Chamberlain vs Willis Reed Duel Game 4 1970 Finals (UNSEEN BEFORE)

[coastalmarker99]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUD9lcLgROM

[coastalmarker99]

Looking at this 30 minutes of footage we see that Wilt looks to be a serious force on the offensive glass and a great rim protector despite the fact that he had suffered a serious knee injury only 4 months earlier that same season which kept him out for 70 games.

[coastalmarker99]

The clarity in this footage is unbelievable! I don't think I've ever seen better from something this age!

[AlternativeAcc.]

Incredible footage

[coastalmarker99]

Here is Wilt vs Reed's stats for this game.

Wilt

49 minutes played 18 points and 25 rebounds to go along with 7 assists and 4 blocks on 53.8 shooting.


Willis Reed

52:00 minutes played 23 points and 12 rebounds to go along with 2 assists on 43.5 shooting

[coastalmarker99]

Incredible footage

Why thank you that means a lot to me as getting this type of footage of Wilt is very hard to get.

[coastalmarker99]

Watching the footage we see that Wilt grabs countless offensive rebounds so it makes you wonder how many more rebounding records he would hold both in the regular season and playoffs if they counted offensive rebounds as a stat when he played from 1959 to 1973.

[coastalmarker99]

I have said for years that the Lakers win the title in 1970 if Reed does not get hurt in game 5 as New York going small with a full lineup of outside shooters and basically putting two wings on Wilt to swarm him and prevent him from getting the ball down low is what won them that title.


As I think the more footage we have of the 1970 finals proves that Wilt despite being 4 months after knee surgery was starting to figure out a healthy MVP Reed after game 1 in which he just destroyed Wilt with his outside shooting.



According to many people I have spoken to about that series after watching the film of his game 1 performance Wilt started to make more of an emphasis to go outside and contest Reed's jump shots and it worked as he blocked Reed's jump shot late in-game two to win the Lakers the game.

[coastalmarker99]

You can tell when you watch the footage that a 33-year-old Wilt is labouring and he's running with that typical big man lean that you didn't really see with him when he was in his athletic prime.


People talk about Lebron's physical gifts but Wilt was in another stratosphere when you consider his height.


In all seriousness what should make people think Wilt would be dominating today's NBA too is that he's a freak athlete in this era as well.

Height: 7'1
Weight: 290-320 pounds (depends on which year)
7'8 wingspan (he was only officiated measured in a suit however. Legend has it that it's likely 2 inches more)
9'7.5 standing reach.

Imagine somebody of that physical profile, that is also a track star, ridiculous vertical leap, gifted passer (lead the league in assists one year) and with a gifted touch around the rim on the offensive end.

Not only that but on defence, a center that is truly capable of guarding 1-5 with his size, length and speed combined. The only current NBA player that could rival him in terms of athleticism is Giannis. Yet physically, he even towers over him.

Giannis in comparison:

Height: 6'11
Weight: 242 pounds
Wingspan: 7'3
Standing reach: 9'2

I have yet to see any player at his position to come along with his combined strength, size and athleticism. Let alone the skills Wilt had on offence and defence.

[getting_old]

I have yet to see any player at his position to come along with his combined strength, size and athleticism. Let alone the skills Wilt had on offence and defence.


for sure, what's missing is killer instinct and mental toughness in clutch situations... he just sat on the bench or slowly..... drifted.... away..... from the big moments....

would be a lot more admiration except he ran his mouth off his whole career about how great he was and how everything else was garbage

[coastalmarker99]

for sure, what's missing is killer instinct and mental toughness in clutch situations... he just sat on the bench or slowly..... drifted.... away..... from the big moments....

would be a lot more admiration except he ran his mouth off his whole career about how great he was and how everything else was garbage


Here are Wilt's game-winning shots in big moments that prove your statement about him is totally wrong.
1. Nov 10, 1959 vs New York (and 3 GW blocked shots in a row)
2. Nov 28, 1959 @ New York

3. Mar 4, 1961 vs Syracuse (FT's)

4. Feb 19, 1963 vs L.A Lakers

5. Dec 8, 1963 @ L.A Lakers (FT's)

6. Dec 28, 1963 @ Baltomore (interestingly, just one game later, he sank the OT basket)

7. Feb 23, 1964 vs L.A Lakers (he played injured and scored his team's last 5 points)

8. Mar 5, 1965 @ Cincinatti (scored 16 in 4th Q, blocked 2 shots in the last 18'', he scored the OT basket 3 games later)

9. Mar 24, 1965 @ Cincinatti (Playoffs. Hits winning FT's, while playing in the last games with a stomach ailment)

10. Dec 29, 1965 @ Detroit (FT)

11. Apr 17, 1970 vs Atlanta (Playoffs. Hits winning FT's in the end of OT).

Kareem however is leading all centers In NBA history with game winners at 14 in the regular season and 3 in the playoffs. Hakeem had 11+1 and then follows Wilt with 9+2.

[coastalmarker99]

for sure, what's missing is killer instinct and mental toughness in clutch situations... he just sat on the bench or slowly..... drifted.... away..... from the big moments....

would be a lot more admiration except he ran his mouth off his whole career about how great he was and how everything else was garbage


In 23 must-win postseason games that Wilt played throughout his career




Here are Wilt's numbers in those 23 games...13 of which came against HOF starting centers.

12-11 W-L record

31.1 ppg (Regular season career average was 30.1 ppg)
26.1 rpg (Regular season career average was 22.9 rpg)
3.4 APG (Regular season career average was 4.4 APG)
10.2 blocks((Regular season career average was 9.2 BPG)
.54.0 FG% (Regular season career average was .54.0 FG%)



3 games of 50+ points

5 games of 40+ points (including a Finals 40+ elimination game)

13 games of 30+ points

6 games of 30+ rebounds

20 games of 20+ rebounds

17 games of 10+ blocks

So much for the drifted away from big moments label that you put on him

[Psileas]

Here is Wilt vs Reed's stats for this game.

Wilt

49 minutes played 18 points and 25 rebounds to go along with 7 assists and 4 blocks on 53.8 shooting.


Willis Reed

52:00 minutes played 23 points and 12 rebounds to go along with 2 assists on 43.5 shooting

1. Do you know if Wilt's contest in that last play counted as a block?
2. Due to having come back from injury and judging from all available info, this has to be Wilt's lowest shot blocking series, right?

[coastalmarker99]

1. Do you know if Wilt's contest in that last play counted as a block?
2. Due to having come back from injury and judging from all available info, this has to be Wilt's lowest shot blocking series, right?

Yeah, Wilt's contest in that last play counted as a block.

Indeed this is the lowest shot-blocking series of Wilt's playoff career due to him coming back from injury and two New york having a lot of outside shooters that took a lot of jump shots.

[coastalmarker99]

1. Do you know if Wilt's contest in that last play counted as a block?
2. Due to having come back from injury and judging from all available info, this has to be Wilt's lowest shot blocking series, right?

Also Psileas I just got the first part of game 6 of the 1970 Finals - the legendary Wilt's 45 points performance. The part I got includes the end of the 3rd quarter and most of the 4th quarter. Wilt didn't score much during that period, but I've found another part of the game that needs to be digitized.


It's likely that we have the full game in excellent quality, it just needs to be transferred.

[Psileas]

Great news. And interesting that he didn't score much during the last quarter, which shows that he wasn't just "statpadding", like many may have assumed or else he'd have exceeded 50 pts.


Yeah, Wilt's contest in that last play counted as a block.

Indeed this is the lowest shot-blocking series of Wilt's playoff career due to him coming back from injury and two New york having a lot of outside shooters that took a lot of jump shots.

He partially made up for this, however, by posting a really excellent for that era 24.3% rebounding rate (even today it's still elite), since we know that great shot blocking in general costs rebounding opportunities. If he only was a good (instead of elite) shotblocker, he would have averaged at least 26 rpg in his regular season career and 28+ rpg in the playoffs.

[coastalmarker99]

Great news. And interesting that he didn't score much during the last quarter, which shows that he wasn't just "statpadding", like many may have assumed or else he'd have exceeded 50 pts.



He partially made up for this, however, by posting a really excellent for that era 24.3% rebounding rate (even today it's still elite), since we know that great shot blocking in general costs rebounding opportunities. If he only was a good (instead of elite) shotblocker, he would have averaged at least 26 rpg in his regular season career and 28+ rpg in the playoffs.



I have been tracking Wilt's fadeaway shot data with each piece of footage I get of him and it seems he was utterly proficient with that shot even in his Laker years.


Wilt's fadeaway data in the games we have available of him are


1/3 Celtics vs Warriors 1960 RS

1/1 Celtics vs Warriors 1959 RS

1/1 Celtics vs Warriors 1961 RS

0/1 Celtics vs Warriors game 2 of 1964 finals

1/2 Celtics vs Warriors game 4 of 1964 finals

2/8 Warriors vs Lakers 1964 RS

2/3 Warriors vs Knicks 1964 RS

2/2 Warriors vs Knicks Wilt masked.

4/6 Warriors vs 76ers 1964-1965 RS

1/5 Celtics vs 76ers 1964-1965 RS

1/1 Celtics vs 76ers game 1 1965 ECF

1/2 Celtics vs 76ers game 6 1965 ECF

1/2 Celtics vs 76ers game 7 1965 ECF

3/3 game 3 of 1964 NBA finals.

1/2 game 4 of 1964 NBA finals

6/7- game 5 of 1964 NBA finals.

0/2 game 4 of 1967 ECF

0/2 game 6 of 1967 NBA finals

1/1


29/54

53.7 FG


A percentage of 53.7% is amazing and those are 10-16 fadeaway jumpers usually that Wilt was taking.…..


His worst games shooting wise with his fadeaway shot are shortly after his heart attack in the 1964 offseason and his game vs the Lakers in 64 when he had an injured leg.


It is crazy to think Shaq shot 70% from 0-3 and only 40% from 3-10 feet while Wilt was shooting 50+% from 10-16Ft


Wilt truthfully might be the GOAT fadeaway shooter alongside Dirk and every bit of footage we get of him shows us how skilful of a player Wilt truly was

[coastalmarker99]

Can you imagine Wilt is on a team today? Everyone in this era is shooting 3 pointers and it wouldn't matter if his teammates missed because Wilt would just rebound almost every ball and give them new attempts.



He could make a team be dominant today just with his rebounding and defensive ability alone.

[Psileas]

Btw, I'd like to see a better view of that play at 11:45. Reed is closely behind Wilt, then suddenly he goes flying 3-4 feet away. I wonder if he got the "angry Wilt" treatment in that play, with Wilt shoving him away with one hand.

[coastalmarker99]

Btw, I'd like to see a better view of that play at 11:45. Reed is closely behind Wilt, then suddenly he goes flying 3-4 feet away. I wonder if he got the "angry Wilt" treatment in that play, with Wilt shoving him away with one hand.


That play shows how strong Wilt was as he basically shoved him in that play and Reed went flying 3-4 feet away from Wilt afterwards.



And it should be noted that Reed was an incredibly strong guy himself though he did have problems with Luke Jackson when they played against each other.


That 76ers team had it stayed together after 1968 would have given New York a lot of trouble.

[coastalmarker99]

Btw, I'd like to see a better view of that play at 11:45. Reed is closely behind Wilt, then suddenly he goes flying 3-4 feet away. I wonder if he got the "angry Wilt" treatment in that play, with Wilt shoving him away with one hand.


In all honestly the more footage I get of those 1967 and 1968 76ers teams.


Makes me think they would have had the east on absolute lockdown from 1969 to 1972 especially when you consider the fact that Billy C and Walker were both hitting their primes and that Wilt was still in his prime along with Luke Jackson.


Wilt really ****ed his legacy up going to that old and declining Lakers team as if he stayed a 76er after 1968 he most likely finishes with 4 rings for his career instead of two.


The 76ers in 1969 with Wilt would have both utterly destroyed the Celtics and Lakers jn the playoffs en route to a title


As that 1969 76ers team won 55 games without Wilt despite the fact that Jackson went down with a serious injury that basically ruined his career.


The 76ers in 1970 provided Wilt's does not get hurt would have dealt with New York in six games and then destroyed the Hawks or Suns or even the Lakers in the finals.