Wilt Chamberlain- A Los Angeles Dilemma (SI Article from 1969)

[Pointguard]

I honestly can't think of another coach who so single-handedly led his team to a defeat.

I mean...having the greatest low-post player in NBA history playing the HIGH POST? Or benching him in the last five minutes of a game seven of the Finals...in a two point loss? Or allowing Baylor to shot-jack his team right down the toilet in the series?

Of course, when Wilt had great coaching (which wasn't very often)...two dominant title teams. And usually 60+ win seasons.

And positioning Wilt on the worst possible spot on the floor for the greatest rebounder ever. Baylor was showing his worse decision making ever in his career and didn't know his limitations at this time. Nobody really calling out Van Breda's obvious disdain for his franchise player. He made about five decisions that were horrific.

[LAZERUSS]

And positioning Wilt on the worst possible spot on the floor for the greatest rebounder ever. Baylor was showing his worse decision making ever in his career and didn't know his limitations at this time. Nobody really calling out Van Breda's obvious disdain for his franchise player. He made about five decisions that were horrific.

It was just pure baffoonery.

I have always found it fascinating that Sharman forced Baylor to retire after game nine of the 71-72 season...and the Lakers IMMEDIATELY went on a 33 game winning streak...en route to a dominating world title.

[LAZERUSS]

And positioning Wilt on the worst possible spot on the floor for the greatest rebounder ever. Baylor was showing his worse decision making ever in his career and didn't know his limitations at this time. Nobody really calling out Van Breda's obvious disdain for his franchise player. He made about five decisions that were horrific.

This sums up Van Breda Kolff's coaching in the '69 season...

Quote:
Butch Van Breda Kolff: "Not having enough basketballs wasn't the problem at all for us. The trade changed our chemistry. Elgin's favorite move was the drive from the left wing and into the middle. Now, when he did that, he ran into Wilt, and Wilt's man. Wilt took that move away from Elgin. Imhoff loved to pick-and-roll with Elgin, but that wasn't something Wilt did very well. So we were able to [COLOR="DarkRed"]throw the ball down low to Wilt and he'd score[/COLOR], but it was an awful offense to watch. When the ball stops moving, then guys don't rebound or play defense as well as they normally would."

He had a guy capable of 60+ point games...but chose to have Baylor shoot them right down the toilet...because "it was an awful offense to watch."

[LAZERUSS]

9 teams in NBA history have come back from 3-1 deficits. And Wilt was on the receiving end one of them. Not to mention, beind on the losing end in some of the most iconic wins for other greats like Russell in 1969 (last season and huge underdogs) and Reed in 1970 (the famous injury game). Those are two of the most legendary and well remembered moments in playoff history and again, Wilt is on the wrong end of the stick. It's just a bad look for Wilt and it's not all coincidence. At some point, you have to stop pointing fingers and just take over the game because you have the talent to do so. But in some of these brightest moments, he shrunk. Guys like MJ or [COLOR="DarkRed"]Russell[/COLOR] wouldn't let it get to that. They would dig deeper because they wanted to win more than you. It's about winning.

How about this...

Game 5 of the '66 EDF's...Wilt's teammates had collectively shot .352 in this series, so Chamberlain took it upon himself to bring his Sixers back from a 3-1 deficit. He poured in 46 pts, and grabbed 34 rebounds,...just crushing Russell in the process. BUT, without ANY help, his team was beaten 120-112.

Ok, fast forward to the very next year. Now it was Russell's team that was down 3-1, and facing elimination against Wilt's Sixers. Did Russell rise up and overpower Wilt with a 46-34 game, when it was obvious that Wilt's teammates had finally neutralized his? Hell no...he quietly led them like a lamb being led to slaughter. In that "must win" game, the legendary "clutch" Russell, who "owned" Wilt...hung...get this...FOUR points. On a meager 2-5 shooting from the floor...in a blowout loss. Oh, and all Chamberlain did was crush him with a 29 point game, 22 of which came in the first half when the game was still close (proving that had he needed to Wilt could have poured in yet another 40+ point game on a helpless Russell.) And he did on 10-16 shooting, while outassisting Russell, 13-7, and outrebounding Russell, 36-21.

What happened? Why couldn't Russell summon up a "Wilt game" and destroy Chamberlain?

[Lebron23]

Jerry West and the Lakers losing a 7 games series in 1969. Lakers coach van Breda Kolff benched 4x NBA MVP wilt chamberlain in the last 5 minutes of the game because of foul trouble. Butch Breda Van Kolff was the original George Karl. Feuding with his star players rather than focus on winning a championship. That wilt and van Kolff feud cost the Lakers a championship in 1969. Russell retired after that season. West won the NBA first finals mvp while playing on a losing team.