1961–62 NBA season

16th NBA season August 2023 1961–62 NBA season National Basketball Association Basketball October 19, 1961 – March 14, 1962March 16 – April 5, 1962 (Playoffs)April 7–18, 1962 (Finals) 80 9 NBC Draft 1961 NBA draft List of first overall NBA draft picks Walt Bellamy Chicago Packers Regular season Boston Celtics Bill Russell (Boston) NBA MVP Wilt Chamberlain (Philadelphia) Playoffs 1962 NBA playoffs Eastern Eastern Division (NBA) Boston Celtics Philadelphia Warriors Western Western Division (NBA) Los Angeles Lakers Detroit Pistons Finals 1962 NBA Finals Boston Celtics Los Angeles Lakers List of NBA seasons NBA 1960–61 NBA season 1960–61 1962–63 NBA season 1962–63 The 1961–62 NBA season was the 16th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Boston Celtics winning their fourth straight NBA championship, beating the Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals. Notable occurrences The Chicago Packers entered the league, bringing the number of teams to nine. Originally, there was planned to be a new franchise in Pittsburgh that was to be added alongside them, but the Pittsburgh franchise ended up withdrawing their application to join the NBA on January 18, 1961 due to a disagreement with the Boston Celtics regarding the availability of Bill Sharman to coach the upcoming Pittsburgh franchise.Bradley Robert The Compendium of Professional Basketball 1999 Xaler Press 0-9644774-3-2, pp. 92–93 The NBA also initially voted to add in the new American Basketball League champions in the Cleveland Pipers into the NBA, with the Pipers' addition being a merger between them and the runner-up Kansas City Steers ABL franchise (with them essentially adding the best players from both teams onto the Pipers once they entered the NBA). However, financial complications from team owner (and future New York Yankees team owner) George Steinbrenner's end would help cause the NBA to renege on their decision to add the Pipers into the NBA, which later caused the Pipers to fold operations as a franchise soon afterward (as well as became the final breaking point on Maurice Podoloff's end for his eventual resignation as the NBA's president).Livingston Bill George Steinbrenner's Pipe Dream: The ABL Champion Cleveland Pipers 2015 Black Squirrel Books 978-1-60635-261-8, pp. 187–200 The NBA schedule was expanded for the third consecutive season. This time it went from 79 games per team, to 80. The Philadelphia Warriors played their final season before their transcontinental relocation to San Francisco for the following season. The NBA would return to Philadelphia in 1963. The 1962 NBA All-Star Game was played in St. Louis, Missouri, with the West beating the East 150–130. Local favorite Bob Pettit won the game's MVP award. In a game played in Hershey, Pennsylvania, Wilt Chamberlain made history by scoring 100 points in the Philadelphia Warriors 169–147 win over the New York Knicks. It still stands as one of the greatest individual feats in sports history. Chamberlain would go on to average 50.4 points per game that season, another record.Robertson Oscar N.B.A. Should Honor Its History and Learn From It The New York Times December 24, 2011 https://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/25/sports/basketball/nba-should-honor-its-history-and-learn-from-it.html?_r=1&src=dayp This year witnessed the first occurrence of a player averaging a triple-double throughout an entire season when Oscar Robertson averaged 30.8 points, 11.4 assists, and 12.5 rebounds per game. This was the last season of the NBA on NBC, the network would regain NBA coverage starting in the 1990–91 season. +Coaching changesOffseason Team 1960–61 coach 1961–62 coach New York Knicks Carl Braun Eddie Donovan Philadelphia Warriors Neil Johnston Frank McGuireIn-season Team Outgoing coach Incoming coach St. Louis Hawks Paul Seymour Andrew LevaneBob Pettit Final standings Eastern Division Western Division x – clinched playoff spot Playoffs 1962 NBA playoffs 1962 NBA playoffs Bracket yes no Statistics leaders + Category Player Team Stat Points Wilt Chamberlain Philadelphia Warriors 4,029 Rebounds Wilt Chamberlain Philadelphia Warriors 2,052 Assists Oscar Robertson Cincinnati Royals 899 FG% Walt Bellamy Chicago Packers .519 FT% Dolph Schayes Syracuse Nationals .899 Note: Prior to the 1969–70 season, league leaders in points, rebounds, and assists were determined by totals rather than averages. NBA awards Most Valuable Player: Bill Russell, Boston Celtics Rookie of the Year: Walt Bellamy, Chicago Packers 25em All-NBA First Team: F – Elgin Baylor, Los Angeles Lakers F – Bob Pettit, St. Louis Hawks C – Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia Warriors G – Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati Royals G – Jerry West, Los Angeles Lakers All-NBA Second Team: F – Tom Heinsohn, Boston Celtics F – Jack Twyman, Cincinnati Royals C – Bill Russell, Boston Celtics G – Bob Cousy, Boston Celtics G – Richie Guerin, New York Knicks Individual statistics section December 2021 The 1961–62 season is notable for having some of the most impressive individual season statistics ever. A number of records were set this season, some of which still stand to this day. Below is a table showcasing some of the most significant individual per game statistics of the season. PlayerTeamGPMPGPPGRPGAPGWilt ChamberlainPhiladelphia8048.550.425.72.4Bill RussellBoston7645.218.923.64.5Oscar RobertsonCincinnati7944.330.812.511.4Elgin BaylorLos Angeles4444.438.318.64.6Bob PettitSt Louis7842.131.118.73.7Jerry WestLos Angeles7541.230.87.95.4Richie GuerinNew York7842.929.56.46.9Walt BellamyChicago7942.331.619.02.7Cliff HaganSt Louis7736.222.98.24.8Willie NaullsNew York7539.725.011.62.6Red KerrSyracuse8034.616.314.73.0 When comparing these players to the 2014–15 NBA league leaders, 7 of these players would win the scoring title, 5 would win the rebounding title and 1 would win the assist title.https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2015_leaders.html 2014–15 NBA Leaders Basketball-Reference.com Basketball-Reference.com 2016-04-02 See also List of NBA regular season records References 1961–62 NBA Season Summary basketball-reference.com. Retrieved March 30, 2010.