How good was Willis Reed's playoff prime?

[dankok8]

His playoff prime until he got hurt in the 1970 Finals doesn't get talked about enough.

The guy was just so strong and tough. A monster on defense and on offense he had a wet jumper. Wilt and Russell both hated defending Reed because he'd drag them away from the rim just standing 10-15 feet away and hitting J's like nobody's business. In fact his scoring efficiency particularly against Russell was incredibly impressive. Because he rarely attacked the offensive glass, his rebounding numbers weren't on par with the rebounding GOAT's but dragging those guys away from the rim was at times arguably even more valuable for his team.

And talk about competition.

Reed played 7 playoff series from 1967-1970 and held his own in all of them:
2 against Russell
2 against Wilt
2 against Unseld
1 against Kareem

1967 EDS - Celtics vs. Knicks
Reed: 27.5 ppg, 13.8 rpg, 1.8 apg on 53.8 %FG/60.4 %TS (+11.1 rTS)
Russell: 9.5 ppg, 20.3 rpg, 5.0 apg on 36.4 %FG/44.8 %TS (-4.3 rTS)

Celtics won 3-1.

1968 EDS - Sixers vs. Knicks
Reed: 21.3 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 1.8 apg on 54.1 %FG/57.6 %TS (+7.8 rTS)
Wilt: 25.5 ppg, 24.2 rpg, 6.3 apg on 58.4 %FG/53.7 %TS (+3.9 rTS)

Sixers won 4-2.

1969 EDS - Knicks vs. Bullets
Reed: 28.3 ppg, 15.0 rpg, 1.3 apg on 51.1 %FG/55.8 %TS (+6.7 rTS)
Unseld: 18.8 ppg, 18.5 rpg, 1.3 apg on 52.6 %FG/57.4 %TS (+8.3 rTS)

Knicks won 4-0. They swept the Bullets who had the best record in the league and Reed outplayed Unseld who was the MVP that year.

1969 EDF - Celtics vs. Knicks.
Reed: 24.0 ppg, 13.5 rpg, 2.3 apg on 50.9 %FG/56.4 %TS (+7.3 rTS)
Russell: 16.3 ppg, 20.8 rpg, 5.2 apg on 48.8 %FG/50.4 %TS (+1.3 rTS)

Celtics won 4-2. They would go on to win their last championship in the Russell era.

1970 EDS - Knicks vs. Bullets
Reed: 21.3 ppg, 17.7 rpg, 2.7 apg on 40.6 %FG/46.6 %TS (-4.5 rTS)
Unseld: 10.4 ppg, 23.6 rpg, 3.4 apg on 41.4 %FG/46.6 %TS (-4.5 rTS)

Knicks won 4-3. Probably the only series Reed was a bit subpar in.

1970 EDF - Knicks vs. Bucks
Reed: 27.8 ppg, 12.2 rpg, 3.0 apg on 54.0 %FG/55.7 %TS (+4.6 rTS)
Kareem: 34.2 ppg, 17.8 rpg, 4.8 apg on 55.2 %FG/58.5 %TS (+7.4 rTS)

Knicks won 4-1 to advance to the finals.

1970 Finals - Knicks vs. Lakers - First 4 Games (before Reed got hurt)
Reed: 31.8 ppg, 15.0 rpg, 3.5 apg on 49.1 %FG/50.5 %TS (-0.6 rTS)
Wilt: 18.8 ppg, 24.8 rpg, 4.5 apg on 54.4 %FG/52.4 %TS (+1.3 rTS)

Series was tied 2-2 when Reed got hurt early in Game 5. He only made a cameo appearance in Game 7 (The Willis Reed game) but still got Finals MVP. Knicks won 4-3 to win the title. Even though I think Frazier should have been Finals MVP, Reed was unreal for the first four games.

[HoopsNY]

His playoff prime until he got hurt in the 1970 Finals doesn't get talked about enough.

The guy was just so strong and tough. A monster on defense and on offense he had a wet jumper. Wilt and Russell both hated defending Reed because he'd drag them away from the rim just standing 10-15 feet away and hitting J's like nobody's business. In fact his scoring efficiency particularly against Russell was incredibly impressive. Because he rarely attacked the offensive glass, his rebounding numbers weren't on par with the rebounding GOAT's but dragging those guys away from the rim was at times arguably even more valuable for his team.

And talk about competition.

Reed played 7 playoff series from 1967-1970 and held his own in all of them:
2 against Russell
2 against Wilt
2 against Unseld
1 against Kareem

1967 EDS - Celtics vs. Knicks
Reed: 27.5 ppg, 13.8 rpg, 1.8 apg on 53.8 %FG/60.4 %TS (+11.1 rTS)
Russell: 9.5 ppg, 20.3 rpg, 5.0 apg on 36.4 %FG/44.8 %TS (-4.3 rTS)

Celtics won 3-1.

1968 EDS - Sixers vs. Knicks
Reed: 21.3 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 1.8 apg on 54.1 %FG/57.6 %TS (+7.8 rTS)
Wilt: 25.5 ppg, 24.2 rpg, 6.3 apg on 58.4 %FG/53.7 %TS (+3.9 rTS)

Sixers won 4-2.

1969 EDS - Knicks vs. Bullets
Reed: 28.3 ppg, 15.0 rpg, 1.3 apg on 51.1 %FG/55.8 %TS (+6.7 rTS)
Unseld: 18.8 ppg, 18.5 rpg, 1.3 apg on 52.6 %FG/57.4 %TS (+8.3 rTS)

Knicks won 4-0. They swept the Bullets who had the best record in the league and Reed outplayed Unseld who was the MVP that year.

1969 EDF - Celtics vs. Knicks.
Reed: 24.0 ppg, 13.5 rpg, 2.3 apg on 50.9 %FG/56.4 %TS (+7.3 rTS)
Russell: 16.3 ppg, 20.8 rpg, 5.2 apg on 48.8 %FG/50.4 %TS (+1.3 rTS)

Celtics won 4-2. They would go on to win their last championship in the Russell era.

1970 EDS - Knicks vs. Bullets
Reed: 21.3 ppg, 17.7 rpg, 2.7 apg on 40.6 %FG/46.6 %TS (-4.5 rTS)
Unseld: 10.4 ppg, 23.6 rpg, 3.4 apg on 41.4 %FG/46.6 %TS (-4.5 rTS)

Knicks won 4-3. Probably the only series Reed was a bit subpar in.

1970 EDF - Knicks vs. Bucks
Reed: 27.8 ppg, 12.2 rpg, 3.0 apg on 54.0 %FG/55.7 %TS (+4.6 rTS)
Kareem: 34.2 ppg, 17.8 rpg, 4.8 apg on 55.2 %FG/58.5 %TS (+7.4 rTS)

Knicks won 4-1 to advance to the finals.

1970 Finals - Knicks vs. Lakers - First 4 Games (before Reed got hurt)
Reed: 31.8 ppg, 15.0 rpg, 3.5 apg on 49.1 %FG/50.5 %TS (-0.6 rTS)
Wilt: 18.8 ppg, 24.8 rpg, 4.5 apg on 54.4 %FG/52.4 %TS (+1.3 rTS)

Series was tied 2-2 when Reed got hurt early in Game 5. He only made a cameo appearance in Game 7 (The Willis Reed game) but still got Finals MVP. Knicks won 4-3 to win the title. Even though I think Frazier should have been Finals MVP, Reed was unreal for the first four games.

Nice work. Pretty amazing to see what he was able to do against elite competition.

[1987_Lakers]

Not shitting on Reed, but imagine the shit a superstar would get today if his team pretty much won a title without him, like the Knicks basically did in 1970.

[SouBeachTalents]

Not shitting on Reed, but imagine the shit a superstar would get today if his team pretty much won a title without him, like the Knicks basically did in 1970.
True, he missed nearly all of Game 5 and barely scored in Game 7, but he clearly gave his team a huge morale boost by suiting up for Game 7, and actually played pretty good defense on Wilt, who just scored 45 points in Game 6.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Q3ULtuljME&ab_channel=NobodyTouchesJordan

[L.Kizzle]

Not shitting on Reed, but imagine the shit a superstar would get today if his team pretty much won a title without him, like the Knicks basically did in 1970.
Well, he had 37/16, 29/15, 38/17, 23/12 thru four games. He was the best player in the series not Clyde.

Walt had 6 points in game one, 11 in game two, 19 in game three, 16 in game four, 21 in game five and 14 in game six. He had an out of this world game 7 but was mediocre on the first six games.

Everyone stepped up.

[warriorfan]

Well, he had 37/16, 29/15, 38/17, 23/12 thru four games. He was the best player in the series not Clyde.

Walt had 6 points in game one, 11 in game two, 19 in game three, 16 in game four, 21 in game five and 14 in game six. He had an out of this world game 7 but was mediocre on the first six games.

Everyone stepped up.

he’s just salty that reed legit beat the shit out of the entire lakers team at the same time

[jlip]

Well, he had 37/16, 29/15, 38/17, 23/12 thru four games. He was the best player in the series not Clyde.

Walt had 6 points in game one, 11 in game two, 19 in game three, 16 in game four, 21 in game five and 14 in game six. He had an out of this world game 7 but was mediocre on the first six games.

Everyone stepped up.

I read somewhere... ( I think there was a YouTube video about this some time ago too.) that Frazier's stat line was not accurate. Supposedly, someone went back and watched every Knicks' basket and concluded that his reported 19 assists should have actually been 9 or maybe 10.

[Airupthere]

Reminds me of ZBo

[warriorfan]

I read somewhere... ( I think there was a YouTube video about this some time ago too.) that Frazier's stat line was not accurate. Supposedly, someone went back and watched every Knicks' basket and concluded that his reported 19 assists should have actually been 9 or maybe 10.

yeah that’s supposed to be a real thing

[L.Kizzle]

I read somewhere... ( I think there was a YouTube video about this some time ago too.) that Frazier's stat line was not accurate. Supposedly, someone went back and watched every Knicks' basket and concluded that his reported 19 assists should have actually been 9 or maybe 10.
Yeah, he didn't have 19 assist but 9. Still a good stat line.

[dankok8]

I read somewhere... ( I think there was a YouTube video about this some time ago too.) that Frazier's stat line was not accurate. Supposedly, someone went back and watched every Knicks' basket and concluded that his reported 19 assists should have actually been 9 or maybe 10.

He had 9 assists. I watched this game a few years ago. Wilt had 1 block and 6 turnovers. West also had 5 turnovers and a quite few of the Lakers turnovers were caused by Frazier who tallied at least 6 steals. Walt was really good defensively in that game on top of putting up 36 points and 9 assists. Definitely one of the all-time great Game 7 performances despite the statistical blunder.

[Street Hunger]

The Knicks need to stop showing the same footage of Reed being hurt and returning to that game and more footage of all his great games.

[dankok8]

The Knicks need to stop showing the same footage of Reed being hurt and returning to that game and more footage of all his great games.

+1

Reportedly the NBA has basically all playoff games plus a ton of regular season games from the 60's and 70's that they refuse to release. I don't know if they are scared that it might hurt the modern product if people are watching too many old games or they are planning to monetize it at some point.