Talk:1968–69 NBA season

The Final Bow

Bill Russell was known for the final laugh at Chamberlain this season. He berated Wilt for limping off the court in pain. He did not know the degree of that pain, only that he himself would never permit himself to be denied by something like pain. He did not laud teammate Havlichek, the team's real star at this point, or the efforts of West. They were whites. Russell owed them nothing. Russell had it easy in the NBA, some have said. Auerbach's machine of shooters, passers, defenders, and bench help won 11 titles in 13 years --- all with Bill Russell in the middle. No other center had a cast nearly as good, certainly not for such a time frame. But Russell never had it easy. Not in Louisiana or Kansas before his family came to California. He was no high school sensation. Just awfully good enough for a local college to give him a shot. Even that had been a hard road just to that point. At USF he led champions, even in the '56 Olympics. But people called him nigger anyway. They wouldn't let him high jump, even as he was world-class. But he still got gold. The Rochester Royals, on hard times, never even considered drafting him. Boston alone wanted him. Bill had to thank God for Auerbach. As a Royal he would have been an also-ran who couldn't shoot. Instead, he transformed basketball. His shot-blocking redefined team defense. He electrified with rebounds and outlet passes. He did not need to score to completely dominate. Russell was never given credit for his intelligence. But then he was player/coach. Wilt had got him once, but he came back and got Wilt twice. Chamberlain met him in four different uniforms. Bill was always a Celtic, always a winner. No one ever won more. As he and Sam Jones walked off with their pile of NBA jewelry, he was still bitter. Boston had not been all that friendly. Not like they would be for Cousy, Havlichek or Bird. It was easy to see why. Even wearing green, he was still black. Russell has since mellowed some and opened his heart a little. But not without remembering that,even in the game he made his own, he was never the hero he should have been.