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RIP
Mar 21, 2023 21:42:41 GMT -5
Post by spankyupinclass on Mar 21, 2023 21:42:41 GMT -5
One of the greats. Willis Reed is gone @ 80. He and Walt Frazier carried the Knicks to a crown in 1970. I imagine a few UIC members saw him play at the Garden.
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eye123
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RIP
Mar 22, 2023 13:19:03 GMT -5
Post by eye123 on Mar 22, 2023 13:19:03 GMT -5
It was amazing growing up in NY in 1969-1970. Mets won the World Series,Jets won the Super Bowl...and the Knicks won the NBA Championship. Everyone was glued to their sets. Bradley,DeBusschere,Reed, Walt "Clyde" Frazier. Namath,Seaver,Ryan......remember like yesterday how Reed used his strength inside on Chamberlain. Muscled him around. Never got to the Garden to see him play. Nets played down the block from me. Got to see the "kid" from Roosevelt(our rival in High School basketball) play there.(kids name was Julius something...(Serving,Swerving...something like that ) became a "doctor" later RIP Willis (also Joe Pepitone recently passed (for Yankee fans of the same generation) RIP
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RIP
Mar 22, 2023 13:52:12 GMT -5
Post by spankyupinclass on Mar 22, 2023 13:52:12 GMT -5
I saw Joe Pepitone play here.First baseman playing for the Yankees farm club.Saw Tony Gwen play when he played for the Padres triple A club.Rusty Staub as well.But I envy those that grew up in NY who saw the great ones play. Just watched a 30 for 30 episode about Len Bias. Sadly the coke got him. Many of his friends did not even know he had a drug problem. Never had the chance to really get to play for the Celtics.Still many unanswered questions about his demise.Did Lefty Drisel know about Lens coke and alcohol dependency?
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shoes
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Mar 22, 2023 14:23:02 GMT -5
Post by shoes on Mar 22, 2023 14:23:02 GMT -5
It was amazing growing up in NY in 1969-1970. Mets won the World Series,Jets won the Super Bowl...and the Knicks won the NBA Championship. Everyone was glued to their sets. Bradley,DeBusschere,Reed, Walt "Clyde" Frazier. Namath,Seaver,Ryan......remember like yesterday how Reed used his strength inside on Chamberlain. Muscled him around. Never got to the Garden to see him play. Nets played down the block from me. Got to see the "kid" from Roosevelt(our rival in High School basketball) play there.(kids name was Julius something...(Serving,Swerving...something like that ) became a "doctor" later RIP Willis (also Joe Pepitone recently passed (for Yankee fans of the same generation) RIP It's a bit misleading to say that Reed "manhandled" Wilt in that series. 1) Wilt averaged 23.3 pts per game on a .625 shooting percentage Reed averaged 23.0 pts per game on a .484 shooting percentage 2) Wilt averaged 24.1 rebounds per game Reed averaged 10.5 rebounds per game 3) Wilt averaged 4.0 assists per game Reed averaged 2.8 assists per game That Knicks team was extremely talented and went a very strong deep 7 adding Cazzie Russell and Dave Stallworth to the brilliant starting 5. They edged the Lakers in 7 games winning the critical 7th game at home but it was NOT because Reed outmuscled Wilt. No one did. Nate Thurmond may have come closest in terms of physically matching up. That said I very much enjoyed watching Willis play throughout his career. He was a terrific player. RIP indeed.
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RIP
Mar 22, 2023 15:15:38 GMT -5
Post by otis0930 on Mar 22, 2023 15:15:38 GMT -5
If you were a Knicks fan back in 1969 no doubt you remember this Willis Reed moment. RIP.
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eye123
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Mar 22, 2023 15:28:58 GMT -5
Post by eye123 on Mar 22, 2023 15:28:58 GMT -5
The Willis I remember
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eye123
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Mar 22, 2023 15:56:21 GMT -5
Post by eye123 on Mar 22, 2023 15:56:21 GMT -5
Shoes...didn't do the "stats" thing..so had to take a look.(No question who the better player was....but who handled who better ?)
Wilt averaged 30.1 points per game over his career (1045 games) averaged 23.3 during series.
Had average of 4.4 assists during career averaged 4.0 during series
Willis Reed averaged 18.7 points over career (650 games) averaged 23.0 during series Had average 1.8 assists during career averaged 2.8 during series.
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shoes
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Mar 22, 2023 20:29:19 GMT -5
Post by shoes on Mar 22, 2023 20:29:19 GMT -5
Shoes...didn't do the "stats" thing..so had to take a look.(No question who the better player was....but who handled who better ?) Wilt averaged 30.1 points per game over his career (1045 games) averaged 23.3 during series. Had average of 4.4 assists during career averaged 4.0 during series Willis Reed averaged 18.7 points over career (650 games) averaged 23.0 during series Had average 1.8 assists during career averaged 2.8 during series. eye- Wilt had a severe knee injury in the 69-70 season. He played only 12 regular season games, the first 9 games of the season and the last 3, before playing throughout the play-offs. He was not scoring as much at that point in his career, just 20 points a game in the full seasons before and after 69-70. That is a better reflection of his scoring norm at that point in time than his career 30 points a game. In the earlier rounds of the 70 play-offs he averaged 23.7 per game and 17.7 pts per game, so again his 23.3 points per game exceeded the average of the two series which preceded it. Again that doesn't suggest that Reed handled Wilt any better than the opposing centers in the previous 2 series: Jim Fox with Phoenix and Walt Bellamy with the Atlanta Hawks. Willis was part of a marvelous team. While I'm not sure he was far and away the best player on his team, he was its spiritual leader and deserves all the credit he got including the series MVP. No one ever has any sympathy for Wilt, perhaps because he was so gifted, but I felt he never got enough credit for rehabbing furiously to make it back from that knee injury and play, not just play but play exceptionally and lead his team to the precipice of a title, only losing in a game 7 to one of the best teams of that era.
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eye123
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Mar 23, 2023 8:52:33 GMT -5
Post by eye123 on Mar 23, 2023 8:52:33 GMT -5
shoes, stats can be very misleading...this is more in line from what I remember from back then...(entire video says it all)
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shoes
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Mar 23, 2023 13:05:51 GMT -5
Post by shoes on Mar 23, 2023 13:05:51 GMT -5
LOL- "he has neutralized Chamberlain as opposed to Wednesday night." Well, yeh, Wilt scorched him for 45 points the game before. One area where the defense was effective against Wilt was the foul line, where he was almost always bad and this game was his worst 1-11 on free throws, so maybe we can give Reed credit for using a "hack a Wilt" defense to put him on the line. Otherwise Wilt took 16 shots when he was not fouled and made 10 of them or 62.5 percent. I think they managed to work in all 6 of his misses into that video clip. Reed on their other hand only managed to get off 5 shots, missing 3 of them, and Wilt stopped him without fouling him even once- yes I know Reed was hurt. Reed had 4 points 3 rebounds and 1 assist while committing 4 fouls in 27 minutes of play. The Knicks came up big in game 7 to claim the title but it wasn't because Reed outplayed Wilt, in fact it was more dramatic the other way than even I recalled. Reed starting the game after it was thought he would have to miss it energized the MSG crowd and that no doubt had an impact on the Knick team, but credit for the win is more attributable to Walt Frazier: 12-17 from the floor and 12-12 from the stripe for 36 points along with 7 rebounds and 19 assists, one of the all time great 7th game performances.
Reed's return and the circumstances have become mythic over the years and If people didn't use that to malign Wilt, I would let it go. The reality is that the Knicks were the better team that won a hard fought 7 game series and their edge was not in the match-up at center.
If the Lakers had prevailed the story would be Wilt's effort to come back from a devastating knee injury suffered 9 games into the season, when it was thought to be season-ending. They lost, but that part of the story should not be ignored.
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eye123
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Mar 23, 2023 14:07:36 GMT -5
Post by eye123 on Mar 23, 2023 14:07:36 GMT -5
"Well, yeh, Wilt scorched him for 45 points the game before." He(Willis) didn't play that game (game 6) lol ! And his foul line shots(Wilt's) were atrocious (brick city) Reed "muscled"(as I stated) (not manhandled as you stated) Wilt out further then he liked (as by his foul shooting...he liked to be closer(Wilt) ) If you listened to the announcers you can hear them state that. First four games Chamberlain averaged 19 points against Reed. Game 6 when he didn't play Wilt went to town (with the 45) Even game seven limping around he (Willis) was able to contain Wilt. (PS yeh,Clyde had the game of his life ) I get you like Wilt , but here I'm right and you're wrong. lol (just screwing with you) It's as I remember. Not old and senile yet.
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shoes
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Mar 23, 2023 14:34:35 GMT -5
Post by shoes on Mar 23, 2023 14:34:35 GMT -5
I'll let yours above be the last word.
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1hooper
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Mar 23, 2023 14:39:23 GMT -5
Post by 1hooper on Mar 23, 2023 14:39:23 GMT -5
Russell was better! 🏀
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