Julius Erving only had nine 40 point NBA games.

[L.Kizzle]

Does this mean anything, does it mean nothing.
Did you think he would have way more than that?
Thoughts?

For comparison, I listed his ABA 40 Point Games as well.


40 Point Games for Julius Erving NBA
Regular Season - 9 (Four came in the 79-80 season)
Playoffs - 1 (Game 6 of 77 NBA Finals)

40 Point Games for Julius Erving ABA
Regular Season - 41
Playoffs - 6 (Two in 76 Finals)

[RRR3]

He didn’t take 3, that makes it a lot harder to have explosive scoring games.

[Kblaze8855]

It means nothing. He was unselfish and played with a number of guys who just wanted to score. He didn’t attack as much as one might think. Even when he got old he was hard to contain when he wanted to go at you but he played a very team game. He played like he didn’t care that he was Dr.J and he should have been the focal point. He just played like one of the guys for the most part.

[Akeem34TheDream]

He is the coolest basketball player of all time.

[ralph_i_el]

That just means his high scoring averages came from being extra consistent. Not too many 40+ games sure, but he probably didn't have a lot of sub 12 point games either.

[Kawhi_Why_Not]

I think it's just bad luck\bad timing with how his prime years lined up with the ABA years.

He was no longer a superstar in the 1980s. He seems like a player that heavily relies on athleticism so he saw a decline as soon as he hit 30. Someone like Giannis will probably be like this as well.

We will never know because he spent majority of his 20's in the ABA.

Rick Barry seems the same way but he still had that one dominant run that saves his NBA resume.

[L.Kizzle]

What's more surprising, Doc with 9 or Clyde Drexler with 21 games of 40 points or more?

[warriorfan]

40 point games were not very common during his era.

[L.Kizzle]

40 point games were not very common during his era.
Uh, yes they were.
George Gervin, Rick Barry, Elvin Hayes, Pistol Pete, Kareem, English, Dantley, King, Bird and I could go on. David Thompson.

[L.Kizzle]

40 point games were not very common during his era.
40 point games
Kareem - 70
Rick Barry - 70
George Gervin - 68
McAdoo - 58
Nique - 57
Dantley - 53
Bernard King - 52
Bird - 47
Alex English - 37
Elvin Hayes - 37
Pistol Pete - 35
David Thompson - 19

[BarberSchool]

40 point games
Kareem - 70
Rick Barry - 70
George Gervin - 68
McAdoo - 58
Nique - 57
Dantley - 53
Bernard King - 52
Bird - 47
Alex English - 37
Elvin Hayes - 37
Pistol Pete - 35
David Thompson - 19

This evidence is overwhelming.

Have Dr. J’s universally likable personality, smooth graceful demeanor & attitude, and unquestionable class, earned him a beneficial bump to his perceived legacy?

[iamgine]

Does this mean anything, does it mean nothing.
Did you think he would have way more than that?
Thoughts?

For comparison, I listed his ABA 40 Point Games as well.


40 Point Games for Julius Erving NBA
Regular Season - 9 (Four came in the 79-80 season)
Playoffs - 1 (Game 6 of 77 NBA Finals)

40 Point Games for Julius Erving ABA
Regular Season - 41
Playoffs - 6 (Two in 76 Finals)

Well his NBA scoring average is more like Garnett, who only had four 40 point games.

[JohnMax]

Michael Jordan ushered in the era of individual scoring. You rarely saw stars average 25+ ppg for like 7+ seasons prior to Jordan.

Derrick Rose and Russell Westbrook did same thing for point guards. That's why all these current point guards like Steph Curry, Damian Lillard, Ja Morant and Trae Young average 25+ ppg.

[jlip]

Basically what Kblaze said.

When Dr. J joined the Sixers they expressly stated that they preferred a balanced offense that featured multiple players who could score ~20ppg as opposed to an offense with one player averaging 25+ppg. He willingly conceded and sacrificed his scoring even though the team probably would have been better off allowing him to dominate.

[Xiao Yao You]

40 point games
Kareem - 70
Rick Barry - 70
George Gervin - 68
McAdoo - 58
Nique - 57
Dantley - 53
Bernard King - 52
Bird - 47
Alex English - 37
Elvin Hayes - 37
Pistol Pete - 35
David Thompson - 19

those were the best scorers in the game. Dr. J only averaged 30 once in the ABA. He filled the box score. Did lots of things.

[kawhileonard2]

He didn’t take 3, that makes it a lot harder to have explosive scoring games.

Jordan has 38 and the next closest is 23 despite Jordan playing less playoff games.

[L.Kizzle]

those were the best scorers in the game. Dr. J only averaged 30 once in the ABA. He filled the box score. Did lots of things.
I will list guys who weren't top scorers.

Teammates of Doc
World B Free - 16 (non with Philadelphia)
Andrew Toney -5
Moses - (2 as 76er)
Barkley - (2 as Doc teammate)
George McGinnis - 2 (non with Phila)

Other players
Kiki Vandeweghe - 15
Isiah Thomas - 10
Walter Davis - 10
Magic - 6
Paul Westphal - 6
Reggie Theus - 5
Larry Kenon - 4
Artist Gilmore - 3
Otis Birdsong - 3
Sidney Moncrief - 2
Kevin McHale - 2
Robert Parish - 1

[GimmeThat]

probably a decent talent evaluator

[Kawhi_Why_Not]

If ABA actually counted, Julius could of been a top 15-20 player maybe. Since it doesn't really count, he's not even top 40
.

Guys like kawhi and Giannis have already surpassed NBA version Julius erving. Tatum will as well if he wins finals mvp.

[Xiao Yao You]

I will list guys who weren't top scorers.

Teammates of Doc
World B Free - 16 (non with Philadelphia)
Andrew Toney -5
Moses - (2 as 76er)
Barkley - (2 as Doc teammate)
George McGinnis - 2 (non with Phila)

Other players
Kiki Vandeweghe - 15
Isiah Thomas - 10
Walter Davis - 10
Magic - 6
Paul Westphal - 6
Reggie Theus - 5
Larry Kenon - 4
Artist Gilmore - 3
Otis Birdsong - 3
Sidney Moncrief - 2
Kevin McHale - 2
Robert Parish - 1

mostly stars. Free was the top gunner of his day

[L.Kizzle]

It means nothing. He was unselfish and played with a number of guys who just wanted to score. He didn’t attack as much as one might think. Even when he got old he was hard to contain when he wanted to go at you but he played a very team game. He played like he didn’t care that he was Dr.J and he should have been the focal point. He just played like one of the guys for the most part.
I get it, but this is DR J. You would think a few times a season, he'd drop 40. He avg under one 40 point game per season in his NBA career.

[jlip]

I would recommend going through this old thread on Dr. J. It was some good conversation.

http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?206306-How-truly-good-was-Dr-J

[bizil]

Basically what Kblaze said.

When Dr. J joined the Sixers they expressly stated that they preferred a balanced offense that featured multiple players who could score ~20ppg as opposed to an offense with one player averaging 25+ppg. He willingly conceded and sacrificed his scoring even though the team probably would have been better off allowing him to dominate.

BINGO! Plus when you look at the TOTAL of Doc's 40 point games between ABA and NBA, he lines up HELLA NICE with other other great perimeter scorers. NBADoc was more about winning rings WHILE still being a dominant player. Doc's floor game (passing, rebounding, defense) gets underrated. He was a great rebounding SF, and very good passing SF, and a good defender. When u add his great scoring on top of all that, Doc was a very well rounded player.

Although I DO AGREE that Doc being more Gervin-ish scoring the rock on those pre-Moses Sixers teams could have been beneficial. I think Doc may have played in the flow TOO MUCH on those teams considering he was the best perimeter player in the world and #2 player in the league multiple seasons.

Unless Doc was playing with a Kareem, McAdoo, Hayes, or Gervin type pre Moses, I think he should have been a bit more aggressive looking to dominate scoring. In other words, guys who were SUPERSTAR level like he was. Of course Doc was still awesome, just saying maybe he gets a ring BEFORE Moses shows up.

[getting_old]

He could be seen as overrated... but....

geez he was the coolness and grace and leader of the NBA for a long time... took it to a new and better level

a total class act and great of the game.

[L.Kizzle]

BINGO! Plus when you look at the TOTAL of Doc's 40 point games between ABA and NBA, he lines up HELLA NICE with other other great perimeter scorers. NBADoc was more about winning rings WHILE still being a dominant player. Doc's floor game (passing, rebounding, defense) gets underrated. He was a great rebounding SF, and very good passing SF, and a good defender. When u add his great scoring on top of all that, Doc was a very well rounded player.

Although I DO AGREE that Doc being more Gervin-ish scoring the rock on those pre-Moses Sixers teams could have been beneficial. I think Doc may have played in the flow TOO MUCH on those teams considering he was the best perimeter player in the world and #2 player in the league multiple seasons.

Unless Doc was playing with a Kareem, McAdoo, Hayes, or Gervin type pre Moses, I think he should have been a bit more aggressive looking to dominate scoring. In other words, guys who were SUPERSTAR level like he was. Of course Doc was still awesome, just saying maybe he gets a ring BEFORE Moses shows up.
I'm a HUGE Doc fan. But, however you slice it that's a low number of 40 point games for his caliber. I mean Kelly Tripucka has more 40 point games than Dr J.
Maybe he was holding back, who knows.

[bizil]

I'm a HUGE Doc fan. But, however you slice it that's a low number of 40 point games for his caliber. I mean Kelly Tripucka has more 40 point games than Dr J.
Maybe he was holding back, who knows.

I agree! I was shocked when I saw that low number too. I never would Have guessed that. He still played a lot of prime years in the NBA. And even past his prime he was an All Star Caliber player. And he retained his freak athletic ability longer than most guys.

So when u factor all that, it’s hella surprising Doc didn’t put up more 40 point games in the NBA. He was EASILY capable of snagging a scoring title or two.