1966–67 NBA season

21st NBA season August 2023 1966–67 NBA season National Basketball Association Basketball October 15, 1966 – March 19, 1967March 21 – April 12, 1967 (Playoffs)April 14–24, 1967 (Finals) 81 10 ABC Draft 1966 NBA draft List of first overall NBA draft picks Cazzie Russell New York Knicks Regular season Philadelphia 76ers Wilt Chamberlain (Philadelphia) NBA MVP Rick Barry (San Francisco) Playoffs 1967 NBA playoffs Eastern Eastern Division (NBA) Philadelphia 76ers Boston Celtics Western Western Division (NBA) San Francisco Warriors St. Louis Hawks Finals 1967 NBA Finals Philadelphia 76ers San Francisco Warriors List of NBA seasons NBA 1965–66 NBA season 1965–66 1967–68 NBA season 1967–68 The 1966–67 NBA season was the 21st season of the National Basketball Association and one of its most successful to date. It culminated with the Philadelphia 76ers winning the league championship, beating the San Francisco Warriors 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. The Boston Celtics saw their record of eight consecutive titles come to an end. Notable occurrences After a three-year hiatus, professional basketball returns to Chicago in the form of the expansion Bulls, who become the first expansion club to earn a playoff berth in major pro sports history. The Baltimore Bullets move from the West to East Division. The NBA expands its regular season from 80 to 81 games per team. The NBA increases its post-season field from six to eight qualifiers, four in each division. The 1967 NBA All-Star Game is played at the Cow Palace in Daly City, California, where the West squad upsets the heavily favored East, 135–120. San Francisco Warriors sophomore sensation Rick Barry is voted the Most Valuable Player on the strength of a record 35-point performance. Only three of the 10 teams win as many as half their games in the regular season: Celtics, 76ers and Warriors. +Coaching changesOffseason Team 1965–66 coach 1966–67 coach Baltimore Bullets Paul Seymour Mike Farmer Boston Celtics Red Auerbach Bill Russell Chicago Bulls Expansion Johnny "Red" Kerr New York Knicks Dick McGuire Vince Boryla Philadelphia 76ers Dolph Schayes Alex Hannum San Francisco Warriors Alex Hannum Bill SharmanIn-season Team Outgoing coach Incoming coach Detroit Pistons Dave DeBusschere Donnie Butcher Season recap August 2007 Philadelphia 76ers The Philadelphia 76ers had dismissed coach Dolph Schayes of Syracuse Nationals fame. Alex Hannum, the former 50s power forward who was the last man to coach a winner past Boston, was the new coach. The 43-year-old Hannum looked like he could still play, and often ran with the club in practice. Hannum's 76ers would share the ball, or play 'Celtic-ball' as some observed. Wilt Chamberlain would not be expected to hold the team afloat like Atlas but would pass more and get the others involved. Chamberlain had bragged in interviews that he was the sport's best passer on top of his other abilities.September 2007 His eight assists per game set a record for centers and made him third in the NBA overall, scoring 24 per game, while again leading the NBA in rebounds and blocked shots. Shooting less, he made a league-record 68% of his shots; his 875 free throw attempts, another league record, offset his dismal percentage from the foul line. The 76ers also had three other players around the 20 point-per-game mark this year in Hal Greer with 22 points, Chet Walker and Billy Cunningham, both with 19 points. All four players combined won a league-record 68 games together under Hannum's watch. The team scored a record 125 points per game, leading all teams in shooting accuracy. The 76ers started the season at 46–4, still the best 50 game start in league history (tied by the Golden State Warriors in the 2015–16 season). They finished the season at 68–13, the best record in league history at the time. Sachare Alex NBA Encyclopedia Playoff Edition: The Best Team Ever NBA.com http://www.nba.com/encyclopedia/sixers_66-67.html 2008 13 April 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20080509155431/http://www.nba.com/encyclopedia/sixers_66-67.html 9 May 2008 live Celtics The Boston Celtics won 60 games under player-coach Bill Russell, who made a relatively seamless transition to his new dual role. But their advanced age began to show in mid-December, when a four-week lull took them out of East contention. The deathblow came on Jan. 15 at Boston Garden, where a 110-95 loss to the 76ers vaulted their rivals to a 9 1/2-game lead in the division. The 32-year-old Russell finished third in rebounds the league and first in assists on his team. As usual, he had ample support. Three teammates averaged at least 20 points per game --- veteran Sam Jones (22.1), emerging John Havlicek (21.4) and newly acquired Bailey Howell (20.0). Two others placed in double figures. Longtime head coach Red Auerbach oversaw the operation in his full-time role of general manager. San Francisco Warriors On the heels of a Rookie of the Year season, 22-year-old Rick Barry continued his rise to move past the Los Angeles Lakers' Elgin Baylor and the Cincinnati Royals' Jerry Lucas as the most dominant forward in the game. Not only did Barry supplant Wilt Chamberlain as the top scorer in the league at 35.6 points per game, but he also had the second-highest number of free throw tries (852), of which he made a league-high 753 for an 88 percent success rate. He added 9.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game for good measure. The other Warrior star emerging was center Nate Thurmond. A former protégé of Chamberlain, Thurmond ranked second in the NBA in rebounds while scoring 19 points per game. Five others averaged 10 points or more under first-year head coach Bill Sharman, whose up-tempo offense took the league by storm until myriad injuries slowed it down the stretch. Playoffs Chicago surpassed the Detroit Pistons for the last spot in the West, putting America's second-largest city in the playoffs, which continued to become a larger television event each year. In the East, the two dominators both won their first round series with just one lost game each. Philadelphia beat Cincinnati and superstar Oscar Robertson three games to one. Boston beat an improving New York Knickerbockers club led by third-year star Willis Reed three to one also. The Boston–Philadelphia matchup was set again for the division final. In the West, San Francisco and second-place St.Louis both advanced behind 3–0 sweeps. The Warriors routed the Lakers, minus superstar Jerry West, while the St.Louis Hawks ended the first season of Chicago's Bulls, led by coach Johnny Kerr, the former Syracuse Nationals star, and players Bob Boozer, Don Kojis and Guy Rodgers. Rich Guerin's balanced Hawks, led by Lenny Wilkens, Lou Hudson and Bill Bridges, tried hard to slow Barry, Thurmond and Co., but the Warriors made their second NBA Finals in four seasons, four games to two. Those expecting a close series in the East or another Philadelphia fold were stunned to see a five-game series completely dominated by the 76ers. Winning the first three in clear numbers, the Sixers brought Boston back to their home court so they could bash the Celtics 140-116 and send them home. Bill Russell's first season as coach was a disappointment only in comparison to Auerbach's towering achievements before him. Chamberlain turned down the victory champagne from that celebrated win, saying there was still one more series to win.Season Review: 1966-67 NBA.com https://www.nba.com/news/history-season-review-1966-67 2025-12-09 NBA en The Warriors were not all that cooperative, taking Game One to overtime and winning two games. Barry and Thurmond's performances were impressive. But Philadelphia's three 20-point scorers – Chamberlain, Walker and Greer – led their franchise to their first NBA title since the old Syracuse days in 1955, the first season of the 24-second clock. Wilt averaged 22 points, 29 rebounds, nine assists and 58% shooting for his 15 playoff games. He also had many blocks and had 160 free throw tries to offset his misses there. Wilt, again, likely posted multiple quadruple-double games this year, including perhaps in the Finals. However, blocked shots were not then kept as a league statistic (and would not be until 1973), so it is impossible to determine.2016-12-03 Philadelphia 76ers celebrate 50th anniversary of 1966-67 team https://www.timesleader.com/sports/nba/612532/philadelphia-76ers-celebrate-50th-anniversary-of-1966-67-team 2025-12-09 www.timesleader.com en-US Final standings Eastern Division Western Division x – clinched playoff spot Playoff bracket 1967 NBA playoffs 1967 NBA playoffs Bracket yes no Statistics leaders + Category Player Team Stat Points Rick Barry San Francisco Warriors 2,775 Rebounds Wilt Chamberlain Philadelphia 76ers 1,957 Assists Guy Rodgers Chicago Bulls 908 FG% Wilt Chamberlain Philadelphia 76ers .683 FT% Adrian Smith Cincinnati Royals .903 Note: Prior to the 1969–70 season, league leaders in points, rebounds, and assists were determined by totals rather than averages. NBA awards Most Valuable Player: Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia 76ers Rookie of the Year: Dave Bing, Detroit Pistons Coach of the Year: Johnny Kerr, Chicago Bulls 25em All-NBA First Team: G – Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati Royals G – Jerry West, Los Angeles Lakers C – Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia 76ers F – Elgin Baylor, Los Angeles Lakers F – Rick Barry, San Francisco Warriors All-NBA Second Team: G – Hal Greer, Philadelphia 76ers G – Sam Jones, Boston Celtics C – Bill Russell, Boston Celtics F – Jerry Lucas, Cincinnati Royals F – Willis Reed, New York Knicks NBA All-Rookie First Team: Jack Marin, Baltimore Bullets Dave Bing, Detroit Pistons Erwin Mueller, Chicago Bulls Lou Hudson, St. Louis Hawks Cazzie Russell, New York Knicks See also 1967 NBA Finals List of NBA regular season records References 1966–67 NBA Season Summary, basketball-reference.com. Retrieved March 31, 2010.