Looking at the underrated greatness of Nate Thurmond.

[coastalmarker99]

Wilt Chamberlain (1965-1968):


Averages: 29.0 ppg, 23.9 rpg, 6.3 apg on 56.7% FG, 45.0% FT and 55.6% TS

vs Nate: 22.2 ppg, 26.0 rpg, 5.8 apg on 52.2% FG, 44.7% FT and 53.2% TS


Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1970-1974):

Averages: 30.5 ppg, 15.5 rpg, 4.3 apg on 55.3% FG, 68.3% FT and 58.2% TS

vs Nate: 24.7 ppg, 15.1 rpg, 3.4 apg on 46.1% FG, 66.8% FT and 49.0% TS



Willis Reed (1969-1971):

Averages: 21.3 ppg, 14.1 rpg, 2.1 apg on 49.7% FG, 76.2% FT and 54.2% TS

vs Nate: 15.8 ppg, 13.2 rpg, 1.7 apg on 36.6% FG, 75.4% FT and 44.2% TS


Walt Bellamy (1965-1974):

Averages: 17.5 ppg, 12.5 rpg, 2.5 apg on 51.4% FG, 62.1% FT and 55.1% TS

vs Nate: 15.4 ppg, 11.9 rpg, 2.3 apg on 41.4% FG and 65.8% FT


Bob Lanier (1971-1974):

Averages: 21.9 ppg, 12.6 rpg, 3.1 apg on 48.8% FG, 76.7% FT and 53.1% TS

vs Nate: 17.1 ppg, 13.7 rpg, 4.2 apg on 44.8% FG, 85.9% FT and 50.5% TS




If you look at some quality scorers from his era Nate basically shut them down h2h:



Nate for his career was also a

7-time all-star

5-time all-defense (2 first-team, 3 second-team)

[coastalmarker99]

Kareem in the 1973 regular season:

30 PPG, 16 trb, 58 ts%

Kareem guarded by Nate Thurmond in the 1973 playoffs:

22 ppg, 16 trb, 45 ts%,




I don't think any player ever dominated Kareem in his entire career the way Nate did in that series.

[dankok8]

Nate was an animal defensively. In terms of man-to-man D he was even superior to Russell but Russell was a better rim protector and help defender.

Offensively he didn't add much value but regardless Thurmond should probably be rated a lot higher than he is.