Wilt Chamberlain Shot Chart + Various Stats

[Dipper 13]

^Do you have a Youtube account? If not just send it to CavsFTW, hopefully he uploads the full game. I can no longer upload long videos (again) due to the NBA copyright strike.

[ceiling raiser]

^Do you have a Youtube account? If not just send it to CavsFTW, hopefully he uploads the full game. I can no longer upload long videos (again) due to the NBA copyright strike.

I don't have one, though I guess it's not hard to set one up. I'll get it to him somehow I guess.

[RayBan-Sematra]

Despite the trendy belief here, he actually had the ability to score points in the low post in professional basketball.

I have no doubt that Wilt could score from the field.
Iverson could also score from the field aplenty but that doesn't mean he was great at doing it.

Help me understand better some of the numbers.

In his scoring prime (in the playoffs) he was averaging 29ppg (p43) on 50%FG.
This is despite him being a great offensive rebounder and likely having far more offensive rebounding opportunities then he would have in later eras.
So... while he was obviously scoring buckets the stats don't really seem to suggest that in 1v1 situations he was super effective or efficient.

Even in the latter half of his career when he changed his role to more of a passer and then a defensive anchor his FG% in the playoffs (53-55%) is still very unimpressive given how little he was scoring especially on a per minute basis.

I mean when a guy is only scoring 10-20ppg in 42-44mpg and is arguably in a supporting role offensively you'd expect his FG% to be at the very least around 60%.

Something just doesn't add up.

[tsherkin]

Good iso post guys typically shoot around 44-46% FG on those sets, RBS...

[aol4532]

What exactly doesn't add up? It's called playing against Bill Russell. He did shooot 60% in the regular season after all.

[Dipper 13]

I have no doubt that Wilt could score from the field.
Iverson could also score from the field aplenty but that doesn't mean he was great at doing it.

Iverson is barely a 40% shooter in the playoffs. In Wilt's case it was a lot of turnaround jump shots and missed tip-ins off the board, like this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjVjBP78BZw&t=1m1s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kvo6LfRrGE&t=41s



He was dominant at his peak in the playoffs (1964-68), but only 3 of those runs were during his scoring years. Between '64, '65, and '66 playoff runs, the worst is '66. But even then he was excellent after the first two games. I have seen posters on this forum blaming him for the loss in 1966 in Game 5 due to all the missed FT's, despite his dominant floor game. Of course they disregard the exceptionally poor shooting of the rest of the team.

46 pts, 34 rbs, 19/34 FG, 8/25 FT


Do these same posters also blame Shaq for the 2001 loss in the Finals (Game 1), due to his poor FT shooting?

44 pts, 20 rbs, 17/28 FG, 10/22 FT


In the 1966 game, the Celtics made one more FG than the Sixers (44 to 43). In the 2001 game, the Sixers and Lakers both made the same number of FG's (40). Both times the game was decided at the foul line. This is what I read in one of the old archived recaps of the game in 1966. Never mind how poorly the rest of the team shot, who needs that context.

[Dipper 13]

Good iso post guys typically shoot around 44-46% FG on those sets, RBS...

Barkley in the 84 game sample was well over 70% in the post up.


Overall Chart

http://i.imgur.com/V0TZP3e.png



Isolation Plays Only

http://i.imgur.com/ahox1mg.png

[RayBan-Sematra]

Good iso post guys typically shoot around 44-46% FG on those sets, RBS...

Yeah but Wilt isn't usually compared to "good" offensive C's he is usually compared to guys like Kareem or Shaq.
I can't imagine Prime Kareem or Shaq only shooting 53-55% from the field in a limited offensive supporting role.
They were shooting 56-60% while being their teams main offensive anchors & volume scoring at or near the pace of Young Wilt.

I am not trying to downgrade Wilt I am only saying that some of the numbers lead me to believe that he may not belong on that top tier level as a scorer in the GOAT C/PF class where many people still place him without thinking twice.

In Wilt's case it was a lot of turnaround jump shots and missed tip-ins off the board, like this.

Hmm... this was something I already thought of and the only excuse I could think of for his poor efficiency from the field.
Perhaps Wilt was a much better low post scorer then I giving him credit for but lowered his efficiency significantly by taking a bunch of horribly inefficient perimeter shots in most games.
I don't see why he would do that though or how doing that that would even make much sense since he wouldn't really be making himself look more skilled just like Shaq taking a ton of FT's doesn't make him appear to be a more skilled FT shooter.
Wilt was a smart guy and if he could simply rely on his low post game and score on similar volume on much greater efficiency then I find it hard to see why he wouldn't do it.
I also have read that he for the most part stopped taking those kind of ranged shots in the mid to late 60's so that wouldn't anymore be a possible excuse for his poor efficiency from the field.

I know the numbers don't always tell the whole story and I obviously don't want to paint a false portrayal of Wilt.
I appreciate your insight.

These turnaround jumpshots you speak of. How far away from the basket was Wilt generally shooting them from?

[tsherkin]

Perhaps Wilt was a dominant low post scorer but lowered his efficiency significantly by taking a bunch of horribly inefficient perimiter shots in most games.
I don't see why he would do that though or how doing that that would even make much sense since he wouldn't really be making himself look more skilled just like Shaq taking a ton of FT's doesn't make him appear to be a more skilled FT shooter.

He wanted to be seen as more of a skill player and not just a big lug. Doesn't matter if it was sensible, that was a clearly socumented motivation of Wilt's.

Wilt fired turnarounds from the post and you have to remember that frighteningly irritating post finger roll of which he was so fond , yes?

[Dipper 13]

These turnaround jumpshots you speak of. How far away from the basket was Wilt generally shooting them from?

Usually from the baseline, though the furthest I have seen him attempt one was roughly 10 feet out. He didn't have the best form or follow through, but it worked for him. I would be most interested to see his percentage on those shots, if the games ever are released.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngg3owcJl1g&t=14s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9Gbb9_XAtU&t=14m43s



Going to the basket he was unstoppable

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0faQ-6RJyA&t=4m59s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0faQ-6RJyA&t=9m14s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjwkiXiwzCY&t=2m54s

irritating post finger roll

If he wasn't an 80%+ finisher at the rim, it is due to his finger roll shot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBrl5OXOTMI&t=6m36s

[RayBan-Sematra]

He wanted to be seen as more of a skill player and not just a big lug. Doesn't matter if it was sensible, that was a clearly socumented motivation of Wilt's.

Agree with the bolded.
Still Wilt was a smart guy so it surprises me that if he could simply rely on his low post game and score on far better efficiency without sacrificing volume that he wouldn't do it.
Plus while I can't confirm this I have read that Wilt stopped taking those perimeter type shots in volume during the latter portion of his career when he became more focused on his FG% and yet his playoff FG% still remains unimpressive given his offensive role and the pace/volume he scored at.

I am still far from convinced that Wilt was a Kareem or Shaq level scorer but I will definitely keep the above in mind as I continue to try and gain a better grasp of his scoring ability.
Next step is watching and re-watching tape and making my own shot charts like Dipper while examining his actual post game to see if I think it was feasible that he could have kept up his volume while sacrificing those ranged shots.

Wilt fired turnarounds from the post and you have to remember that frighteningly irritating post finger roll of which he was so fond , yes?

Yup.

[tsherkin]

Wilt's image paranoia and focus was legendary, unfortunately.

[penbeast0]

colts18

Below are defensive FG stats for Wilt's teams. It seems he was weakest in pick & roll and iso plays away from the basket where he had to move laterally. But he was excellent at guarding the paint and rim area in the half court.

Spoiler:

Pick & Roll: 24/50 FG (48.0 %)


Isolation: 9/19 FG (47.4 %)


Low Post: 10/26 FG (38.5 %) Fouls: 3

*Kareem in the 1972 game shot 8/20 FG (40.0 %) in low post & drew 3 fouls on Wilt, 2 of which were reach in gambles on the entry pass


Help Defense/Rim Protector: 20/67 FG (29.9 %) Goaltending: 5 Fouls: 5

Spoiler:

*Team FG stats do not include his man's stats



FG allowed from opposing TEAM (HALFCOURT)

At Rim: 22/76 FG (28.9 %)
In Paint (Overall): 38/117 FG (32.5 %)
Midrange: 90/219 FG (41.1 %)



FG allowed from opposing TEAM (TRANSITION)

At Rim: 34/55 FG (61.8 %)
In Paint (Overall): 38/64 FG (59.4 %)
Midrange: 21/42 FG (50.0 %)




FG allowed from opposing MAN (HALFCOURT)

At Rim: 8/18 FG (44.4 %) *Includes putbacks on offensive boards
In Paint (Overall): 15/32 FG (46.9 %)
Midrange: 22/47 FG (46.8 %) *Includes baseline shots from close to the basket area




FG allowed from opposing MAN (TRANSITION)

At Rim: 3/3 FG (100 %)
In Paint (Overall): 3/3 FG (100 %)
Midrange: 2/5 FG (40.0 %) *One of these misses was a full court heave by Lucas at the buzzer

THANK YOU! I love the extra information you provide, it helps my understanding of basketball.

[Dipper 13]

Added numbers from 1973 Finals Gm. 5







[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LC3KfhYRtG4[/youtube]