The 1971–72 season would be the Royals final season in Cincinnati. The franchise continued to struggle and missed the playoffs for the 5th year in a row. The Royals finished the season with a record of 30 wins and 52 losses.[1] Prior to the season, the Royals were sold to a group of 10 businessmen from Kansas City. The new ownership group paid $5 million for the franchise and a decision was reached to move the team after the season.[1] The franchise would relocate west where they would be reborn as the Kansas City-Omaha Kings.
See main article: article and 1971 NBA draft.
| 1971–72 NBA records | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=100 | Team | ATL | BAL | BOS | BUF | CHI | CIN | CLE | DET | GSW | HOU | LAL | MIL | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SEA |
| Atlanta | — | 2–4 | 0–4 | 4–2 | 0–5 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 0–5 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 1–4 | |
| Baltimore | 4–2 | — | 2–2 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 0–5 | 2–4 | 4–0 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 2–3 | |
| Boston | 4–0 | 2–2 | — | 6–0 | 3–2 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 5–0 | 2–3 | 5–0 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 6–0 | 2–3 | 4–0 | 2–3 | |
| Buffalo | 2–4 | 3–3 | 0–6 | — | 1–3 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 0–4 | 2–4 | 0–4 | |
| Chicago | 5–0 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 3–1 | — | 3–1 | 4–0 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 6–0 | 2–3 | |
| Cincinnati | 3–3 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 1–3 | — | 6–2 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 0–4 | 1–4 | 0–5 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 0–5 | |
| Cleveland | 2–4 | 5–1 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 0–4 | 2–6 | — | 1–3 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 0–4 | 4–2 | 0–4 | |
| Detroit | 2–3 | 2–3 | 0–5 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 3–1 | — | 0–5 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 0–4 | |
| Golden State | 2–3 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 5–0 | — | 5–1 | 1–5 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 4–2 | |
| Houston | 4–1 | 2–3 | 0–5 | 4–0 | 1–5 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 3–3 | 1–5 | — | 1–5 | 0–5 | 0–5 | 4–1 | 1–3 | 4–2 | 3–3 | |
| Los Angeles | 5–0 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 5–1 | — | 4–1 | 4–1 | 5–0 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 5–1 | |
| Milwaukee | 3–2 | 5–0 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 5–0 | 4–0 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 5–0 | 1–4 | — | 2–3 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 6–0 | |
| New York | 1–3 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 5–1 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 5–0 | 1–4 | 3–2 | — | 3–3 | 1–4 | 3–1 | 3–2 | |
| Philadelphia | 3–3 | 0–4 | 0–6 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 2–2 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 0–5 | 1–4 | 3–3 | — | 1–4 | 2–2 | 4–1 | |
| Phoenix | 2–3 | 1–4 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 4–1 | 4–1 | — | 6–0 | 3–2 | |
| Portland | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 4–2 | 0–6 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 0–6 | 0–6 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–6 | — | 0–6 | |
| Seattle | 4–1 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 3–2 | 5–0 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 1–5 | 0–6 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 6–0 | — | |
| 1971–72 Game log | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Opponent | Score | High points | Record | ||
| 1 | October 12 | 113–127 | Tom Van Arsdale (34) | 1–0 | ||
| 2 | October 19 | 101–100 | Nate Archibald (26) | 1–1 | ||
| 3 | October 23 | 100–104 | Tom Van Arsdale (26) | 1–2 | ||
| 4 | October 24 | @ Seattle | 101–119 | Tom Van Arsdale (26) | 1–3 | |
| 5 | October 26 | 99–126 | Tom Van Arsdale (31) | 1–4 | ||
| 6 | October 29 | 107–119 | Tom Van Arsdale (23) | 1–5 | ||
| 7 | October 30 | 112–116 | Tom Van Arsdale (30) | 1–6 | ||
| 8 | November 3 | 100–124 | Tom Van Arsdale (32) | 2–6 | ||
| 9 | November 6 | Phoenix | 95–110 | Tom Van Arsdale (27) | 3–6 | |
| 10 | November 8 | 109–120 | Nate Williams (26) | 3–7 | ||
| 11 | November 10 | 85–99 | Nate Archibald (22) | 4–7 | ||
| 12 | November 13 | Golden State | 101–110 | Johnny Green (22) | 5–7 | |
| 13 | November 16 | 98–102 | Nate Williams (27) | 5–8 | ||
| 14 | November 17 | 113–103 | Nate Archibald (25) | 5–9 | ||
| 15 | November 19 | @ Boston | 110–106 | Nate Archibald (27) | 6–9 | |
| 16 | November 23 | @ New York | 110–125 | Nate Archibald (24) | 6–10 | |
| 17 | November 24 | Portland | 112–114 | Nate Archibald (33) | 7–10 | |
| 18 | November 26 | 114–128 | Archibald, Fox (33) | 7–11 | ||
| 19 | November 27 | 114–81 | Nate Archibald (25) | 7–12 | ||
| 20 | November 30 | @ Baltimore | 118–103 | Nate Williams (29) | 8–12 | |
| 21 | December 1 | 109–101 | Nate Archibald (42) | 8–13 | ||
| 22 | December 3 | @ Milwaukee | 82–120 | Nate Archibald (25) | 8–14 | |
| 23 | December 4 | Seattle | 100–98 | Nate Archibald (27) | 8–15 | |
| 24 | December 7 | @ Buffalo | 91–115 | Nate Archibald (21) | 8–16 | |
| 25 | December 8 | Philadelphia | 115–109 | Nate Archibald (26) | 8–17 | |
| 26 | December 10 | @ Philadelphia | 113–106 (OT) | Jim Fox (27) | 9–17 | |
| 27 | December 11 | Cleveland | 95–103 | Nate Archibald (26) | 10–17 | |
| 28 | December 12 | Boston | 96–83 | Jim Fox (31) | 10–18 | |
| 29 | December 15 | Phoenix | 127–108 | John Mengelt (23) | 10–19 | |
| 30 | December 16 | 101–107 | Tom Van Arsdale (23) | 10–20 | ||
| 31 | December 18 | 126–116 | Tom Van Arsdale (35) | 10–21 | ||
| 32 | December 19 | @ Atlanta | 99–101 | Tom Van Arsdale (23) | 10–22 | |
| 33 | December 22 | Atlanta | 106–103 | Nate Archibald (40) | 10–23 | |
| 34 | December 25 | Boston | 99–94 | Nate Archibald (24) | 10–24 | |
| 35 | December 28 | @ Baltimore | 87–119 | Nate Archibald (19) | 10–25 | |
| 36 | December 29 | Golden State | 107–102 | Tom Van Arsdale (22) | 10–26 | |
| 37 | January 1 | @ New York | 94–104 | Nate Archibald (31) | 10–27 | |
| 38 | January 5 | Milwaukee | 115–106 | Sam Lacey (23) | 10–28 | |
| 39 | January 7 | @ Detroit | 132–151 | Nate Archibald (41) | 10–29 | |
| 40 | January 8 | Buffalo | 97–87 | Nate Archibald (31) | 10–30 | |
| 41 | January 9 | @ Chicago | 104–108 (OT) | Nate Archibald (26) | 10–31 | |
| 42 | January 11 | @ Buffalo | 109–107 (OT) | Nate Archibald (29) | 11–31 | |
| 43 | January 12 | Los Angeles | 107–108 | Tom Van Arsdale (31) | 12–31 | |
| 44 | January 14 | Atlanta | 102–126 | Nate Archibald (43) | 13–31 | |
| 45 | January 16 | N Cleveland | 108–128 | Nate Archibald (41) | 14–31 | |
| 46 | January 20 | Houston | 104–87 | Nate Archibald (27) | 14–32 | |
| 47 | January 22 | Cleveland | 96–113 | Nate Archibald (36) | 15–32 | |
| 48 | January 23 | @ Baltimore | 101–132 | Nate Archibald (28) | 15–33 | |
| 49 | January 26 | @ Philadelphia | 102–113 | Nate Archibald (42) | 15–34 | |
| 50 | January 28 | Baltimore | 132–124 | Nate Archibald (30) | 15–35 | |
| 51 | January 29 | @ Cleveland | 120–118 | Nate Archibald (36) | 16–35 | |
| 52 | February 2 | New York | 105–116 | Nate Archibald (49) | 17–35 | |
| 53 | February 4 | @ Boston | 109–122 | Tom Van Arsdale (32) | 17–36 | |
| 54 | February 5 | Detroit | 132–133 (OT) | Nate Archibald (45) | 18–36 | |
| 55 | February 6 | @ Chicago | 94–119 | Nate Archibald (24) | 18–37 | |
| 56 | February 8 | @ Portland | 100–104 | Nate Archibald (25) | 18–38 | |
| 57 | February 10 | @ Seattle | 96–118 | Tom Van Arsdale (22) | 18–39 | |
| 58 | February 12 | @ Phoenix | 95–117 | Tom Van Arsdale (27) | 18–40 | |
| 59 | February 13 | @ Houston | 111–112 | Tom Van Arsdale (44) | 18–41 | |
| 60 | February 15 | @ Los Angeles | 118–125 | Nate Archibald (30) | 18–42 | |
| 61 | February 17 | Milwaukee | 111–97 | Nate Archibald (30) | 18–43 | |
| 62 | February 18 | @ Cleveland | 109–133 | Nate Archibald (31) | 18–44 | |
| 63 | February 19 | Cleveland | 92–112 | Nate Williams (33) | 19–44 | |
| 64 | February 20 | @ Atlanta | 101–92 | Tom Van Arsdale (31) | 20–44 | |
| 65 | February 23 | Portland | 106–110 | Nate Archibald (55) | 21–44 | |
| 66 | February 24 | N Buffalo | 108–97 | Nate Archibald (32) | 22–44 | |
| 67 | February 25 | @ Los Angeles | 88–109 | John Mengelt (32) | 22–45 | |
| 68 | February 26 | @ Seattle | 106–122 | Nate Archibald (29) | 22–46 | |
| 69 | February 29 | @ Golden State | 120–128 | Nate Archibald (38) | 22–47 | |
| 70 | March 1 | N Houston | 108–96 | Nate Archibald (32) | 22–48 | |
| 71 | March 5 | @ Boston | 125–114 | Archibald, Van Arsdale (39) | 23–48 | |
| 72 | March 8 | Phoenix | 105–122 | Nate Archibald (35) | 24–48 | |
| 73 | March 10 | Chicago | 100–104 | Nate Archibald (34) | 25–48 | |
| 74 | March 12 | Golden State | 106–117 | Nate Archibald (46) | 26–48 | |
| 75 | March 15 | Los Angeles | 121–116 | Nate Archibald (33) | 26–49 | |
| 76 | March 18 | @ Atlanta | 106–115 | Nate Archibald (38) | 26–50 | |
| 77 | March 19 | Buffalo | 105–136 | Nate Archibald (45) | 27–50 | |
| 78 | March 21 | @ Detroit | 117–120 | Nate Archibald (37) | 27–51 | |
| 79 | March 22 | Detroit | 130–135 | Nate Archibald (46) | 28–51 | |
| 80 | March 24 | Baltimore | 114–132 | Nate Archibald (38) | 29–51 | |
| 81 | March 25 | @ Milwaukee | 95–119 | Nate Archibald (22) | 29–52 | |
| 82 | March 26 | @ Cleveland | 135–122 | Nate Archibald (45) | 30–52 |