Kevin McHale only has two 40 point games

[L.Kizzle]

I find that stat strangely low. Kevin McHale, "the great" Kevin McHale, only has two 40 point games under his belt. He actually achieved that feet in the same week, in back to back games at that. Doing it back it back is great work, however he never reached that 40 point plateau again. Why is that?

And Kevin didn't even win player of the week for that run. It went to Darrell Griffith. So, the greatest week in his career, he didn't even win the award.

He actually never won a player of the week award.


Top Power Forwrds 40+ point games:
47 Bob Pettit
44 Karl Malone
37 Elvin Hayes
29 Giannis Antetekoumpou
21 Charles Barkley
20 Dirk Nowitzki
5 Tim Duncan
4 Kevin Garnett
2 Kevin McHale

You would think someone the stature of Kevin McHale would have multiple 40 point games, but that is not the case.

For good measure, PF's 20+ rebound games:
54 Charles Barkley
36 Kevin Garnett
26 Tim Duncan
12 Karl Malone
5 Giannis Antetekoumpou
1 Dirk Nowitzki
0 McHale
N/A Bob Pettit
N/A Elvin Hayes

Hayes and Pettit's rebounding totals aren't available but they most likely have the most on this list.

[1987_Lakers]

OP still upset McHale was voted ahead of Hayes by ISH.

[FultzNationRISE]

He actually never won a player of the week award.


Top Power Forwrds 40+ point games:
47 Bob Pettit
44 Karl Malone
37 Elvin Hayes
29 Giannis Antetekoumpou
21 Charles Barkley
20 Dirk Nowitzki
5 Tim Duncan
4 Kevin Garnett
2 Kevin McHale

You would think someone the stature of Kevin McHale would have multiple 40 point games, but that is not the case.

For good measure, PF's 20+ rebound games:
54 Charles Barkley
36 Kevin Garnett
26 Tim Duncan
12 Karl Malone
5 Giannis Antetekoumpou
1 Dirk Nowitzki
0 McHale
N/A Bob Pettit
N/A Elvin Hayes

Hayes and Pettit's rebounding totals aren't available but they most likely have the most on this list.

Relative to total games played I would guess Big Ticket and Big Fundamental are lookin at a similar proportional total.

[1987_Lakers]

Hayes PPG from '73-'79 when he played for winning teams: 21.5 ppg on only 46 FG% and 41 mpg

McHale PPG from '84-'90: 21.6 ppg on 57 FG% on only 35 mpg.

Hayes had his best scoring years on bad teams where they didn't have much options, when he got put into a winning team, like McHale was for the majority of his career, his scoring was on par with McHale's but his efficiency was a tier below and was putting in more minutes to get those points.

[HoopsNY]

Hayes PPG from '73-'79 when he played for winning teams: 21.5 ppg on only 46 FG% and 41 mpg

McHale PPG from '84-'90: 21.6 ppg on 57 FG% on only 35 mpg.

Hayes had his best scoring years on bad teams where they didn't have much options, when he got put into a winning team, like McHale was for the majority of his career, his scoring was on par with McHale's put his efficiency was a tier below and was putting in more minutes to get those points.

Yea; OP is also ignoring the fact that McHale came off the bench more than he started in his career.

[L.Kizzle]

Yea; OP is also ignoring the fact that McHale came off the bench more than he started in his career.

I actually made a thread on McHale being a bench player the majority of his career.

[1987_Lakers]

I actually made a thread on McHale being a bench player the majority of his career.

So was Manu

[L.Kizzle]

Hayes PPG from '73-'79 when he played for winning teams: 21.5 ppg on only 46 FG% and 41 mpg

McHale PPG from '84-'90: 21.6 ppg on 57 FG% on only 35 mpg.

Hayes had his best scoring years on bad teams where they didn't have much options, when he got put into a winning team, like McHale was for the majority of his career, his scoring was on par with McHale's but his efficiency was a tier below and was putting in more minutes to get those points.

This isn't about Hayes, it's about McHale. Why didn't his high fg% lead to more points? And why do you bring up minutes? Hayes was their best scorer of course he gonna play more minutes.

[L.Kizzle]

So was Manu

No one has Manu over George Gervin.

[1987_Lakers]

No one has Manu over George Gervin.

As they shouldn't. Gervin > Hayes

[1987_Lakers]

This isn't about Hayes, it's about McHale. Why didn't his high fg% lead to more points? And why do you bring up minutes? Hayes was their best scorer of course he gonna play more minutes.

Why did Hayes only averaged 21-22 ppg despite playing 40 mpg?

[L.Kizzle]

Why did Hayes only averaged 21-22 ppg despite playing 40 mpg?

Why did old 40 year old Elvin Hayes outplay young 20 year old Kevin McHale?
Hayes stats vs McHale from 81-84
14/ 7 vs 12/6.
Papa was putting it on nephew.

[RRR3]

Poor OP

[1987_Lakers]

40 year old Hayes? lol.

I like how you didn't include the minutes per game and fg% during their matchups.

[L.Kizzle]

40 year old Hayes? lol.

I like how you didn't include the minutes per game and fg% during their matchups.

As well as your basketball knowledge is, McHale is going to win a FG% debate. Only Wilt and Shaq Gilmore had high FG% like Kevin did.
Hayes shot on par with other MVP bigs like Cowens and Willis Reed and played as many minutes as guys like Bob Lanier and Bob McAdoo. McHale isn't over any of them either.