Author Topic: Bill Russell  (Read 19090 times)

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Bill Russell
« on: February 24, 2013, 03:58:22 PM »

Offline CelticConcourse

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Re: Bill Russell
« Reply #1 on: February 24, 2013, 04:18:41 PM »

Offline hpantazo

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pretty much makes modern highlights like Jordan's and Blake Griffin's seem dull

Re: Bill Russell
« Reply #2 on: February 24, 2013, 04:35:51 PM »

Offline BballTim

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  Clearly he's lacking in the kind of athleticism necessary to compete in the modern nba, or so I've been told many times.

Re: Bill Russell
« Reply #3 on: February 24, 2013, 04:36:59 PM »

Offline hpantazo

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  Clearly he's lacking in the kind of athleticism necessary to compete in the modern nba, or so I've been told many times.

Yea, from that clip, I'd say today's players are clearly lacking in the athleticism needed to compete against Bill Russell.

Re: Bill Russell
« Reply #4 on: February 24, 2013, 04:51:37 PM »

Offline Redz

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Re: Bill Russell
« Reply #5 on: February 24, 2013, 04:54:58 PM »

Offline Celtics4ever

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Fastest man on the team and he was 6'9", reputedly had a 48" vertical and could take quarters off the top of the backboard.

The best aspacts of his game were the mental gifts too not physical.   He got in his opponent's heads and knew how to do enough to intimidate them.  Changed the game with his defense.  But he wasn't a stat hog like Wilt, Bill did enough to win.

Re: Bill Russell
« Reply #6 on: February 24, 2013, 05:10:26 PM »

Offline oldmanspeaks

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As an old man who watched both old and young players, Bill Russell could have competed in any era because he was incredibly athletic. Because he played almost the entire game nearly every game, he had to sometimes "slow it down". But when he wanted to he was incredibly fast (as was Wilt by the way who outraced the fastest guard on the 76s), an incredible leaper and his ability to jump straight up to block a shot has never been equaled in my opinion. In fact his shot blocking ability with his straight up jumping and not swatting at the ball puts him in another class all together as he seldom hit it out of bounds unlike most of the modern players. Russell has some offensive limitations compared to modern players but his defense was better.

Re: Bill Russell
« Reply #7 on: February 24, 2013, 05:11:48 PM »

Offline syfy9

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It took him 5 dribbles to go full court.....WOW.  :o

And that rebound...oh my goodness, it makes me really wish I could've seen him play in real life...


I think that he is the best basketball player of all time.
I like Marcus Smart

Re: Bill Russell
« Reply #8 on: February 24, 2013, 09:11:04 PM »

Offline CelticConcourse

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I can't imagine anyone doing this in real life. o_O
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Re: Bill Russell
« Reply #9 on: February 24, 2013, 09:17:11 PM »

Offline slamtheking

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It took him 5 dribbles to go full court.....WOW.  :o

And that rebound...oh my goodness, it makes me really wish I could've seen him play in real life...


I think that he is the best basketball player of all time.
yup, anyone claiming Jordan's the best hasn't seen Bill's efforts against a league that wasn't watered down and he was winning titles against the man who could arguably be called the second best player ever (Wilt).  Jordan didn't win anything until the previous greats, Bird and Magic, were in decline and he did it in a league with diluted talent.

not saying Jordan wasn't a great player, he was, but he's not in Russell's league.

Re: Bill Russell
« Reply #10 on: February 24, 2013, 09:34:51 PM »

Offline Jon

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Always shocks me when people dismiss the basketball players of the past.  First, Russell was obviously insanely athletic, so the notion that he couldn't compete today for that reason is insane. 

Second, people bring up the idea that he was too thin.  Clearly, anyone who has watched KG the past 18 years should learn that you don't have to be thick to be a dominant force in today's NBA.  If anything, most bigs still are thin (and always have been, see Kevin McHale).  It's really been that aberrations like Shaq and Dwight Howard who have skewed people's perceptions. 

Finally, I'd say this: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar came into the NBA the year after Russell retired.  I think it's safe to say that a year later, it was the same caliber of competition.  Kareem did dominate right away.  However, he continued to dominate even until his late 30s, and he was dominating the a league that had the likes of Larry, Magic, and Jordan.  So if the NBA really got so much better in the '80s, how could a dinosaur like Kareem who dominated the Russell's era, continue to dominate so late in his career in such an "athletic" league? 

In my opinion, the answer is because the league didn't actually get any better and that the old time stars of the '60s and '70s absolutely could dominate today. 

Re: Bill Russell
« Reply #11 on: February 24, 2013, 09:47:23 PM »

Offline CelticConcourse

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It took him 5 dribbles to go full court.....WOW.  :o

And that rebound...oh my goodness, it makes me really wish I could've seen him play in real life...


I think that he is the best basketball player of all time.
yup, anyone claiming Jordan's the best hasn't seen Bill's efforts against a league that wasn't watered down and he was winning titles against the man who could arguably be called the second best player ever (Wilt).  Jordan didn't win anything until the previous greats, Bird and Magic, were in decline and he did it in a league with diluted talent.

not saying Jordan wasn't a great player, he was, but he's not in Russell's league.

It's simply impossible to compare head-to-head through different eras
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Re: Bill Russell
« Reply #12 on: February 24, 2013, 09:49:25 PM »

Offline More Banners

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Holy crap.

I had to hit "giveth one" for that clip.  Absolutely amazing.  Thanks.

Re: Bill Russell
« Reply #13 on: February 25, 2013, 09:59:04 AM »

Offline 33_Larry Legend_33

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I'm looking forward to watching Russ in "Olympus Has Fallen"...  :P

(Not sure who might get this...)

Re: Bill Russell
« Reply #14 on: February 25, 2013, 06:41:33 PM »

Offline Bankshot

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I'm looking forward to watching Russ in "Olympus Has Fallen"...  :P

(Not sure who might get this...)

How about you tell us so we can all get it.
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