West lost 3 game 7 finals by 7 points

[Marchesk]

To the Celtics in the 60s. He averaged 34.3/5.4/5.1 on 48.7 FG% for those series.

What if the Logo had the exact same stats, but the ball had bounced slightly differently, or a teammate had made a play late in the game so that he won these series?

Where would Jerry West be ranked all-time with 4 championships? Would it matter if his teams beat the Celtic dynasty those 3 times? Would he be ahead of Kobe? Ranked with Bird and Magic around 5?

[robert_shaww]

To the Celtics in the 60s. He averaged 34.3/5.4/5.1 on 48.7 FG% for those series.

What if the Logo had the exact same stats, but the ball had bounced slightly differently, or a teammate had made a play late in the game so that he won these series?

Where would Jerry West be ranked all-time with 4 championships? Would it matter if his teams beat the Celtic dynasty those 3 times? Would he be ahead of Kobe? Ranked with Bird and Magic around 5?

4 Rings?

Number 8

1

[5 rings fan]

So some scrubs on Celtics hit a fluke shot and West is automatically lower in ranking ...

[Deuce Bigalow]

Without any what ifs, we can all agree that West was the 2nd best playoff performer of his era behind Bill Russell.

[Yankstar]

Without any what ifs, we can all agree that West was the 2nd best playoff performer of his era behind Bill Russell.

Let's be real. Young Kobe would of gotten 5 plus rings in that era.

[deja vu]

Would have won more if not for Wilt's chokes.

[Marchesk]

So some scrubs on Celtics hit a fluke shot and West is automatically lower in ranking ...

That's ISH logic for you. I guarantee you that if West had a few more titles he would be top 10, and probably around Bird/Magic territory.

[Marchesk]

Here's a what if for you. What if Oscar came into the league with Kareem's team (instead of finishing with it), like Magic did. Might he be rated top 5 all-time?

What is it that makes Magic better than Oscar in most people's minds? The ring total, right? And the whole Bird/Magic and Celtics/Lakers effect on popularizing the league.

[bdreason]

You can always plays the what-if game. When it comes down to all-time rankings, you have to have the hardware, period.


People still consider West a top 3 SG of all-time, and although I've never tried to rank him he's undoubtedly a top 20 player of all-time. If he had 4 titles, he would be top 15 guaranteed, and probably top 10 all-time.



He's the logo of the NBA, I think he gets plenty of recognition.

[MMM]

Why is it absurd if West is ahead of Kobe anyways???

most have both in the top 12
are players rated 7-15 really that not exchangeable

[LAZERUSS]

Would have won more if not for Wilt's chokes.

And I could argue that Wilt would have won more had WEST not CHOKED either.

I get so sick-and-tired of these uneducated posters who blindly blame WILT for the LAKER losses.

How about this: In the 68-69 Finals, Wilt did not play well, but as usual, he still outplayed Russell...particularly in the game seven, two point loss. In game three, it was BAYLOR and WEST who combined to shoot 1-14 from the field in the 4th quarter, in a six point loss. In fact, Baylor shot 4-18 from the field in the entire game. In the game four, 89-88 loss, BAYLOR not only shot 2-14 from the field, he also went 1-5 from the line. Oh, and because of Butch Van Breda Kolff's brilliant coaching, Johnny Egan had the ball in the last few seconds, and with LA leading 88-87, instead of West. Of course Egan was stripped and then Sam Jones, as he did so often, hit the game winner while falling down. And in game seven, as well as West played, he still missed 15 shots from the field, and four FTs, in a two point loss. BTW, subtract Wilt's 7-8 and Russell's 2-7 shooting from the field in that game seven, and Russell's teammates outshot Wilt's by a .477 to .360 margin. And, as he did the entire series, Baylor couldn't hit a shot for his life, going 8-22 from the field. Oh, and VBK's decision to leave Wilt on the bench, and keep Mel Counts in the game? Counts shot 4-13 from the floor. The reality was, VBK's "strategy" of having West take 30 FGAs, Baylor 20 FGAs (and about 15 misses per game), and Wilt with only 10 FGAs per game in that series cost his team a title, plain-and-simple. The man was an idiot and his hatred for Wilt cost the Lakers, and both Wilt and West, a title.

And are you saying that WILT choked in the '70 Finals???? The same Wilt who shredded his knee and had major knee surgery just four months prior to that series? The same Wilt, who on one leg, battled a prime and healthy MVP Reed to a draw in the first four games of that series? And the same Chamberlain who single-handedly won a "must-win" game six with a magnificent 45 point, 20-27 shooting, 27 rebound game? The same Wilt who was the ONLY Laker who played well in the game seven blowout loss? And BTW, it was WEST who puked all over the floor in game seven of that Finals...while his counterpart, Walt Frazier, just torched him. So, had West played well in that game seven, and perhaps WILT would have one more ring. Oh, and BTW, all Wilt did in that seven game series was to average 23.2 ppg, 24.1 rpg, and shoot .625 from the field. He was clearly the best player on the floor in that series.

How about the '71 playoffs? Remember WILT PLAYING in the '70 playoffs despite being nowhere near 100%, and only four months removed from major knee surgery (in fact, he played brilliantly in them)? Well guess what, West MISSED the entire '71 playoffs with HIS injury. As did BAYLOR. Wilt basically carried his team past the Bulls in the first round, and then outplayed the league MVP, Kareem, in the '71 WCF's. But, without ANY help at all, his team lost the series, 4-1. Again, had WEST PLAYED, and perhaps Wilt might have yet another ring.

Ok...that brings us to the 71-72 playoffs. Now, you said that if Wilt Hadn't choked, West would have won more rings, right? Well guess what...WEST CHOKED his ENTIRE playoffs that year. He shot .376 in the playoffs, and then in the Finals, he shot an even more horrid .325 from the field. But it was WILT who carried the Lakers to their first ever title in Los Angeles, and yes, won West his only ring of his his career. Chamberlain chopped down the league MVP, Kareem, in the WCF's, and then dominated the Knicks in the Finals. Oh, and BTW, in the clinching win of the '72 Finals, Chamberlain PLAYED with one badly sprained wrist, and the other...FRACTURED. And yet he STILL hung a 24 point, on 10-14 shooting, 29 rebound, 8 block shot game to carry his team to the title...and win a well-deserved FMVP in the process.

And, it was WEST who CHOKED yet again in the '73 Finals. Chamberlain played well, and in the clinching game five defeat, Wilt put up a 23-21 game...all while WEST was crushed by Frazier, and was shooting 5-17 from the field.

So the REALITY was, WEST cost WILT perhaps as many as FOUR more rings. And while he was CHOKING in the '72 Finals, it was WILT who got him his only ring.

[Psileas]

And I could argue that Wilt would have won more had WEST not CHOKED either.

I get so sick-and-tired of these uneducated posters who blindly blame WILT for the LAKER losses.

How about this: In the 68-69 Finals, Wilt did not play well, but as usual, he still outplayed Russell...particularly in the game seven, two point loss. In game three, it was BAYLOR and WEST who combined to shoot 1-14 from the field in the 4th quarter, in a six point loss. In fact, Baylor shot 4-18 from the field in the entire game. In the game four, 89-88 loss, BAYLOR not only shot 2-14 from the field, he also went 1-5 from the line. Oh, and because of Butch Van Breda Kolff's brilliant coaching, Johnny Egan had the ball in the last few seconds, and with LA leading 88-87, instead of West. Of course Egan was stripped and then Sam Jones, as he did so often, hit the game winner while falling down. And in game seven, as well as West played, he still missed 15 shots from the field, and four FTs, in a two point loss. BTW, subtract Wilt's 7-8 and Russell's 2-7 shooting from the field in that game seven, and Russell's teammates outshot Wilt's by a .477 to .360 margin. And, as he did the entire series, Baylor couldn't hit a shot for his life, going 8-22 from the field. Oh, and VBK's decision to leave Wilt on the bench, and keep Mel Counts in the game? Counts shot 4-13 from the floor. The reality was, VBK's "strategy" of having West take 30 FGAs, Baylor 20 FGAs (and about 15 misses per game), and Wilt with only 10 FGAs per game in that series cost his team a title, plain-and-simple. The man was an idiot and his hatred for Wilt cost the Lakers, and both Wilt and West, a title.

And are you saying that WILT choked in the '70 Finals???? The same Wilt who shredded his knee and had major knee surgery just four months prior to that series? The same Wilt, who on one leg, battled a prime and healthy MVP Reed to a draw in the first four games of that series? And the same Chamberlain who single-handedly won a "must-win" game six with a magnificent 45 point, 20-27 shooting, 27 rebound game? The same Wilt who was the ONLY Laker who played well in the game seven blowout loss? And BTW, it was WEST who puked all over the floor in game seven of that Finals...while his counterpart, Walt Frazier, just torched him. So, had West played well in that game seven, and perhaps WILT would have one more ring. Oh, and BTW, all Wilt did in that seven game series was to average 23.2 ppg, 24.1 rpg, and shoot .625 from the field. He was clearly the best player on the floor in that series.

How about the '71 playoffs? Remember WILT PLAYING in the '70 playoffs despite being nowhere near 100%, and only four months removed from major knee surgery (in fact, he played brilliantly in them)? Well guess what, West MISSED the entire '71 playoffs with HIS injury. As did BAYLOR. Wilt basically carried his team past the Bulls in the first round, and then outplayed the league MVP, Kareem, in the '71 WCF's. But, without ANY help at all, his team lost the series, 4-1. Again, had WEST PLAYED, and perhaps Wilt might have yet another ring.

Ok...that brings us to the 71-72 playoffs. Now, you said that if Wilt Hadn't choked, West would have won more rings, right? Well guess what...WEST CHOKED his ENTIRE playoffs that year. He shot .376 in the playoffs, and then in the Finals, he shot an even more horrid .325 from the field. But it was WILT who carried the Lakers to their first ever title in Los Angeles, and yes, won West his only ring of his his career. Chamberlain chopped down the league MVP, Kareem, in the WCF's, and then dominated the Knicks in the Finals. Oh, and BTW, in the clinching win of the '72 Finals, Chamberlain PLAYED with one badly sprained wrist, and the other...FRACTURED. And yet he STILL hung a 24 point, on 10-14 shooting, 29 rebound, 8 block shot game to carry his team to the title...and win a well-deserved FMVP in the process.

And, it was WEST who CHOKED yet again in the '73 Finals. Chamberlain played well, and in the clinching game five defeat, Wilt put up a 23-21 game...all while WEST was crushed by Frazier, and was shooting 5-17 from the field.

So the REALITY was, WEST cost WILT perhaps as many as FOUR more rings. And while he was CHOKING in the '72 Finals, it was WILT who got him his only ring.

Going Deontay Wilder on trolls.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iu7YBoe_Pg

[Jameerthefear]

Too bad Wilt choked so often other wise we'd be saying he's higher.

[Bob Dole]

I have west as the second best shooting guard of all time and a top ten player. In all objectivity he's easily better than Hakeem and Kobe.

It's a shame that ring counters and espn drones have no history and frame of reference for the impact this guy had on the league and every game he played in.

He was honestly the second best perimeter playoff performer of all time after Jordan. There is a reason he is the logo.

[MMM]

I have west as the second best shooting guard of all time and a top ten player. In all objectivity he's easily better than Hakeem and Kobe.

It's a shame that ring counters and espn drones have no history and frame of reference for the impact this guy had on the league and every game he played in.

He was honestly the second best perimeter playoff performer of all time after Jordan. There is a reason he is the logo.