The Celtics’ championship tally grew as well, with Chamberlain being on the losing side in ’64, ’65 and ’66. There was no doubt his frustration was mounting, but he was always civil in public when the issue was raised. After a 30-point, 39-rebound performance brought down the Celtics in Game 2 of the 1965 Eastern Conference Finals, for example, Russell heaped praise on his rival.
“The big fella was great, real great,” he observed. “That was the best game he ever played against me.”
Wilt’s response: “I don’t want to talk about this being a victory over Russell, but a victory over Boston.
There always was a larger context in the Russell-Wilt rivalry. They did not play in a vacuum. Russell once played on a team with seven future Hall of Famers, not including himself. Wilt, at various times, played with Nate Thurmond, Paul Arizin, Billy Cunningham, Tom Gola, Hal Greer, Jerry West and Elgin Baylor, who are all in the Hall of Fame, not to mention Chet Walker and Guy Rodgers, who could be.
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