[Mick]

Absolutely true that Russell had a much better set of players around him.  But your fixation on offensive stats diminishes the excellence of Russell's performance against Chamberlain one-on-one.  In no way do I wish to denigrate Wilt's legendary dominance.  It is just that Russell consistently mitigated his impact and allowed the superior talent of the Celtics to prevail.  I am not finding blocks or steals numbers on basketball-reference.com, but I think it would be statistics like those that strengthened Russell's case to be MVP.  He gave up three inches and very considerable bulk to Chamberlain, yet kept him contained whenever they met.  In the game you mention, Wilt was held to less than two-thirds of his average point production and was well under his average in rebounds.


And ultimately, how much value can one be said to have on a team that goes nowhere.  I think Russell was a deserving MVP, although I agree with you that it is shocking that Wilt did not have more.

To our respective points, this article points out that while shot blocking did not become a stat until the year after Chamberlain retired it was likely that Chamberlain blocked more shots than the three-inches-shorter Russell, whereas Russell would pick his spots and block shots later in a game that he would not block earlier in the game.  Sneaking up on the opponent, so to speak.  And whereas Wilt would block the ball into the stands, Russell would block the ball to a teammate.  To my eearlier point about coaching, Van Breda Kolff complained to Wilt that he was wasting blocked shots whereas Russell would block shots to his teammates and Wilt shot back "Russell's teammates are COACHED to retrieve Russell's blocked shots."


Look, I think Russell was a wonderful, incredible player.  And he's a local, my father in law played pickup basketball against him years ago.  But I looked at that Celtics lineup and I recognized every single name, and coaching genius Red Auerbach was his coach.  I just think that if I were starting a team today and all other things being equal, I'd pick Wilt first. 

[Mick]

Absolutely true that Russell had a much better set of players around him.  But your fixation on offensive stats diminishes the excellence of Russell's performance against Chamberlain one-on-one.  In no way do I wish to denigrate Wilt's legendary dominance.  It is just that Russell consistently mitigated his impact and allowed the superior talent of the Celtics to prevail.  I am not finding blocks or steals numbers on basketball-reference.com, but I think it would be statistics like those that strengthened Russell's case to be MVP.  He gave up three inches and very considerable bulk to Chamberlain, yet kept him contained whenever they met.  In the game you mention, Wilt was held to less than two-thirds of his average point production and was well under his average in rebounds.


And ultimately, how much value can one be said to have on a team that goes nowhere.  I think Russell was a deserving MVP, although I agree with you that it is shocking that Wilt did not have more.

To our respective points, this article points out that while shot blocking did not become a stat until the year after Chamberlain retired it was likely that Chamberlain blocked more shots than the three-inches-shorter Russell, whereas Russell would pick his spots and block shots later in a game that he would not block earlier in the game.  Sneaking up on the opponent, so to speak.  And whereas Wilt would block the ball into the stands, Russell would block the ball to a teammate.  To my eearlier point about coaching, Van Breda Kolff complained to Wilt that he was wasting blocked shots whereas Russell would block shots to his teammates and Wilt shot back "Russell's teammates are COACHED to retrieve Russell's blocked shots."


Look, I think Russell was a wonderful, incredible player.  And he's a local, my father in law played pickup basketball against him years ago.  But I looked at that Celtics lineup and I recognized every single name, and coaching genius Red Auerbach was his coach.  I just think that if I were starting a team today and all other things being equal, I'd pick Wilt first.