Wilt Chamberlain vs. Bill Russell: Reflecting on the NBA’s first individual rivalry

Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell, who won 11 championships and helped usher basketball into the modern era, died Sunday at age 88.

He leaves behind an enormous legacy, including his mantle as the greatest champion in basketball history. While conversations about the best NBA player of all time are often contentious, there is no debate who was the game’s winningest.

At the time of his passing, the Hall of Famer’s accomplishments still remained unchallenged some 53 years after his retirement in 1969. Those accolades, which became too many to count during his 13 seasons, also were buoyed over the years by his accomplishments off the court as a civil rights activist, coach, broadcaster, and ambassador of the game.

» READ MORE: 1966-67 Sixers: Was Wilt Chamberlain or Bill Russell better?

Of course, much of what Russell accomplished in his career came at the expense of the 76ers, the Los Angeles Lakers, and Wilt Chamberlain. The Inquirer takes a closer look at five iconic moments from that Russell vs. Chamberlain rivalry, focusing particularly on their clashes as members of the Celtics and Sixers.

Because this is The Inquirer — and because there weren’t many times when the Sixers came out on top in this rivalry — we’ll start with the 1966-67 season, when Chamberlain’s team finally broke through and ended the Celtics’ run of eight straight NBA championships.

In that 1967 East Division finals series, Russell took a backseat to John Havlicek and Sam Jones on offense, but he still produced an insane 23.4 rebounds per game in five contests. He also averaged 11.4 points per game and protected the rim during a time when blocks were not yet a stat.

But, never outmatched statistically, Chamberlain finally got over the hump and into the NBA Finals with a stellar performance that included 21.6 points, 32 rebounds and 10 assists per game. That team, which also featured Hal Greer and Billy Cunningham, would go on to capture the 1967 title over the San Francisco Warriors.

Today’s game is built on individual rivalries, with star power on opposing teams serving as the headline that intrigues fans and sells tickets. Russell and Chamberlain were the original, and as we know, rivalries can sometimes get heated.

That was the case in 1966, when a massive fight broke out broke out during Game 2 of the East Division finals. As was typical, the Celtics would get the final word, defeating the Sixers in five games and going on to beat the Lakers in the Finals.

The 1965 East Division finals were hotly contested, with the series coming down to the final moments. With five seconds left in Game 7, Greer’s inbound pass was stolen by Havlicek, giving way to the famous “Havlicek stole the ball” call. The Celtics won, 110-109, and Russell once again advanced to the Finals as Wilt’s season came to an end.

It was the ninth playoff meeting between the two teams, including the Sixers’ time as the Syracuse Nationals. And Russell’s dominance continued on that night. He averaged 15.6 points, 25.3 rebounds and 6.7 assists in the series, but most important, he came away with another feather in his cap in the rivalry against Wilt.

Well, both men were often asked about the other, and this ESPN piece from Bill Simmons, who sat down with Russell in his home, contains commentary from both players on their battles. We’ll let them have the final word.