Kareem A. Jabbar vs Nate Thurmond 1969-73

[julizaver]

I am posting the aggregated stats of Kareem against Nate Thurmond during the period 1969 - 1973 season by season, as in that period both players met 3 times in the playoffs and in total of 34 times (including the regular season meetings):

1969 - 1970 (Kareem's rookie season) 3 games - reg.season

Kareem - 42.0 mpg 21.67 ppg, 12.0 rpg, 4.0 apg, 0.348 FG/FGA

Nate ---- 46.7 mpg 20.67 ppg, 17.0 rpg, 3.3 apg, 0.490 FG/FGA

1970 - 1971 6 games - reg.season

Kareem - 26.67 ppg, 14.7 rpg, 0.484 FG/FGA

Nate ---- 23.83 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 0.477 FG/FGA

1970 - 1971 5 games - playoffs

Kareem - 39.2 mpg 27.8 ppg, 15.6 rpg, 0.6 apg, 0.486 FG/FGA

Nate ---- 38.4 mpg 17.60 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 3.0 apg, 0.371 FG/FGA

1971 - 1972 3 games - reg.season

Kareem - 24.00 ppg, 16.3 rpg, 0.441 FG/FGA

Nate ---- 16.33 ppg, 12.3 rpg, 0.260 FG/FGA

1972 - 1973 5 games - playoffs

Kareem - 47.0 mpg 22.8 ppg, 19.0 rpg, 5.4 apg, 0.405 FG/FGA

Nate ---- 46.0 mpg 25.40 ppg, 17.8 rpg, 5.2 apg, 0.434 FG/FGA

1972 - 1973 6 games - reg.season

Kareem - 25.83 ppg, 13.7 rpg, 0.488 FG/FGA

Nate ---- 13.67 ppg, 15.0 rpg, 0.367 FG/FGA

1972 - 1973 6 games - playoffs

Kareem - 46.0 mpg 22.83 ppg, 16.2 rpg, 2.8 apg, 0.428 FG/FGA

Nate ---- 42.5 mpg 13.5 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 3.2 apg, 0.423 FG/FGA

[fpliii]

[RobertdeMeijer]

Thanks. I consider Nate to be one of the best defenders of all time, and he seemed to have an impact on Kareem.

I would love to see Kareem vs. Wilt stats.

[julizaver]

Thanks. I consider Nate to be one of the best defenders of all time, and he seemed to have an impact on Kareem.

I would love to see Kareem vs. Wilt stats.

You can find it here - game by game:

http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=170340

[Pointguard]

Repped. Great stuff as always. Nate was really on the job defensively, it was more than science and grit with him. The shooting percentages and the consistency of Kareem down is amazing.

[julizaver]

Repped. Great stuff as always. Nate was really on the job defensively, it was more than science and grit with him. The shooting percentages and the consistency of Kareem down is amazing.

Even in his first season with Bulls (1974-75) Thurmond already in decline was used solely against Jabbar and held him to 0.431 shooting in six regular season games. The best game of Jabbar was the last when he shot 14 from 21, but Thurmond was injured and played only 24 minutes.

The previous year Jabbar scored 121 points (58 FGs from 98 FGAs for 0.571 %) in 5 games for 24.2 ppg and 12.8 rpg. But the Bucks lost 3 of the games.

To be objective in the games between 1969 and 1975 Kareem's Bucks won 30 of the 45 games played against Thurmond's Warriors and Bulls.

[LAZERUSS]

Just amazing research...

[jcsrplumply]

Wow.. He made Kareem shoot less than 50%, this guy is goood.

[LAZERUSS]

Wow.. He made Kareem shoot less than 50%, this guy is goood.

Without having all of the actual FG-FGM's, all I could do was a rough estimate, but it appears that in those 34 games, Kareem shot around .440-.450.

In any case, not one regular season, or playoff series, in which Kareem even shot 50%, and in several, well below.

To be fair, KAJ was still the better player in nearly every series. But, at his absolute peak, in 71-72, Nate outscored and outshot him in the '72 playoffs.

[Odinn]

Without having all of the actual FG-FGM's, all I could do was a rough estimate, but it appears that in those 34 games, Kareem shot around .440-.450.

In any case, not one regular season, or playoff series, in which Kareem even shot 50%, and in several, well below.

To be fair, KAJ was still the better player in nearly every series. But, at his absolute peak, in 71-72, Nate outscored and outshot him in the '72 playoffs.

[Legends66NBA7]

Did you know that's jlauber's new account ?

[Odinn]

Did you know that's jlauber's new account ?

No. Nothing to surprise then.

[ThaRegul8r]

Wow.. He made Kareem shoot less than 50%, this guy is goood.

Yet, as I've said in the past before, sadly underrated. He's unfortunately slipped through the cracks during the onward march of time.

[LAZERUSS]

If nothing else, Kareem's 71-72 was his finest statistical season, at least with regards to the regular season. 44.2 mpg, 34.8 ppg, 16.6 rpg, 4.6 apg, and on .574 shooting. And his Bucks were second in ppg allowed, and first, by a considerable margin, in FG% against.

Personally, I regard Kareem's second year, in 70-71, as his greatest season. 40.3 mpg, 31.7 ppg, 16.0 rpg, 3.3 apg, and on .577 shooting (which, btw, was his largest differential FG% season against the league average, of his career.) And, his Bucks were third in ppg allowed, and a solid first in FG% against. Then, he took his 66-16 Bucks to a 12-2 playoff record (and a record post-season differential of +14.5 ppg) to a dominating title. And considering his play against Thurmond, Wilt, and Unseld in his three playoff series, it might have been his best post-season, as well.

[Gotterdammerung]

While 1970-71 was KAJ's most productive season, statistically, it wasn't his best year because he became a better player down the road as he build his stamina and gained a few more moves, and became more of a leader.