Our next match features two powerhouse franchises who have won the past two NBA championships. They’ve taken different approaches in earning their nine combined rings: Golden State has had intermittent periods of success spread out over 70 years of franchise history, while San Antonio has had one sustained run of dominance, where they secured five championships over 16 seasons. Who has the advantage in the highly anticipated matchup between the All-Time San Antonio Spurs vs. All-Time Golden State Warriors?
Key Matchups
Golden State’s firepower vs. San Antonio’s defensive might: Golden State is one of the most explosive teams in our tournament, with ALL FIVE STARTERS having led the league in scoring at some point in their Warriors career, along with a sixth scoring champion off the bench from the league’s earliest days (Joe Fulks). They feature perhaps the greatest shooter in NBA history (Stephen Curry), along with arguably the greatest inside scorer ever (Wilt Chamberlain, who averaged 41.5 PPG in his six seasons with the franchise). They have a wealth of shooting depth beyond Curry (Paul Arizin, Rick Barry, Chris Mullin), and a Hall-of-Fame offensive (Neil Johnston) and defensive (Nate Thurmond) big man to support Chamberlain. They also have perimeter playmakers (Curry, Barry, Tim Hardaway, Guy Rodgers) who will facilitate ball movement and offensive flow. No team can contain this group, but San Antonio is better equipped than most to withstand a potential offensive onslaught. Tim Duncan and David Robinson are two of the greatest defensive big men in NBA history; in their six seasons together, the Spurs ranked first (2 times), second (3 times), and third (one time) in defensive rating. Kawhi Leonard has developed into the best defender in the current NBA, and will see time on all of Golden State’s perimeter options. Alvin Robertson was the greatest thief in modern NBA history, standing as the all-time leader in steals per game and steals percentage, which will cause problems for Curry and his sometimes loose ball protection. Even though the Spurs have two former scoring champions on their team (Robinson and George Gervin), they must slow the games down to have a chance to win this series.
Battle of the Big Men: Duncan and Robinson were perhaps the greatest ‘Twin Towers’ duo in NBA history, capturing two titles together and dominating opponents defensively. While those two are used to playing with one another, Chamberlain and Johnston will have to adjust to each other’s tendencies. Chamberlain will also have to adjust to playing with a team with so much perimeter firepower; his later days with the 76ers and the Lakers proved he could take a back seat, but the Warriors version of Wilt was a one-man wrecking crew who was the most dominant offensive force in league history. He won’t get the ball on as many possessions as he’s used to, and will have to help set up his teammates for easier baskets.
Golden State’s three-point shooting advantage: The Warriors have the ability to blow opponents away from long range. Curry, Arizin, Barry, Hardaway, Jeff Mullins, and Chris Mullin have the ability to spread the floor like the modern-day Warriors team. San Antonio will be forced to play Chamberlain straight up without double-teaming, to avoid leaving these shooters open, though they are better equipped to deal with him than most teams. The Spurs have Manu Ginobili and Leonard as their best outside threats, but their other perimeter stars were more comfortable with penetrating and breaking down opposing defenses (especially Tony Parker and James Silas).
San Antonio’s coaching: Gregg Popovich has ascended to the top of the all-time coaching ranks. He has continually remade San Antonio’s offense over a nineteen year period, and kept them in contention throughout. Al Attles experienced great success with Golden State, but Popovich has a proven ability to maximize talent and get the most out of his players.
X-Factor
Pace: Though San Antonio can play different styles, they don’t want to run-and-gun with the Warriors. While Golden State will start two big men, expect them to utilize a few lineups where Chamberlain is surrounded by four perimeter players. Barry and Tom Gola can both initiate the offense from the forward position, and they have a slew of guards and wings to space the floor. Will San Antonio stick with their Twin Towers lineup when Golden State goes small? Who would Duncan or Robinson guard in this scenario? How would Golden State guard San Antonio in this setup? Speaking of which…
Golden State’s defense: While the Warriors are known for their offensive exploits, their defense will play a key factor in this series. Chamberlain, Nate Thurmond, and Gola are their best defenders, and they’ll be tasked with slowing down San Antonio’s explosive frontcourt. San Antonio’s perimeter players will face less resistance, however, as Golden State’s guards weren’t known for their work on the defensive end of the floor.
Results
This series lives up to the hype. The teams go back and forth as both coaches make adjustments to their rotations. Kawhi Leonard and Nate Thurmond are both inserted into the starting lineups for defensive purposes as the series progresses. The seventh and final game goes into overtime, as these two teams prove to be dead even. Although the Spurs have one of the best defensive units in the tournament, the Warriors have too many weapons to contain. Golden State advances.
This week, Stephen Curry became the first unanimous MVP in NBA history. There are many reasons for this distinction, including Golden State’s record-breaking win total, transparency in the voting process, and, above all else, Curry’s dominance on the court. Although Curry was the first unanimous MVP, he wasn’t the first player who deserved to be honored as such. Considering that voters have traditionally valued a mixture of individual and team dominance, how many other players in history deserved this honor? I identified eight players who should have earned this distinction over 11 dominant seasons.
Stephen Curry, 2015-16
Team Record: 73-9 (NBA record for wins)
Key Stats: 30.1 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 6.7 APG, 2.1 SPG, 0.2 BPG, 50.4 FG%, 45.4 3FG%, 90.8 FT%, 31.5 PER, .318 WS/48
League Leader in: PPG, SPG, FT%, FG, 3FGM (NBA record), PER, WS, WS/48, TS%
Commentary: One of the most awe-inspiring seasons in NBA history.
LeBron James, 2012-13
Team Record: 66-16
Key Stats: 26.8 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 7.3 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.9 BPG, 56.5 FG%, 40.6 3FG%, 75.3 FT%, 31.6 PER, .322 WS/48
League Leader in: FG, PER, WS, WS/48
Commentary: We don’t have to go too far back to identify another player who deserved this distinction. LeBron was on top of his game that season, and he led Miami to a 27-game winning streak and the best record in basketball through his dominant play. He fell one vote shy of unanimity, as one voter somehow cast a first-place vote for Carmelo Anthony. However, his performance was deserving of a unanimous MVP selection.
LeBron James, 2009-10
Team Record: 61-21
Key Stats: 29.7 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 8.6 APG, 1.6 SPG, 1.0 BPG, 50.3 FG%, 33.3 3FG%, 76.7 FT%, 31.1 PER, .299 WS/48
League Leader in: PER, WS, WS/48
Commentary: Unfortunately, this season is not remembered fondly, due to the shocking upset that Cleveland suffered at the hands of the Celtics in the Conference Semifinals. Since MVP awards are only based on regular season performance, this still makes the list. Cleveland had the best record in the league, James was the best player in the league, and he even set an NBA record for assists per game by a forward while averaging close to 30 points per game. Kevin Durant and Dwight Howard split the seven votes that LeBron did not receive, but it’s hard to make a case for anybody but LeBron in his last season before taking his talents to South Beach.
Shaquille O’Neal, 1999-2000
Team Record: 67-15
Key Stats: 29.7 PPG, 13.6 RPG, 3.8 APG, 0.5 SPG, 3.0 BPG, 57.4 FG%, 0 3FG%, 52.4 FT%, 30.6 PER, .283 WS/48
League Leader in: PTS, PPG, FG, FG%, PER, WS, WS/48
Commentary: A healthy, motivated Shaq was one of the scariest players in NBA history. He put it all together in 1999-00, leading the Lakers to the best record in basketball and embarrassing opponents on a nightly basis. One lonely voter inexplicably voted for Allen Iverson over O’Neal, but everyone else recognized that nobody could touch Shaq that year. This is an absolutely clear-cut case.
Michael Jordan, 1995-96
Team Record: 72-10
Key Stats: 30.4 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 4.3 APG, 2.2 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 49.5 FG%, 42.7 3FG%, 83.4 FT%, 29.4 PER, .317 WS/48
League Leader in: PTS, PPG, FG, WS, WS/48
Commentary: Though this wasn’t Michael’s best season, it marked his first full one since his baseball sabbatical, and he led the Bulls to a then-NBA record for wins. Proving that he was still the best player in the game, Jordan surpassed the 30 PPG barrier for the final time in his career, and added another all-NBA first-team defense honor to his mantle. Anfernee Hardaway, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Karl Malone split the votes that did not go to Jordan, but it’s hard to make a case for any of them to have won the award.
Team Record: 61-21
Key Stats: 31.5 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 5.5 APG, 2.7 SPG, 1.0 BPG, .539 FG%, 31.2 3FG%, 85.1 FT%, 31.6 PER, .321 WS/48
League Leader in: PTS, PPG, FG, PER, WS, WS/48
Commentary: The start of the Bulls dynasty. Jordan was in peak form, blending his individual talents into a team framework expertly. His advanced statistics from this year were some of the greatest ever, which wasn’t appreciated by voters at the time (19 votes were cast for other candidates).
Team Record: 67-15
Key Stats: 25.8 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 6.8 APG, 2.0 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 49.6 FG%, 42.3 3FG%, 89.6 FT%, 25.6 PER, .244 WS/48
League Leader in: FT%, 3FGM, PER, WS, WS/48
Commentary: In 1985-86, Bird led the Celtics to a league-leading 67 wins, and an NBA record 40-1 home record. This was the last of the three straight MVPs he won in the mid-80s, and also the most convincing; Dominique Wilkins was the only other player to receive any first-place votes (five).
Team Record: 53-29
Key Stats: 26.2 PPG, 13.3 RPG, 3.9 APG, 1.2 SPG, 3.2 BPG, 57.9 FG%, 70.1 FT%, 27.8 PER, .283 WS/48
League Leader in: FG, FG%, REB, BLK, PER, WS, WS/48
Commentary: In his second season in Los Angeles, Kareem led the Lakers to the best record in basketball. A look at the voting that year shows how different basketball analysis was before the advent of advanced statistics. Jo Jo White and Norm Van Lier both received first-place votes with PERs that were below league average. A whopping 14 different players received first-place votes, despite Jabbar’s dominance. Even though the Lakers would get swept by Portland in the Western Conference Finals, Kareem’s regular season was (by far) the most impactful in the league.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 1970-71
Team Record: 66-16
Key Stats: 31.7 PPG, 16.0 RPG, 3.3 APG, 57.7 FG%, 69.0 FT%, 29.0 PER, .326 WS/48
League Leader in: PTS, PPG, FG, PER, WS, WS/48
Commentary: Kareem kicked off one of the most dominant three-year stretches in NBA history with his first of six MVP awards. The Bucks had 14 more wins than their next closest competitor, and Jabbar had the second highest WS/48 in league history (his 71-72 campaign is the highest, while his 72-73 season is the fourth highest). Somehow, teammate Oscar Robertson received five first-place votes, and three others received a combined 15 more first-place votes.
Team Record: 68-13
Key Stats: 24.1 PPG, 24.2 RPG, 7.8 APG, 68.3 FG%, 44.1 FT%, 26.5 PER, .285 WS/48
League Leader in: FG%, REB, RPG, PER, WS, WS/48, TS%
Commentary: Can you imagine if the internet existed in 1967? Players were still voting for the league’s MVP, and 15 somehow voted for Nate Thurmond over the best player on the best team in league history (at the time). Fans would have gone crazy, and basketball twitter would have been insufferable. Chamberlain did it all that year, and finally earned his first NBA championship in the process.
George Mikan, 1950-51 (no award given at this time)
Team Record: 44-24
Key Stats: 28.4 PPG, 14.1 RPG, 3.1 APG, 42.8 FG%, 80.3 FT%, 23.4 WS
League Leader in: PTS, PPG, FG, FT, WS
Commentary: Back in the day before PER and WS/48 could be calculated, and before MVPs were awarded, George Mikan stood above his peers. In 50-51, he led the Lakers to the best record in basketball, though it wound up being the only season in a six-year stretch where they did not win the championship. Only three players that season averaged more than 20 PPG, and Mikan averaged almost seven PPG more than his closest competitor. He also led the league in both offensive and defensive win shares.
Others under Consideration
Several other noteworthy seasons can be argued for inclusion as well, though they were omitted from this author’s list.
LeBron James, 2011-12
LeBron’s first championship season came during the 2012 lockout. He was clearly the best player in the world, but his team had a pedestrian 46-20 record, which was fourth best in the league.
LeBron James, 2008-09
This was a tough omission; LeBron led the Cavaliers to a league-best 66-16 season, and had one of the great advanced statistical seasons in history. However, Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade also had otherworldly seasons, and Kobe Bryant led the Lakers to 65 wins (and an eventual championship).
Kevin Garnett, 2003-04
KG led the Wolves to the best record in the Western Conference, and led the league in points, rebounds, RPG, field goals, PER, win shares, and WS/48. The Spurs were only one game off their pace, however, and Tim Duncan put up another stellar campaign, so it was conceivable for him to get a few first-place votes that year (in reality, Duncan didn’t receive any votes, while Jermaine O’Neal and Peja Stojakovic combined to earn three).
Michael Jordan, 1991-92
Jordan’s Bulls won 67 games that year, and he took the mantle as the undisputed biggest star in basketball with Magic Johnson’s premature retirement that preseason. While this was his lowest scoring output (30.1 PPG) of the stretch where he won seven scoring titles in a row, he was still the most efficient player in basketball, leading the league in PER, WS, and WS/48. However, advanced stat marvel David Robinson was very close to him in these categories, and Clyde Drexler had a fantastic season as well.
Magic Johnson, 1986-87
In Magic’s first MVP season, he led the Lakers to a league-best 65-17 record and averaged a career-high 23.9 PPG along with a league-leading 12.2 APG. This was a compelling case for a unanimous selection, but brilliant seasons from Larry Bird and young Michael Jordan prevented it from being included on the above list.
Larry Bird, 1984-85
Bird led the Celtics to the league’s best record in 1984-85, and had the best advanced statistics in the league. However, Magic Johnson’s Lakers were only one game off their pace, with Magic putting up 18.3 PPG/6.2 RPG/12.6 APG. Michael Jordan and Terry Cummings (!) also received two first-place votes each.
Moses Malone, 1982-83
In Moses’s first season in Philadelphia, he led the Sixers to the best record in basketball and a dominating playoff run that ended in a title. While he could have been unanimously selected, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson were also carrying their teams to high win totals, and it’s not egregious that they received a few votes (Julius Erving’s three first-place votes are harder to defend).
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 1971-72
How does one of the greatest individual seasons in NBA history not get included? Kareem averaged 34.8 PPG, 16.6 RPG, and 4.6 APG, and led the Bucks to 63 wins. However, the Lakers were historically great that year, winning 33 games in a row on route to a then-record 69 victories. L.A.’s Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain split 80 first-place votes between them, while Kareem garnered 81 to take home the trophy.
Wilt Chamberlain, 1965-66
Wilt was the best statistical player in the league that year (averaging a comical 33.5 PPG, 24.6 RPG, and 5.2 APG), and led Philadelphia to the best record in the league. Dominant seasons from Jerry West and Oscar Robertson put his unanimous MVP claim into question.
Wilt Chamberlain, 1961-62
Considering Wilt didn’t even win the MVP award that year (finishing far behind Bill Russell), it’s hard to make a claim that he deserved unanimous selection. However, averaging 50.4 PPG and 25.7 RPG means you at least deserve honorable mention for this list.
Bob Pettit, 1958-59
Pettit was far and away the most efficient player in the league that year (his league-leading 28.2 PER was 4.6 points ahead of the next closest competitor). The Celtics, however, had the best record in the league, and it’s conceivable that Bill Russell received first-place MVP votes.
George Mikan, 1952-53 (no award given)
George Mikan, 1949-50 (no award given)
It’s unfortunate that the league did not award an MVP until the 1955-56 season. Mikan surely would have cleaned up during this time, and two of his most dominating seasons are highlighted here. However, in 1952-53, Bob Cousy would have likely garnered some votes, and in 1949-50 Alex Groza may have siphoned some away as well.
Our next matchup features two teams who have played in the same division for the past 67 seasons, and who’ve had 440 regular season battles as of this posting. They’ve also met 10 times in the playoffs, though only two of those series have had a deciding, winner-takes-all game (both in the early 1950s). Considering their proximity to each other (in location), and the frequency of their matches, this should be a celebrated NBA rivalry. Though their real-life matches have failed to live up to these expectations, the battle between the All-Time Philadelphia 76ers vs. All-Time New York Knicks is highly anticipated, and should ignite the two franchises’ fan bases.
Key Matchups
Battle of Hall-of-Fame frontcourts: These two teams feature a number of Hall-of-Fame and all-star level performers in their frontcourts. Philadelphia starts perhaps the greatest frontcourt in this tournament, with three legends who were all MVP-level performers (Julius Erving, Charles Barkley, and Wilt Chamberlain). They also feature one of the deepest frontcourt benches, with four Hall-of-Famers coming off the bench along with Bobby Jones, one of the greatest defensive players in NBA history. New York’s frontcourt is also impressive, featuring two former scoring champions splitting time at small forward (Bernard King and Carmelo Anthony), a two-time NBA Finals MVP (Willis Reed), and a member of the 50 Greatest Players list (Patrick Ewing). They also have three Hall-of-Fame frontcourt players coming off their bench, and in total have a whopping six players on their roster who averaged a double-double (scoring and rebounding) with the franchise.
Defensive stalwarts: With so much offensive talent on each team’s roster, the defensive aces on both sides will see big minutes in this series. Walt Frazier, arguably New York’s best all-around player, will have to chase around the lightning-quick Allen Iverson. Dave DeBusschere, one of the NBA’s greatest defensive forwards, will see plenty of minutes against Charles Barkley, Dolph Schayes, and Billy Cunningham. Philadelphia’s Maurice Cheeks will play alongside both Iverson and Hal Greer, and will take turns defending New York’s high-scoring guards (Frazier, Richie Guerin, and Earl Monroe). Bobby Jones will see time against the Knicks’ small forwards (King and Anthony) and their bruising power players (including Reed and Harry Gallatin).
Biggest Mismatches
Philadelphia’s athleticism advantage: The Sixers have one of the most athletic teams in the tournament. Erving, Chamberlain, Barkley, and Iverson were all exceptional athletes in the starting lineup, in addition to Andre Iguodala, Chet Walker, and Billy Cunningham off the bench. New York does not have the same assortment of athletes, and will need to slow down the tempo of the games to compete.
X-Factor
The Answer: can Allen Iverson become a pass-first distributor? Iverson is one of the most ball-dominant players in NBA history, with the third highest career usage percentage since this statistic has been tracked (starting in 1978). While he was used to playing with non-offensive threats in his days in Philly, he’s now on a team that features some of the biggest names in NBA history. How will he adjust to being a secondary option? Will he get their dominant frontcourt players enough shots for their liking as the de facto point guard in the starting lineup?
New York keeps the series close against Philadelphia, and Walt Frazier harasses Iverson into a few horrendous shooting nights. With the series tied at two, player-coach Billy Cunningham replaces Iverson in the starting lineup with Mo Cheeks, and the offense runs smoothly through their Hall-of-Fame frontcourt. Iverson proves to be terrific in the sixth man role, and the Sixers clinch in six.
Our next matchup, the All-Time Los Angeles Lakers vs. All-Time Portland Trail Blazers, features two annual Western Conference contenders who have engaged in a fairly one-sided rivalry over the past 45 seasons. Things started off promising for Portland in their magical 1977 season, when they swept the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals on their way to the only championship in franchise history. Since then, however, they’ve lost nine of 10 playoff series to L.A., including two brutal Western Conference Finals losses in 1991 (when they had the best record in the league) and 2000 (when they blew a 16 point lead in game seven and launched the Shaq-Kobe mini-dynasty). Will things be any different in our tournament? Here’s how the franchises match up.
Key Matchups
L.A.’s wings vs. Portland’s power forwards: The Lakers have one natural power forward on the roster, Vern Mikkelsen, and two other players who can play at the four (James Worthy and Elgin Baylor). Portland features a deep collection of power forwards (LaMarcus Aldridge, Rasheed Wallace, Maurice Lucas, and Sidney Wicks), who will all earn minutes alongside their pair of centers (Bill Walton and Arvydas Sabonis). The Lakers will experiment with certain Twin Towers lineups, but will generally have one big on the floor with their collection of wings. Can Portland exploit the Lakers when they play small? Magic Johnson, the Lakers’ jack-of-all trades, will help to minimize any size disadvantage that Baylor or Worthy have against Portland’s power forwards.
Walton and Sabonis vs. L.A.’s Hall-of-Fame big men: The Blazers feature the best passing big man duo in the tournament. Bill Walton, their great but oft-injured center, was also an elite defender, and Sabonis was one of the bigger players in NBA history. They’re going to have their hands full with the greatest collection of centers ever assembled. The Lakers feature legends Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, George Mikan, Shaquille O’Neal, and Wilt Chamberlain, who will all share minutes and provide different looks for the opposition. Walton will have to avoid foul trouble for Portland to have any realistic chance of competing.
Biggest Mismatches
L.A.’s star power vs. Portland’s star power: The Lakers feature eight of the greatest players in NBA history. Their other four roster spots belong to four run-of-the-mill Hall of Fame players. The Blazers feature the Hall-of-Fame duo of Clyde Drexler and Bill Walton, surrounded by a mix of all-star players, but they’re outmatched by L.A.’s dominant legends.
X-Factor
How will the Lakers’ high-scoring stars co-exist with one another? The Lakers have many players who are used to having the ball in their hands, particularly in their starting lineup. Coach Pat Riley has a unique challenge getting them to blend their talents together. Who will willingly take on a supporting role? Will Kobe Bryant, Jerry West, and Elgin Baylor complement each other, or will their minutes have to be staggered to maximize their effectiveness?
Results
After getting a bye in the first round, Los Angeles uses this round to work out the kinks and settle their rotation. The Magic Man leads them to an expected victory.
Our next Sweet Sixteen match features two teams who have embraced the modern day basketball revolution. The Warriors, featuring the best shooting backcourt (and team) in NBA history, are in the middle of an historic two-year stretch of dominance. The Rockets, led by General Manager Daryl Morey, have helped to popularize the analytics movement, and have built an annual contender around these principles. Despite these similarities, both of their all-time teams are built from the inside-out, with dominant big men serving as the primary option on each squad. Who has the advantage between the All-Time Golden State Warriors vs. All-Time Houston Rockets?
Key Matchups
Battle of the starting big men: Each team features a Twin Towers configuration in their starting lineup with two of the greatest big men in NBA history. The Warriors feature the indomitable Wilt Chamberlain, the greatest scoring machine in league history, alongside Neil Johnston, a pioneering big man who was one of the best players of his generation. The Rockets feature the legendary Hakeem Olajuwon, one of the greatest all-around centers in league history, alongside Moses Malone, the greatest offensive rebounder who ever lived. The matchup between Chamberlain and Olajuwon will be particularly noteworthy, as they are two of the most athletic big men to ever play the game.
Golden State’s three-point shooting advantage: The Warriors feature some of the best shooters in NBA history. Stephen Curry is the all-time leader in single season three pointers made, and he’s on pace to shatter that record in the 2015-16 season. Paul Arizin was one of the best shooters of his era, and Rick Barry had tremendous range from the small forward position. Off the bench, Chris Mullin and Tim Hardaway were also excellent three point shooting threats. The Rockets feature Kenny Smith, one of the better shooters of his era, but they don’t have many other options to compete with Golden State from the outside.
Houston’s athleticism advantage on the wing: While Clyde Drexler and Tracy McGrady weren’t great shooters with Houston (shooting 33.9% and 32.2% from downtown with the team, respectively), they were tremendous athletes who could overwhelm their opponents in an open court game. Arizin was a great athlete for his era, but he and Barry do not have the size or athleticism to stop the Houston duo without help from their big men.
Houston’s big man depth: In addition to Olajuwon and Malone, Houston features a slew of Hall-of-Fame and all-star big men off the bench. They will attempt to frustrate Chamberlain with behemoths Yao Ming and Ralph Sampson, and will also substitute in Elvin Hayes and Rudy Tomjanovich to play alongside their centers. Golden State will give plenty of minutes to Hall-of-Famer Nate Thurmond, a defensive specialist, alongside Chamberlain, but they’ll have their hands full trying to contain all of Houston’s low post options.
X-Factor
Defense: Will either of these teams be able to stop the other? Houston has Olajuwon, one of the greatest defenders ever, and can pair him up with Elvin Hayes or Otis Thorpe when they need stops. Golden State can feature a defensive frontcourt of Chamberlain, Thurmond, and Tom Gola, and can pack the paint without fearing Houston’s three-point shooting.
Results
Golden State’s inside-out game proves to be too much for the Rockets to handle. Despite the best efforts of Olajuwon and Malone, the Rockets are unable to match Golden State from three-point range, and the Warriors advance.
Since Dennis Rodman is a key member of the Pistons, this seems like a good time to contextualize his incredible rebounding totals. Rodman almost had two different pro careers. In his first incarnation, in his early years with Detroit, he was one of the most versatile defenders in NBA history, capable of guarding everyone from Michael Jordan to Magic Johnson. In his second act, he became obsessed with the art of rebounding. Many believe that he was the greatest ever at this skill, but the all-time rebounding numbers are skewed in favor of players who played in a faster-paced league. How did Rodman’s rebounding compare to his predecessors? Below are the best rebounding seasons for every player in history who has ever averaged over 17 rebounds per game. Note that each player only has his best season listed; Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell hold the 18 highest rebounding seasons in NBA history.
The numbers in this chart help to provide some context for the rebounding averages you see next to each player’s name. Team pace is an estimate of each team’s number of possessions per 48 minutes. In 1991-92, the Detroit Pistons pace was estimated at 91.6; compare this to Wilt Chamberlain’s record breaking 1960-61 campaign, when the Warriors were estimated to average 40 more possessions per game. Since rebounding numbers for opposing teams are not available in the basketball-reference.com database for early seasons, we calculated the average number of league rebounds per game in each year that is listed. Obviously, some teams played at faster and slower paces than their peers, but this provides a measure for the number of rebounds that were available in a typical NBA game in the year that is listed. In 1991-92, there were 87.3 rebounds per game (league wide), and Rodman’s 18.7 RPG accounted for 21.4 percent of all rebounds in a typical game. In the 1960-61 season, there were 146.6 rebounds per game! It’s not surprising that the 1960-61 season produced three players on this list (Chamberlain, Bob Pettit, and Elgin Baylor), each of whom had significantly lower percentages than Rodman. Since 1970-71, total rebound percentage can be tracked to measure the percentage of rebounds a player gathered while he was on the floor. Rodman grabbed over a quarter of the rebounds available in his 1991-92 season, which is three percentage points higher than Moses Malone in his incredible 1978-79 campaign. Finally, we have a look at the closest competitor in each season’s rebounds per game race. Only five players on this list actually led their league in rebounds per game; Nate Thurmond, Jerry Lucas, Pettit, Baylor, Walt Bellamy, Wes Unseld, and Maurice Stokes were all eclipsed by Chamberlain or Russell in their career-high seasons. Moses Malone had the widest disparity between his next closest competitor of all the other players on this list, while Chamberlain and Rodman had virtually identical leads in their rebounding races, despite Chamberlain’s higher raw totals.
The greatest rebounding seasons in NBA history, by raw averages, virtually all came in an era where the game was played at a breakneck pace, with a plethora of missed shots, which hardly resembles modern-day basketball. Rodman’s 1991-92 season, in which he averaged 18.7 RPG, came 13 seasons after the second most contemporary season on this list, Moses Malone’s 1978-79 campaign. While this is by no means a comprehensive analysis, it does help to show that Rodman’s 1991-92 season may have been the best career-high rebounding season in NBA history.
The All-Time Philadelphia 76ers team is…explosive. They have explosive play makers, hall-of-famers, and MVPs littered throughout their roster. They also have explosive personalities (namely, Charles Barkley and Allen Iverson) who will make for an interesting mix alongside their controversial center. With three championships, they are the seventh-seeded team in our tournament, and have one of the most talented overall rosters.
Starting is a sign of respect in the NBA. The starting backcourt for this team may not fit perfectly alongside each other and the high scoring frontcourt, but they deserve recognition for their Hall-of-Fame caliber careers. Allen Iverson, a four-time scoring champion, will be the primary ballhandler. Iverson’s score-first mentality isn’t ideal for a team this loaded, so expect him to play plenty of shooting guard as well. Hal Greer, the starting two guard, is the franchise’s all-time leader in games played, field goals, and points. He’ll get plenty of minutes as the team’s best long-range shooting threat. Although he’ll come off the bench, Mo Cheeks will operate almost as the third starting guard, since he’s a good fit alongside either starter. Cheeks was an excellent defender, efficient scorer, and solid play maker, and has a legitimate Hall-of-Fame case. Andre Iguodala, the team’s fourth guard, is one of the most versatile players in today’s game. Although miscast as a primary offensive option in Philly (the “second A.I.”), Iguodala is much better suited for the role he’ll play on this team as a defensive stopper who can lead the break and facilitate on the offensive end.
The starting frontcourt is as accomplished as any in the tournament. Julius Erving is one of the game’s greatest ambassadors, and may have been the most exciting player to ever step on a court. He’s also one of the greatest forwards ever, and was a prolific winner who led the team to an average of 55 wins per year and four NBA Finals appearances. Barkley is one of the greatest power forwards ever, and had the greatest offensive efficiency rating among players who used as many possessions as he did. One could argue that the great Wilt Chamberlain experienced his peak years with the Sixers. He led the league in field goal percentage and rebounds every year he was on the team. In his three full seasons with the team, he won MVP each year. He led the league in PER and WS/48 in those three years as well. He led the league in total assists in 1968, just because he could. Although he once again was traded for an embarrassing haul, this version of Wilt has a legitimate argument as the best center in the tournament.
The bench is filled with impact frontcourt players. Hall-of-Famer Chet Walker will back up Erving. Although he wasn’t as efficient in Philly as he was with the Bulls, he was still a wonderful player who made three all-star teams. Billy Cunningham is one of seven players on the roster who was named as one of the league’s 50 greatest players in 1996. Cunningham was a relentless competitor who could play either forward position, and will also serve as the team’s head coach (where he amassed a remarkable .698 career winning percentage). The legendary Dolph Schayes, who made 12 all-star game and All-NBA appearances in his illustrious career, led the franchise to its first title in 1955. He’ll provide a different look as a dangerous outside shooter who can play as a ‘stretch-four.’ Bobby Jones was one of the greatest defenders of all time, and Moses Malone, who led the team to its last championship in 1983, will back up Chamberlain.
This team’s frontcourt is absolutely loaded, and player-coach Cunningham will have to find a way to spread the minutes around. They can trot out a great defensive lineup featuring Chamberlain, Jones, Cheeks, and Iguodala, and will be unstoppable on the other end of the court.
Instead of the usual breakdown, I’m going to use this space to try to contextualize Wilt Chamberlain’s absurd scoring averages with the Warriors.
Here are the 15 highest scoring seasons in NBA history, by points per game. Not surprisingly, Wilt’s six years with the Warriors are all included here. Rick Barry’s second season with Golden State (then San Francisco), when he averaged an otherworldly 35.6 points per game, a record for an NBA forward, is also included; making Golden State by far the most represented team on the list.
Basketball-reference.com lists an estimate for each team’s number of possessions per 48 minutes, by year (called Pace Factor). However, this information is only available since 1973-74; other estimates were used for team pace prior to this date. These estimates help us understand how much the game has changed since Wilt’s heyday. In his record-breaking 1961-62 season, the estimate for the Warriors’ pace was 131.1, and the average team scored 118.8 points per game. Compare that to Kobe Bryant’s 2005-06 season, when he averaged 35.4 points per game with a team pace of 90.9, and a league scoring average of 97.0. Also of note is Bob McAdoo’s underrated 1974-75 season, when he averaged 34.5 points per game with a team pace of 107.3 and a league scoring average of 107.6.
In addition, basketball-reference.com has a year-by-year breakdown of the top 10 players in true shooting percentage. True shooting takes into account three-point field goals and free throws; however, it’s important to note that the NBA did not adopt the three-point line until the 1979-80 season. This benefited players who played close to the basket, like Chamberlain, and hurt long-range shooters, like Pete Maravich, who would have thrived with a three point line. Regardless, we see that in Wilt’s three highest scoring seasons, he ranked in the top 6 in the league in true shooting percentage. Barry ranked ninth in his breakout 1966-67 season. Remarkably, Michael Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar were both able to surpass a .600 true shooting percentage in high-scoring seasons; Jabbar ranked 2nd in the league in 1971-72, while Michael ranked just outside of the top-10 in 1987-88, his first MVP season.
Finally, we can see how far ahead of the competition each player was in his prolific scoring season(s). Elgin Baylor is the only player on the list who did not lead the league in scoring; in both 1960-61 and 1962-63, he averaged 34 points per game plus, but did not win the scoring title because of Chamberlain. Speaking of Wilt, in his 1961-62 season, he was 18.8 points ahead of the league’s next leading scorer. It’s safe to say that this type of disparity will never be approached again.
This data shows that Wilt scored efficiently with the Warriors, and was a monster in relation to his competition. However, the league was much different back then, and he benefited from an absurdly fast-paced environment. Even though nobody will ever approach his raw averages again, we have seen players put up scoring numbers that, when considering context, were nearly as impressive.
