Wilt Chamberlains playoff stats for dummies:

[CavaliersFTW]

His playoff games played with his 3 different team roles were disproportionate in frequency relative to his regular season career stats.

Wilt played 24 playoff games as the teams dedicated volume scorer
[CODE]Season Age Tm Lg G MP FG FGA 3P 3PA FT FTA ORB TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF PTS FG% 3P% FT% MP PTS TRB AST
1959-60 23 PHW NBA 9 415 125 252 49 110 232 19 17 299 .496 .445 46.1 33.2 25.8 2.1
1960-61 24 PHW NBA 3 144 45 96 21 38 69 6 10 111 .469 .553 48.0 37.0 23.0 2.0
1961-62 25 PHW NBA 12 576 162 347 96 151 319 37 27 420 .467 .636 48.0 35.0 26.6 3.1

Combined NBA 24 1135 332 695 166 299 620 62 54 830 .478 .555 47.3 34.6 25.8 2.6
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Wilt played 56 playoff games as a playmaker and balanced defensive/offensive anchor
[CODE]
Season Age Tm Lg G MP FG FGA 3P 3PA FT FTA ORB TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF PTS FG% 3P% FT% MP PTS TRB AST
1963-64 27 SFW NBA 12 558 175 322 66 139 302 39 27 416 .543 .475 46.5 34.7 25.2 3.3
1964-65 28 PHI NBA 11 536 123 232 76 136 299 48 29 322 .530 .559 48.7 29.3 27.2 4.4
1965-66 29 PHI NBA 5 240 56 110 28 68 151 15 10 140 .509 .412 48.0 28.0 30.2 3.0
1966-67 30 PHI NBA 15 718 132 228 62 160 437 135 37 326 .579 .388 47.9 21.7 29.1 9.0
1967-68 31 PHI NBA 13 631 124 232 60 158 321 85 29 308 .534 .380 48.5 23.7 24.7 6.5

Combined NBA 56 2683 610 1124 292 661 1510 322 132 1512 .543 .441 47.9 27.0 26.9 5.8
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Wilt played 80 playoff games as defensive anchor and an opportunistic scorer
[CODE]
Season Age Tm Lg G MP FG FGA 3P 3PA FT FTA ORB TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF PTS FG% 3P% FT% MP PTS TRB AST
1968-69 32 LAL NBA 18 832 96 176 58 148 444 46 46 250 .545 .392 46.2 13.9 24.7 2.6
1969-70 33 LAL NBA 18 851 158 288 82 202 399 81 42 398 .549 .406 47.3 22.1 22.2 4.5
1970-71 34 LAL NBA 12 554 85 187 50 97 242 53 33 220 .455 .515 46.2 18.3 20.2 4.4
1971-72 35 LAL NBA 15 703 80 142 60 122 315 49 47 220 .563 .492 46.9 14.7 21.0 3.3
1972-73 36 LAL NBA 17 801 64 116 49 98 383 60 48 177 .552 .500 47.1 10.4 22.5 3.5

Combined NBA 80 3741 483 909 299 667 1783 289 216 1265 .531 .448 46.7 15.8 22.3 3.6
[/CODE]

A whopping 50 percent of his career playoff games are played from the age of 32-36, as a defensive anchor.

Where as only 32 percent of his career regular season games are played from that same age with that same role.

Basically, career playoff and career regular season stats should not be compared directly w/o an understanding of differences like this. Season to season is a better gauge, or simply using the stats I calculated above and comparing them with his regular season stats from the seasons played with that same team-role.

[PTB Fan]

Interesting way of separating Wilt's stats, considering he played three roles in his career. First role (prolific scorer/rebouder) during his first few years of his career up to 64. Then, from 65 to 69 he had the role of an all-around beast (his best role IMO, most dominant at it. Props to his coach.. forgot his name for using that) and then from 69 to the rest of the career.. arguably the best defender in the league and on one case best player as well.

What a legend


Still, i'd say that there's another good way of looking at his stats. First 8 years as the focal point of his teams on both sides (meaning mostly on offense) and then a second part, focusing mostly as a defensive anchor.

[oolalaa]

His playoff games played with his 3 different team roles were disproportionate in frequency relative to his regular season career stats.

Wilt playoff games as a dedicated volume scorer...
[CODE]Season Age Tm Lg G MP FG FGA 3P 3PA FT FTA ORB TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF PTS FG% 3P% FT% MP PTS TRB AST
1959-60 23 PHW NBA 9 415 125 252 49 110 232 19 17 299 .496 .445 46.1 33.2 25.8 2.1
1960-61 24 PHW NBA 3 144 45 96 21 38 69 6 10 111 .469 .553 48.0 37.0 23.0 2.0
1961-62 25 PHW NBA 12 576 162 347 96 151 319 37 27 420 .467 .636 48.0 35.0 26.6 3.1

Combined NBA 24 1135 332 695 166 299 620 62 54 830 .478 .555 47.3 34.6 25.8 2.6
[/CODE]




Wilt playoff games as a high-post playmaker and balanced defensive/offensive anchor.
[CODE]
Season Age Tm Lg G MP FG FGA 3P 3PA FT FTA ORB TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF PTS FG% 3P% FT% MP PTS TRB AST
1963-64 27 SFW NBA 12 558 175 322 66 139 302 39 27 416 .543 .475 46.5 34.7 25.2 3.3
1964-65 28 PHI NBA 11 536 123 232 76 136 299 48 29 322 .530 .559 48.7 29.3 27.2 4.4
1965-66 29 PHI NBA 5 240 56 110 28 68 151 15 10 140 .509 .412 48.0 28.0 30.2 3.0
1966-67 30 PHI NBA 15 718 132 228 62 160 437 135 37 326 .579 .388 47.9 21.7 29.1 9.0
1967-68 31 PHI NBA 13 631 124 232 60 158 321 85 29 308 .534 .380 48.5 23.7 24.7 6.5

Combined NBA 56 2683 610 1124 292 661 1510 322 132 1512 .543 .441 47.9 27.0 30.0 5.8
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Wilt playoff games as defensive anchor.
[CODE]
Season Age Tm Lg G MP FG FGA 3P 3PA FT FTA ORB TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF PTS FG% 3P% FT% MP PTS TRB AST
1968-69 32 LAL NBA 18 832 96 176 58 148 444 46 46 250 .545 .392 46.2 13.9 24.7 2.6
1969-70 33 LAL NBA 18 851 158 288 82 202 399 81 42 398 .549 .406 47.3 22.1 22.2 4.5
1970-71 34 LAL NBA 12 554 85 187 50 97 242 53 33 220 .455 .515 46.2 18.3 20.2 4.4
1971-72 35 LAL NBA 15 703 80 142 60 122 315 49 47 220 .563 .492 46.9 14.7 21.0 3.3
1972-73 36 LAL NBA 17 801 64 116 49 98 383 60 48 177 .552 .500 47.1 10.4 22.5 3.5

Combined NBA 80 3741 483 909 299 667 1783 289 216 1265 .531 .448 46.7 15.8 22.3 3.6
[/CODE]

50 percent of his career playoff games are played from the age of 32-36, as a defensive anchor.

32 percent of his career regular season games are played from that same age with that same role.

Basically, career playoff and career regular season stats should not be compared directly w/o an understanding of differences like this. Season to season is a better gauge, or simply using the stats I calculated above and comparing them with his regular season stats from the seasons played with that same team-role.

Yep, very good. This needs to be pointed out to the casual fan.

However, on the whole, his post season play was inferior to his regular season play, just not to the extent that the raw numbers show.

[CavaliersFTW]

Interesting way of separating Wilt's stats, considering he played three roles in his career. First role (prolific scorer/rebouder) during his first few years of his career up to 64. Then, from 65 to 69 he had the role of an all-around beast (his best role IMO, most dominant at it. Props to his coach.. forgot his name for using that) and then from 69 to the rest of the career.. arguably the best defender in the league and on one case best player as well.

What a legend


Still, i'd say that there's another good way of looking at his stats. First 8 years as the focal point of his teams on both sides (meaning mostly on offense) and then a second part, focusing mostly as a defensive anchor.

Alex Hannum, one of only 3 coaches throughout Wilt's career that Wilt respected and therefore listened too when different roles were suggested.

[CavaliersFTW]

Yep, very good. This needs to be pointed out to the casual fan.

However, on the whole, his post season play was inferior to his regular season play, just not to the extent that the raw numbers show.

The overall point you suggest is only true for the scoring seasons his first 3 playoff appearances. All the feedback from old newspapers, public opinion and overall consensus from his time of how he did was that he was overwhelmingly solid in the playoffs through his prime and veteran years with few to no exceptions. His scoring is not the marker. His assists, rebounds, blocked shots (which can be seen in newspapers) and the amount of free throws or strategic plays he'd make down the stretch are what counted. I've yet to find a playoff series coverage in the google news archives that has said he wasn't performing well from 1964 - on

[CavaliersFTW]

Interesting way of separating Wilt's stats, considering he played three roles in his career. First role (prolific scorer/rebouder) during his first few years of his career up to 64. Then, from 65 to 69 he had the role of an all-around beast (his best role IMO, most dominant at it. Props to his coach.. forgot his name for using that) and then from 69 to the rest of the career.. arguably the best defender in the league and on one case best player as well.

What a legend


Still, i'd say that there's another good way of looking at his stats. First 8 years as the focal point of his teams on both sides (meaning mostly on offense) and then a second part, focusing mostly as a defensive anchor.

Alex Hannum actually removed him from the low-post and placed him in the high-post on offense where he'd simply hand off to teammates and help orchestrate the offense... regardless of whether he was a #1 scorer or not the wide margins of him vs the next guys were no longer present because of his radically different approach in contrast to his first 3 playoff runs (or 4 reg seasons) where he was strictly a "feed me the ball in the low post" player. On the Lakers he then moved back to the low-post but with yet another radically different role. As a center, he approached the game 3 extremely different ways, splitting it into two after learning all of this makes me feel like it doesn't make any sense to split it 2 ways, it cuts his diminished scoring/facilitating years in two and just doesn't look right.

[oolalaa]

The overall point you suggest is only true for the scoring seasons his first 3 playoff appearances. All the feedback from old newspapers, public opinion and overall consensus from his time of how he did was that he was overwhelmingly solid in the playoffs through his prime and veteran years with few to no exceptions. His scoring is not the marker. His assists, rebounds, blocked shots (which can be seen in newspapers) and the amount of free throws or strategic plays he'd make down the stretch are what counted. I've yet to find a playoff series coverage in the google news archives that has said he wasn't performing well from 1964 - on

The one that sticks out is '69. Going from averaging a 21/21/5 on 58% in the regular season to 14/25/3 on 55% in the post season. Blame it on Breda Kolff all you want, it wont change how he ACTUALLY PERFORMED.

Of course, I could also mention that the Wilt led sixers chucked away a 3-1 series lead in the '68 ECF and that he had a pathetic second half in that do or die game 7. Or the fact that his FG% and FT% declined almost every single year from the regular season to the playoffs.

Wilt was the greatest regular season player of all time. He lost a couple too many close, big games in the post season, for me.

[CavaliersFTW]

The one that sticks out is '69. Going from averaging a 21/21/5 on 58% in the regular season to 14/25/3 on 55% in the post season. Blame it on Breda Kolff all you want, it wont change how he ACTUALLY PERFORMED.

Of course, I could also mention that the Wilt led sixers chucked away a 3-1 series lead in the '68 ECF and that he had a pathetic second half in that do or die game 7. Or the fact that his FG% and FT% declined almost every single year from the regular season to the playoffs.

Wilt was the greatest regular season player of all time. He lost a couple too many close, big games in the post season, for me.

Your right about 69 I've got no issues with that - doesn't make him a poor playoff performer for everything else though - when he had coaches that he didn't want to murder he really got shit done in the playoffs. '68 is fair to call into question too, it's one series I haven't read up on yet.

[jlauber]

Your right about 69 I've got no issues with that - doesn't make him a poor playoff performer for everything else though - when he had coaches that he didn't want to murder he really got shit done in the playoffs. '68 is fair to call into question too, it's one series I haven't read up on yet.

In '68, Wilt played all 48 mpg, of ALL SEVEN of those playoff games, and in the last FIVE he was playing with a torn calf muscle, as well as an assortment of other injuries...and was NOTICEABLY LIMPING over the course of those FIVE games.

Then, factor in that HOFer Billy Cunningham broke his wrist in the previous round against the Knicks...and didn't play AT ALL in the ECF's. And yet, Philly STILL had a 3-1 series lead.

BUT, in game five, BOTH Luke Jackson and Wali Jones sustained leg injuries, and were basically worthless the rest of the series. BTW, even with that, the Sixers, with that 3-1 series lead, were only down 81-79 late in the third period of that game five, before falling apart in the 4th period. BTW, Chamberlain hung a 28-30 game in that game five.

Chamberlain played a miserable game in game six, only shooting 6-21 from the floor, and 8-23 from the line, but here again, he PLAYED. And he STILL pulled down 27 rebounds.

And in game seven, Wilt TOUCHED the ball on the offensive end, NINE times in the second half (and only TWICE in the 4th quarter...and BOTH were on offensive rebounds)...in a 100-96 loss. And that crippled Wilt could only outscore Russell, 14-12, and outrebound him, 34-26.

AND, this was a GREAT team, to be sure, BUT, they had very little DEPTH. Chamberlain, despite his injuries (keep in mind that Willis Reed had a similar injury in the '70 Finals, and didn't do a thing in the last three games; and Kareem, with a sprained ankle, took off a game six of the Finals)...PLAYED. 48 MPG. For the series, an INJURY-RIDDLED Chamberlain averaged 22.1 ppg and 25.1 rpg.

[dunksby]

Could not make a free throw to save his life

[jlauber]

In Wilt's first eight seasons, and covering seven post-seasons, he averaged 30.4 ppg, 27.0 rpg, 4.5 apg, and shot .515 (in league's that shot .426 over that span...or nearly a 100 points higher than the league average)...COMBINED!

In those 67 games, he faced Russell's Celtics in 35 of them.

He also had entire playoffs of 33.2 ppg, 34.7 ppg (and on .543 shooting), 35.0 ppg, and 37.0 ppg. Included in those were playoff series of 37.0 ppg, 37.0 ppg, 38.6 ppg, and 38.7 ppg. He also had FOUR playoff series of 30+ ppg, just against RUSSELL, including a seven game series in which he averaged 30 ppg and 31 rpg.

He also had FOUR 50+ point games, THREE of which came in either a game three of a best-of-three series; a game five of a best of series; or a "must win elimination" game (a 50-35 game against RUSSELL.)

As for his entire post-season career...

this is all anyone really needs to know...

http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=250076

The idiotic Bill Simmons claims that Wilt "shrunk" in the post-season, particularly in BIG games.

Had he actually done any real research into Wilt's post-season career, he would have found that Wilt averaged 27.0 ppg in his 35 "must-win" and/or clinching games. Meanwhile, his starting opposing centers averaged 14.5 ppg in those 35 games. He also outscored his opposing starting center in 29 of those 35 games, including a 19-0 edge in his first 19 games of those 35. Furthermore, in his 13 games which came in his "scoring" seasons (from 59-60 thru 65-66), Chamberlain averaged 37.3 ppg in those "do-or-die" or clinching games. And there were MANY games in which he just CRUSHED his opposing centers in those games (e.g. he outscored Kerr in one them, 53-7.)

Wilt had THREE of his four 50+ point post-season games, in these "elimination games", including two in "at the limit" games, and another against Russell in a "must-win" game. He also had games of 46-34 and 45-27 (and only 4 months removed from major knee surgery) in these types of games. In addition he had games of 39 and 38 in clinching wins.

In the known 19 games in which we have both Wilt's, and his starting opposing center's rebounding numbers, Chamberlain outrebounded them in 15 of them, and by an average margin of 26.1 rpg to 18.9 rpg. And, had we had all 35 of the totals, it would have been by a considerably larger margin. A conservative estimate would put Wilt with at least a 30-5 overall edge in those 35 games. He also had games, even against the likes of Russell, and in "must-win" situations, where he just MURDERED his opposing centers (e.g. he had one clinching game, against Russell, in which he outrebounded him by a 36-21 margin.)

And finally, in the known FG% games in which we have, Chamberlain not only shot an eye-popping .582 in those "do-or-die" games, but he held his opposing centers to a combined .413 FG%. BTW, he played against Kareem in two "clinching" games, and held Abdul-Jabbar to a combined .383 shooting in those two games.

The bottom line, in the known games of the 35 that Wilt played in that involved a "must-win" or clincher, Wilt averaged 27 ppg, 26.1 rpg, and shot .582 (and the 27 ppg figure was known for all 35 of those games.)

And once again, Chamberlain played in 11 games which went to the series limit (nine game seven's, one game five of a best-of-five series, and one game three of a best-of-three series), and all he did was average 29.9 ppg (outscoring his opposing center by a 29.9 ppg to 9.8 ppg margin in the process), with 26.7 rpg, and on .581 shooting. Or he was an eye-lash away from averaging a 30-27 game, and on nearly .600 shooting, in those 11 "at the limit" games.


Oh, and BTW, Chamberlain's TEAMs went 24-11 in those 35 games, too.

That was the same player that Simmons basically labeled a "loser", and a "choker", and who "shrunk" in his BIG games.

[Deuce Bigalow]

[CavaliersFTW]

Bump for Millwad. Wilt's role on his team changed significantly at least 3 times in his career, and a greater relative number of post season games was played during seasons where his role was not to lead his team in scoring. This is not an excuse, it's a historical fact. You can't just gloss over it.

[Marchesk]

Do you guys have to bring Lebron into every single thread?

[TheReal Kendall]

You're great poster dude