What kind of ridicule would a modern player receive if he lost in 8/9 Finals?

[Akhenaten]

How is it that West is this Teflon don, people crap on Wilt all the time (rightfully so in my opinion). Yet West goes unscathed, he has the reputation of being arguably the most clutch EVER but only has one ring out of 9 tries.

I'm certain there are mitigating circumstances, my point is if this were a modern superstar would ANYBODY care about those circumstances?

We all know the answer, why isn't this guy ever criticized to being a chronic loser? Nobody ever puts the microscope to his individual performances in each Final, surely he has some blame in losing so much, no?

Help me understand I am SINCERELY puzzled by this.

[IMObjective]

Making it to 9 finals should be a great accomplishment, even if you never win it. If a modern player actually went to 9 finals I would hope modern fans can acknowledge that it's a great accomplishment.

[lilteapot]

Making it to 9 finals should be a great accomplishment, even if you never win it. If a modern player actually went to 9 finals I would hope modern fans can acknowledge that it's a great accomplishment.
i hope you realize that it's impossible for modern fans to acknowledge ANY accomplishment.

[IMObjective]

I haven't looked at the numbers but didn't west perform much better than Wilt in the finals?

[Qwyjibo]

Making it to 9 finals should be a great accomplishment, even if you never win it. If a modern player actually went to 9 finals I would hope modern fans can acknowledge that it's a great accomplishment.
I agree. But if the "modern fan" we're talking about is the large mass of morons on this forum, it wouldn't happen. The fans of whatever "rival" that player has would be shitting all over it.

[Psileas]

I haven't looked at the numbers but didn't west perform much better than Wilt in the finals?

Not really, unless you only take scoring into account, equate "raising your regular season numbers compared to someone else" to "outperforming someone", equate being guarded by Russell or Thurmond to being guarded by any guard (sometimes old Cousy) and ignore that Wilt was past his prime in half his Finals series and past his high scoring days in his 5/6 Finals series.

Having said this, West is still an all-time level playoff and Finals performer and another proof of why you shouldn't look at the ring count and dig deeper.

[r0drig0lac]

i hope you realize that it's impossible for modern fans to acknowledge ANY accomplishment.
:applause:

[choppermagic]

it's not like he was being beat by scrub teams, but by a HOF stacked super teams.

Yeah 8/9 hurts, but its harder to question a guy's talent who can average 50.4 ppg and grab 24 rpg. In today's day and age, it would be like Lebron-hype... all about how much help Wilt's team can get so he can win rings. Ifhe lost, it would be because his teammates were "scrubs" and he needed to go somewhere else where it was stacked to win.

[Akhenaten]

it's not like he was being beat by scrub teams, but by a HOF stacked super teams.

Yeah 8/9 hurts, but its harder to question a guy's talent who can average 50.4 ppg and grab 24 rpg. In today's day and age, it would be like Lebron-hype... all about how much help Wilt's team can get so he can win rings. Ifhe lost, it would be because his teammates were "scrubs" and he needed to go somewhere else where it was stacked to win.

thread's about West, not Wilt, Wilt catches plenty hell
and both were on loaded teams replete with HOF talent also, that's why they played in so many Finals to begin with.

poor excuse, they just weren't good enough
they were playing like one series to get to the Final if I'm reading bball reference correctly

sorry 1 of 9 is a failure no matter how anyone tries to spin it

[houston]

that what makes him overrated

[SHAQisGOAT]

Ofc things like that will take a considerably dent in a player's legacy, and today he'd probably be more scrutinized for it, yea... Well, tbh, can't see it happening because you're not having any legacy such as the 60s Celtics, and also...

His Finals stats are 30.5 / 5.0 / 5.6 on 46% FG, 83% FT... He had some terrific games, came up clutch many times too. That includes "stuff" like winning FMVP on the losing team (one of the GOAT Finals performances), while scoring 42 pts in game7, coming up big in the clutch, as Baylor was playing poorly and Wilt just choking away.

[SpanishACB]

probably just means there's one better team than the one you happen to play for and who also pays for all your luxuries - no sweat

[JohnMax]

Too bad Jerry West did not have Ray Allen or he could've went 2/9

[Kblaze8855]

I'm certain there are mitigating circumstances, my point is if this were a modern superstar would ANYBODY care about those circumstances?

Then your question should be concerning why so many modern fans are idiots who dont judge basketball players by basketball playing ability.

Of course West would be hated on in this day of idiots acting like won/lost record in the finals is an aspect of basketball playing.

Says more about those who would be hating than it does his ability and general performance....which nobody watching him questioned.

[R.I.P.]

Re: What kind of ridicule would a modern player receive if he lost in 8/9 Finals?

What ridicule?

You

[La Frescobaldi]

thread's about West, not Wilt, Wilt catches plenty hell
and both were on loaded teams replete with HOF talent also, that's why they played in so many Finals to begin with.

poor excuse, they just weren't good enough
they were playing like one series to get to the Final if I'm reading bball reference correctly

sorry 1 of 9 is a failure no matter how anyone tries to spin it

Exactly what Laker squad are we talking about that was "replete with HOF talent?"

What Hall of Famer did the Logo play with throughout his entire career except Elgin Baylor who literally busted his kneecap in '65?
Rookie Gail Goodrich who played like 12 or 14 minutes a game before he got forced off to an expansion team ?

vs. for example the '65 Boston Celtics:

17 John Havlicek Hall of Fame
15 Tom Heinsohn Hall of Fame
25 K.C. Jones Hall of Fame
24 Sam Jones Hall of Fame
18 Jim Loscutoff
34 Clyde Lovellette Hall of Fame
21 Johnny McCarthy
12 Willie Naulls
23 Frank Ramsey Hall of Fame
6 Bill Russell C Hall of Fame
16 Tom Sanders Hall of Fame
20 Larry Siegfried

????????????????
I ask you.