Bill Russell versus Wilt Chamberlain:
There are many great rivalries in NBA history, but the discussion of which of these is the greatest begins and ends with one legendary showdown: Bill Russell versus Wilt Chamberlain.

Russell was 2½ years older than Chamberlain and entered the NBA in 1957, three years before Wilt’s rookie season.

The Celtic great retired after the 1969 season having played in 963 regular-season games. Chamberlain retired after the 1973 season with 1,045 regular-season games under his belt. It makes comparing them relatively easy. If Chamberlain had retired following the Lakers’ 1972 championship, he would have retired after 13 years and 963 games – exactly the same as Russell. After 963 games, Russell – widely regarded as the preeminent rebounder of all-time – finished with 21,620 rebounds, while Chamberlain grabbed 22,298 (or 678 more than Russell).

The rivalry extends beyond the boards, though. For 10 years, beginning in the 1959-60 season, the two men battled 142 times, including playoff matchups. Russell played 187 regular-season and 30 postseason games before Chamberlain entered the league. That meant that in a 10-year period, Russell played 776 regular season and 135 postseason games, for a total of 911 games. In 142 of those 911 games (over 15 percent of the games), he played the greatest individual force in the league’s history (read: Chamberlain). Russell’s teams won 84 and lost 58.

That includes the years Russell played in the Eastern Conference and Chamberlain played in the Western Conference (in San Francisco or Los Angeles). There were far fewer teams in the NBA in the 1960s, and, thus, many more matchups between familiar foes.

Their first meeting occurred on November 17, 1959 in Boston. The defending champion Celtics started the season 5-0. The Warriors started 3-0. The early-season matchup between the two teams was intensely anticipated. Instantly, the game was heralded as the greatest man-to-man clash in league history. Chamberlain had averaged 39.6 points per game in his first three NBA games. Remember, to this point no player had ever averaged as many as 30 points per game in a season. Russell, a fourth-year center, was off to the best start of his career. He averaged 22 points and 25 rebounds per game in the first five games of the 1959-60 season. Chamberlain, however, was four-inches taller and 40 pounds heavier.

According to the 1966 George Sullivan book, “Wilt Chamberlain," there was more excitement around Boston Garden for the Russell-Chamberlain series than there had been during the previous championship series. “The Garden was sold out weeks in advance, and whatever tickets were available were grabbed up by scalpers who hawked them for $20 a pair.”

“No sooner was the game underway then a forgotten star stole the show. His name? Bob Cousy. He fed, feinted, drove and shot in typical Cousy fashion. He propelled the Celtics to an early 22-7 lead. The Bostonians were never headed after that and were on top at the end 115-106.”

The individual duel was pretty much a standoff. Russell had 22 points and 35 rebounds. Chamberlain had 30 points and 30 rebounds. In his 1973 autobiography, “Wilt: Just Like Any Other 7-ft Black Millionaire That Lives Next Door,” Chamberlain said his performance was “hardly a disgrace, particularly when you realize that Russell would’ve had more rebounds than God in Boston Garden … In my second game against Russell, I just plain destroyed him. I outscored him 45-15, and outrebounded him 35-13, and he fouled out trying to guard me. The Warriors won 123-113.”

Boston defeated Philadelphia eight out of 13 times that season. The two men only faced each other 11 times, since Russell was injured in one game and Chamberlain missed another. In the playoffs, the Warriors disposed of the Syracuse Nats to earn the right to play the Celtics in the Eastern Finals.

Wilt, again from his 1973 books, wrote the following on the series: “We lost to Boston in six games that year, and they went on to defeat St. Louis for the championship. We might have beaten Boston in that series if I hadn’t been injured again. After they beat us 111-105 in the first game, we won the second 115-110. But it was a costly victory. The Celtics kept roughing me up, particularly Tommy Heinsohn, and the officials wouldn’t call anything. Finally, I got mad and hit Tom Gola, one of my teammates, on the forearm. We damn near had a riot in Boston Garden, and the police had to come out on the court to restore order. The doctors packed my hand in ice and ordered me not to play the third game, but I played anyway. The coach wanted me to, my teammates wanted me to, and I wanted to. My hand was sore and swollen, and I only got 12 points, and Russell got 26 and outrebounded me. They won 120-90.”

The Celtics took the fourth game to go up 3-1. Philadelphia then won the fifth game 128-107, as a healthier Chamberlain scored 50. Boston eliminated Philadelphia in the sixth game 119-117, on a tip-in from Heinsohn at the buzzer. Philly’s Guy Rodgers missed two free throws with 11 seconds left and the score tied. In that game, by the way, Chamberlain had 26 points and 24 rebounds to Russell’s 25 and 25.

Just when it looked like the rivalry couldn't get any better, it did.

The two greats went on to share every individual honor in the NBA. Chamberlain was the MVP in 1960, 1966, 1967 and 1968. Russell was the MVP in 1961, 1962, 1963 and 1965 (also in 1958, before Chamberlain entered the league).

Aside from the 1960 playoffs, the two met in the postseason in 1962, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968 and 1969. That’s eight times in 10 years, including the 1964 and 1969 NBA Finals.

By Chamberlain’s third season (1962), he was an unstoppable offensive force. He averaged 50 points per game, as well as 25 rebounds. Although the Celtics had won three consecutive NBA titles, the Warriors were confident of dethroning Boston. But first, Philadelphia had to dispose of Syracuse.

Chamberlain scored a new playoff record 56 points in the final game against the Nats, which the Warriors won 121-104 to set up and another seven-game series between Russell and The Stilt.

Philly's victory over Syracuse came at a price, however, as the Warriors lost their third leading scorer, Tom Gola, who was injured in the series and played sparingly against Boston.

In the first game of the Eastern Finals, the Celtics won by 36 points (Philadelphia’s sixth game in eight nights, while a rested Boston had a week off awaiting the result of the Philly-Syracuse battle). The Warriors tied the series in the second game, as Chamberlain outscored Russell 42-9.

There was a near-riot again in Boston Garden during the fifth game, with the series tied 2-2. In that game, the Celtics jumped out to a 72-49 halftime advantage. In the fourth quarter, Chamberlain collided with Sam Jones. Jones ran over and picked up a wooden stool and swung it threateningly at Wilt. Police had to restore order. Right after play was resumed, Philly’s Guy Rodgers fired a left hook at the unsuspecting Carl Braun. Another mob scene ensued. Forty-five seconds after that situation calmed, Boston’s Jim Loscutoff threatened Rodgers, and Rodgers went for the same stool Jones had swung at Wilt, causing a Boston fan to run onto the court after him. Later in the fourth, Heinsohn was ejected for throwing a punch at Philadelphia’s Ted Luckenbill.

The next day, five players were fined $50 each.

The atmosphere at Philadelphia’s Convention Hall for the sixth game was intense to say the least. Fans brought little wooden footstools to taunt the Celtics. Chamberlain scored 32 points, leading the way and forcing a seventh game.

In Game 7 at Boston, the score was tied with 16 seconds remaining. Boston’s five men on the court were all future Hall of Famers: Russell, Cousy, Sam Jones, K.C. Jones and Heinsohn. They played for the last shot, and Sam Jones made a jumper with less than two seconds left. Russell then batted away a desperation inbounds pass intended for Chamberlain, sealing Boston's victory.

Chamberlain finished with just 22 points (to Russell’s 19). In the year he averaged 50 points per game, he scored 33, 42, 35, 41, 30, 32 and 22 points against Russell in the playoffs. He averaged 33.5 points in the series – about a third less than he averaged during the season.

Two years later, the Warriors had moved to San Francisco and made the NBA Finals. Chamberlain’s crew was no match for the Celtics, as Russell’s team won their sixth NBA title in a row (three times eliminating Chamberlain’s team). Once again, there was a skirmish. In the second game, Wilt decked Clyde Lovellette in Boston. Both benches emptied, and cops had to restore order. In his first NBA Finals, Chamberlain (36.9 points per game in the regular season) was held to 22, 32, 35, 27 and 30 points (29.2 average).

There’s little doubt that a) Russell played on better teams, and b) Russell held Chamberlain way below his season numbers.

By 1965, Chamberlain was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers (the newly renamed and relocated Syracuse franchise) and the 28-year-old led the league in scoring for a sixth consecutive season (34.7 points per game) and once again prepared to meet Russell and the Celtics in the postseason.

Down 3-2 to Boston in the East Finals, Chamberlain played the entire fourth quarter of Game 6 with five fouls, which he shook off to finish with 30 points and 26 rebounds, almost single-handedly carrying his team to a seventh game. In Game 7, with the Celtics leading 110-103 and less than two minutes remaining, Chamberlain scored six consecutive points to pull the Sixers within one with six seconds remaining. Russell committed a turnover on the ensuing inbounds pass, giving Philadelphia one last chance. But Boston's John Havlicek stole Hal Greer's pass, and the Celtics won again.

Chamberlain scored 30 points (not far from his average) and had 32 rebounds in the game. He clearly did all he could to help his team snatch the near-victory.

The next season, Chamberlain led the league in scoring – it was his seventh consecutive season as the NBA's top scorer – and Russell won the NBA title for the eighth year in a row, again beating Wilt and the Sixers in the East Finals, this time in just five games. In the decisive fifth game, Chamberlain scored 46 points and grabbed 34 rebounds, but was unfortunately tagged the “loser” because his team couldn’t get past Boston.

Before the 1967 season, the 76ers added new coach Alex Hannum and rookie Billy Cunningham. That year Chamberlain scored less, passed more and his team set an all-time record for victories (since surpassed).

In the playoffs, Chamberlain’s team defeated Russell’s for the first time, doing so in impressive fashion; they won each game by an average of 15 points. Chamberlain established a still-standing NBA playoff record by grabbing an 41 rebounds in Game 3.

The following year, the two teams met in the Eastern Finals yet again. It was the seventh time in Chamberlain’s nine years that he faced Russell and the Celtics in the playoffs. Once again, the series came down a seventh game. But for the first time in Russell’s career, the seventh game would be played away from Boston Garden.

Russell, acting as player-coach, made three crucial plays in the game’s final minute. First he hit free throw he made to put his team up by a deuce with 34 seconds remaining. Then he blocked a Chet Walker shot to protect the lead. Finally, after a Hal Greer miss, Russell snared the clutch rebound. Following the game, Russell called it the most satisfying win of his career. He only scored 12 points, but held Chamberlain to 14. Strangely, Wilt took only two shots in the second half and scored only two points after halftime.

In 1969, Russell played his final season. He led the Celtics into the Finals, where their opponent was the Los Angeles Lakers -- and their center was (surprise!) Wilt Chamberlain.

The series went to seven games in typical Russell-versus-Chamberlain fashion. In the seventh game, Chamberlain picked up his fourth foul early in the third quarter and hurt his right knee coming down for a rebound with 5:45 remaining in the fourth. At the time of the injury, the Lakers trailed by seven. Chamberlain said he wanted to go back in the game a short time later, but with the Lakers on a run, his coach refused.

Boston held on for a 108-106 win, and Russell’s earned his 11th title in 13 seasons.

While Russell versus Chamberlain is the best of the best, many other rivalries have sprung up over the years.

Wilt Chamberlain versus Kareem Abdul-Jabbar:
Chamberlain was 11 years older than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, so this short-term rivalry could not compare to Wilt’s mano-a-mano duels with Russell. Chamberlain was 33 years old when Kareem entered the NBA, fresh off his days dominating the NCAA at UCLA. Despite the age difference, the pair picked up right where the Russell-Chamberlain rivalry left off.

They squared off 27 times, with Chamberlain holding a slim 14-13 advantage.

They met in the 1971 postseason, where the Bucks took the Western Conference finals, 4-1, on their way to the 1971 title.

During the 1972 regular season, Kareem outscored Wilt 201-70 in five regular-season matchups. Kareem averaged 34 points per game against the rest of the league, but 40 in the games against Chamberlain. In that year’s playoffs, Kareem outscored Wilt 202-67 in the six games, but Chamberlain had more rebounds and more blocks.

They met again in the '72 postseason. This time the Lakers won the Western Conference finals, 4-2, on their way to the 1972 title.

Late in the third quarter of Game 6 in Milwaukee, the Bucks, who trailed 3-2 in the series, held a 10-point lead and looked poised to force Game 7. But Chamberlain went on a tear and led the Lakers to a four-point victory, ensuring that the series progressed no further.

When Chamberlain played Russell, Wilt was cast as the villain. When Chamberlain played the younger, more militant Abdul-Jabbar, though, Kareem was the man everyone loved to hate.

And this time around, it was Chamberlain losing the scoring battles, but winning more often.

Magic Johnson versus Larry Bird:
Despite the fact that Magic Johnson played guard and Larry Bird played forward, their careers will always be linked. They played against each other in 1979 for the NCAA Championship in the highest rated basketball game of all-time.

Magic’s team won that game, and he was the first player picked in the 1979 NBA draft. Magic also won an NBA championship in his rookie season, one year before Bird took the Celtics to the title in 1980-81 (maybe because Magic missed 45 games due to torn cartilage after a knee injury).

In 1982, Magic’s Lakers won a second championship. Either Magic’s Lakers or Larry’s Celtics won the NBA championship in eight of nine seasons beginning with their rookie year of 1980.

Bird won three MVP awards. Magic won three MVP awards.

In their only postseason matchups, they met for the title in the 1984 Finals, the 1985 Finals and the 1987 Finals.

Of course, unlike other great rivalries, Magic and Bird didn’t guard each other straight up. Magic was matched in the 1984 Finals by 6-foot-2 Gerald Henderson. Bird had Michael Cooper on him.

In 1984, it was Bird that prevailed. Magic made a crucial turnover at the end of Game 4 and, in the seventh game, missed nine of 14 shots and turned the ball over seven times.

Following the 1984 Finals, both Magic and Bird had two NBA titles. Bird had averaged 22.8 points, 10.7 rebounds and 5.6 assists in his first five seasons. Magic had averaged 18.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 9.8 assists. The matchup was virtually dead-even.

In the 1985 Finals, it was 38-year-old Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s performance against the Celtics’ Robert Parish (Kareem’s 25.7 points per game on 60 percent shooting to Parish’s 17.2 on 48 percent) that was the difference.

By 1987, Magic Johnson had improved to a level most likely beyond Bird. Magic’s Lakers took two of three Finals against Bird (and 11 of 19 games).

Hakeem Olajuwon versus David Robinson:

They played the same position—for teams in the same state. They each won an MVP. Robinson was All-NBA First Team four times. Hakeem was All-NBA First Team six times. For a decade, they were the best centers in the game. Hakeem captured the two NBA championships in the mid-90s when Jordan left the table for a few hands.

Robinson was the MVP in 1995, the league’s best player. The Spurs had a better record than Olajuwon’s Rockets, and had home-court advantage in the 1995 Western Conference Finals.

The Rockets took the first two games in San Antonio. The Spurs came back and won the next two in Houston. The Rockets won the next two games and won the series in six. For the series, Robinson averaged 23.8 points, 11.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.5 steals.

Olajuwon averaged 35.3 points, 12.5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4.1 blocks and 1.3 steals. In the last two games, Olajuwon outscored Robinson 81-41. Hakeem had won the MVP in 1994 and felt he deserved it in 1995. Robinson took the trophy in 1995, and it was announced right before the Western Conference Finals started.

It was all the motivation that Hakeem needed.

Shaquille O'Neal versus Tim Duncan:
Shaquille O’Neal entered the NBA in 1992, and was nearly the best center in the game from his first season, despite the presence of all-time greats Robinson, Olajuwon and the Knicks' Patrick Ewing.

In Shaq's first go-around in the Finals, while a member of the Orlando Magic, Olajuwon dominated O'Neal during a four-game Rockets sweep. Not much of a rivalry.

And although Robinson shared the center position with O’Neal when Robinson's Spurs locked horns with the Lakers, who acquired Shaq in 1996-97, it was Tim Duncan who waged the most well-remembered wars against The Big Aristotle, making this Battle of Big Men the current version of Russell-Chamberlain.

O’Neal joined the Lakers in 1997. Duncan entered the NBA in 1998. They met in the playoffs in 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004. They have divvied up three MVP awards. One or the other has been the NBA Finals MVP in six different seasons.

Duncan – like Russell – is the smaller of the two at 7-0 and 260. O’Neal, listed as 7-foot-1 and 325 pounds, dwarfs Duncan in much the same way that Chamberlain dwarfed Russell.

O’Neal – like Chamberlain – was the dominant offensive force of his generation. There wasn’t another player in the league that could stay with him for an entire game.

O’Neal – like Chamberlain – was a poor foul shooter.

On the other hand, Duncan – like Russell – was a great defensive player.

Duncan – like Russell – was a poor (but not nearly as bad) foul shooter.

Duncan – like Russell – played for one team his entire career. That team, the Spurs, consistently played great defense and limited opponents to poor field goal percentages. Sounds like another historical team, doesn't it?

Unlike Chamberlain going against Russell, though, Shaq has fared much better against Duncan. Their teams have played 48 times, including playoffs. Shaq’s squads have won 27 and lost 21. In the playoffs, Shaq’s teams have won 14 of 25 games and eliminated the Spurs in three of five series matchups.

The first time they played against each other was early in Duncan’s rookie season, on November 13, 1997. The Lakers took the game, 109-100, in overtime, as O’Neal scored 34 points and grabbed 15 rebounds.

In 1999, the Spurs swept the Lakers from the playoffs. In 2001, the Lakers returned the favor. Not only did Shaq’s Lakers sweep Duncan’s Spurs, they defeated them by 14, seven, 39, and 29 points.

The two met once again in the 2002 playoffs. The Lakers won four of five games in the playoff series, making them 8-1 over San Antonio in two consecutive playoff seasons.

The Spurs knocked the Lakers out in six games in 2003.

The Lakers eliminated the defending champion Spurs in 2004 on the strength of an unlikely shot by Derek Fisher in the fifth game.

Head-to-head, their stats are virtually identical, and they have each won three championships.

If the Heat and Spurs should meet in the NBA Finals, it would be the closest thing to Russell versus Chamberlain since the 1969 Finals.