Elgin Baylor vs Bill Russell
Elgin Baylor and Bill Russell were contemporaries, their careers overlapping for 11 seasons. On the floor, Elgin Baylor was the higher-volume scorer (27.4 points per game to 15.1); Elgin Baylor was the more efficient scorer (49.4% true shooting to 47.1%); Bill Russell controlled the glass (22.5 rebounds per game to 13.5). Bill Russell holds the edge on accolades — 5 MVPs, 11 championships and the #5 all-time ranking to Elgin Baylor's #30.
Career averages
| Elgin Baylor | Stat | Bill Russell |
|---|---|---|
| 27.4 | Points / game | 15.1 |
| 13.5 | Rebounds / game | 22.5 |
| 4.3 | Assists / game | 4.3 |
| 0.0 | Steals / game | 0.0 |
| 0.0 | Blocks / game | 0.0 |
| 43.1% | Field goal % | 44.0% |
| 0.0% | 3-point % | 0.0% |
| 78.0% | Free throw % | 56.1% |
| 49.4% | True shooting % | 47.1% |
| 846 | Games played | 963 |
Advanced metrics
Advanced stats weren't tracked in Elgin Baylor's era.
Advanced stats weren't tracked in Bill Russell's era.
Playoff averages
| Elgin Baylor | Stat | Bill Russell |
|---|---|---|
| 27.0 | Points / game | 16.2 |
| 12.9 | Rebounds / game | 24.9 |
| 4.0 | Assists / game | 4.7 |
| 0.0 | Steals / game | 0.0 |
| 0.0 | Blocks / game | 0.0 |
| 43.4% | Field goal % | 42.7% |
| 0.0% | 3-point % | 0.0% |
| 75.3% | Free throw % | 59.9% |
| 134 | Playoff games | 165 |
Accolades
| Elgin Baylor | Stat | Bill Russell |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | MVP awards | 5 |
| 0 | Finals MVP | 0 |
| 1 | Championships | 11 |
| 11 | All-Star selections | 12 |
| 10 | All-NBA 1st Team | 3 |
| #30 | All-time GOAT rank | #5 |
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