That is also not an "inflated" number and is pretty much attainable in the "modern" era. Mutumbo avg. 6.2 bpg in that infamous 8 seed upset of a 1 seed in '94. BTW...Mutumbo's 6.2 bpg is the highest for a playoff series since the stat has officially been tracked.

[LAZERUSS]

Laz and Psileas,

If you put Wilt on the following teams how many rings do you think he would have won?

*80's Lakers
*80's Celtics
*90's Bulls
*2000's Lakers
*1999-2014 Spurs

I think Wilt had the terrible luck of playing in an era with the GOAT dynasty--and a fellow GOAT candidate. Wilt won 4 MVP's while Russell took 5. Had Wilt played in the 80's, 90's, 2000's he would have won more MVP's. KAJ has 6 and MJ 5 but they did not have to battle a Russell-caliber player for the award their entire prime. If Wilt won, say, 4 rings and 7 MVP's playing in another era he would be perceived much more favorably today.

Well to be fair, Russell won four MVPs in the 10 years he played in the league with Wilt (Chamberlain also won four), BUT, Chamberlain held a 7-2 margin in First-Team All-NBA selections in those 10 years, as well. Furthermore, Wilt won an MVP in his rookie season, and by the mid-60's he was running away with the MVP award (three straight seasons.) And the MVP voting was really suspicious in '62 and '64 (Wilt should have won it in both seasons), and '69 was a farce.

As for titles...John Wooden said it best...had Wilt had Russell's rosters, and Auerbach as his coach, and it would have been Wilt with all those rings. And what is almost never mentioned is the fact that Wilt's team's lost FOUR game SEVEN's to Russell's teams by margins of 2, 1, 4, and 2 points. Chamberlain was an eyelash away from holding a 5-3 edge in rings over Russell in their ten years in the league together.

As far as playing in other era's, it would depend on which Chamberlain. A PRIME Wilt, from '60 thru '69, would have made ALL of those teams better. But to be fair to KAJ...a PRIME Kareem would have made those same teams better, as well. Again, KAJ from 70-71 thru '73-74 anchored the best defensive teams in the league...and arguably the greatest defensive teams in history. And while he wasn't on Wilt's level in rebounding, he was one of the best rebounders in the game in his prime. And both Wilt and KAJ were exceptional passers (KAJ is really under-rated, and Wilt was by far, the greatest passing center in NBA history.)

Give those PRIME players anywhere near comparable rosters, to any other GOAT-level players, and it would be KAJ or Wilt winning the vast majority of rings.

[Iceman#44]

The 1962 MVP is a joke....Wilt Averaged 50.4 ppg , scored 100 in a game with 25 board x game and they give the Trophy to Russell?:facepalm

[LoneyROY7]

Good job Wilt. :applause:

[Deuce Bigalow]

Losing in the Finals with HCA and ending up 2/6. Fitting a way to end Wilt's postseason career.

[LAZERUSS]

According to my data I have Wilt with 94 blocked shots from 14 games - 49 in 7 games vs Bulls, 29 in 4 vs Warriors and 16 in 3 vs Knicks. So he averaged around 6.7 bpg, which is pretty amazing not only for 36 years old.

I should have looked for your research. I used nbastats.net, and then your Nate-Wilt '73 WCF's H2H's.

As always, you are the man!