1965–66 Cincinnati Royals season

1965–66 Cincinnati Royals season
Head coachJack McMahon
OwnersLouis Jacobs
ArenaCincinnati Gardens
Results
Record45–35 (.563)
PlaceDivision: 3rd (Eastern)
Playoff finishDivision semifinals
(lost to Celtics 2–3)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionWKRC-TV
RadioWLW
< 1964–65 1966–67 >

The 1965–66 season was the Royals' 21st season overall, and their ninth in Cincinnati. It was also arguably their most exciting, given their outstanding pennant chase in the NBA's Eastern Division, and their hosting of the 1966 NBA All-Star Game in Cincinnati. The team was still adjusting to the loss of defender Arlen Bockhorn. With the NBA's most wide-open offense, the Royals were again directed by now-legendary Oscar Robertson, who fed shooters Jerry Lucas, Jack Twyman and Adrian Smith when not scoring himself. Forwards Happy Hairston and Tom Hawkins also saw court time, with Lucas sliding into the center spot. Defender Tom Thacker also occasionally got minutes at guard next to Robertson. The team's outstanding 1965 draft class, one of the NBA's best ever, netted four promising young stars in Nate Bowman, Flynn Robinson, Jon McGlocklin and Bob Love. But Bowman and Robinson battled injuries and illnesses all season long and did not impact the team. Love, a future NBA all-star and Hall of Fame inductee, was cut by coach Jack McMahon. All-NBA First Teammers Robertson and Lucas each again posted remarkable individual seasons leading the contenders. Robertson again led the NBA in assists while scoring near the 30-point-per game mark and canning his usual pile of free throws at opponents expense. While Robertson averaged '30-10 ', Lucas averaged ' 20-20 ' setting an NBA record for rebounds by a forward that still stands today. Both averaged 44 minutes per game to lead their team.[1] Despite their contributions, the Royals would finish in third place with a record of 45 wins and 35 losses. In the playoffs, the Royals were again on the verge of ending the Boston Celtics championship reign. The Royals won 2 of the first 3 games in a 5-game series.[1] Despite the commanding lead, the Celtics would win the next 2 games and eventually claim their 8th straight title.

Regular season

Season standings

Eastern Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Neutral Div
x-Philadelphia 76ers 55 25 .688 – 22–3 20–17 13–5 20–10
x-Boston Celtics 54 26 .675 1 26–5 19–18 9–3 19–11
x-Cincinnati Royals 45 35 .563 10 25–6 11–23 9–6 16–14
New York Knicks 30 50 .375 25 20–14 4–30 6–6 5–25

Record vs. opponents

1965-66 NBA Records
Team BAL BOS CIN DET LAL NYK PHI SFW STL
Baltimore — 3–7 3–7 5–5 4–6 7–3 5–5 4–6 7–3
Boston 7–3 — 5–5 6–4 7–3 10–0 4–6 8–2 7–3
Cincinnati 7–3 5–5 — 8–2 4–6 7–3 4–6 5–5 5–5
Detroit 5–5 4–6 2–8 — 2–8 2–8 3–7 2–8 2–8
Los Angeles 6–4 3–7 6–4 8–2 — 5–5 2–8 7–3 8–2
New York 3–7 0–10 3–7 8–2 5–5 — 2–8 5–5 4–6
Philadelphia 5–5 6–4 6–4 7–3 8–2 8–2 — 8–2 7–3
San Francisco 6–4 2–8 5–5 8–2 3–7 5–5 2–8 — 4–6
St. Louis 3–7 3–7 5–5 8–2 2–8 6–4 3–7 6–4 —

Game log

1965–66 game log
# Date Opponent Score High points Record
1 October 15 St. Louis 111–100 Oscar Robertson (36) 0–1
2 October 16 @ Boston 98–102 Oscar Robertson (31) 0–2
3 October 17 Baltimore 124–144 Oscar Robertson (37) 1–2
4 October 19 San Francisco 100–99 Oscar Robertson (32) 1–3
5 October 28 Boston 108–113 Oscar Robertson (32) 2–3
6 October 29 @ Baltimore 131–121 Oscar Robertson (33) 3–3
7 October 30 @ Philadelphia 114–134 Adrian Smith (26) 3–4
8 October 31 Detroit 107–113 Adrian Smith (22) 4–4
9 November 3 San Francisco 108–122 Happy Hairston (28) 5–4
10 November 5 @ Detroit 120–114 Oscar Robertson (27) 6–4
11 November 6 @ New York 114–103 Oscar Robertson (29) 7–4
12 November 10 New York 119–124 Oscar Robertson (41) 8–4
13 November 13 Baltimore 132–135 Jerry Lucas (38) 9–4
14 November 17 Philadelphia 115–131 Oscar Robertson (28) 10–4
15 November 19 @ Boston 103–129 Jerry Lucas (25) 10–5
16 November 21 N Baltimore 120–114 Jerry Lucas (30) 11–5
17 November 23 N Detroit 118–115 Oscar Robertson (38) 11–6
18 November 24 St. Louis 108–112 Oscar Robertson (29) 12–6
19 November 26 New York 113–117 Oscar Robertson (30) 13–6
20 November 27 @ New York 132–129 Oscar Robertson (44) 14–6
21 November 30 Los Angeles 120–126 Oscar Robertson (41) 15–6
22 December 1 @ Los Angeles 105–121 Jerry Lucas (25) 15–7
23 December 2 N San Francisco 125–119 Adrian Smith (31) 15–8
24 December 3 @ Los Angeles 122–118 Oscar Robertson (48) 16–8
25 December 5 Boston 99–108 Oscar Robertson (31) 17–8
26 December 9 N San Francisco 110–109 Adrian Smith (26) 17–9
27 December 10 Los Angeles 129–110 Oscar Robertson (31) 17–10
28 December 11 N Philadelphia 135–132 (OT) Oscar Robertson (33) 17–11
29 December 14 Philadelphia 109–112 Oscar Robertson (31) 18–11
30 December 15 @ Boston 117–110 Adrian Smith (34) 19–11
31 December 18 @ New York 114–122 Oscar Robertson (30) 19–12
32 December 22 @ Baltimore 127–129 (OT) Oscar Robertson (43) 19–13
33 December 25 San Francisco 113–119 Oscar Robertson (35) 20–13
34 December 26 @ St. Louis 117–115 Oscar Robertson (37) 21–13
35 December 27 New York 116–138 Oscar Robertson (36) 22–13
36 December 29 Los Angeles 109–111 Oscar Robertson (40) 23–13
37 January 1 @ New York 122–147 Happy Hairston (26) 23–14
38 January 2 Baltimore 107–138 Adrian Smith (26) 24–14
39 January 3 N St. Louis 114–130 Oscar Robertson (37) 25–14
40 January 5 N Detroit 103–117 Adrian Smith (35) 26–14
41 January 6 N Detroit 97–109 Oscar Robertson (29) 27–14
42 January 8 @ Baltimore 126–115 Oscar Robertson (35) 28–14
43 January 13 N St. Louis 102–107 Happy Hairston (26) 29–14
44 January 16 Detroit 106–108 Lucas, Robertson (32) 30–14
45 January 18 Los Angeles 108–119 Oscar Robertson (26) 31–14
46 January 21 @ Boston 96–113 Oscar Robertson (24) 31–15
47 January 24 N San Francisco 112–135 Oscar Robertson (29) 32–15
48 January 25 Boston 101–113 Oscar Robertson (35) 33–15
49 January 28 @ Philadelphia 103–125 Oscar Robertson (19) 33–16
50 January 29 St. Louis 115–116 Adrian Smith (33) 34–16
51 January 30 @ St. Louis 98–115 Oscar Robertson (33) 34–17
52 February 1 @ San Francisco 125–127 Happy Hairston (23) 34–18
53 February 2 @ Los Angeles 118–119 Oscar Robertson (44) 34–19
54 February 4 @ Los Angeles 125–132 Oscar Robertson (29) 34–20
55 February 6 N San Francisco 116–117 Jack Twyman (31) 35–20
56 February 7 N Detroit 124–118 Oscar Robertson (34) 35–21
57 February 8 Baltimore 113–128 Oscar Robertson (38) 36–21
58 February 11 @ Philadelphia 94–113 Jack Twyman (19) 36–22
59 February 12 Detroit 116–143 Oscar Robertson (26) 37–22
60 February 13 @ St. Louis 102–104 Jerry Lucas (31) 37–23
61 February 15 Boston 123–136 Oscar Robertson (31) 38–23
62 February 18 @ Baltimore 114–118 Oscar Robertson (44) 38–24
63 February 19 @ New York 113–124 Oscar Robertson (42) 38–25
64 February 20 @ Detroit 133–129 Jerry Lucas (35) 39–25
65 February 21 N Philadelphia 107–113 Oscar Robertson (40) 40–25
66 February 23 @ Los Angeles 133–140 Oscar Robertson (39) 40–26
67 February 25 @ San Francisco 119–125 Jerry Lucas (32) 40–27
68 February 26 @ San Francisco 112–103 Oscar Robertson (39) 41–27
69 March 1 Philadelphia 100–102 Oscar Robertson (40) 42–27
70 March 4 Philadelphia 107–103 Oscar Robertson (36) 42–28
71 March 5 New York 145–149 (OT) Oscar Robertson (44) 43–28
72 March 6 @ Detroit 137–125 Oscar Robertson (30) 44–28
73 March 9 N Los Angeles 119–116 Oscar Robertson (39) 44–29
74 March 10 Boston 124–120 Jerry Lucas (31) 44–30
75 March 12 St. Louis 114–113 Oscar Robertson (33) 44–31
76 March 13 @ St. Louis 106–115 Jerry Lucas (23) 44–32
77 March 15 N New York 107–125 Oscar Robertson (26) 45–32
78 March 18 @ Baltimore 105–125 Oscar Robertson (27) 45–33
79 March 19 @ Philadelphia 121–127 Adrian Smith (24) 45–34
80 March 20 @ Boston 104–121 Oscar Robertson (24) 45–35

Playoffs

1966 playoff game log
Division semifinals: 2–3 (home: 0–2; road: 2–1)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 March 23 @ Boston W 107–103 Smith, Robertson (26) Jerry Lucas (27) Oscar Robertson (3) Boston Garden
9,510 		1–0
2 March 26 Boston L 125–132 Oscar Robertson (35) Jerry Lucas (24) Oscar Robertson (11) Cincinnati Gardens
10,027 		1–1
3 March 27 @ Boston W 113–107 Robertson, Lucas (27) Jerry Lucas (16) Adrian Smith (6) Boston Garden
13,571 		2–1
4 March 30 Boston L 103–120 Oscar Robertson (34) Jerry Lucas (17) Oscar Robertson (11) Cincinnati Gardens
12,107 		2–2
5 April 1 @ Boston L 103–112 Oscar Robertson (37) Jerry Lucas (17) Oscar Robertson (9) Boston Garden
13,909 		2–3
1966 schedule

Awards and honors

  • Oscar Robertson – First Team All-NBA,
  • Jerry Lucas – First Team All-NBA,
  • Adrian Smith, MVP of the 1966 NBA All-Star Game, held in Cincinnati.

References

  1. ^ a b "Cincinnati Royals – Sports Ecyclopedia".