Postseason dominance was Wilt Chamberlain’s specialty. For whatever reason, a lot of hoops fans claim that Wilt “sucked” throughout the postseason. Yes, and according to certain “deep thinkers,” the earth is flat.
Between the 1959–60 and 1966–67 postseasons, Wilt Chamberlain averaged 30.4 points, 27.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in 67 games. In the playoffs, Wilt averaged 8.3 blocks per game, according to box scores that included blocked shots. Wilt also made 51.5% of his field goals while constantly being hand-checked, double- and triple-teamed, and mugged.
You would consider a player with those stats during the playoffs on your club to be a deity!
In the latter part of his career, Wilt abandoned his scoring attempts in response to criticism that he scored too many goals (?). Instead, he concentrated on passing and other aspects of the game. Still, these were Wilt’s lifetime postseason averages, despite the fact that he didn’t try to score for half of his career and that he had knee problems as he grew older:
In 160 postseason games, Wilt Chamberlain averaged 24.5 rebounds, 22.5 points, 4.2 assists, and around 8.3 blocks per game.
In 160 postseason games, Wilt Chamberlain averaged 24.5 rebounds, 22.5 points, 4.2 assists, and around 8.3 blocks per game.
Like he did in the regular season, Wilt dominated in the postseason, but basketball is a team sport, and he was just one man. The Celtics, led by Bill Russell, were a superteam, which is how they won 11 rings in 13 seasons.
It is erroneous to say that Bill Russell “shut down” the Big Dipper.
It is erroneous to say that Bill Russell “shut down” the Big Dipper.
In 94 games against Russell, Chamberlain averaged 30.0 points and 28.2 rebounds. You would label the center of your preferred NBA team as the greatest of all time if he averaged 30 points and 28 rebounds a game, and Wilt was accomplishing this against the best defensive center in history!
