The 1961/62 season was the Royals 14th season in the NBA and its fifth in Cincinnati. Oscar Robertson had a career season as he averaged a triple double on the season.[1] All 5 starters on the Royals averaged double digits points per games as the team ended a 4-year playoff drought.[1] The Royals had a record of 43–37 and the improving team finished in 2nd place. Despite that, the NBA team had real local competition for fans in The Queen City due to remarkably successful college teams there. The starting five of the team had improved, with Bob Boozer improving to join solid holdovers Oscar Robertson, Jack Twyman, Wayne Embry, Arlen Bockhorn. In the playoffs, the Royals dealt with injuries and would be defeated by the Detroit Pistons in 4 games.
| 1961-62 NBA Records | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=100 | Team | BOS | CHI | CIN | DET | LAL | NYK | PHI | STL | SYR |
| Boston | — | 9–1 | 7–1 | 5–3 | 6–3 | 8–4 | 8–4 | 7–2 | 10–2 | |
| Chicago | 1–9 | — | 1–9 | 3–7 | 2–8 | 6–4 | 0–10 | 4–6 | 1–9 | |
| Cincinnati | 1–7 | 9–1 | — | 6–6 | 5–7 | 5–4 | 3–5 | 9–3 | 5–4 | |
| Detroit | 3–5 | 7–3 | 6–6 | — | 4–8 | 5–4 | 1–7 | 7–5 | 4–5 | |
| Los Angeles | 3–6 | 8–2 | 7–5 | 8–4 | — | 6–2 | 6–3 | 10–2 | 6–2 | |
| New York | 4–8 | 4–6 | 4–5 | 4–5 | 2–6 | — | 4–8 | 4–4 | 3–9 | |
| Philadelphia | 4–8 | 10–0 | 5–3 | 7–1 | 3–6 | 8–4 | — | 6–3 | 6–6 | |
| St. Louis | 2–7 | 6–4 | 3–9 | 5–7 | 2–10 | 4–4 | 3–6 | — | 4–4 | |
| Syracuse | 2–10 | 9–1 | 4–5 | 5–4 | 2–6 | 9–3 | 6–6 | 4–4 | — | |
| 1961–62 game log | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Opponent | Score | High points | Record | ||
| 1 | October 21 | 138–129 | Jack Twyman (39) | 1–0 | ||
| 2 | October 24 | 124–122 | Oscar Robertson (32) | 1–1 | ||
| 3 | October 26 | 117–120 | Oscar Robertson (30) | 1–2 | ||
| 4 | October 29 | 132–139 | Jack Twyman (31) | 2–2 | ||
| 5 | October 31 | N New York | 131–127 | Oscar Robertson (37) | 2–3 | |
| 6 | November 1 | @ Los Angeles | 115–120 | Jack Twyman (35) | 2–4 | |
| 7 | November 3 | @ Los Angeles | 132–114 | Oscar Robertson (31) | 3–4 | |
| 8 | November 7 | New York | 98–123 | Jack Twyman (26) | 4–4 | |
| 9 | November 10 | 117–122 | Oscar Robertson (40) | 5–4 | ||
| 10 | November 11 | @ Chicago | 117–107 | Wayne Embry (32) | 6–4 | |
| 11 | November 12 | St. Louis | 126–136 | Robertson, Twyman (31) | 7–4 | |
| 12 | November 14 | N Syracuse | 115–119 | Oscar Robertson (36) | 8–4 | |
| 13 | November 15 | 133–145 | Oscar Robertson (49) | 8–5 | ||
| 14 | November 16 | 127–121 | Jack Twyman (29) | 8–6 | ||
| 15 | November 18 | @ St. Louis | 133–136 | Oscar Robertson (37) | 8–7 | |
| 16 | November 19 | 112–128 | Jack Twyman (32) | 9–7 | ||
| 17 | November 21 | Philadelphia | 125–118 | Wayne Embry (26) | 9–8 | |
| 18 | November 23 | N Syracuse | 117–99 | Oscar Robertson (20) | 9–9 | |
| 19 | November 24 | @ Syracuse | 127–125 | Wayne Embry (32) | 10–9 | |
| 20 | November 26 | Los Angeles | 102–117 | Oscar Robertson (24) | 11–9 | |
| 21 | November 28 | @ New York | 131–117 | Oscar Robertson (31) | 12–9 | |
| 22 | November 29 | Syracuse | 136–122 | Wayne Embry (33) | 12–10 | |
| 23 | November 30 | N Boston | 133–130 | Oscar Robertson (33) | 13–10 | |
| 24 | December 3 | Boston | 119–96 | Oscar Robertson (28) | 13–11 | |
| 25 | December 6 | N Boston | 102–103 | Oscar Robertson (31) | 13–12 | |
| 26 | December 8 | St. Louis | 123–128 | Jack Twyman (34) | 14–12 | |
| 27 | December 10 | New York | 94–134 | Jack Twyman (38) | 15–12 | |
| 28 | December 11 | N Chicago | 133–117 | Oscar Robertson (32) | 16–12 | |
| 29 | December 13 | @ Syracuse | 136–126 | Jack Twyman (31) | 17–12 | |
| 30 | December 14 | Detroit | 107–103 | Oscar Robertson (39) | 17–13 | |
| 31 | December 16 | @ Detroit | 121–110 | Oscar Robertson (27) | 18–13 | |
| 32 | December 19 | Philadelphia | 117–110 | Oscar Robertson (28) | 18–14 | |
| 33 | December 23 | N Detroit | 134–125 | Oscar Robertson (35) | 18–15 | |
| 34 | December 25 | Los Angeles | 141–127 | Oscar Robertson (40) | 18–16 | |
| 35 | December 26 | @ St. Louis | 129–118 | Oscar Robertson (29) | 19–16 | |
| 36 | December 27 | St. Louis | 117–142 | Jack Twyman (34) | 20–16 | |
| 37 | December 29 | Detroit | 131–116 | Oscar Robertson (38) | 20–17 | |
| 38 | December 30 | N New York | 123–119 | Jack Twyman (26) | 20–18 | |
| 39 | January 1 | Syracuse | 110–106 | Jack Twyman (28) | 20–19 | |
| 40 | January 3 | N New York | 111–122 | Jack Twyman (34) | 21–19 | |
| 41 | January 5 | Boston | 124–103 | Oscar Robertson (27) | 21–20 | |
| 42 | January 7 | N Chicago | 123–113 | Wayne Embry (30) | 22–20 | |
| 43 | January 9 | N Chicago | 113–106 | Oscar Robertson (33) | 23–20 | |
| 44 | January 11 | Philadelphia | 128–145 | Oscar Robertson (38) | 24–20 | |
| 45 | January 12 | @ Boston | 125–141 | Oscar Robertson (33) | 24–21 | |
| 46 | January 13 | @ Detroit | 119–112 | Oscar Robertson (39) | 25–21 | |
| 47 | January 14 | St. Louis | 114–119 | Oscar Robertson (36) | 26–21 | |
| 48 | January 18 | @ Philadelphia | 151–133 | Oscar Robertson (28) | 27–21 | |
| 49 | January 20 | Los Angeles | 124–125 | Oscar Robertson (39) | 28–21 | |
| 50 | January 22 | N Detroit | 106–115 | Oscar Robertson (29) | 29–21 | |
| 51 | January 24 | @ Los Angeles | 123–136 | Oscar Robertson (32) | 29–22 | |
| 52 | January 25 | @ Los Angeles | 112–116 | Oscar Robertson (33) | 29–23 | |
| 53 | January 28 | Syracuse | 131–139 | Jack Twyman (29) | 30–23 | |
| 54 | January 30 | @ St. Louis | 131–121 | Oscar Robertson (36) | 31–23 | |
| 55 | February 1 | @ Philadelphia | 109–130 | Oscar Robertson (21) | 31–24 | |
| 56 | February 2 | @ Boston | 124–143 | Oscar Robertson (34) | 31–25 | |
| 57 | February 3 | @ New York | 110–121 | Jack Twyman (26) | 31–26 | |
| 58 | February 5 | N Los Angeles | 134–128 (OT) | Oscar Robertson (30) | 31–27 | |
| 59 | February 6 | Detroit | 119–118 | Oscar Robertson (47) | 31–28 | |
| 60 | February 7 | @ Detroit | 107–113 | Oscar Robertson (28) | 31–29 | |
| 61 | February 8 | N Los Angeles | 109–113 | Oscar Robertson (38) | 32–29 | |
| 62 | February 10 | St. Louis | 118–134 | Oscar Robertson (32) | 33–29 | |
| 63 | February 11 | @ St. Louis | 109–129 | Oscar Robertson (33) | 33–30 | |
| 64 | February 13 | Philadelphia | 132–152 | Oscar Robertson (42) | 34–30 | |
| 65 | February 14 | N Chicago | 121–125 | Jack Twyman (28) | 34–31 | |
| 66 | February 16 | @ Philadelphia | 132–136 | Oscar Robertson (40) | 34–32 | |
| 67 | February 17 | Detroit | 123–113 | Oscar Robertson (30) | 34–33 | |
| 68 | February 18 | N Chicago | 138–121 | Oscar Robertson (30) | 35–33 | |
| 69 | February 20 | St. Louis | 109–129 | Oscar Robertson (31) | 36–33 | |
| 70 | February 21 | @ Chicago | 153–125 | Arlen Bockhorn (25) | 37–33 | |
| 71 | February 23 | @ Detroit | 134–120 | Oscar Robertson (39) | 38–33 | |
| 72 | February 24 | Los Angeles | 114–118 | Oscar Robertson (35) | 39–33 | |
| 73 | February 25 | Chicago | 105–108 | Oscar Robertson (33) | 40–33 | |
| 74 | February 28 | Boston | 129–123 (OT) | Oscar Robertson (41) | 40–34 | |
| 75 | March 1 | @ Syracuse | 108–137 | Arlen Bockhorn (17) | 40–35 | |
| 76 | March 2 | N Detroit | 112–120 | Oscar Robertson (41) | 41–35 | |
| 77 | March 3 | @ Chicago | 126–119 | Robertson, Twyman (27) | 42–35 | |
| 78 | March 10 | @ St. Louis | 110–116 | Jack Twyman (26) | 42–36 | |
| 79 | March 13 | @ Los Angeles | 111–120 | Oscar Robertson (24) | 42–37 | |
| 80 | March 14 | New York | 134–136 | Wayne Embry (23) | 43–37 |
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 1| March 16| @ Detroit| L 122–123| Bockhorn, Robertson (24)| Cobo Arena| 0–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 2| March 17| Detroit| W 129–107| Oscar Robertson (33)| Cincinnati Gardens| 1–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 3| March 18| @ Detroit| L 107–118| Oscar Robertson (26)| Cobo Arena| 1–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 4| March 20| Detroit| L 111–112| Oscar Robertson (32)| Cincinnati Gardens| 1–3|-