Kobe Bryant's 81 vs. Wilt Chamberlain's 100
As we all know, Kobe Bryant yesterday exploded for an extraordinary 81 point performance against the Toronto Raptors. On paper, that was the second-best single game scoring performance in NBA history, of course behind Wilt Chamberlain's 100 point performance versus the New York Knicks in 1962.
But as I said, "on paper".
I have read several articles today reacting about Kobe's performance, most of which drew comparisons between that of Kobe and that of Wilt. As much as possible I want to avoid being unoriginal but instead of reacting or posting comments to their columns I might as well make mine, to satisfy me more personally.
Which is the superior performance? Read on as I attempt to put up a professionallistic article for your entertainment.
There are many factors that may or may not have affected both of their scoring in one way or another. I will break to you just to light us with a better perspective in terms of comparing these two legendary works.
Many people were arguing that Wilt may have it done easier that time as collated to that of Kobe. There is a valid point though, when Wilt mustered that terrific individual scoring, players were small and those playing the same position were a lot weaker or even slower than "the Stilt". Wilt was competing with only two guys above 6'6" with all the others being smaller than 6'6". The tallest one in the opposing team was just 6'9", still inches smaller than the 7'1" monster Wilt.
Many of course will believe that it's a lot easier for a 7'1" guy to score than a 6'7" one. Wilt was called "The Big Dipper" because he's big and he puts the ball to the basket as easy as you dip a fried chicken in a ketchup. Notwithstanding Wilt's height, he's still even stronger than players of his era.
During the 60's, teams have it as a routine to score that way, which was won by Wilt's Philadephia Warriors, 169-147. Let's put into consideration the game that was supposed to be the highlight of yesterday's NBA, Seattle SuperSonics vs. Phoenix Suns. It took two overtime periods and the current top two highest scoring teams to score as much as 152-149. This season, the Phoenix Suns lead the league in scoring with 106.3 PPG, while in 1962-63, Chamberlain's team averaged a league-leading 125.4. All the teams that season scored an average of 110+ per game. Thus, scoring was a lot easier that time.
It is safe to say that players today, whom Kobe is competing with, are a lot longer, taller, and more athletic than that of the 60's. So Kobe had a harder time to score as much as he did. Wilt made that "100" from posting up, positioning himself in the baseline, catching the ball, and simply throwing it up, and possibly get fouled for a bonus shot. Those activities, some said, were way lot easier than what Kobe did.
Kobe made that "81" through dribbling a lot to free himself, then maybe shoot a jump shot or if he saw an opening then he would take it all the way. He did that a lot of times. He went to the free throw 20 times, from which 18 was made. But Kobe is a beneficiary of the NBA's offensive-minded new handchecking rule, and there is one factor that is not hard to see. The three point line --it speaks for itself. There was nothing quite like that back in Wilt's period.
However, seeing the Lakers' game against the Raptors, one of the reasons why Kobe's barrage simply became more unstoppable is that the Raptors didn't bother to double him since he exploded. Wilt Chamberlain, as their good 'ol statistician said, was doubled consistently, tripled at times, quadrupled sometimes, and got the attention of all the opponents defensively more than once. He was posting up against guys who can touch him, with the absence of the hand-checking rule. Remember I said "guys", guys who did it simultaneously.
And then Kobe just played 42 minutes, and then what if he did play for full 48 minutes just like Wilt. But Wilt wasn't involve somehow for more than the last minute, for when he scored his 100, he stayed at the half court watching his team play offense. Wilt's competitors, before he scored his 100th point for that game, were very well aware he was reaching for it so they desperately tried to prevent it. They did things like fouling Wilt's teammates before they got the ball to him so that his teammates would score otherwise. And for the last few minutes, they held the ball for as long as the 24-second shot clock would permit them. As for the Raptors, they are ranked 29th out of 30 in the team standings right now and is a visibly bad defensive team.
Another thing, Kobe scored 81 of that 122 overall team points, and Wilt scored 100 of that 169 overall team points, which tells you that Kobe touched the ball a lot more in percentage than Wilt may have probably did. Kobe also owns the higher percentage of his team's points for that, though.
No one ever kept a video tape of the PHL Warriors vs. NY Knicks' March 2, 1962 game at Hershey, PA, which made the game as mythical at it sounds. Therefore, the NBA never have seen anything quite like Kobe's performance last night. All I can say is that both game were great, and if there are indications of those I may have shown you some of it today.
Other than the obvious 19-point difference of their performances, the above I stated were much of the reasons why one game maybe, just maybe, superior then the other. But I leave it up to you, be the judge.
I honestly can't say which is the better one but just to tell you, it is considerable that Kobe's 62-points-in-three-quarters' performance against the Dallas Mavericks last December may be more impressive than the "81" thing. To think, Dallas is a great team, one that defends very well, but Kobe pulled that off. He sat himself out in the final quarter too.
Nevertheless, my magic number today is still 81. Amazingly impressive, to say the least.
But as I said, "on paper".
I have read several articles today reacting about Kobe's performance, most of which drew comparisons between that of Kobe and that of Wilt. As much as possible I want to avoid being unoriginal but instead of reacting or posting comments to their columns I might as well make mine, to satisfy me more personally.
Which is the superior performance? Read on as I attempt to put up a professionallistic article for your entertainment.
There are many factors that may or may not have affected both of their scoring in one way or another. I will break to you just to light us with a better perspective in terms of comparing these two legendary works.
Many people were arguing that Wilt may have it done easier that time as collated to that of Kobe. There is a valid point though, when Wilt mustered that terrific individual scoring, players were small and those playing the same position were a lot weaker or even slower than "the Stilt". Wilt was competing with only two guys above 6'6" with all the others being smaller than 6'6". The tallest one in the opposing team was just 6'9", still inches smaller than the 7'1" monster Wilt.
Many of course will believe that it's a lot easier for a 7'1" guy to score than a 6'7" one. Wilt was called "The Big Dipper" because he's big and he puts the ball to the basket as easy as you dip a fried chicken in a ketchup. Notwithstanding Wilt's height, he's still even stronger than players of his era.
During the 60's, teams have it as a routine to score that way, which was won by Wilt's Philadephia Warriors, 169-147. Let's put into consideration the game that was supposed to be the highlight of yesterday's NBA, Seattle SuperSonics vs. Phoenix Suns. It took two overtime periods and the current top two highest scoring teams to score as much as 152-149. This season, the Phoenix Suns lead the league in scoring with 106.3 PPG, while in 1962-63, Chamberlain's team averaged a league-leading 125.4. All the teams that season scored an average of 110+ per game. Thus, scoring was a lot easier that time.
It is safe to say that players today, whom Kobe is competing with, are a lot longer, taller, and more athletic than that of the 60's. So Kobe had a harder time to score as much as he did. Wilt made that "100" from posting up, positioning himself in the baseline, catching the ball, and simply throwing it up, and possibly get fouled for a bonus shot. Those activities, some said, were way lot easier than what Kobe did.
Kobe made that "81" through dribbling a lot to free himself, then maybe shoot a jump shot or if he saw an opening then he would take it all the way. He did that a lot of times. He went to the free throw 20 times, from which 18 was made. But Kobe is a beneficiary of the NBA's offensive-minded new handchecking rule, and there is one factor that is not hard to see. The three point line --it speaks for itself. There was nothing quite like that back in Wilt's period.
However, seeing the Lakers' game against the Raptors, one of the reasons why Kobe's barrage simply became more unstoppable is that the Raptors didn't bother to double him since he exploded. Wilt Chamberlain, as their good 'ol statistician said, was doubled consistently, tripled at times, quadrupled sometimes, and got the attention of all the opponents defensively more than once. He was posting up against guys who can touch him, with the absence of the hand-checking rule. Remember I said "guys", guys who did it simultaneously.
And then Kobe just played 42 minutes, and then what if he did play for full 48 minutes just like Wilt. But Wilt wasn't involve somehow for more than the last minute, for when he scored his 100, he stayed at the half court watching his team play offense. Wilt's competitors, before he scored his 100th point for that game, were very well aware he was reaching for it so they desperately tried to prevent it. They did things like fouling Wilt's teammates before they got the ball to him so that his teammates would score otherwise. And for the last few minutes, they held the ball for as long as the 24-second shot clock would permit them. As for the Raptors, they are ranked 29th out of 30 in the team standings right now and is a visibly bad defensive team.
Another thing, Kobe scored 81 of that 122 overall team points, and Wilt scored 100 of that 169 overall team points, which tells you that Kobe touched the ball a lot more in percentage than Wilt may have probably did. Kobe also owns the higher percentage of his team's points for that, though.
No one ever kept a video tape of the PHL Warriors vs. NY Knicks' March 2, 1962 game at Hershey, PA, which made the game as mythical at it sounds. Therefore, the NBA never have seen anything quite like Kobe's performance last night. All I can say is that both game were great, and if there are indications of those I may have shown you some of it today.
Other than the obvious 19-point difference of their performances, the above I stated were much of the reasons why one game maybe, just maybe, superior then the other. But I leave it up to you, be the judge.
I honestly can't say which is the better one but just to tell you, it is considerable that Kobe's 62-points-in-three-quarters' performance against the Dallas Mavericks last December may be more impressive than the "81" thing. To think, Dallas is a great team, one that defends very well, but Kobe pulled that off. He sat himself out in the final quarter too.
Nevertheless, my magic number today is still 81. Amazingly impressive, to say the least.
posted by Fj-3 @ 10:20 PM
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