Why Wilt Chamberlain's scoring stats shrinked that much in the playoffs?

[NinjaSeal]

Because of him...

lol this pic got jordan by 1 rite?

[Lebron23]

He forgot to wear his big boy pants.


30.1 ppg in the regular season

22.5 ppg in the playoffs.

[Lebron23]

Playoffs is a different ball game, It's much easier to dominate, and put up godly numbers in the regular season. and Wilt won 2 NBA titles after he sacrificed his offensive stats. He led his teams in rebounding, but not in scoring.

[Deuce Bigalow]

He forgot to wear his big boy pants.


30.1 ppg in the regular season

22.5 ppg in the playoffs.

Playoffs is a different ball game, It's much easier to dominate, and put up godly numbers in the regular season. and Wilt won 2 NBA titles after he sacrificed his offensive stats. He led his teams in rebounding, but not in scoring.

Lebron's regular season and playoffs ppg: 28
Lebron's Finals ppg: 23

Lebron's 2007 regular season ppg: 27
Lebron's 2007 finals ppg: 22

Lebron's 2011 regular season ppg: 27
Lebron's 2011 finals ppg: 18 (-8.9 ppg dropoff, largest dropoff in NBA history)

[CavaliersFTW]

He forgot to wear his big boy pants.


30.1 ppg in the regular season

22.5 ppg in the playoffs.

http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=260704

[Psileas]

OK, time to blow up the "choker" myth a bit more analytically: Wilt's regular season (RS) vs playoff (PO) scoring season by season vs the same opponent:

1960:
vs Nationals-- RS: 38, PO: 38.7 (adv. [COLOR="Green"]PO[/COLOR])
vs Celtics-- RS: 39.9, PO: 30.5 (adv. RS)

1961:
vs Nationals-- RS: 39.9, PO: 37 (adv. RS)

1962:
vs Nationals-- RS: 48, PO: 37 (adv. RS)
vs Celtics-- RS: 41.7 (incl. games that Russell missed), PO: 33.6 (adv. RS)

1964:
vs Hawks-- RS: 32.8, PO: 38.6 (adv. [COLOR="Green"]PO[/COLOR])
vs Celtics-- RS: 29.1, PO: 29.2 (adv. [COLOR="Green"]PO[/COLOR])

1965 (playing for Sixers):
vs Royals-- RS: 36.8, PO: 27.8 (adv. RS)
vs Celtics-- RS: 25.0, PO: 30.1 (adv. [COLOR="Green"]PO[/COLOR])

1966:
vs Celtics-- RS: 28.3, PO: 28 (adv. RS)

1967:
vs Royals-- RS: 28.6, PO: 28 (adv. RS)
vs Celtics-- RS: 20.3, PO: 21.6 (adv. [COLOR="Green"]PO[/COLOR])
vs Warriors-- RS: 20.7, PO: 17.7 (adv. RS)

1968:
vs Knicks-- RS: 22.6, PO: 25.5 (adv. [COLOR="Green"]PO[/COLOR])
vs Celtics-- RS: 17.1, PO: 22.1 (adv. [COLOR="Green"]PO[/COLOR])

1969:
vs Warriors-- RS: 12.6, PO: 12.0 (adv. RS)
vs Hawks-- RS: 17.9, PO: 19.2 (adv. [COLOR="Green"]PO[/COLOR])
vs Celtics-- RS: 16.3, PO: 11.7 (adv. RS)

1970:
Too small RS samples

1971:
vs Bulls-- RS: 21.2, PO: 15.7 (adv. RS)
vs Bucks-- RS: 23.2, PO: 22 (adv. RS)

1972:
vs Bulls-- RS: 8.8, PO: 14.5 (adv. [COLOR="Green"]PO[/COLOR])
vs Bucks-- RS: 13.0, PO: 10.8 (adv. RS)
vs Knicks-- RS: 16.8, PO: 19.4 (adv. [COLOR="Green"]PO[/COLOR])

1973:
vs Bulls-- RS: 11.5, PO: 12 (adv. [COLOR="Green"]PO[/COLOR])
vs Warriors-- RS: 5.7, PO: 7 (adv. [COLOR="Green"]PO[/COLOR])
vs Knicks-- RS: 9.3, PO: 11.6 (adv. [COLOR="Green"]PO[/COLOR])

RS vs PO: 13-13

Falls by 5+ ppg: 5
Raises by 5+ ppg: 4

Seems pretty even to me. Choker? I don't think so.

[Lebron23]

Lebron, Wilt, and Kobe both have 2 NBA titles as the number 1 option. Lebron might get his 3rd NBA Finals MVP if the Heat get their $hit together. Terrible defense against the Hawks today.

[LAZERUSS]

OK, time to blow up the "choker" myth a bit more analytically: Wilt's regular season (RS) vs playoff (PO) scoring season by season vs the same opponent:

1960:
vs Nationals-- RS: 38, PO: 38.7 (adv. [COLOR="Green"]PO[/COLOR])
vs Celtics-- RS: 39.9, PO: 30.5 (adv. RS)

1961:
vs Nationals-- RS: 39.9, PO: 37 (adv. RS)

1962:
vs Nationals-- RS: 48, PO: 37 (adv. RS)
vs Celtics-- RS: 41.7 (incl. games that Russell missed), PO: 33.6 (adv. RS)

1964:
vs Hawks-- RS: 32.8, PO: 38.6 (adv. [COLOR="Green"]PO[/COLOR])
vs Celtics-- RS: 29.1, PO: 29.2 (adv. [COLOR="Green"]PO[/COLOR])

1965 (playing for Sixers):
vs Royals-- RS: 36.8, PO: 27.8 (adv. RS)
vs Celtics-- RS: 25.0, PO: 30.1 (adv. [COLOR="Green"]PO[/COLOR])

1966:
vs Celtics-- RS: 28.3, PO: 28 (adv. RS)

1967:
vs Royals-- RS: 28.6, PO: 28 (adv. RS)
vs Celtics-- RS: 20.3, PO: 21.6 (adv. [COLOR="Green"]PO[/COLOR])
vs Warriors-- RS: 20.7, PO: 17.7 (adv. RS)

1968:
vs Knicks-- RS: 22.6, PO: 25.5 (adv. [COLOR="Green"]PO[/COLOR])
vs Celtics-- RS: 17.1, PO: 22.1 (adv. [COLOR="Green"]PO[/COLOR])

1969:
vs Warriors-- RS: 12.6, PO: 12.0 (adv. RS)
vs Hawks-- RS: 17.9, PO: 19.2 (adv. [COLOR="Green"]PO[/COLOR])
vs Celtics-- RS: 16.3, PO: 11.7 (adv. RS)

1970:
Too small RS samples

1971:
vs Bulls-- RS: 21.2, PO: 15.7 (adv. RS)
vs Bucks-- RS: 23.2, PO: 22 (adv. RS)

1972:
vs Bulls-- RS: 8.8, PO: 14.5 (adv. [COLOR="Green"]PO[/COLOR])
vs Bucks-- RS: 13.0, PO: 10.8 (adv. RS)
vs Knicks-- RS: 16.8, PO: 19.4 (adv. [COLOR="Green"]PO[/COLOR])

1973:
vs Bulls-- RS: 11.5, PO: 12 (adv. [COLOR="Green"]PO[/COLOR])
vs Warriors-- RS: 5.7, PO: 7 (adv. [COLOR="Green"]PO[/COLOR])
vs Knicks-- RS: 9.3, PO: 11.6 (adv. [COLOR="Green"]PO[/COLOR])

RS vs PO: 13-13

Falls by 5+ ppg: 5
Raises by 5+ ppg: 4

Seems pretty even to me. Choker? I don't think so.

Don't forget that Chamberlain also had THREE 50+ point games (one against RUSSELL) in "must-win" playoff games, and two of them came in the absolute last game of a playoff series.

He also had a 46 point "must-win" playoff game (again, against RUSSELL), as well as 45 point "must-win" game in a Finals.

And how come no one mentions just how much he DRAMATICALLY reduced his OPPOSING CENTERS in these "shrinkage" conversations?

He held Kerr to two playoff series of .376 and .296 FG%'s.

He held Russell to playoff series of .399, .399, .386, and .356.

He held Thurmond to series of .398, .373, and .343.

He held Bellamy (who shot .541 against the NBA in the regular season) to a .421 series (while scoring 25 ppg on .584 shooting himself.)

He held a prime/peak KAJ to series' of .481 and .457 (in seasons in which he shot .577 and .574 against the NBA.)

And, he outrebounded every player he faced in the 29 post-season series in which he played, too.

[LAZERUSS]

Wilt faced RUSSELL and the Celtics EIGHT times in the post-season.

Let's compare MJ and Shaq's numbers against their biggest playoff rivals shall we?

MJ vs the Pistons:

87-88: Regular season against NBA. 35.0 ppg on .535 FG%
Against Detroit: 27.4 ppg on .491 FG%

88-89: Regular season. 32.5 ppg on .538 FG%
Against Detroit: 29.7 ppg on .460 FG%

89-90: Regular season. 33.6 ppg on .526 FG%
Against Detroit: 32.1 ppg on .467 FG%

90-91: Regular season. 31.5 ppg on .539 FG%
Against Detroit: 29.8 ppg on .535 FG%


Shaq vs. San Antonio:

98-99: Regular season. 26.3 ppg on .576 FG%
Against the Spurs: 23.8 ppg on .493 FG%

00-01: Regular season. 28.7 ppg on .572 FG%
Against the Spurs: 27.0 ppg on .541 FG%

01-02: Regular season. 27.2 ppg on .579 FG%
Against the Spurs: 21.4 ppg on .447 FG%

02-03: Regular season. 27.5 ppg on .574 FG%
Against the Spurs: 25.3 ppg on .559 FG%

03-04: Regular season. 21.5 ppg on .584 FG%
Against the Spurs. 22.5 ppg on .635 FG%

[Mr Feeny]

As shocking as that is, he is even worse in the finals. An 18 ppg scorer. The guy was the definition of a choker.

22 ppg for a playoff career is just pathetic for someone who is supposedly one of the best scorers in the game.

[Mr Feeny]

Wilt faced RUSSELL and the Celtics EIGHT times in the post-season.

Let's compare MJ and Shaq's numbers against their biggest playoff rivals shall we?

MJ vs the Pistons:

87-88: Regular season against NBA. 35.0 ppg on .535 FG%
Against Detroit: 27.4 ppg on .491 FG%

88-89: Regular season. 32.5 ppg on .538 FG%
Against Detroit: 29.7 ppg on .460 FG%

89-90: Regular season. 33.6 ppg on .526 FG%
Against Detroit: 32.1 ppg on .467 FG%

90-91: Regular season. 31.5 ppg on .539 FG%
Against Detroit: 29.8 ppg on .535 FG%


Shaq vs. San Antonio:

98-99: Regular season. 26.3 ppg on .576 FG%
Against the Spurs: 23.8 ppg on .493 FG%

00-01: Regular season. 28.7 ppg on .572 FG%
Against the Spurs: 27.0 ppg on .541 FG%

01-02: Regular season. 27.2 ppg on .579 FG%
Against the Spurs: 21.4 ppg on .447 FG%

02-03: Regular season. 27.5 ppg on .574 FG%
Against the Spurs: 25.3 ppg on .559 FG%

03-04: Regular season. 21.5 ppg on .584 FG%
Against the Spurs. 22.5 ppg on .635 FG%

Not much of a dropoff by either there. In any case, they were discussing playoff careers and the dropoff from regular season to post season scoring.

MJ averaged 30.1 ppg in the regular season and 33.6 in the playoffs
Wilt averaged 30.1 ppg in the regular season and 22 in the playoffs.

Something about that stands out.

[LAZERUSS]

As shocking as that is, he is even worse in the finals. An 18 ppg scorer. The guy was the definition of a choker.

22 ppg for a playoff career is just pathetic for someone who is supposedly one of the best scorers in the game.

Of course he only played in one Finals in his "scoring" seasons, and was "held" to a 29.2 ppg, 27.8 rpg, .517 FG% series by Russell (in a post-season that shot .420.)

Oh, and he outshot all six of his opposing centers (all of them in the HOF BTW) from the floor, and usually by huge margins; and of course, he just crushed them all on the glass in those Finals, as well.

Incidently, his career high Finals game was 45 points (to go along with 27 rebounds.) And, yes, it came in a "must-win" game.

[riseagainst]

Not much of a dropoff by either there. In any case, they were discussing playoff careers and the dropoff from regular season to post season scoring.

MJ averaged 30.1 ppg in the regular season and 33.6 in the playoffs
Wilt averaged 30.1 ppg in the regular season and 22 in the playoffs.

Something about that stands out.

das why he's the GOAT!

[Deuce Bigalow]

das why he's the GOAT!

No Wilt Chamberlain is the greatest player of alltime. No player has ever dominated his peers like mid 60s Wilt. Where are Jordan's 30 point 27 rebound games? Where are his 60/30 games? The Wilt bashers try to say that Wilt is a choker, but what about Wilt's 45/27 performance in a do or die Finals game? There is Wilt "the choker" for you. And of course these Wilt bashers don't even mention that Wilt outscored, outrebounded, and outshot Bill Russell in all their H2H series.

[Mr Feeny]

Of course he only played in one Finals in his "scoring" seasons, and was "held" to a 29.2 ppg, 27.8 rpg, .517 FG% series by Russell (in a post-season that shot .420.)

Oh, and he outshot all six of his opposing centers (all of them in the HOF BTW) from the floor, and usually by huge margins; and of course, he just crushed them all on the glass in those Finals, as well.

Incidently, his career high Finals game was 45 points (to go along with 27 rebounds.) And, yes, it came in a "must-win" game.

Yeah but Lazeruss, you can't keep going to that defensive. Choosing to describe some seasons as 'scoring' seasons while claiming that Wilt CHOSE not to be a scorer the others. In 1969 he sure was a scorer yet still averaged 13 ppg in the finals if im not mistaken.

As a whole, 22 ppg is simple not impressive anu way you slice it. As far as outshooting opposing centers, thats not out focus here. We are merely looking at Wilt's postseason struggles relatice to his regular season domination.