Game Thread GAME# 37: BLAZERS @ TIMBERWOLVES - MARCH 13, 2021 - SATURDAY, 5:00 PM, NBCSNW

[wizenheimer]

Big men in general are such a risky thing to hang your hopes on. They're hardly ever healthy.

depends on the big man

Wilt:



the Mailman



Moses Malone:



Jack Sikma:



Kareem:



Robert Parish:



yeah, exceptions to the rule but why is it the most durable big men played in the NBA decades ago?

 

[TBpup]

depends on the big man

Wilt:

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the Mailman

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Moses Malone:

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Jack Sikma:

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Kareem:

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Robert Parish:

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yeah, exceptions to the rule but why is it the most durable big men played in the NBA decades ago?

Wilt (and Malone) were such freaks of nature. Wilt could lead the lead in scoring (by a lot), lead in rebounding, lead in blocks, or decide to lead in assists....all while never missing a game. In the 1961-62 season, he AVERAGED over 48 minutes per game. For his CAREER he averaged 45.8 minutes per game. No days off, crappy planes to fly in, no "load management", and not the watered down talent spread out over 30 teams.

Training and size have certainly improved, but I'm not sure anyone will ever come close to what Wilt could do over all. And most people don't have any idea of his Track and Field exploits which just speak to how much of a freak he was.

 

[Natebishop3]

depends on the big man

Wilt:

View attachment 37526

the Mailman

View attachment 37527

Moses Malone:

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Jack Sikma:

View attachment 37529

Kareem:

View attachment 37530

Robert Parish:

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yeah, exceptions to the rule but why is it the most durable big men played in the NBA decades ago?

How about in the last decade or two?

 

[KSF-ERIC]

I know we’re talking just big men, but Stockton’s Games Played are insane.

 

[B-Roy]

The game is faster and guys are more athletic. Big men are more likely to get injured now.

 

[Natebishop3]

The game is faster and guys are more athletic. Big men are more likely to get injured now.

I think a lot of the bigs back in the day were built more like the players that we consider power forwards now. Dirk/LMA/KG etc, but they didn't have the shooting range.

 

[wizenheimer]

The game is faster and guys are more athletic. Big men are more likely to get injured now.

I don't believe I agree with that. The game isn't really faster than it was in the 60's and 70's. The pace may be a bit higher now, but that's because so many players aren't running rim to rim like they did back then...they are running from 3 point line to 3 point line....shorter court

and if you think big men are more athletic now you didn't see Wilt, or Nate Thurmond, or Russell, or Kareem, or Elvin Hayes play much when they were younger

 

[wizenheimer]

I think a lot of the bigs back in the day were built more like the players that we consider power forwards now. Dirk/LMA/KG etc, but they didn't have the shooting range.

wut? the year the Blazers won the championship, the C's in the NBA included Kareem, Moses Malone, Artis Gilmore, Bill Walton, Swen Nater, Elvin Hayes, Wes Unseld, Bob Lanier, Billy Paultz, Kevin Kunnert, Caldwell Jones, Clifford Ray, Jack Sikma....

5 years before that you had many of the same guys listed above plus Wilt, Thurmond, Elmore Smith, Walt Bellamy, Tom Boerwinkle

in the middle of the Drexler era, there were Hakeem, David Robinson, Patrick Ewing, Rony Seikaly, Moses, Bill Laimbeer, Parish, Benoit Benjaman, Rick Mahorn, James Donaldson, James Edwards, Mark Eaton....

sure, there were PF's masquerading as C's like Dave Cowens, Alvin Adams, Sam Perkins, Dan Issel. But those were the golden ages of true C's. The introduction of the 3 point line and all the defensive restrictions have torpedoed the value of traditional big men, but I'm not convinced the NBA is better for it

 

[Natebishop3]

I don't believe I agree with that. The game isn't really faster than it was in the 60's and 70's. The pace may be a bit higher now, but that's because so many players aren't running rim to rim like they did back then...they are running from 3 point line to 3 point line,

and if you think big men are more athletic now you didn't see Wilt, or Nate Thurmond, or Russell, or Elvin Hayes play much when they were younger

The late 80s and 90s were full of these behemoth bigs.... guys like Shaq and David Robinson and Patrick Ewing and Dikembe Mutombo etc.

We have trended away from that style of play. The 90s were more about slow pace and grinding it out. Guys in that mold have been few and far between. Yao Ming. Embiid. Oden. Etc.

 

[BigGameDamian]

At least we got a split.