1963–64 Cincinnati Royals season

NBA professional basketball team season March 2026 August 2023 Cincinnati Royals 1964 55 25 Eastern 2 Jack McMahon Louis Jacobs Cincinnati Gardens WKRC-TV WLW Division finals(lost to Celtics 1–4) CIN The 1963–64 Cincinnati Royals season was the Royals 16th season in the NBA and its seventh in Cincinnati. The Royals finished in 2nd place with a 55–25 record, the second best record in the NBA. The team's outstanding roster included Oscar Robertson, Jerry Lucas, Team Captain Wayne Embry, Jack Twyman, Arlen Bockhorn, Bob Boozer, Tom Hawkins, Adrian Smith, Bud Olsen, Larry Staverman and coach Jack McMahon . The team is noteworthy for having both the NBA MVP in Robertson and the NBA Rookie of the Year in Lucas, a rare occurrence in NBA history. The team played most of their home games at Cincinnati Gardens arena, but also hosted home games that season in Dayton, Lima, Columbus at Saint John arena and Cleveland at Cleveland Arena. In the playoffs the Royals defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in a 5-game series, but both Lucas and Olsen would be lost to injury. In the Eastern Conference Final, the Royals were eliminated by the Boston Celtics, who triumphed in 5 games. Draft picks Tom Thacker from the outstanding University of Cincinnati program was another territorial draft pick, the team's first this year. Shooter Jimmy Rayl was the team's second-round selection. He was cut, but later played in the ABA. Roster Cincinnati Royals 1963–64 21 Jay Arnette G 6 2 175 Texas 11 Arlen Bockhorn G 6 4 200 Dayton 15 Wayne Embry C 6 8 240 Miami (OH) 20 Tom Hawkins basketball F 6 5 210 Notre Dame 16 Jerry Lucas F/C 6 8 230 Ohio State 34 Bud Olsen F 6 8 220 Louisville 14 Oscar Robertson PG 6 5 205 Cincinnati 10 Adrian Smith basketball G 6 1 180 Kentucky 13 Larry Staverman F 6 7 205 Thomas More 25 Tom Thacker basketball G 6 2 170 Cincinnati 27 Jack Twyman F 6 6 210 Cincinnati Jack McMahon Regular season Season standings CIN Season schedule 1963–64 game log # Date Opponent Score High points Record 1 October 16 @ St. Louis 112–93 Wayne Embry (25) 1–0 2 October 17 Boston 93–92 Oscar Robertson (20) 1–1 3 October 19 New York 97–121 Oscar Robertson (19) 2–1 4 October 22 San Francisco 97–103 Oscar Robertson (22) 3–1 5 October 25 Los Angeles 122–109 Oscar Robertson (27) 3–2 6 October 26 @ San Francisco 99–102 Jack Twyman (31) 3–3 7 October 29 @ San Francisco 108–101 Oscar Robertson (28) 4–3 8 October 30 @ Los Angeles 115–107 Oscar Robertson (36) 5–3 9 November 1 @ Los Angeles 112–122 Oscar Robertson (26) 5–4 10 November 3 N Philadelphia 93–95 Oscar Robertson (25) 6–4 11 November 6 @ Boston 121–139 Robertson, Twyman (24) 6–5 12 November 8 Boston 115–116 Oscar Robertson (35) 7–5 13 November 9 Detroit 109–118 Wayne Embry (30) 8–5 14 November 13 San Francisco 98–92 Oscar Robertson (28) 8–6 15 November 16 @ New York 114–122 Wayne Embry (27) 8–7 16 November 17 Baltimore 109–110 Oscar Robertson (28) 9–7 17 November 19 N Detroit 102–127 Oscar Robertson (32) 10–7 18 November 20 @ Detroit 118–124 Lucas, Robertson (22) 10–8 19 November 23 @ St. Louis 121–133 Oscar Robertson (33) 10–9 20 November 24 St. Louis 113–122 Oscar Robertson (32) 11–9 21 November 26 N San Francisco 112–123 Oscar Robertson (32) 12–9 22 November 27 @ Baltimore 122–119 Embry, Robertson (28) 13–9 23 November 28 @ Philadelphia 125–110 Oscar Robertson (38) 14–9 24 November 29 New York 110–135 Oscar Robertson (29) 15–9 25 December 1 Los Angeles 114–109 Wayne Embry (39) 15–10 26 December 5 Boston 108–118 Oscar Robertson (48) 16–10 27 December 6 @ Boston 107–112 Oscar Robertson (40) 16–11 28 December 7 @ New York 116–105 Oscar Robertson (35) 17–11 29 December 8 Philadelphia 126–116 Oscar Robertson (32) 17–12 30 December 11 @ Detroit 127–107 Oscar Robertson (26) 18–12 31 December 12 New York 102–112 Jack Twyman (31) 19–12 32 December 14 @ Boston 108–105 Embry, Robertson (25) 20–12 33 December 20 Baltimore 96–103 Oscar Robertson (24) 21–12 34 December 21 @ Baltimore 106–108 Wayne Embry (26) 21–13 35 December 25 St. Louis 107–113 Oscar Robertson (37) 22–13 36 December 27 Boston 87–91 Oscar Robertson (37) 23–13 37 December 29 New York 99–105 Oscar Robertson (29) 24–13 38 January 2 N Detroit 111–112 Oscar Robertson (32) 25–13 39 January 3 @ Philadelphia 110–132 Oscar Robertson (27) 25–14 40 January 4 @ New York 125–116 Oscar Robertson (41) 26–14 41 January 5 Baltimore 106–111 Wayne Embry (27) 27–14 42 January 7 N Philadelphia 110–130 Jack Twyman (29) 28–14 43 January 8 N Philadelphia 110–126 Oscar Robertson (30) 29–14 44 January 10 @ Boston 92–109 Oscar Robertson (32) 29–15 45 January 12 Detroit 88–120 Oscar Robertson (34) 30–15 46 January 16 Los Angeles 95–108 Oscar Robertson (32) 31–15 47 January 18 St. Louis 121–120 Oscar Robertson (40) 31–16 48 January 19 @ St. Louis 109–114 Oscar Robertson (44) 31–17 49 January 21 @ New York 139–124 Oscar Robertson (31) 32–17 50 January 22 Boston 92–109 Oscar Robertson (38) 33–17 51 January 24 @ Philadelphia 111–134 Lucas, Robertson (29) 33–18 52 January 25 @ Baltimore 99–115 Oscar Robertson (27) 33–19 53 January 30 N New York 110–133 Jack Twyman (29) 34–19 54 January 31 N Baltimore 118–106 Oscar Robertson (35) 35–19 55 February 2 @ Boston 119–117 (OT) Oscar Robertson (48) 36–19 56 February 4 Los Angeles 100–118 Jack Twyman (31) 37–19 57 February 7 Philadelphia 114–126 Oscar Robertson (42) 38–19 58 February 8 @ Baltimore 109–105 Oscar Robertson (30) 39–19 59 February 9 Detroit 107–135 Oscar Robertson (31) 40–19 60 February 12 N Detroit 121–147 Oscar Robertson (38) 41–19 61 February 14 New York 114–126 Oscar Robertson (29) 42–19 62 February 15 @ New York 130–124 Oscar Robertson (44) 43–19 63 February 16 Philadelphia 97–114 Oscar Robertson (32) 44–19 64 February 17 N San Francisco 113–129 Oscar Robertson (45) 45–19 65 February 19 San Francisco 108–101 Oscar Robertson (29) 45–20 66 February 21 @ San Francisco 101–93 Oscar Robertson (32) 46–20 67 February 22 @ Los Angeles 107–105 Oscar Robertson (32) 47–20 68 February 25 @ San Francisco 108–117 Oscar Robertson (26) 47–21 69 February 26 @ Los Angeles 97–103 Oscar Robertson (32) 47–22 70 February 28 N Philadelphia 132–134 Jack Twyman (36) 48–22 71 February 29 @ Philadelphia 117–114 Oscar Robertson (43) 49–22 72 March 1 @ Baltimore 122–111 Oscar Robertson (35) 50–22 73 March 3 @ New York 117–108 Oscar Robertson (33) 51–22 74 March 4 @ Boston 108–112 Oscar Robertson (34) 51–23 75 March 5 Boston 101–111 Oscar Robertson (27) 52–23 76 March 7 Baltimore 101–104 Oscar Robertson (30) 53–23 77 March 10 @ Detroit 103–114 Oscar Robertson (33) 53–24 78 March 12 Philadelphia 111–128 Oscar Robertson (28) 54–24 79 March 14 @ St. Louis 110–118 Oscar Robertson (48) 54–25 80 March 15 St. Louis 101–124 Oscar Robertson (25) 55–25 The Royals consistently posted winning marks over the full season for each month of play. Oct 5–3, Nov 10–6, Dec 9–4, Jan 11–6, Feb 14–3, March 6–3, plus a 4–6 record in the playoffs. Four of the five Boston playoff games took place in April. Playoffs Cincinnati Royals 1964 yes Cincinnati Royals Division semifinals yes yes no 3 0 0 2 |- | 1 | March 22 | Philadelphia | W 127–102 | Oscar Robertson (31) | Jerry Lucas (25) | Oscar Robertson (16) | Cincinnati Gardens6,238 | 1–0 |- | 2 | March 24 | @ Philadelphia | L 114–122 | Oscar Robertson (30) | Wayne Embry (11) | three players tied (5) | Municipal Auditorium4,510 | 1–1 |- | 3 | March 25 | Philadelphia | W 101–89 | Oscar Robertson (28) | Jack Twyman (21) | — | Cincinnati Gardens7,171 | 2–1 |- | 4 | March 28 | @ Philadelphia | L 120–129 | Oscar Robertson (31) | Oscar Robertson (14) | Arlen Bockhorn (7) | Municipal Auditorium4,255 | 2–2 |- | 5 | March 29 | Philadelphia | W 130–124 | Oscar Robertson (32) | Wayne Embry (17) | — | Cincinnati Gardens7,913 | 3–2 |- Cincinnati Royals Division finals yes no 1 1 0 3 |- | 1 | March 31 | @ Boston | L 87–103 | Wayne Embry (21) | Wayne Embry (16) | Robertson, Arnette (3) | Boston Garden13,909 | 0–1 |- | 2 | April 2 | @ Boston | L 90–101 | Oscar Robertson (30) | Oscar Robertson (12) | Oscar Robertson (9) | Boston Garden13,909 | 0–2 |- | 3 | April 5 | Boston | L 92–102 | Oscar Robertson (34) | Jerry Lucas (24) | — | Cincinnati Gardens11,850 | 0–3 |- | 4 | April 7 | Boston | W 102–93 | Oscar Robertson (33) | Jerry Lucas (25) | Jerry Lucas (10) | Cincinnati Gardens | 1–3 |- | 5 | April 9 | @ Boston | L 95–109 | Oscar Robertson (24) | Wayne Embry (10) | Oscar Robertson (6) | Boston Garden13,909 | 1–4 |- CIN yes 1964 Player statistics Regular season Robertson led the NBA in assists and was second in scoring. He also led the NBA in free throws made and free throw percentage. Lucas led the NBA in field goal percentage, and was third in rebounding. Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG Arnette, Jay Jay Arnette48 10.4 36.2 77.8 1.1 1.5 3.8 Bockhorn, Arlen Arlen Bockhorn70 23.9 41.2 76.2 2.9 2.5 8.3 Boozer, Bob Bob Boozer32 22.7 41.6 62.2 5.6 1.0 11.0 Embry, Wayne Wayne Embry80 36.4 45.8 65.0 11.6 1.4 17.3 Hawkins, Tom Tom Hawkins73 24.2 44.1 60.1 6.0 1.0 8.6 Lucas, Jerry Jerry Lucas79 41.4 52.7 77.9 17.4 2.6 17.7 Olsen, Bud Bud Olsen49 10.5 40.5 56.1 3.0 0.6 4.1 Robertson, Oscar Oscar Robertson79 45.1 48.3 85.3 9.9 11.0 31.4 Smith, Adrian Adrian Smith66 23.1 40.6 78.2 2.2 2.2 9.4 Staverman, Larry Larry Staverman34 9.4 41.4 83.0 2.8 0.5 4.0 Thacker, Tom Tom Thacker48 9.5 29.3 49.1 2.4 1.1 2.8 Twyman, Jack Jack Twyman68 29.4 45.0 82.9 5.4 2.0 15.9 Playoffs Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG Arnette, Jay Jay Arnette8 9.9 35.5 87.5 1.3 1.1 3.6 Bockhorn, Arlen Arlen Bockhorn10 30.1 38.0 75.0 3.9 3.9 9.7 Embry, Wayne Wayne Embry10 36.3 38.1 62.2 12.4 2.1 13.4 Hawkins, Tom Tom Hawkins10 27.3 44.3 68.2 9.3 1.1 10.1 Lucas, Jerry Jerry Lucas10 37.0 39.0 70.3 12.5 3.4 12.2 Olsen, Bud Bud Olsen2 5.0 50.0 — 2.0 0.5 3.0 Robertson, Oscar Oscar Robertson10 47.1 45.5 85.8 8.9 8.4 29.3 Smith, Adrian Adrian Smith7 9.4 30.8 71.4 1.3 0.6 3.0 Staverman, Larry Larry Staverman7 10.0 47.8 78.9 3.7 0.7 5.3 Thacker, Tom Tom Thacker6 7.2 26.1 25.0 2.2 0.5 2.2 Twyman, Jack Jack Twyman10 35.4 47.2 79.6 8.7 1.6 20.5 Awards and honors Jerry Lucas: NBA Rookie of the Year, Second Team All-NBA, NBA All-Star Oscar Robertson: NBA Most Valuable Player, First Team All-NBA, MVP of the 1964 NBA All-Star Game. Wayne Embry: NBA All-Star References External links Royals on Basketball Reference http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/nba/cincy/cincyroyals.html http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Cincinnati_Royals https://web.archive.org/web/20150917052242/http://www.databasebasketball.com/teams/teampage.htm?tm=CIN&lg=n Category:Sacramento Kings seasons Cincinnati Cincinnati Cincinnati Category:1960s in Cincinnati