47 replies to this topic

[Djoker]

As we move further into the past, more research and insight from participants is expected because our memory can serve us less and less. When you vote, please take the regular season as well as the playoffs and finals into account.

Darko M
Djoker
Vino
Swish
Sportsfan
Celtic Fan
Costel
NBA in the STL
PennybeatJordanIn95
elmouse03
The Bay
MaddSkillz
Nably
Melo 7
LakerNation
Rogoworld1991
Mr rings
John
Celtic Pride
AlphaWolf
Nick C
Stefan
Basketball Jones
Real Deal
ShaqKeem
Savage
Da Bulls
Monta8mixes
danzer1594
Drake83
Airmax
TeoTheGreek13
Brett
32Days
Dave
Basal
WrongIslander
Nina
Ambod69

Season Summary: http://www.basketbal...s/NBA_1977.html
Playoffs Summary: http://www.basketbal...s/NBA_1977.html
Finals Summary: http://www.basketbal...977_finals.html
Awards Summary: http://www.basketbal...wards_1977.html

League Headlines:

- NBA-ABA merger brings all the greatest players together in the same league
- Kareem wins MVP and puts up GOAT numbers in the playoffs but Lakers lose because of injuries
- Bill Walton finally gets healthy and leads Blazers to a title
- Julius Erving has a strong season, leads Sixers to the Finals

Playoff Boxscores:

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar:

vs. Warriors

Game 1: 27/16/7/3 (10/?, 7/12)
Game 2: 40/19/3/9 (18/? 4/6)
Game 3: 28/14/7/4 (12/20, 4/7)
Game 4: 41/18/3/0 (15/?, 11/16)
Game 5: 45/18/3/3 (16/28, 13/18)
Game 6: 43/20/3/4 (17/25, 9/11)
Game 7: 36/26/4/0 (14/26, 8/10) – 15 points in the 4^th quarter; made up a double-digit deficit

Series Average: 37.6 ppg, 18.7 rpg, 4.3 apg, 3.3 bpg on 60.7 %FG/64.0 %TS

vs. Blazers

G1: 30/10/5/0 (11/19, 8/9)
G2: 40/17/1/3 (17/23, 6/9)
G3: 21/20/7/8 (5/12, 11/13)
G4: 30/17/2/4 (12/20, 6/9)

Series Average: 30.3 ppg, 16.0 rpg, 3.8 apg, 3.8 bpg on 60.8 %FG/66.0 %TS

Playoff Average: 34.6 ppg, 17.7 rpg, 4.1 apg, 3.5 bpg, 1.7 spg on 60.7 %FG/64.6 %TS


Bill Walton:

vs Bulls

G1: 11 (4/?, 3/3); Gilmore- 13/14 (5/?, 3/3)
G2: 24 (12/?, 0/1); Gilmore – 27 (9/?, 9/13)
G3: 17 (8/?, 1/4); Gilmore – 16 (5/?, 6/7)

Series Average: 17.3 ppg

Artis Gilmore: 18.7 ppg

vs Nuggets

G1: 22 (9/?, 4/6); Issel – 28 (13/?, 2/3)
G2: 19 (7/?, 5/6); Issel – 36/8 (11/?, 14/15) – 13 in the 4^th quarter
G3: 26 (12/?, 2/2); Issel – 14 (7/?)
G4: 11 (5/?, 1/2); Issel – 17 (6/?, 5/7)
G5: 16 (6/?, 3/5); Issel – 23 (8/?, 7/11) – 9 in OT
G6: 12 (6/?, 0/0); Issel – 14 (4/?, 6/9)

Series Average: 17.7 ppg

Dan Issel: 22.0 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 2.8 apg on 51.0 %FG/57.0 %TS

vs Lakers

G1: 19/14/6/3 (8/22, 3/5)
G2: 22/15/9/2 (11/20)
G3: 14/17/2/4 (7/13, 0/0)
G4: 22/13/6/0 (10/16, 2/3)

Series Average: 19.3 ppg, 14.8 rpg, 5.8 apg, 2.3 bpg on 50.7 %FG/51.7 %TS

vs Sixers

G1: 28/20/3/2/2 (11/17, 6/7)
G2: 17/16/2/2/1 (8/20, 1/2)
G3: 20/18/9/4/2 (9/15, 2/3)
G4: 12/13/7/4/1 (6/10)
G5: 14/24/3/2/0 (6/11, 2/2)
G6: 20/23/7/8/0 (8/15, 4/5)

Finals Average: 18.7 ppg, 19.0 rpg, 5.2 apg, 3.7 bpg, 1.0 spg on 54.5 %FG/57.9 %TS

Playoff Average: 18.2 ppg, 15.2 rpg, 5.5 apg, 3.4 bpg, 1.0 spg on 50.7 %FG/52.7 %TS


Julius Erving:

vs. Celtics

G1: 36 (12/?, 12/16) – missed 2 foul shots in the last minute!
G2: 30 (14/?, 2/4)
G3: 27 (9/?, 9/10)
G4: 23 (8/?, 7/7)
G5: 22 (9/?, 4/4)
G6: 14 (7/?, 0/2)
G7: 14 (6/?, 2/2)

Series Average: 23.7 ppg

vs. Rockets

G1: 24 (10/?, 4/4) – hit 2 key foul shots and a jumper late; Moses – 32 (10/?, 12/14)
G2: 18 (7/?, 4/4)
G3: 28 (10/?, 8/12); Moses - 30/24 (11/?, 8/16)
G4: 29 (11/?, 7/8)
G5: 37 (16/?, 5/7)
G6: 34 (15/?, 4/5)

Series Average: 28.3 ppg

vs. Blazers

G1: 33/5/4/0/3 (14/24, 5/5)
G2: 20/4/4/0/5 (10/17)
G3: 28/11/5/1/2 (9/18, 10/11)
G4: 24/6/2/1/3 (7/14, 10/13)
G5: 37/9/7/2/1 (13/27, 11/13)
G6: 40/6/8/1/2 (17/29, 6/7)

Finals Average: 30.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 5.0 apg, 2.7 spg, 0.8 bpg on 54.3 %FG/60.4 %TS

Playoff Average: 27.3 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 4.5 apg, 2.2 spg, 1.2 bpg on 52.3 %FG/57.7 %TS

[The Future]

My favorite.

I'm probably going to vote for Julius Erving but i need time to make my researches and support my claim with arguments.

[Djoker]

Walton and even Erving got consideration from me but I got Kareem as the winner.

He won MVP in the regular season and then put up 35/18/4 on 60% shooting in the postseason. Jabbar arguably peaked as a player this season. He had the skyhook down with both hands, had a great jumper, and he was a strong 260 lbs. On the defensive end, he was the league leader in shot-blocking and a force in the paint because of his strength. We are talking about the likely GOAT center and player at his peak. Walton cannot come close to Kareem in scoring ability. Perhaps he was a better passer and a bit more impactful defensively but it's a push.

Kareem lost both Kermit Washington (the only guy on the team who could rebound) and Lucius Allen (the team's best guard) to injury in the playoffs. The Lakers were severely undermanned.

Here are some quotes:

Snapper Jones (Walton's teammate in Portland the year before) on Kareem-Walton battles:

"What battles? Bill lost them all. Bill Walton got his fanny kicked by Abdul-Jabbar.Kareem had no team around him. Portland killed the Lakers in the backcourt. But Abdul-Jabbar was still Abdul-Jabbar. He was great."

Bill Walton himself:

"I lived to play against Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He was the greatest player I ever played against, by far. Better than Jordan. Better than Magic. better than Bird. Better than Dr. J. Better than the best of the best that I played against. Better than Rick Barry. He was my source of motivation for everything I ever did. Everything I did was to try to beat this guy. I lived to play against him, and I played my best ball against him. No matter what I threw at him, though, it seemed like he'd score 50 against me. His left leg belongs in the Smithsonian. And it wasn't just offense. He was a great defender and rebounder, a great passer, a wonderful leader. He was phenomenal. "

[The Future]

Kareem dominated that season. He was doing everything and was playing his @$$ off for his team. He teared up in the playoffs. Kareem averaged 40 points in the first round of the playoffs vs young Parish. Walton, the league's best defensive player, managed to put him 10 points below his average vs the Warriors but still on 60%.. with a little help from Maurice Lucas defensively at times.

[Djoker]

Kareem was flat-out unstoppable against the Warriors who threw two very good centers at Kareem in Clifford Ray and young Robert Parish. Jabbar had four 40+ point games in the series including a ridiculous clincher where he had 36 points and 26 rebounds. He scored 15 points in the 4th quarter of Game 7 to make up a double digit deficit and beat Golden State.

Then against Walton, he had 30.3 ppg on 60% shooting and outrebounded and outblocked Bill as well.

I want to give credit to Erving too though. He was a monster in the Finals but his teammates didn't really back him up either even though he had a decent team. It's a tie between Walton and Erving for second place imo.

[TeoTheGreek13]

KAJ just because he dominated the NBA this year stats-wise and impact-wise and he was unlucky that his team was strucked by injuries.
Although, I still don't think they lost because of the injuries. The Blazers were too deep and all of their players were extremely unselfish, they played great team basketball.
Actually, with Walton being their leader, of course they were unselfish. He was the type of superstar who was playing like a rotation player in terms of unselfishness.

Actually, know that I think of it better, Kareem wasn't much more impactful than Bill this season but still, Kareem, in that season, was a goddamn all-around beast.

As I said, he wouldn't win the championship but he was the most dominant player in the league with ease.

[32Dayz]

Damn...

Kareem's numbers in that Warriors series... crazy.
Reminds me of Prime Shaq in the early 00 Finals.

I haven't voted yet but I am pretty certain Kareem will be my choice.
He was just fantastic this year on the offensive end and certainly was no slacker on the defensive end either.
Great as Walton and Erving were this year I doubt they were better individual players or more impactful then Kareem was.

No rush I suppose so I'll hold off for now and review the season myself first in more detail before hand.

Only thing that sparks my interest is that Walton was pretty damn good against Kareem and his team did advance further and he did win the Title.

His passing, leadership and defense may be ignored by some but it shouldn't be.

[Ambod Lion]

Walton and even Erving got consideration from me but I got Kareem as the winner.

He won MVP in the regular season and then put up 35/18/4 on 60% shooting in the postseason. Jabbar arguably peaked as a player this season. He had the skyhook down with both hands, had a great jumper, and he was a strong 260 lbs. On the defensive end, he was the league leader in shot-blocking and a force in the paint because of his strength. We are talking about the likely GOAT center and player at his peak. Walton cannot come close to Kareem in scoring ability. Perhaps he was a better passer and a bit more impactful defensively but it's a push.

Kareem lost both Kermit Washington (the only guy on the team who could rebound) and Lucius Allen (the team's best guard) to injury in the playoffs. The Lakers were severely undermanned.

Here are some quotes:

Snapper Jones (Walton's teammate in Portland the year before) on Kareem-Walton battles:

"What battles? Bill lost them all. Bill Walton got his fanny kicked by Abdul-Jabbar.Kareem had no team around him. Portland killed the Lakers in the backcourt. But Abdul-Jabbar was still Abdul-Jabbar. He was great."

Bill Walton himself:

"I lived to play against Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He was the greatest player I ever played against, by far. Better than Jordan. Better than Magic. better than Bird. Better than Dr. J. Better than the best of the best that I played against. Better than Rick Barry. He was my source of motivation for everything I ever did. Everything I did was to try to beat this guy. I lived to play against him, and I played my best ball against him. No matter what I threw at him, though, it seemed like he'd score 50 against me. His left leg belongs in the Smithsonian. And it wasn't just offense. He was a great defender and rebounder, a great passer, a wonderful leader. He was phenomenal. "

Haha I am leaning Kareem anyways but no1 is as good at crazy embelishment and grandeur as Mr Walton. I could listen to him and Ray Lewis talk all day.

[Ambod Lion]

Yea I gotta go with Kareem

In the Regular Season:
3rd in ppg
2nd in overall pts
2nd in rpg
1st in overall rbs
2nd in bpg (by hundreths of a decimal)
1st in total blocks
4th in defensive rating, and the team around him wasn't a great help in this stat
1st in FG% of .579
2nd in TS%
1st in PER 27.8
1st in Offensive Win Shares
1st in Defensive WIn Shares
1st in Overall Win Shares
Had a ridiculous .283 WS/48 mins

AVG 26.2ppg, 13.3rpg, 3.9apg, 3.2bpg
He was All NBA 1st team and All Defensive 2nd team
And of course won the MVP

In the playoffs he averaged 34.6ppg, 17.7rpg, 4.1apg with a .607FG%

How can you not vote for him, he was the best player by far that season.

[The Future]

I'll go with Dr J.

IMO the best player of this season. Despite this being his first season in the NBA where the competition was better, teams were doubling him harder, focusing harder on him defensively etc.. the Doc outlasted all. This is IMO his best individually season in the NBA, because his knees were close to being perfectly healthy which wasn't the case in all of his seasons.

He dominated in the playoffs, especially the Finals with his monster series and sick game 6 in the Finals. The Doctor's excellence unfortunately was held back by the Blazers' strong team play, something his team mates didn't give him enough (McGinis, his biggest help offensively, struggled in the series when needed most and they had no answer for Portland's front court, especially Walton).. he tried hard and you have to appreciate that.

Julius Erving is my choice.

[TeoTheGreek13]

I'll go with Dr J.

IMO the best player of this season. Despite this being his first season in the NBA where the competition was better, teams were doubling him harder, focusing harder on him defensively etc.. the Doc outlasted all. This is IMO his best individually season in the NBA, because his knees were close to being perfectly healthy which wasn't the case in all of his seasons.

He dominated in the playoffs, especially the Finals with his monster series and sick game 6 in the Finals. The Doctor's excellence unfortunately was held back by the Blazers' strong team play, something his team mates didn't give him enough (McGinis, his biggest help offensively, struggled in the series when needed most and they had no answer for Portland's front court, especially Walton).. he tried hard and you have to appreciate that.

Julius Erving is my choice.

Actually, that season, the sixers were the exact opposite of the Blazers!

The Blazers had Walton with some other good players and they were playing team basketball to it's max and the Sixers were full of great players, with Erving being the best, and they were selfish.
This was the main reason they lost this championship but props to Walton's Blazers. The perfect leader.

[The Future]

Actually, that season, the sixers were the exact opposite of the Blazers!

The Blazers had Walton with some other good players and they were playing team basketball to it's max and the Sixers were full of great players, with Erving being the best, and they were selfish.
This was the main reason they lost this championship but props to Walton's Blazers. The perfect leader.

Sixers lost because they couldn't match up the intensity and focus of the Blazers after Game 2.

Oh.. and Walton dominating the series.

[elmouse03]

I have to go with Dr. J. Not just because of the numbers but what he did for the league in that season alone. Really got everyone watching the sport at that time. One of the greatest years from a fans standpoint if you ask me.

[The Future]

[Saint Nick C]

I didn't know we were still doing this.

Sorry.

I'll write my vote in a bit.

[The Future]

I didn't know we were still doing this.

Sorry.

I'll write my vote in a bit.

Possibly the best Player Of The Year thread and my personal favorite

[Saint Nick C]

Man, its Dr. J or Kareem.

Insane numbers and performances by both players. It hard to separate Dr. J's first year in the NBA and his multifaceted brilliance versus Cap's disposition... losing a great defender and rebounder in Washington and a thin roster of unimpressive teammates.

As soon as I get into my office ill jot my vote down.

[The Future]

Man, its Dr. J or Kareem.

Insane numbers and performances by both players. It hard to separate Dr. J's first year in the NBA and his multifaceted brilliance versus Cap's disposition... losing a great defender and rebounder in Washington and a thin roster of unimpressive teammates.

As soon as I get into my office ill jot my vote down.

I'd add in Walton to the conversation, but even as a Blazers fan, i have the two in this specific year ahead of him.

[Saint Nick C]

I'd add in Walton to the conversation, but even as a Blazers fan, i have the two in this specific year ahead of him.

I took what you wrote into consideration and wow... just read up on the playoffs and now I'm looking at Bill Walton again.

This one is friggin' tough!

[Djoker]

If I had to rank them, I would say:

1. Kareem
2. Walton
3. Erving

Julius really had a pedestrian year by his standards other than the Finals. 21.6/8.5/3.7 in the regular season doesn't scream POTY. He's still kind of in the race though. Walton isn't close to the individual player Jabbar is in skill or impact so that has me hesitant about voting him at #1. Especially when Kareem won MVP and 1st Team All-NBA over Bill and outplayed him in their H2H.