Remember when Wilt...

[trojanfan12]

yep. defending the paint was something DEAD serious for bigs back in the day...

drive the lane and take your chances lol...

The "no layups rule" was no joke.

 

[trojanfan12]

felt the same about my Celtics and growing up in so-cal I was fighting for my life on the daily....lol

One of my closest friends in the 80's was a die-hard Celtics fan. There used to be a bar in Orange that we would go to for all Lakers/Celtics games. The place was usually about a 60/40 split between Lakers and Celtics fans. It was an absolute blast. Free buffet and $2.00 32 oz. beers.

After the game, there was usually a live band and women would start showing up. Talk about a great time.

Amazingly, there was never a fight, not even once.

 

[trojanfan12]

That's what happened to MJ (not the flopping part). He kept getting hammered by Detroit , then Stern implemented the flagrant foul rule the following season. Admitted he should have a few years before that.

Yep, the original "Jordan Rules" were started by the Bad Boys and there really was only 1 rule. Blast him anytime he gets within 5 feet of the hoop.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Hey Trojan - if you see Lakers+USC - tell him to send me a private message

 

[HuskerCradle2Grave]

I would take McHale. McHale was a better scorer. Had he been on a team that didn't have other scorers such as Bird, DJ, Ainge, Parrish, etc. he would very likely have been one of the highest scoring players in the game. Shaq had the advantage of being bigger and stronger than everyone else, but he also typically only had one other player on his team that he had to share shots with.

I agree that he could only play who was on the court at the time, but that doesn't change the fact that the competition wasn't the same.

As for the talent being less watered down, that is also a fallacy. In Russell's era, the NBA didn't have anywhere near the popularity that it has enjoyed in the "modern era". The result of this is that the best athletes, many of whom now look to basketball and the NBA, were more likely to play baseball or football.

Nothing but speculation on your part saying that McHale would have been one of the highest scoring players in the game. McHale was the number 2 guy on those teams. He wasn't giving up shots to DJ, DA or RP. You take "the better scorerer" (how I like BTW). I will take Shaq and his 5 more PPG. All other things being equal, my team wins by 5...

 

[HuskerCradle2Grave]

I would take McHale. McHale was a better scorer. Had he been on a team that didn't have other scorers such as Bird, DJ, Ainge, Parrish, etc. he would very likely have been one of the highest scoring players in the game. Shaq had the advantage of being bigger and stronger than everyone else, but he also typically only had one other player on his team that he had to share shots with.

I agree that he could only play who was on the court at the time, but that doesn't change the fact that the competition wasn't the same.

As for the talent being less watered down, that is also a fallacy. In Russell's era, the NBA didn't have anywhere near the popularity that it has enjoyed in the "modern era". The result of this is that the best athletes, many of whom now look to basketball and the NBA, were more likely to play baseball or football.

True. But if you don't think there were 96 superior athletes in the U.S. that would choose to play basketball, you are high...

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Bill Russell's height is listed at 6' 10" everyone and the man was part of 11 championships - That is saying a lot more than any player mentioned in here

 

[HuskerCradle2Grave]

I just think it is kinda funny. BR haters/Wilt fans blast the competition yet don't realize that it minimizes Wilt too. Because if BR played lousy competition so did Wilt...

 

[Black Adam]

1st of all a SHOUT OUT to Dick Bevetta...BEST NBA Ref alltime!


2nd...The shot that ended Rudy T's career from Kermit Washington...DEVESTATING! Fast forward if you want too..

The Kermit Washington Story - Redemption 4 of 7 - YouTube

i remember this. he ended up writing a book about it. damn near killed Rudy T...

 

[trojanfan12]

Nothing but speculation on your part saying that McHale would have been one of the highest scoring players in the game. McHale was the number 2 guy on those teams. He wasn't giving up shots to DJ, DA or RP. You take "the better scorerer" (how I like BTW). I will take Shaq and his 5 more PPG. All other things being equal, my team wins by 5...

Not sure how old you are, but I saw those old Celtics a lot and McHale was giving up shots. That's how the game was played back then.

On a team where he was the consistent #1 option, McHale would have has a much higher average. Just like Worthy with the Lakers. He likely would have won several scoring titles had he been on a team where he was the #1 option every night rather than sharing shots with Kareem, B. Scott and Magic. Instead, he accepted fewer points per game in exchange for championships.

Some of the best players in the game from back then say that McHale was one of the toughest guys in the league to cover. He has some post moves that would have Shaq suffering from motion sickness if he tried them.

 

[trojanfan12]

True. But if you don't think there were 96 superior athletes in the U.S. that would choose to play basketball, you are high...

It wasn't anywhere close to the 96 superior athletes that the league gets now. In Russell's era, the NBA was a distant 4th behind baseball, football and Olympic sports.

 

[Jims_Doors]

Oh please cant we have a little fun? or is this illegal on the Hoop? Cheer up don't take it to the heart.

DJ MBenga>>>>>>>>Bill Russell

translation:

I'm trying to smoke Hammers cock by saying how bad BR was.

 

[HuskerCradle2Grave]

It wasn't anywhere close to the 96 superior athletes that the league gets now. In Russell's era, the NBA was a distant 4th behind baseball, football and Olympic sports.

Well, until someone invents a time machine, I guess we will never really know...

 

[trojanfan12]

Well, until someone invents a time machine, I guess we will never really know...

That's part of the fun of these conversations. It's all speculation with no real way of knowing for sure.

 

[Wazmankg]

Not sure how old you are, but I saw those old Celtics a lot and McHale was giving up shots. That's how the game was played back then.

On a team where he was the consistent #1 option, McHale would have has a much higher average. Just like Worthy with the Lakers. He likely would have won several scoring titles had he been on a team where he was the #1 option every night rather than sharing shots with Kareem, B. Scott and Magic. Instead, he accepted fewer points per game in exchange for championships.

Some of the best players in the game from back then say that McHale was one of the toughest guys in the league to cover. He has some post moves that would have Shaq suffering from motion sickness if he tried them.

Yeah McHale was one of the toughest to cover down low. He had some insane, contortionist low post moves. That team had 4 scorers, though. Hard to say how many he would have scored as the #1 option.

 

[LALakersboy24.7]

translation:

I'm trying to smoke Hammers cock by saying how bad BR was.

Oh look JD thinks he came up with a relevant joke. How impressive, it must make you finally feel like a real man, oh wait you're a bitch that likes to call real men "Chico".

You must really love cock, don't you ?? :bj:

 

[trojanfan12]

Yeah McHale was one of the toughest to cover down low. He had some insane, contortionist low post moves. That team had 4 scorers, though. Hard to say how many he would have scored as the #1 option.

Dude was so gangly and he just did everything sort of "wrong". But it worked because defenders could never really figure out what the hell he was doing.

He used to just frustrate the hell out of guys who were superior athletes. Used to get a kick out of it except when he was doing it to my Lakers.

 

[LogicMan]

Remember when Wilt won a playoff series against the Celtics?

He did win one didn't he? I mean at least one?

Sorry Trojan, had to remind Hammer that Peyton was not the only one to loose so many playoffs games.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

No one could single-highhandedly stop Wilt...no one...but I don't see that as a slight to Bill Russell...he was not his peer as an individual player, but Russell knew exactly what his teams needed from him and he excelled at those things and they often beat the Chamberlin lead teams. Russell made the Celtics the mountain that Wilt could not conquer...without him, Wilt easily has 10 NBA titles.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Not sure how old you are, but I saw those old Celtics a lot and McHale was giving up shots. That's how the game was played back then.

On a team where he was the consistent #1 option, McHale would have has a much higher average. Just like Worthy with the Lakers. He likely would have won several scoring titles had he been on a team where he was the #1 option every night rather than sharing shots with Kareem, B. Scott and Magic. Instead, he accepted fewer points per game in exchange for championships.

Some of the best players in the game from back then say that McHale was one of the toughest guys in the league to cover. He has some post moves that would have Shaq suffering from motion sickness if he tried them.

McHale definitely would've been a bigger scorer if he were not the 3rd or 4th option...same with Worthy, but they were perfect in the roles they had. I'm not sure if they had the complete game to be dominant in this era.