Word: pettits
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1960-1969
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...beneath the basket and stuff in rebounds. Philadelphia's Wilt ("The Stilt") Chamberlain, who leads the N.B.A. in scoring with an average 37.8, stands 7 ft. 2 in., but has the speed and agility to be a marvel were he half a foot shorter. St. Louis' Bob Pettit (6 ft. 9 in.) is quick and graceful, Boston's Bill Russell (6 ft. 10 in.) is a defensive and rebounding genius, Los Angeles' Elgin Baylor (6 ft. 5 in.) combines the brute strength of a pro football tackle with the supple coordination of an Olympic gymnast...
Complete Courtmen. Yet such are the demands of modern basketball that each of these players has a flaw, however slight. Chamberlain, Baylor and Pettit are less than superior as playmakers. Boston's Russell is an erratic scorer. Not only is the short Cousy no rebounder, but he is no great shakes on defense-despite his flashy interceptions...
...that have to be mopped up with towels. Trainers use freezing sprays of ethyl chloride to relieve the pain of a sprain-and keep the man in the game. An estimated 85% of the pros play with nagging injuries-charley horses, jammed thumbs, pulled muscles-and St. Louis' Pettit and Syracuse's Dolph Schayes have kept going with broken wrists. Robertson himself is just getting over a torn muscle above his right hip, which benched him for five games. After a game, win or lose, the exhausted players slump silently on stools in front of their lockers...
...about Baylor, one of the great stars in the history of basketball. "Play him tight at the beginning of the game. Your whole object in life after he gets the ball is to block him off, give him the outside shot." Says Syracuse's Coach Alex Hannum about Pettit: "Keep him off the offensive board. Face-check him sometimes, even if you have to sacrifice the idea of getting the rebound...
...indeed. When the game began, Robertson looked like the most seasoned pro on the floor. He kept star teammates such as Los Angeles' Elgin Baylor and St. Louis' Bob Pettit running at top speed with a series of pinpointed passes that set up easy baskets. In the very first period, Robertson himself scored 13 points-hitting on all five of his shots from the floor -to lead the West to a 47-19 lead that made inevitable his team's final victory...