Reason I added “bigs” is because we know guards have gotten better at shooting the ball, but people felt if you were a big, there was no excuse to be shooting below 50% when your shots are closer to the basket. That was something they were trying to discredit Bill Russell about on a recent episode of Gil’s Arena.
Why players (particularly bigs) in the NBA shot a lower percentage back in the 50s-60s.
- Thread starter Po pimp
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Reason I added “bigs” is because we know guards have gotten better at shooting the ball, but people felt if you were a big, there was no excuse to be shooting below 50% when your shots are closer to the basket. That was something they were trying to discredit Bill Russell about on a recent episode of Gil’s Arena.
Did Gil realize that Kareem shot 56%; Wilt shot 54%; Robert Parrish shot 53.7%; Bob Lanier shot 51.4%; Robinson shot 51.8%; Ewing shot 50.4% and Olajuwon shot 51.2% from the field for their careers?
He was mainly discrediting Bill Russell because he shot in the 40s for his career. He compared him to Wilt shooting 70%, but Wilt was only 46% as a rookie and was hovering around 50% early in his career.
I don't know of any real basketball fan that ever considered Bill Russell an offensive player. The guy never averaged 19 points in any season. He was strictly an all time great defender and rebounder just like Rodman. Gil might be slow.
The thing is, Russell already wasn't a scorer and therefore didn't have the kind of volume that should have him shooting in the 40s.
William Heavy
All Star
I remember watching a Wilt Chamberlain clip on youtube, it was like a quarter of a game or a half, the refs would call him for a offensive foul for barely nudging a defender off his position. I don't know when the league started letting post players back guys down in the post. Wilt would average way more points if they let him be more physical.
Saysumthinfunnymike
VOTE!!!
Russell won 11 titles. Nothing else matters. He was a GOAT level rebounder and defender.
get these nets
Veteran
Gilbert Arenas is a shucker & jiver. Has to continue saying dumb shyt for attention.
He was a one-note scorer who compiled a bunch of points and had no team success in the NBA.
Sports podcasters just saying dumb shyt to fill up content each week.
Thing is, it wasn’t just him. He made the point, then the others on the panel rolled with it because they were obviously clueless themselves.
mastermind
Rest In Power Kobe
Gil trolls for attention. stop giving it
Boonapalist
Superstar
To me it makes players like Wilt, Oscar, and West scoring as much as they did on the efficiency they had even more impressive.
ISO
Pass me the rock nikka
They don’t have great touch on top of the game being breakneck speed faster than today, more physical, and rules more strictly enforced.
But the main reason was rudimentary skillset and poor/primitive mechanics.
But the main reason was rudimentary skillset and poor/primitive mechanics.
