Boston won another NBA Finals matchup, prevailing in Game 7 at Boston Garden, 95-93. [8] He led the Lakers in scoring in seven seasons,[20] and only Jordan had a higher career scoring average in the playoffs (33.5 versus 29.1). Much like Larry Bird and Magic Johnson in the 1980s, the careers of Oscar Robertson and Jerry West were closely intertwined and highlighted by many of the same contrasts between the two players, e.g. "[48], Having vanquished this long-time bane, West entered his 13th NBA year. West ganhou notoriedade por ter servido de inspirao para o desenho do logotipo da NBA, o qual baseado na imagem de uma jogada de Jerry West. On the most recent episode of his podcast, Simmons named (in order) his top 15 in the "Pantheon." Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Tim Duncan, Wilt Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant, Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, Hakeem Olajuwon . [8] Instead of being proud, West merely commented: "Defensively, from a team standpoint, I didn't feel I played very well. Over the next summer he grew six more inches. Oscar Robertson. [18] In his collegiate career, West totaled 2,309points and 1,240rebounds. Besides, the Big O has quite a bit of respect for The Logo, too. Roma Invicta, which means Unconquered Rome, was an inspirationalmottoused until the fall of the WesternRomanEmpire, in 476 AD. West spent days shooting baskets from every possible angle, ignoring mud and snow in the backyard, as well as his mother's whippings when he came home hours late for dinner. [41] In Game 7, Lakers owner Jack Kent Cooke had put up thousands of balloons in the rafters of the Forum in Los Angeles. Oscar Robertson. NBA Twitter lauds the All-Star for joining the elite company of LeBron James and Luka Doncic in a special feat, Dwyane Wade is the most accomplished athlete thats come out of Chicago! Meanwhile, as Robertson was dominating night in and night out in Cincinnati, West exploded in his second NBA season, averaging 30.8 points (on 44.5% shooting), a career-high 7.9 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game in 1961-1962, which resulted in the first of 10 First Team All-NBA selections. His nicknames included "Mr. Basketball, Team, School. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. "There are a lot of bad teams," he said. After the Lakers heartbreaking loss to the Boston Celtics in the 1969 NBA Finals, John Havlicek walked up to West and said, Jerry, I love you. Such comments were not uncommon. [20] In March 2008, ESPN voted West the third greatest shooting guard of all time. [13] In his freshman year (195657), West was a member of the WVU freshman squad that achieved a perfect record of 17 wins without a loss over the course of the season;[13] other team members included Jay Jacobs and Willie Akers. [38] In return, the center blasted Van Breda Kolff as "the dumbest and worst coach ever". West was named Most Outstanding Player of that year's Final Four. Plus, he scored 56 points in just one game, which is . [15], In the postseason, the Lakers defeated the Chicago Bulls in a four-game sweep,[49] then went on to face the Milwaukee Bucks, and defeated them in six games. It was a beautiful thing wasted, West later said. St. Joseph's Joe Spratt: "I give a somewhat hesitant edge to Jerry West over Oscar Robertson. Moreover, before Johnson entered the NBA, West and Oscar "The Big O" Robertson were considered the greatest guards in league history, not to mention that West was the one who received more respect and love. "[86], In 2011, West and bestselling author Jonathan Coleman wrote a memoir entitled West by West: My Charmed, Tormented Life. They beat the Pistons four games to two to advance to the 1962 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics. After helping the Golden State Warriors win the championship against the Cleveland Cavaliers, on June 14, 2017, West announced that he would go to the Los Angeles Clippers as an executive board member and consultant. On October 19th in 1960, Jerry West and Oscar Robertson made their NBA debut for the Los Angeles Lakers and the Cincinnati Royals respectively. [44] As the three-point line had not been introduced yet, the shot just tied the game. [30] The Bullets took their two home games, despite West scoring 44 and 48 points respectively, but in the decisive Game 5 in L.A., the guard helped beat the Bullets with 42 points in a close 117115 win. But it is less a function of disrespect than of youth. NEW: Sample Searches for learning more about the power and flexibility of Stathead. On the flipside, West was selected more frequently for All-Star (14x to 12x), All-NBA (12x to 11x), and All-Defensive (5x to none) Teams, though Robertson does have the one MVP to his name. It is an honor to know him and to have competed against him. Dr. J went decidedly old-school with his selections, naming Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, Elgin Baylor, Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain to the first team. Although both ranked among the top four leading scorers in history when they retired, neither man ever won an MVP. [38] There was an altercation in which Chamberlain was about to punch Van Breda Kolff before Baylor had intervened. Robertson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar helped lead the Bucks to the 1971 championship, beating West and the Celtics in the Conference Finals in the process. Both men won gold medals at the 1959 Pan American Games and led Team USA to a gold medal in the Olympics the following year, forming perhaps the greatest backcourt in the history of basketball. When West remembers the Rome Olympics, it takes him back to a different era. No portion of FIBA.basketball may be duplicated, redistributed or manipulated in any form.By accessing FIBA.basketball pages, you agree to abide by FIBA.basketball terms and conditions. Everybody wants to see LeBron [James] and Kobe [Bryant] in the Finals, but it would come down to whoever makes the most open shots, the Lakers or Cavaliers, because anybody who plays with either one of them is going to get a lot of open shots.". Still, West was named to the All-NBA First Team 10 times in his career, and he was selected to the NBA All-Defensive First Team in four of his final five seasons. [15] He was honored again with several awards: a call-up to the All-American selection, and being voted Southern Conference MVP. If Im not nervous, if I dont have at least a little bit of the same self-doubt and anxious feelings I had when I started playing, then it will be time for me to go on, he told the Orange County Register in 1990. Biography. . On October 19th in 1960, Jerry West and Oscar Robertson made their NBA debut for the Los Angeles Lakers and the Cincinnati Royals respectively. [16] The Mountaineers went 262 that year, ending the season with a loss to Manhattan College in postseason tournament play. [8] He had a jump shot with a release the NBA lauded as "lightning quick", and was known for making baskets late in the game, earning him the nickname "Mr. The USA had been the only country to win the gold medal since basketball was introduced at the Summer Games in Berlin, in 1936. Emboldened by the success of the westward-bound Brooklyn Dodgers and faced with the dilemma of finding a site for its home games, the Lakers franchise moved to Los Angeles for the 1960-61 season. "I was one of the fortunate ones selected as a player and to be a part of a team," West said. Damian Lillard became the 4th player in NBA history with 200 points and 60 assists in a playoff series, joining LeBron James, Jerry West and Oscar Robertson. CLEVELAND The NBA celebrated its diamond anniversary with a sparkling tribute to honor 75 years on the hardwood floor. When West and Robertson played, the Boston Celtics were winning everything. "Race; cold war; threat of nuclear war. Neither Chamberlain's 50 point, 25.7 rebound average nor Oscar's triple-double average swayed the media from such a view. Clutch". With West not yet in shape, Baylor and the Lakers fell back 32; then they succumbed in Game 6 in front of their home crowd with a 112109 loss. He looks determined. I could've played another very good year. Personally, I value all-around players who can do everything on the court shoot, rebound, pass and as such, though West was probably a better scorer and defender, I prefer Robertson with his historically dynamic all-around game and ability to dominate in all aspects. [37] The Lakers trailed the entire game and were behind 91-76 after 3 quarters, but powered by a limping West, the Lakers closed the gap to 103102 with two minutes to go and had the ball. [26] In overtime, Jones scored several clutch baskets to ensure a 110107 win for the Celtics. From 1962-70, the Lakers reached the Finals six times, losing to Boston five times and to the Knicks once. However, he started at West Virginia, getting 13 rebounds and 25 points for each game. [8], West attended East Bank High School in East Bank, West Virginia from 1952 to 1956. Today, both are remembered as among the all-time greats, with Wests silhouette gracing the NBAs logo, but it is impossible not to compare the two players and ask: Who was better Oscar Robertson or Jerry West? His high-pitched voice earned him the nickname "Tweety Bird", and he spoke with such a thick Appalachian accent that his teammates also referred to him as "Zeke from Cabin Creek" (his nickname acknowledged his country roots, and his accent was so thick that he squeaked his nickname sheepishly "Zeek from Cab'n Creek"). After losing Elgin Baylor to an Achilles tendon rupture that effectively ended his career, West himself injured his knee and was out for the season; the short-handed Lakers lost the Western Conference Finals in five games to the championship-bound Milwaukee Bucks, who were led by freshly-crowned Most Valuable Player Lew Alcindor (later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) and veteran Hall-of-Fame guard Oscar Robertson. [37] Coach Van Breda Kolff was concerned about the drain at the guard positions after losing Clark, and especially after losing Goodrich in the expansion draft to the Phoenix Suns. From the perspective of advanced metrics, Robertson also holds the edge in both Player Efficiency Rating (PER) and Wins-Shares. Moreover, half the battle is actually being on the court and so Robertsons better durability also gives him another slight edge in this close head-to-head matchup. Its one that calls for a mutual appreciation, something that remains to this day. [23] On the floor, West scored 17.6points, grabbed 7.7rebounds and gave 4.2assists per game. For the rest of his illustrious career, West would average at least 20 points per game each year, including 25+ points per game for the next decade with four seasons above 30 points per game. ". All rights reserved. There will never be another player like the 'Big Dipper', who changed the game with his strength, athleticism and skill. This display of arrogance motivated the Celtics and angered West. Baylor's tip-in attempt was thwarted by Sam Jones. West was chosen four times to Oscar's none. 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