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.
| 1965-66 NBA Records | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=100 | 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 | — | |
| 1965–66 game log | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Opponent | Score | High points | Record | ||
| 1 | October 15 | 111–100 | Oscar Robertson (36) | 0–1 | ||
| 2 | October 16 | 98–102 | Oscar Robertson (31) | 0–2 | ||
| 3 | October 17 | 124–144 | Oscar Robertson (37) | 1–2 | ||
| 4 | October 19 | 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 | 114–134 | Adrian Smith (26) | 3–4 | ||
| 8 | October 31 | 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 | 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 | 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 |
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 1| March 23| @ Boston| W 107–103| Smith, Robertson (26)| Jerry Lucas (27)| Oscar Robertson (3)| Boston Garden
9,510| 1–0|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 2| March 26| Boston| L 125–132| Oscar Robertson (35)| Jerry Lucas (24)| Oscar Robertson (11)| Cincinnati Gardens
10,027| 1–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 3| March 27| @ Boston| W 113–107| Robertson, Lucas (27)| Jerry Lucas (16)| Adrian Smith (6)| Boston Garden
13,571| 2–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 4| March 30| Boston| L 103–120| Oscar Robertson (34)| Jerry Lucas (17)| Oscar Robertson (11)| Cincinnati Gardens
12,107| 2–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 5| April 1| @ Boston| L 103–112| Oscar Robertson (37)| Jerry Lucas (17)| Oscar Robertson (9)| Boston Garden
13,909| 2–3|-