Wilt Chamberlain's 1961-1962 Game-by-Game stats

[jlauber]

I remember that Wilt considered his last game against Chicago Packers as his best of the year. I found an article about how observers count more than 20 blocks of Wilt in that game. According to his coach it was more than 20.
That's why I was wondering if this is the game, which Harvey Pollack mentioned of Wilt having 25 blocks. It is not clear however, because I have the impression that Wilt do this while in Sixers uniform. Also in that season Wilt blocked the first nine shot attempts of Walt Bellamy (holding him to 14 points) in their first meeting.

Great post. I have always admired your posting, BTW. You are one of a handful of posters here who actually has RESEARCHED Chamberlain's career.

Incidently, while Russell did a decent job of limiting Wilt's production throughout their careers, Wilt STILL had MANY HUGE games against him. He had ENTIRE SEASONS, including the playoffs, of 36.8 and 29.1 rpg, covering 18 games in his ROOKIE season. Incidently, in ten of those regular season H2H games (we don't have the 11th game), Chamberlain shot .465 against Russell (and a career low .461 overall), while Russell shot .398 against Wilt (in a his career best season of .467.)

In his 60-61 season, Chamberlain averaged 35.5 ppg, and 31.4 rpg in 13 H2H games against Russell (imagine that... a 36-31 SEASON!) In his historic 61-62 season, and including the playoffs, covering 17 H2H games, Chamberlain averaged 37.2 ppg and 28.1 rpg, and on a combined .469 FG% (in a league that shot .426.) BTW, in the playoffs, Wilt held Russell to .420 shooting. In his 62-63 season, and covering nine H2H games, Wilt averaged 38.1 ppg (to Russell's 14.6 ppg), while outrebounding Russell, per game, 28.9 rpg to Russell's 27.8 rpg.

In their 63-64 seasons, including the playoffs, Wilt averaged 31.6 ppg and 29.4 rpg against Russell. In their five H2H games in the Finals, Wilt outscored Russell, per game, 29.2 ppg to Russell's 11.2 ppg, and outrebounded Russell, per game, 27.6 rpg to Russell's 25.2 rpg. Wilt also shot .517 against Russell in that series, and while we don't have Russell's FG% from that series, he shot .356 overall in that post-season, and five of his ten post-season games were against Wilt.

In the 64-65 season, covering their 18 H2H games (including the post-season), Wilt averaged 27.2 ppg and 28.4 rpg ( to Russell's 13.8 ppg and 23.9 rpg.) Interesting too, was their seven playoff games that season. Wilt took his rag-tag 40-40 Sixer team to a game seven, one point loss against Russell's 62-18 Celtics. In that series, Wilt outscored Russell, per game, 30.1 ppg to 15.6 ppg, and outrebounded Russell, by a 31.6 rpg to 25.3 rpg margin, per game. I don't have Wilt's FG% in those seven games (although in game seven he shot 12-15 from the field), but Russell shot .451 against Wilt (BTW, Russell would go on to average 18 ppg, 29 rpg, and shoot .702 against the Lakers in the Finals.)

In the 65-66 season, in their 15 H2H games, and including the playoffs, Wilt outscored Russell, per game, 26.3 ppg to 11.7 ppg, and outrebounded him, per game, 28.5 rpg to 22.4 rpg. In their five playoff H2H's, Wilt outscored Russell, per game, 28.0 ppg to 14.0 ppg, and out rebounded Russell, per game, 30.2 rpg to 26.2 rpg. I don't have Russell's FG% in that series, but Chamberlain shot .509 against him.

In the 66-67 season, covering 14 H2H games against Russell, Wilt outscored Russell, per game, 20.8 ppg to 11.9 ppg, and outrebounded Russell, per game, 28.6 rpg to Russell's 21.9 rpg. During the regular season, covering nine H2H games, Wilt averaged 20.3 ppg, 26.7 rpg, and shot .549 against Russell. Then, in their five H2H's in the ECF's, Chamberlain outscored Russell, per game, 21.6 ppg to 10.2 ppg; outrebounded Russell, per game, by a staggering 32.0 rpg top 23.4 rpg; he outassisted Russell, per game, 10.0 apg, to 6.0 apg; and he outshot Russell by an astonishing .556 to .358 margin.

Chamberlain had four regular seasons of 38 ppg, 38 ppg, 38 ppg 36 ppg against Russell. Overall, Chamberlain had 24 games of 40+ points against Russell, including FIVE of 50+, and a high game of 62 (on 27-45 shooting.) He also had a 7-1 edge in 40+ rebound games (and Russell's one game was an even 40) with a high game of 55 (while outrebounding Russell, 55-19), and a playoff record of 41 (outrebounding Russell, 41-29.) Even more remarkable, was the fact that Wilt held a 23-4 edge in 35+ rebound H2H's.

[jlauber]

Hey guys, check out all the back-2-back-2-back games he played. I also founf a 5 games in 5 nights run in their ... stop crying.

Wilt played in a TON of B2B's that season, including one stretch of SIX three-in-a-rows, another three separate stretches of FOUR-in-a-rows, and that incredible separate streak of FIVE games in FIVE nights (and NONE of them were home B2B's either.)

He played all but EIGHT MINUTES of the ENTIRE season.

And not only did he play nearly every minute of that season, he played in a league that did not uniform balls; that had cold and even breezy venues; and with far inferior traveling and medical conditions that exist in today's NBA.

There was a reason that FG%'s were lower in the early 60's...and the above pretty much covers it. When players like West are shooting .419 and .445; Baylor at .401; and Havlicek at .399...that gives you an idea of the CONDITIONS of that time.

[jlauber]

And? Its not like its really a totally unheard of rate of scoring. Jordan peaked at over 44ppg spread over the minutes Wilt played that season. And he was a worse scorer when he did it than he was when he scored less in the early 90s. And im sure wilt polished his scoring as well even though he scored less later. he wasnt just incapable. So why am I worried about the number? The numbers on it are suggestive but thats about it. That 50ppg season is a combo of insane attempts, a coach request to score 50 a night even if it meant playing every minute when up or down any margin(you dont think they ever won or lost a blowout? He played every minute anyway), and of course...talent.

But all things considered its not that major. Wilt himself didnt consider it his best basketball. I mean really....if they told Oscar Robertson to take 39 shots...then 45...and 36...and 55...and 42...and 63...he would have been doing epic numbers himself(not that he didnt anyway). IT was just an odd situation. He didnt do that off just being more capable than anyone. He did it off being the only player ever asked to do it and played every minute for the express purpose of scoring a lot no matter how the game is going.

When you think about it....it was almost disrespectful.



Several players scored more than Wilt in his prime too. He was never better than in Philly. His Warrior days were just....something else. Not the best basketball he could play. Just...a strange situation.



By percentage of rebounds available...Shaq as a rookie got the equal of over 23 a game on Wilts 62 team. And thats in more than 10 fewer minutes per game.



Im not that worried about blocked shot numbers. If we put a 7'1'' 290 pound rookie Shaq(he was 283 pretty much off his natural build in school...before he was just musclebound) with his 7'8'' wingspan and athletic ability into the 60s hes gonna have some absurd blocked shot numbers too. Not sure it matters.



Everyone has off nights. But to miss 25 or so shots with those physical advantages is hard to do if you are setting out to get and make the easiest shots.



**** outta here. Ive never hated on wilt or questioned his ability. Ive defended wilt here more than probably anyone ever. I was probably making a better case in his defense 10 years ago on here than you are now.

But fact is....and he would tell you himself...he did not set out to get the best shots. He wanted to prove he was skilled. he didnt want to play physical. He hadted the perception of him as just bigger and stronger than everyone else so he would fadeaway vs guys he could go by. He was so osessed with big guys not looking like unskilled giants he wrote in his book a view from above that he would let opposing 7 footers dribble when he could steal it.....just so they...and by association he...wouldnt look bad.

Im talking about his approach to the game. I knew everything about his numbers when I was 7.



A short cut to rest and holding back due to a mental issue with being too dominant in the eyes of fans he wanted respect from...different things.

And you wonder if anyone did 50/27 in a game/ And you are telling me about the 60s?

I know just off the top of my head that Baylor had like 65/30 in the same game Wilt had 78/40 in this season. And the 78 Wilt scored broke Baylors own NBA record of 71. And the 60/30 wasnt even Baylors only 60/20 game. He had 61 and 20+ rebounds in the finals vs Boston. It was the playoff scoring record pre MJ.

Back in those days when a game might provide 140 missed shots a great player could go grab 30+ of them and not even be news worthy.

If sure you could look at Baylor, Pettit, Oscar, Russell, or Walt Bellamys game logs from 1962 it would be pretty crazy too.

Nobody is just....as good as the numbers being put up back then. And while they had great stamina to put them up...im not gonna just assume Elgin Baylor is more well conditioned than Jordan, Iverson, Lebron, KG, and Davd Robinson types.

The game simply changed. A lot.

There have been 131 30-30 games in NBA HISTORY. The entire NBA COMBINED, in it's entire HISTORY, has 28. Wilt had 103. By the way, Kareem played four seasons in the same NBA with Wilt. Late in Wilt's career, in his 71-72, Chamberlain hung TWO 30-30 games (including a 31-32 game against 6-11 HOFer Bob Lanier.) Which is interesting, because Kareem played 20 seasons, and only had ONE 30-30 game in his ENTIRE CAREER.

How about 40-30 games? The ENTIRE NBA, in it's entire HISTORY, has SIX...COMBINED. How about Wilt? 55 (and 17 just against Russell alone.)

How about 50-30 games? Wilt had 22 (as well as 50-35 game against Russell in the '60 ECF's)...the rest of the ENTIRE NBA, 2...COMBINED!

60-30 games? The rest of the NBA...two...COMBINED. Wilt? SEVEN by himself.

40-40 games? Wilt with EIGHT (including a 44-42 game against Russell)...and the rest of the NBA? ZERO.

50-40 games? Chamberlain with FOUR...and you guess it, the rest of the NBA...ZERO.

How about 50 point games? Wilt with 122, and his nearest competitor, MJ, with 39.

How about 60+ point games. The rest of the NBA, in it's entire history...30. Wilt? 32 (including three of the four highest FG%'s games...and THE highest game of 29-35 or .829.) And he also had a 62 point game against Russell, and on 27-45 shooting. And he had THREE 60+ point games just against 6-11 HOFer Walt Bellamy.

How about 70+ point games. The rest of the NBA, combined...FOUR. Chamberlain? SIX, including a 73-36 game against HOFer Bellamy.

40+ rebound games? Chamberlain with 15...the rest of the NBA combined... 13. Included in those games were a game in which Wilt outrebounded Russell, 55-19, and a playoff game in which he outrebounded Russell, 41-29.

"Perfect games?" Chamberlain has the THREE highest in NBA history (15-15, 16-16, and 18-18). BTW, Wilt also holds the record of 35 straight made FGAs.

How about a 20-20-20 game? Yep, ONLY Wilt, (22 points, 25 rebounds, and 21 assists.) Hell, Wilt even had a 53 point, 32 rebound, 14 assist game (and on 24-29 shooting from the field.) He also had a 24-32-13-12 (on 9-13 shooting) against Russell in the '67 ECF's.

[Kblaze8855]

Feel free to give me new information any time now. I have zero interest in your notepad copy/paste posts you make 8 times a week. You have been making them for a year or two with very little changes. Am I really to read it again...ignore that it contains no information I have not had for years before you got here...and respond to it as if you arent just gonna go back into your prewritten list of irrelevant trivia to repost as if you are talking to someone who needs to be taught anything by you?

[millwad]

And? Its not like its really a totally unheard of rate of scoring. Jordan peaked at over 44ppg spread over the minutes Wilt played that season. And he was a worse scorer when he did it than he was when he scored less in the early 90s. And im sure wilt polished his scoring as well even though he scored less later. he wasnt just incapable. So why am I worried about the number? The numbers on it are suggestive but thats about it. That 50ppg season is a combo of insane attempts, a coach request to score 50 a night even if it meant playing every minute when up or down any margin(you dont think they ever won or lost a blowout? He played every minute anyway), and of course...talent.

But all things considered its not that major. Wilt himself didnt consider it his best basketball. I mean really....if they told Oscar Robertson to take 39 shots...then 45...and 36...and 55...and 42...and 63...he would have been doing epic numbers himself(not that he didnt anyway). IT was just an odd situation. He didnt do that off just being more capable than anyone. He did it off being the only player ever asked to do it and played every minute for the express purpose of scoring a lot no matter how the game is going.

When you think about it....it was almost disrespectful.



Several players scored more than Wilt in his prime too. He was never better than in Philly. His Warrior days were just....something else. Not the best basketball he could play. Just...a strange situation.



By percentage of rebounds available...Shaq as a rookie got the equal of over 23 a game on Wilts 62 team. And thats in more than 10 fewer minutes per game.



Im not that worried about blocked shot numbers. If we put a 7'1'' 290 pound rookie Shaq(he was 283 pretty much off his natural build in school...before he was just musclebound) with his 7'8'' wingspan and athletic ability into the 60s hes gonna have some absurd blocked shot numbers too. Not sure it matters.



Everyone has off nights. But to miss 25 or so shots with those physical advantages is hard to do if you are setting out to get and make the easiest shots.



**** outta here. Ive never hated on wilt or questioned his ability. Ive defended wilt here more than probably anyone ever. I was probably making a better case in his defense 10 years ago on here than you are now.

But fact is....and he would tell you himself...he did not set out to get the best shots. He wanted to prove he was skilled. he didnt want to play physical. He hadted the perception of him as just bigger and stronger than everyone else so he would fadeaway vs guys he could go by. He was so osessed with big guys not looking like unskilled giants he wrote in his book a view from above that he would let opposing 7 footers dribble when he could steal it.....just so they...and by association he...wouldnt look bad.

Im talking about his approach to the game. I knew everything about his numbers when I was 7.



A short cut to rest and holding back due to a mental issue with being too dominant in the eyes of fans he wanted respect from...different things.

And you wonder if anyone did 50/27 in a game/ And you are telling me about the 60s?

I know just off the top of my head that Baylor had like 65/30 in the same game Wilt had 78/40 in this season. And the 78 Wilt scored broke Baylors own NBA record of 71. And the 60/30 wasnt even Baylors only 60/20 game. He had 61 and 20+ rebounds in the finals vs Boston. It was the playoff scoring record pre MJ.

Back in those days when a game might provide 140 missed shots a great player could go grab 30+ of them and not even be news worthy.

If sure you could look at Baylor, Pettit, Oscar, Russell, or Walt Bellamys game logs from 1962 it would be pretty crazy too.

Nobody is just....as good as the numbers being put up back then. And while they had great stamina to put them up...im not gonna just assume Elgin Baylor is more well conditioned than Jordan, Iverson, Lebron, KG, and Davd Robinson types.

The game simply changed. A lot.

Excellent post.

[jlauber]

Feel free to give me new information any time now. I have zero interest in your notepad copy/paste posts you make 8 times a week. You have been making them for a year or two with very little changes. Am I really to read it again...ignore that it contains no information I have not had for years before you got here...and respond to it as if you arent just gonna go back into your prewritten list of irrelevant trivia to repost as if you are talking to someone who needs to be taught anything by you?

Merely REFUTING your pointless arguments.

Wilt DOMINATED his peers like no one else in NBA history.

You continually bring up the "inflated 60's", which, in reality were SLIGHTLY higher than even TODAY's NBA. In Wilt's '62 season, the NBA averaged 118.8 ppg. Last year the NBA averaged 99.6 ppg. In MJ's highest scoring season, it was 109.9 ppg (in a league that shot .480 ...compared to Wilt's .426 season in '62.)

Yes, the rebounding numbers of the early 60's were "inflated." Today's NBA is at about 70% of Wilt's '61 season. So, using simple math, Wilt would be at around 18 rpg in TODAY's NBA.

But, let's forget about the total numbers, and let's examine the DOMINATION instead. Wilt won ELEVEN rebounding titles in his 14 seasons (and he would surely have won it in '70 had he not been injured early on.)

He won two rebounding titles by margins of +3.2 rpg, +3.3 rpg, and even +4.8 rpg over his nearest competitor's.

How about this? Bill Russell is widely regarded as the second greatest rebounder of all-time. And yet, Wilt outrebounded him by a 92-42-8 margin in their 142 H2H games. He outrebounded Russell by an eye-popping FIVE rpg over the course of their ENTIRE H2H career (28.7 to 23.7 rpg.)

He outrebounded Russell, H2H, in EVERY one of their TEN seasons in the league together. He outrebounded Russell in ALL EIGHT of their H2H post-seasons. He had ENTIRE SEASONS in which he just CRUSHED Russell by as much as FIVE per game. ENTIRE POST-SEASONS where he outrebounded Russell by as much as NINE rpg.

Single games against Russell? I have already mentioned the game in which he outrebounded him by an incredible 55-19 margin (I have often wondered what Chamberlain's Rebound PERCENTAGE was in that game!) And how about just these three games alone, in the '67 ECF's, and against Russell? In game one he outrebounded Russell, 32-15, AND, those 32 rebounds came in a game in which there were a TOTAL of 120 available rebounds (27%.) In the clinching game five win, Wilt overwhelmed Russell by a 36-21 margin, and those 36 rebounds came in a game in which there were a TOTAL of 128 rebounds (28%.) Then, in game three, Wilt outrebounded Russell, with a playoff record, 41-29, in a game in which there were a TOTAL of 134 available rebounds...or 30% of them!

How about these H2H rebounding games against Russell?

35-13 (in a game in which Wilt outscored Russell, 45-15.)
43-29 (in a game in which Wilt outscored Russell, 44-15.)
55-19 (in a game in which he outscored Russell, 34-18.)
38-20 (Wilt also outscored Russell in that game, 34-17.)
37-20 (In a playoff game in which he outscored Russell, 42-9.)
38-19 (In a Finals game in which he outscored Russell, 27-8.)
43-26 (In a game in which he outscored Russell, 27-13.)
39-16 (outscoring Russell in the process, 30-12.)
40-17 (outscoring Russell, 31-11.)
42-25 (outscoring Russell, 37-14.)
36-20 (with a 27-13 scoring margin.)
30-20 (with a 32-8 scoring edge.)
32-18 (outscoring Russell 25-13.)
31-19
32-14 ( and a 24-11 scoring edge.)
32-15 (playoff game in which he outscored Russell, 24-20.)
41-29 (playoff game in which he outscored Russell, 20-10.)
36-21 (clinching playoff game win and with a 29-4 scoring edge.)

Four straight games in the 67-68 season in which he outrebounded Russell by these margins:

27-16, 33-19, 23-12, and 27-8 (outscoring Russell, 31-3 in the process.)

And, in the 68-69 season (Russell's final season) Wilt had one regular season game in which he outrebounded Russell, 42-18, and a Finals game in which he outrebounded Russell, 31-13.


We all KNOW by now that Wilt was NEVER outrebounded in ANY of his 29 post-season series (EIGHT against Russell, FOUR against Lucas, THREE against Reed, THREE against Thurmond, TWO against Kareem, TWO against Bellamy, and one against Embry...ALL in the HOF...and THREE against Kerr, and another TWO against Beaty...BOTH multiple season All-Stars.)

He pounded Thurmond by margins of 28.5 to 26.7; 23.5 to 19.5; and 23.6 to 17.2; as well as outshooting Nate in those three series by margins of .560 to .343, .500 to .392, and .550 to .398.

I could go on, but as you can CLEARLY see, Chamberlain MURDERED his peers in the rebounding department

Scoring? Chamberlain had 24 games of 40+ points against Russell, with FIVE of 50+, and even a 62 point game. He also had an entire season of 40 ppg against HOFer Willis Reed, as well as THREE games of 50+ and a HIGH of 58. He had an entire season of 55 ppg against 6-11 HOFer Walt Bellamy, as well as THREE games of 60+ (and a HIGH game of 73 to go along with his 36 rebounds.) Hell, he had multiple 30+ games against Thurmond in there dozen or so games in Wilt's "scoring" prime (as well as a 30 point game in the '67 season, in which Wilt dumped 24 second half points on Nate.) Included in those games, was a game in which he outscored Nate, 45-13...which is undoubtably the most points Thurmond ever allowed in a game. And keep in mind that Kareem faced Thurmond in 50+ H2H games, and his HIGH game was only 34. Not only that, but Wilt had nearly as many 30+ point games against Thurmond in those handful of games in his "scoring prime" as Kareem did in his 50+ H2H games against Nate.

[Kblaze8855]

3 things...

1. Caps lock doesnt really apply emphasis when you use it every 6th word.

2. You refute nothing by giving me facts which are irrelevant. Telling me wilt got a lot of rebounds or more than others...as if it has anything to do with anything or as if I said he didnt. Or that he scored a lot...in topic listing the highest scoring season in basketball history. When this issue is how little I care what his numbers are compared to what he was doing to attain them...his numbers have no ability to make a point. but you dont know anything else. So you really have nothing to add at all.

3. I am not an uninformed 17 year old reading Wilts numbers and being floored.

I know everything that you have ever shown on the matter. You have nothing to add that I have any interest in because im not convinced you actually know anything abut the subject I dont. Not like Wilts 62 season was nationally televised. I know basketball fans old enough to have watched it in their 20s and even they only remember radio and a few playoff games.

You have no information for me at all. You have nothing but numbers, googled opinions of others which ive already read that you repost daily, and an infatuation that you suddenly developed for Wilt after you hated on 60s players a year or two earlier.

For these 3 reasons I have no reason to speak to you again on the matter.

I'll check back on you in a few months to see if you have updated your notepad file with new 3rd hand facts that likely wont be reelvant to the matter being discussed at the time.

[jlauber]

2 things...

1. Caps lock doesnt really apply emphasis when you use it every 6th word.

2. You refute nothing by giving me facts which are irrelevant. Telling me wilt got a lot of rebounds or more than others...as if it has anything to do with anything or as if I said he didnt. Or that he scored a lot...in topic listing the highest scoring season in basketball history. When this issue is how little I care what his numbers are compared to what he was doing to attain them...his numbers have no ability to make a point. but you dont know anything else. So you really have nothing to add at all.

How about this?

CHAMBERLAIN AVERAGED 50.4 PPG THAT SEASON, AND HIS NEAREST FULL TIME COMPETITOR WAS AT 31.6 PPG...OR A +18.8 SCORING MARGIN. HE FOLLOWED THAT UP WITH A 44.8 PPG SEASON, IN WHICH HIS NEAREST COMPETITOR WAS AT 34.0 PPG...OR A +10.8 SCORING MARGIN.

GIVE ME A LIST OF THE OTHER SCORING LEADERS WHO HAD A HIGHER MARGIN.

[Pointguard]

And? Its not like its really a totally unheard of rate of scoring. Jordan peaked at over 44ppg spread over the minutes Wilt played that season. And he was a worse scorer when he did it than he was when he scored less in the early 90s. And im sure wilt polished his scoring as well even though he scored less later. he wasnt just incapable. So why am I worried about the number? The numbers on it are suggestive but thats about it. That 50ppg season is a combo of insane attempts, a coach request to score 50 a night even if it meant playing every minute when up or down any margin(you dont think they ever won or lost a blowout? He played every minute anyway), and of course...talent.

You missed the two most important aspects there K. Endurance and Will Power. Talent never seems to surpass 35ppg. At 31ppg great scorers seem to level off consistently for 50 years. Once a player averaged more than that you see other qualities involved. The pace of the game helped Wilt.

IT was just an odd situation. He didnt do that off just being more capable than anyone. He did it off being the only player ever asked to do it and played every minute for the express purpose of scoring a lot no matter how the game is going.

This is the weirdest thing I find about the whole Wilt thing. Wilt's activity level doesn't even get credit. In a much faster paced game he was relentless, and went after all he could. He was like Moses Malone but more skilled. Big men rarely go all out and hustle like that. KG, Moses and Wilt rarely get play for being flat just better effort players. Rodman went after every rebound because he was robust with energy and had the endurance to do so.

By percentage of rebounds available...Shaq as a rookie got the equal of over 23 a game on Wilts 62 team. And thats in more than 10 fewer minutes per game.

It doesn't transfer like that. To get 27 rebounds and shoot 30 times it automatically means you jumped at least 70 times a game. I can't say that every center is down for that, or really could. Shaq was never the hungriest player for rebounds when he played, and never showed a supreme level with his peers. You need great energy to be 4 rebounds above the next player. Nature shows that the greats in the game have a common threshold: 31ppg and 15 rebs are the territory of those coming with extra effort.

Im not that worried about blocked shot numbers. If we put a 7'1'' 290 pound rookie Shaq(he was 283 pretty much off his natural build in school...before he was just musclebound) with his 7'8'' wingspan and athletic ability into the 60s hes gonna have some absurd blocked shot numbers too. Not sure it matters.

Once again it doesn't transfer that easy. They didn't stretch back then. No way could Shaq last jumping 70/80 times a game. Young Shaq was a marvel of an athlete but he wasn't the iron man Wilt was by any measure of the stick. I think he was just a little below average in durability in his younger years. Most of the time the games in Wilt's day were played in extra cold arenas that are like unheated college gyms today.

Everyone has off nights. But to miss 25 or so shots with those physical advantages is hard to do if you are setting out to get and make the easiest shots.

Super highs guarantee a low when you are doing something so far above any previous example. Human nature.

**** outta here. Ive never hated on wilt or questioned his ability. Ive defended wilt here more than probably anyone ever. I was probably making a better case in his defense 10 years ago on here than you are now.

K, if I show you the most phenomenal feat in the sport, and you look for the flaw in one game out of 80, you can't pretend like you playing a fair hand. Or that I'm coming at you unjustly because I call you out on it. You know this has been your calling card as of late... I don't know your past of three years ago. I respect your work and contribution, for sure, and give you props appropriately. We differ here.

But fact is....and he would tell you himself...he did not set out to get the best shots. He wanted to prove he was skilled. he didnt want to play physical. He hadted the perception of him as just bigger and stronger than everyone else so he would fadeaway vs guys he could go by. He was so osessed with big guys not looking like unskilled giants he wrote in his book a view from above that he would let opposing 7 footers dribble when he could steal it.....just so they...and by association he...wouldnt look bad.

Im talking about his approach to the game. I knew everything about his numbers when I was 7.

You know as well as I know that if Wilt played the power game they would have snatched it from him. It wasn't like Wilt didn't play it at times anyway but legislating against Wilt was the NBA's past time. There are comments of how the game was called differently for Wilt as it was. If you watched Lonnie Shelton, Darryl Dawkins and Artest Gilmore there is no indication that they would let Shaq do what he did in the 90's plus. And they hated Wilt so I tend to think he would go out like Chocolate Thunder.

And you wonder if anyone did 50/27 in a game/ And you are telling me about the 60s?

Ha, I overlooked that game cause Wilt overshadowed him. But lets not act like it happened with frequency or it's the standard on understanding the 60's cause... once is the exception. We are comparing a year's average to solo games, which is a totally bizarre premise to begin with. Wilt's season is so crazy that you have to compare it to any players best three games in their career. And if they counted blocks and steals it would be even more of a landslide for Wilt. And you can throw Baylor in there two.

If sure you could look at Baylor, Pettit, Oscar, Russell, or Walt Bellamys game logs from 1962 it would be pretty crazy too.

Anybody can have a good game or a bad game. But what's posted is a season log. And not one of those listed above has a season remotely close to Chamberlain's.

Nobody is just....as good as the numbers being put up back then. And while they had great stamina to put them up...im not gonna just assume Elgin Baylor is more well conditioned than Jordan, Iverson, Lebron, KG, and Davd Robinson types.
The game simply changed. A lot.

I agree. Elgin played part time that year so I don't consider his a feat of endurance, well basketball endurance that year. I respect Baylor's activity level big time tho. But if you look at his career, his rebounds went down sharply after his fourth year because he lost the gusto to pursue them. When Wilt was in his mid 30's he would out rebound an energized Kareem who was at his peak in rebounding.

[Pointguard]

"Perfect games?" Chamberlain has the THREE highest in NBA history (15-15, 16-16, and 18-18). BTW, Wilt also holds the record of 35 straight made FGAs.

That scrub, and to think that he did it with skill instead of power.

[Pointguard]

There have been 131 30-30 games in NBA HISTORY. The entire NBA COMBINED, in it's entire HISTORY, has 28. Wilt had 103. By the way, Kareem played four seasons in the same NBA with Wilt. Late in Wilt's career, in his 71-72, Chamberlain hung TWO 30-30 games (including a 31-32 game against 6-11 HOFer Bob Lanier.) Which is interesting, because Kareem played 20 seasons, and only had ONE 30-30 game in his ENTIRE CAREER.

How about 40-30 games? The ENTIRE NBA, in it's entire HISTORY, has SIX...COMBINED. How about Wilt? 55 (and 17 just against Russell alone.)

How about 50-30 games? Wilt had 22 (as well as 50-35 game against Russell in the '60 ECF's)...the rest of the ENTIRE NBA, 2...COMBINED!

60-30 games? The rest of the NBA...two...COMBINED. Wilt? SEVEN by himself.

40-40 games? Wilt with EIGHT (including a 44-42 game against Russell)...and the rest of the NBA? ZERO.

50-40 games? Chamberlain with FOUR...and you guess it, the rest of the NBA...ZERO.

How about 50 point games? Wilt with 122, and his nearest competitor, MJ, with 39.

How about 60+ point games. The rest of the NBA, in it's entire history...30. Wilt? 32 (including three of the four highest FG%'s games...and THE highest game of 29-35 or .829.) And he also had a 62 point game against Russell, and on 27-45 shooting. And he had THREE 60+ point games just against 6-11 HOFer Walt Bellamy.

How about 70+ point games. The rest of the NBA, combined...FOUR. Chamberlain? SIX, including a 73-36 game against HOFer Bellamy.

40+ rebound games? Chamberlain with 15...the rest of the NBA combined... 13. Included in those games were a game in which Wilt outrebounded Russell, 55-19, and a playoff game in which he outrebounded Russell, 41-29.

"Perfect games?" Chamberlain has the THREE highest in NBA history (15-15, 16-16, and 18-18). BTW, Wilt also holds the record of 35 straight made FGAs.

How about a 20-20-20 game? Yep, ONLY Wilt, (22 points, 25 rebounds, and 21 assists.) Hell, Wilt even had a 53 point, 32 rebound, 14 assist game (and on 24-29 shooting from the field.) He also had a 24-32-13-12 (on 9-13 shooting) against Russell in the '67 ECF's.

Thanks JL, you supplemented my argument well with this post. I see somebody else got a 50/30 game.

If you wanted a real comparison you would have to take Wilt's best seven year averages and compare it to the top 10 centers best 10 games ever and do it over 50 times. Its mind boggling. In no mathematical world would 550 samples be of a higher average than ten of the best of another sample would the science be considered equal. Sure factors change but they don't change ThaT dam much.

[Horatio33]

If Wilt was averaging 48.5 minutes a game, How many blowouts was he involved in that that he was stat padding? I'm sure every game wasn't a last second buzzer beater. So he stayed in games to get his average up.

Also Kblaze came with more hits than the Braves and the Yankees.

[Asukal]

These Wilt stans are disgusting. You guys are much older than any other stans, show some class ffs. Wilt's 50ppg season is amazing and all but it has its downsides as well so please stop with the overrating bs. Jlauber you yourself admitted that Wilt wouldn't be able to score 50ppg in a season if he played today.

[Pointguard]

These Wilt stans are disgusting. You guys are much older than any other stans, show some class ffs. Wilt's 50ppg season is amazing and all but it has its downsides as well so please stop with the overrating bs. Jlauber you yourself admitted that Wilt wouldn't be able to score 50ppg in a season if he played today.

Where is the over-rating??? Nobody is going to respect you if you just rant and don't back yourself up. If you have a problem with somebody quote them and address it.

[Sarcastic]

First 3 games, back to back to back. 48-57-53

His low game for the year was 26.