Giants Among Men: Wilt and Bill
Apr12
Rival – a: one of two or more striving to reach or obtain something that only one can possess
b: one striving for competitive advantage Read more »
Archive for the ‘Wilt Chamberlain’ Category
12
Zeus of Basketball: Wilt’s 100
Dec6
97…98…99…100. 1 game. 1 player. 100 points.
One of the GREATEST and ELUSIVE accomplishments any prolific NBA shooter can desire to obtain.
Wilt Chamberlain, if this was a Greek Mythology, would be Zeus.
He is the reigning king of everything that is basketball. Sure Kobe scored 81 points, but that 3-point line sure helped. Kobe did go 7-13 from the tree point line. Just imagine scoring 100 points without the help of that three ball?? He worked twice as hard and this just makes It more extraordinary
“But he was so much bigger than everyone else.”
REALLY???
His footwork and shooting IQ would surpass any centers in today’s game. Simply, HE. WAS. A. BEAST.
That night, March 2, 1962, was the day that Wilt claimed his kingdom.
Following is from Wilt, 1962: The Night of 100 points and the Dawn of a New Era by:Gary Pomerantz:
At the moment of his great glory, a minute twenty-five to play, the kids in Hershey screaming,”Give it to Wilt! Give it to Wilt!” we see Wilt Chamberlain running the floor, a force of nature gathering power with each stride, and recognize him for what he is: unprecedented.
He came with a body and an ego perfectly sculpted for dominating his game. The ego was essential: For a player to score one hundred points in an NBA game, he must not only want to do it, he must, on a deeper level, need to do it — to take an opponent, an entire sport, and bend it to his will — to show that it could be done and only by him. In one hundred there was hubris but also a symbolic magic. In our culture the number connotes a century, a ripe old age, a perfect score on a test. Scoring one hundred points meant infinitely more than scoring, say, ninety-seven.
He had 36 made field goals and 28/32 free throws. One of the more amazing facts about this “100” game is the fact Wilt ONLY had 41 points at halftime. By the last minutes of this game, NY would start fouling players, thinking Wilt would miss the FT’s, but he came through.
This has to be one of the SEXIEST self-achievements in the NBA books. Right there with Oscar Robertson’s averaging a triple-double for an entire season. It’s one of those “How the FUCK did he manage that” followed by “Can anyone break that record?” In my opinion, Durant would be the person to do it, but I just don’t see it being likely.
They, Wilt’s Warriors, of course, went on to beat the New York Knicks 169-147. The next time the Warriors met with the Knicks, NY received a standing ovation when they held Wilt Chamberlain to 54 points. 54 points. 54 points.
One of the more amazing facts about this “100” game is the fact Wilt ONLY had 41 points at halftime. By the last minutes of this game, NY would start fouling players, thinking Wilt would miss the FT’s, but he came through.
Yup. Wilt is Zeus alright.
Long.. Live…Zeus
Until next time,
Mrs. NBA
