In 1962, Wilt Chamberlain scores an NBA-record 100 points

It was 71.

Didn't you ever wonder why there were so many rebounds back then?

No.  He definitely has the edge in versatility over either of those guys, because that's the way the gamer is played today.  But prime Olajuwon was more skilled in the post and both Olajuwon and Shaq were more dominant in their prime than Embiid is now.  

Nothing you said changes my argument.  Olajuwon was a more dominant player in his prime than Embiid is now, and he was a better post player.  Look at Dream's averages from 92-93 to 95-96.  27 PPG, 11.7 TRB, 3.6 AST, 1.7 STL, 3.6 BLK, 52% from the floor.  Here are Embiid's for comparison.  He's a great player, but Olajuwon in his absolute prime was a better all around player, it isn't up for debate.  3s are irrelevant because centers didn't shoot threes back then. 

The defensive stats alone prove Dream was much more dominant.  And Olajuwon won two titles, two Finals MVPs and a league MVP in that span.  He was an absolute force in the paint on both ends.  That's dominance.          

Agree with all this here but my only question is, do you think he’d have those two rings if not for Jordan’s mini-retirement?

I just don't see it. Guys who are hitting 50 are usually in tight meaningful game minutes to close out. 100 in today's game would surely mean a team is enjoying a rout, or like Kobe's 81 down 14 at the half, someone who says fcuk it & shoots everything. They'd have to be on the floor nearly the entire time & shooting everything they touched.
Wilt was lobbed the ball by his teammates most of the game I've read, & his dominating height he was either scoring or being fouled - & making his free throws like none since.

Steph's high is 62, & I guess he could've hit 80 on a hotter shooting % night... then again, how many boards are dished back out to him? His misses can't all have just been automatic change of possession. David Robinson's 71 is maybe as close we get to a big man again.

It would probably have to be someone like Lillard who's hitting nearly all his 3's, being fouled to hit free throws & stop the clock, & staying in more than 40 minutes (at least) to chase the record.  Dame's high is currently (only) 61.

I think 100 in an overtime game would politely include an asterisk, I can't imagine anyone thinking 104 points from double OT is mightier than Wilt's 100 regulation.

Nobody said the 60s was the era of physical defense-- but you had more leeway in terms of physicality in those days than you do today.   The Celtics routinely averaged in the 120s back in those days, and they had the best defensive center ever.  The game was more up tempo overall compared to what it became in the late 80s/90s.  The bully ball style made popular by the Bad Boy Pistons made basketball a slog at times in the 90s.  If you go back and watch games from even ten years ago you'll see an enormous difference in style of play compared to today.  Terms like 'no layups' or 'playoff foul' didn't come from nowhere.  You sent messages back then, today you might get tossed if your arm hits the guy in the head after you block his shot.     

Things only got uglier when they moved the 3 point line closer, in 94-95 through 96-97.  The idea was to open up the game with more threes, but it backfired.  Shooting percentages plummeted because now every backup center thought he should shoot threes; and with the line being closer, it was actually easier for the defense to rotate out to 3 point shooters.


Look at the final scores from the 1998 Finals.  These were the best two teams in the league featuring multiple Hall of Fame players on both sides.  Bully ball, and then collecting big men to hack defenders became the trend once Shaq came into the league.  It was almost like hockey, you had guys who were there to score and guys who were there to collect fouls and slow down the other team's offensive flow.  

There isn't any exaggeration about the physicality of those eras.  Go back and watch the games.  The Pistons were insane.  Watch the Pistons/Bulls in their heyday.  Hell, watch McHale clothesline Rambis in the 84 Finals and not get thrown out.  Watch Parish literally punch Bill Laimbeer multiple times in the middle of the game, and they didn't even call a foul.  This was revenge for this, by the way.  You can easily fall down a rabbit hole on youtube of hard fouls and brawls that erupted in those days.  Still think the physicality is exaggerated?  Can't wait to see Steph Curry mixing it up like this.