1963-64 Cincinnati Royals
[edit] The Offseason
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The Cincinnati Royals had made the most publicized acquistion of any team in the off-season, when 1962 territorial pick Jerry Lucas was finally signed. The 6'9 235-pounder contributed immediately, while deferring to established stars Oscar Robertson, Jack Twyman and Wayne Embry. Lucas, once of the greatest college centers ever, even agreed to play forward for his new team so that his team could keep Embry in the starting five. Lucas focused on rebounding and inside play at both ends to help his team and the results were immediate. He was the NBA's third-best rebounder behind only legends Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell. He was also the league's surest shot at 53%. Lucas rightfully earned NBA Rookie Of The Year and answered his critics who slammed him for signing with the American Basketball League the previous year. Lucas's arrival also gave operating room to Oscar Robertson, who put up MVP-caliber numbers. The Royals as a team surged from 42 to 55 wins, the second-best record in the NBA. Draft pick Jay Arnette also joined the roster, and former NBA All-Star Jack McMahon came aboard as coach further strengthening the team.
[edit] Preseason Predictions
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With the arrival of Lucas, the Cincinnati Royals were pegged to win the NBA championship and end the dynasty of the Boston Celtics, who would soon become their arch-rivals. The Royals did in fact win the season series versus Boston 7-5, and were hot on the heels of the Celtics all year.
[edit] Regular-Season Highlights
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The 1963-64 Cincinnati Royals won 55 games, their high in the Queen City. They did it with a high-scoring offense that averaged 114.7 points per game, tops in the NBA. Team star Oscar Robertson was named the NBA's Most Valuable Player this season, and Jerry Lucas was named the NBA's Rookie Of The Year, a rare double-honor for any NBA team. As a team the Royals led the NBA in scoring, assists and shooting, both from the floor and the foul line. They were also the NBA's third best rebounding team. Robertson was second in the NBA in scoring at 31.4 points per game, and led the NBA in assists at 11.0 per game. He had twice as many assists as third-best Jerry West of Los Angeles. He also led the NBA in free throw shooting, making a league-high 800 for the season at 85%. Lucas, a rookie forward, out-rebounded everyone but centers Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain at 17.4 per game, and led the NBA in shooting accuracy. He was also the team's second-string center behind Wayne Embry. A 12-game winning streak and new attendance records also highlighted the year.
[edit] Opening Night
Opening night for this edition of the team was 10/16/1963 at sold-out Kiel Auditorium against the St. Louis Hawks. The fans were their to see their star, Bob Pettit, further school Royals rookie Jerry Lucas. The two had squared off for a slate of game during the exhibition season, while Pettit, a former NBA MVP, clearly the better. Lucas, though, was showing promise and learning his new position quickly. This night the Hawks won easily, 112-93.
[edit] November
The Royals opened 10-6, easing Lucas into the starting power forward position previously held by now-reserve Bob Boozer. Cincinnati became the first team to beat the Boston Celtics that season, 116-115 on the 8th at Cincinnati Gardens. The Celtics, the defending world champions, had been 7-0. The win made the Royals 7-5. The high-scoring Royals topped 120 points eight times this month, including a 135-110 win over New York on the 29th. The Royals hosted a home game in Dayton, Ohio on the 3rd, which sold out to see local favorite Lucas, from nearby Middletown, as well as area stars Embry, Bucky Bockhorn and superstar Robertson. The Royals edged Philadelphia 95-93. Cincinnati also participated in two NBA doubleheaders at Madison Square Garden in New York on the 19th and the 26th, both considered home games. On the undercard both nights, the Royals won both games over Detroit and San Fransisco, respectively. The team finished the month on a five-game winning streak, with their record at 15-9. November had followed a 5-3 October for the team.
[edit] December
The Royals had a 9-4 month that was arguably the most exciting month in team history, and also the most controversial. A four game winning streak highlighted the month between the 11th and the 20th. The team also finished the month with a three-game streak as well. Highlighting the month were three more wins over the Boston Celtics, who had lost only four games altogether! Cincinnati won 118-108 on the 5th, 108-105 on the 14th in Boston, and then 121-117 on the 27th before a record 14,140 fans at Cincinnati Gardens. The two teams by now had the two best records in the NBA and drew a lot of national publicity. Robertson and Lucas in particular drew a lot of press. Going 3-1 this month against the best team in the sport made the Cincinnati Royals the darlings of basketball. The controversy came on December 15th when team VP Tom Grace traded key reserve forward Bob Boozer to the New York Knicks in a three-way move that returned reserve forward Larry Staverman to the Royals by way of Detroit. Boozer, a starter before Lucas arrived, was highly rated by teammates who saw him as essential for the coming playoffs. But Grace had received a slew of inquiries for Boozer, a starting caliber forward, and felt cash and Staverman was a good return on the future Chicago Bull All-Star. Teammates were said to be furious. Some pegged that moment as the most important in Cincinnati team history years later. Nonetheless, the Royals ended the month, and 1963, at 24-13.
[edit] January
The Royals, minus Boozer, still continued to win, going 11-6 for the month. The month opened on the 2nd in Dayton, Ohio with a narrow win before a packed house over Detroit, 112-111. The team would also end the month on the 31st with another home game in Dayton, beating Baltimore 118-106. Another home game played in Columbus, Ohio before another roaring full house at St. John's Arena saw a huge 130-110 win over Philadelphia. Jerry Lucas was the team's top draw and was now pushing attendance all over the league. Cincinnati, the highest-scoring team in the NBA at this point, topped 120 points six times, including a 139-124 win over New York at Madison Square Garden, and another 133-110 win over the Knicks on the undercard of a double-header in Detroit. The Royals were named the home team for that one. Two four-game winning streaks also highlighted the month, and the team had won two straight when January had ended. The Royals rated four 1964 NBA All-stars in Robertson, Embry, Lucas and Twyman, and got the first three into the game, played in Boston. A huge snowstorm and a near-player strike almost cancelled the game. Robertson who scored 26 points and 14 rebounds, was named the game's MVP. He and Lucas had started for Red Auerbach's East squad. The Dayton win on the 31st brought the team's record to 35-19 to close the month.
[edit] February
The biggest month of the season saw the Royals go 14-3 as they chased Boston ferociously for best record in the NBA East. The team's record would rise from 35-19 to 49-22. By the end of the month, Boston and Cincinnati had clearly established themselves as the clear class of the sport. Cincinnati outscored opponents by 180 points total for the month. February opened with another win over the Celtics in Boston Garden on the 2nd, 119-117 for their third straight win. Cincinnati kept right on winning as well, including a home game played at Cleveland Arena in Cleveland that drew 11,500 fans. Jerry Lucas was the key draw for that game. Lucas was likely the most popular player in the NBA by this point. But then the Royals were also likely the most popular basketball team as well. The win in Cleveland gave the Royals twelve straight. Within that streak also was a Dayton home game that was shifted to Lima, Ohio on the 12th. The town's high school gym packed in 3500 to see Cincinnati top Detroit 147-121. Lima was then a town of 50,000 . Imagine the NBA playing a regular-season game like that for fans now - not possible. The high-scoring Royals topped 120 points seven times this month, including four straight over 125, all wins. Two straight road wins over Philadelphia, with the first game played in Scranton, concluded the month. On February 24th, the Royals were just one game behind Boston. They were just three games behind as March arrived. The Celtics were very concerned.
[edit] March
This month was a formality as both the Celtics and the Royals eyed the upcoming playoffs. Still, Cincinnati went 6-3 this month to close the NBA season, including three wins in a row. Win #50 came March 1st in Baltimore 117-114. Boston and Cincinnati would be the only NBA teams with 50 or more wins this season. Since this was a very competitve interval in NBA history, with many well-matched rosters, this is arguably the equivalent of a 60-win season today. Cincinnati again beat Boston on the 5th, 111-01 to win the season series against the defending champions. Win #55 came against St.Louis, 124-101, showing how far they had come since since Opening Day. The Royals had easily shattered all attendance marks in Cincinnati this year and fans eagerly anticipated the playoffs and the matchup with Boston.
[edit] April
[edit] NBA Playoffs
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The NBA playoffs actually began in late March at this time. Cincinnati would first have to win a series against the 34-46 Philadelphia 76ers before they could face resting Boston. The Royals were heavily favored. The series opened on the 22nd at home for a 127-102 win. Game Two at Philadelphia Arena, though, saw the Sixers win 122-114. Jack Twyman and Wayne Embry were locked in duels with Chet Walker and Johnny Kerr, respectively, while Philly guards were scoring evenly with Cincinnati. Coach Jack McMahon was giving reserve minutes only to Tom Hawkins, so bench scoring was also even. The Royals used home games to win two of the next three. Jerry Lucas was the clear difference in the series, ravaging opponent Dave Gambee and sweeping the boards of missed shots. Despite the series win, though, there was concern that they had needed five games to advance.
Now came The NBA Series Of The Year, which many viewed as the Real NBA Championship: Boston vs. Cincinnati. But Celtic leader Red Auerbach had been feeding his players press clippings for a week about how great the Royals were and how they had lost the season series. By Game One, the Boston roster was stoked to win. Auerbach also believed in winning big early to get the psychological edge. Boston Garden hosted that first game and the Celtics won 103-87. The Royals now felt the loss of Boozer painfully, and McMahon did not adjust minutes. Oscar Robertson was averaging 47 minutes per playoff game. Game Two was also, curiously, played in Boston. Most playoff series used alternating sites at this time. So Boston led 2-0 by the time Cincinnati got to host their two games. Auerbach had his time primed to steal Game Three in Cincinnati and they did, 102-92. Bill Russell was guarding Jerry Lucas, the highly-praised rookie, and was shutting him down considerably. Russell also out-rebounded Lucas and Wayne Embry combined. Another key was that Boston sixth man John Havlicek was scoring 15 points per game. Their bench output easily topped Cincinnati. Cincinnati won Game Four, 102-93. But by then, Auerbach was setting the Royals up for Game Five back in Boston. A roaring home crowd their helped Boston send the Royals golfing, 109-95. It was a clear message to their rivals that Cincinnati was going to need to bring more than a great season record to the playoffs. Again, Coach McMahon was criticized for not making better use of his bench in the playoffs. Jerry Lucas, too, would have to improve his pro game for next go-around with Russell. The Boozer trade also continued to draw derision from fans.
But it had been a huge year in Cincinnati and fans there would continue to cheer a serious NBA championship contender for the next two seasons.
[edit] Player Data
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Starters -
C Wayne Embry 6' 8 250 pounds
F Jack Twyman 6' 6 215
F/C Jerry Lucas 6' 8 235
G Oscar Robertson 6' 5 210
G Bucky Bockhorn 6' 4 195
key reserves -
F Bob Boozer 6'8 220 ( 32 games )
F Tom Hawkins 6' 5 210
G Adrian Smith 6'1 180
[edit] Salaries
Robertson - $65,000 including off-court and other pay Lucas - $50,000 " Twyman - $30,000 " Embry - $20,000 " others - $15,000 or less
[edit] Uniform Numbers
CINCINNATI ROYALS 10 Adrian Smith, 11 Arlen Bockhorn, 13 Bob Boozer, 13 Larry Staverman, 14 Oscar Robertson, 15 Wayne Embry, 16 Jerry Lucas, 20 Tom Hawkins, 21 Jay Arnette, 25 Tom Thacker, 31 Jack Twyman, 34 Bud Olsen
[edit] Trivia
Name the only non-center to be named the NBA's MVP during the 1960s. A: Oscar Robertson
