#BestNBAPlayer: 1961-62 The regular season expanded to 80 games and the Boston Celtics won 60 of them. They also won their fifth tile in six years, but it wasn't easy. Both the Philadelphia Warriors and the Los Angeles Lakers pushed the Celtics to seven games in the playoffs. - ThreadSky

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dallinturner.bsky.social • 3 days ago

#BestNBAPlayer: 1961-62

The regular season expanded to 80 games and the Boston Celtics won 60 of them. They also won their fifth tile in six years, but it wasn't easy. Both the Philadelphia Warriors and the Los Angeles Lakers pushed the Celtics to seven games in the playoffs.

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dallinturner.bsky.social•3 days ago

Bill Russell led Boston with 15.5 Win Shares this season, averaging 18.9 points and 23.9 rebounds per game, en route to winning his third MVP, an appearance in the All-Star Game and another spot on the All-NBA Second Team. Wilt Chamberlain was still considered the best center, if not the best player

dallinturner.bsky.social•3 days ago

It's impossible to talk about Russell without mentioning his advocacy against racism. This was the season where he participated in a boycott of an exhibition game in Kentucky because their hotel refused to serve Black people. Three Celtics and two Hawks protested the game, but it was played anyway.

dallinturner.bsky.social•3 days ago

This seems to have been his first large-scale, public act against racism. Luckily, he was able to withstand the controversy, managing to become the highest-paid player in the NBA while still continuing his activism. This was mainly why he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011.

dallinturner.bsky.social•3 days ago

Anyway, back to basketball! Joining Russell in both the All-Star Game and the All-NBA Second Team were Tom Heinsohn and Bob Cousy (who also received MVP votes). And with Bill Sharman finally retired, his longtime backup, Sam Jones, was able to break through and make his first All-Star Game.

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