1961-62

[Bricklayer]

A little point of interest thread from some random poking around I was doing on basketballreference.com yesterday:

in 1961-62:

1) Wilt Chamberlain exploded to average an unheard of before or since 50.4ppg 25.7rpg on .506 shooting. Not surprisingly his team led the league in scoring and rebounding, finished with the 3rd best record in the league (2nd in the East), and advanced to the ECF where they lost in an epic 7 game series against the Celtics, dropping the 7th game by TWO points, 107-109. Ready for this? HE DID NOT WIN THE MVP! ouch.

2) Oscar Robertson became the first and only man in NBA history to average a triple double on a season, averaging 30.8pts 12.5rebs 11.4ast, while his team was 2nd in the league in scoring and finshed with the 4th best record in the league (2nd in the West). HE DID NOT WIN THE MVP EITHER! ouch ouch.

Perhaps the two most spectacular statistical seasons in legaue history, both turned in during the same season, and neither considered worthy of the MVP award. Did I mention ouch?

 

[jacobdrj]

First of all...
This thread would be more complete if you said who DID win MVP. I will assume it was Billy.

MVP, IMHO was never about the best player. It was always about the silly idea of best player on the best team. (prepairing to recive shrapnel) It would seem logical to deduce, that unless there was significant reason to say otherwise, the best player on the best team would almost (there are obveously exceptions) would not actualy be the best player in a given sport, because he/she had an easier time due to the tremendous talent around them. CIP Nash. Perhaps more relavent, Bill. I am sure he was an amazing player, but that Celtic team was oozing talent. That team is regarded so highly that they were concidered good enough to even play in the 80's.

MVP is a silly award that I mind little attention to. I think Timmay and KG are great. but from around '99 to about '04, the MVP was Shaq.

 

[Bricklayer]

Yes, Billy won the MVP -- while averaging both fewer rebounds and a cool 32ppg (!) less than Wilt (18.9pts 23.6rebs). You have to figure in the defense, but frankly I don't care at that point.

 

[Coach]

Wilt played 48.5 minutes a game that year. His scoring per 48 minutes, while the best in any single season, was only slightly better that Michael Jordan's 1986-87 season (Wilt 49.8 per, Jordan 44.5 per).

In 1961-62 Chamberlain played on a winning team, but he was also surrounded by some very good players: Paul Arizin, Tom Gola (both of whom were All Stars that year), Guy Rodgers, Al Attles, and Tom Meschery.

In 1986-87 Jordan had nothing. Charles Oakley was the second best player on that Bulls team. The other Bulls included Brad Sellers, Gene Banks, John Paxson, Dave Corzine, Elston Turner, Granville Waiters, and Steve Colter. So Jordan went out and averaged 37 points per game (1st in the NBA), 5.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 2.88 steals (second in the NBA), 1.52 blocks, and 1.33 points per shot (better than Wilt's 1.28 points per shot) to lead this horrific bunch of teammates into the playoffs.

And Jordan didn't win the MVP either.

 

[BobbyJ_for3!]

And Jordan didn't win the MVP either.

That's ridiculous...

To me, the MVP should be what the acronym stands for...the Most VALUALBE Player. Aka the player who carries his team the most, helps them when they are injured (or if they just plain suck) to reach the playoffs (or even close to it) and have the team far exceed expectations as far as record go. For example, I believe Andruw Jones should win the NL MVP award in baseball this year, because that whole team was obliterated by injuries again and again this year and played an amazing amount of rookies, yet they are almost deffinetly going to the playoffs, and Andruw Jones has been consistent and has hit an amazing 50+ in the "post-steroids era". SImilarly, I think Jordan should have won that MVP award for doing so well with so little.

Ironically, I think Chamberlain should have won that MVP award plainly because of stats. When someone averages 50+ pts and 20+ rebs for a whole NBA season (nevermind playing every game the whole way through, essentially), forget who did the best with the worst. Those stats are incredible and Wilt should have received the MVP award, IMO.

 

[Bricklayer]

In 1986-87 Jordan had nothing. Charles Oakley was the second best player on that Bulls team. The other Bulls included Brad Sellers, Gene Banks, John Paxson, Dave Corzine, Elston Turner, Granville Waiters, and Steve Colter.... to lead this horrific bunch of teammates into the playoffs.

Clearly you underestimate the power which Granville Waiters possessed.