The NBA History Season by Season 1961 to 1962

Season by Season
1961 to 1962

Wilt Scores 100, Averages 50

Wilt Chamberlain's rookie performance, coming into the NBA and averaging nearly 38 ppg, was almost beyond belief. But what he did in his third season will likely never be duplicated. Chamberlain, who played all but eight possible minutes of the entire season and averaged 48.5 minutes per game, averaged 50.4 points per game, a full 12 points more than his NBA record set last season. On March 2, 1962, Chamberlain scored 100 points against the New York Knicks in Hershey, PA in a 169-147 triumph. Although 4,124 were in attendance, many thousands more would claim to have been there for decades afterward.

Chicago had been added to the league as an expansion franchise, and the Packers' center, Walt Bellamy, won Rookie of the Year honors by averaging 31.6 ppg (second in the league behind Chamberlain) and 19.0 rpg and leading the league with a .519 shooting percentage.

While Chamberlain was setting records that would hold up for decades, the Celtics were busily adding to their dynasty, winning a record 60 games in an 80-game season. In contrast to Chamberlain's scoring feats, no Boston player appeared among the NBA's top 10 in scoring. Boston and Philadelphia engaged in one of their legendary battles in the Eastern Division Finals, with Sam Jones hitting a jump shot with two seconds left in Game 7 to give the Celtics the win. St. Louis' run of Finals appearances ended with the Lakers winning 54 games and advancing to the Finals against Boston. Boston came back from being down 2-1 and 3-2 in the series to win a fourth straight NBA title in dramatic fashion, 110-107 in overtime in Game 7 at Boston Garden.

SELVY MISS + CELTIC LUCK = BOSTON TITLE

Just two years ago, Boston had blown out St. Louis in the seventh game of an NBA Finals. But in 1962, Frank Selvy of the Lakers had the chance to put Boston away on the parquet. With seconds remaining in Game 7 and the score tied, Selvy, a 29-year-old guard who had played in two All-Star Games, was being guarded by Bob Cousy, who had left him momentarily to double-team West. When Hot Rod Hundley passed him the ball, Selvy had a good look at an eight-foot shot. But his shot bounced off the rim and the game went into overtime, where Boston prevailed.

"It was a fairly tough shot because I was almost on the baseline," Selvy said. "But I would trade all my points for that last basket."