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1960–61 Cincinnati Royals season

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1960–61 Cincinnati Royals season
Head coachCharles Wolf
OwnersThomas E. Woods
ArenaCincinnati Gardens
Results
Record33–46 (.418)
PlaceDivision: 4th (Western)
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionWKRC-TV
RadioWKRC
< 1959–60 1961–62 >

The 1960–61 season was the Royals 13th season in the NBA and its fourth in Cincinnati. The season was defined by the debut of Oscar Robertson. He would win the Rookie of the Year by nearly averaging a triple double for the entire season. The Big O averaged 30.5 points per game, 10.1 rebounds per game and 9.7 assists per game. He was also MVP of the 1961 NBA All-Star Game.[1] Robertson's arrival drew considerable publicity to a team on the verge of folding after the last two brutal seasons. Even a year ago, with the Royals playing before sparse crowds, the mantra was ' Robertson will be here next year '. The Royals actually had four key rookies that year arrive. Along with Robertson, previous #1 pick Bob Boozer, guard Ralph Davis, and college scorer Jay Arnette all arrived to boost the roster. Tom Marshall had served as coach the previous two difficult years. While many thought a bigger NBA name like Red Rocha should now take over, kindly small-college coach Charlie Wolf was inexpensively brought on to aid the young roster. Wolf moved Robertson to lead guard, and the team immediately improved. Jack Twyman, Wayne Embry and Arlen Bockhorn were solid starters in support of the new superstar. Robertson brought a brash leadership to the team, helping to organize the team's attack. The infusion of talented youth overall gave the team a real lift. No ordinary rookie, Robertson scored 30.5 points per game, led the NBA in assists by a clear margin, sank the third-highest number of free throws in the league, and was even second on the Royals in rebounding. He was a 6' 5 player unlike any seen before in the NBA. Robertson's debut was against the now-Los Angeles Lakers in their first game since moving from Minneapolis on October 19. It was also the rookie debut of the Lakers' Jerry West. Robertson triple-doubled in his first NBA game and led the Royals to the highest point total since moving to Cincinnati in the 140–123 win before a large Gardens crowd. Robertson produced large turnouts for the Royals all through November. But the team went 4–13 that month, ending their star's honeymoon. Injuries to the hard-worked Embry saw the team go 6–12 in January, souring the team's playoff chances. Star forward Twyman was the chief target of Robertson passes. Twyman's deadly jumper found the net at 25.3 points per game. The Royals would fall 1 game short of a playoff appearance as they finished in last place with a record of 33 wins and 46 losses.[1]

Roster

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1960–61 Cincinnati Royals roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
SG 11 Bockhorn, Arlen 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1933–07–08 Dayton
PF 13 Boozer, Bob 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1937–04–26 Kansas State
SG 10 Davis, Ralph 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1938–09–07 Cincinnati
C 15 Embry, Wayne 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1937–03–26 Miami (OH)
SF 51 Farmer, Mike 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1936–09–26 San Francisco
C 16 Jordon, Phil 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1933–09–12 Whitworth
C 51 Reed, Hub 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1936–10–04 Oklahoma City
PG 14 Robertson, Oscar 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1938–11–24 Cincinnati
SG 19 Rollins, Phil 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1934–01–19 Louisville
PF 21 Staverman, Larry 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1936–10–11 Thomas More
SF 31 Twyman, Jack 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1934–05–11 Cincinnati
PG 41 Wilfong, Win 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1933–03–18 Memphis
Head coach
Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Roster

Offseason

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NBA draft

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Round Pick Player Position Nationality School/Club Team
1 1 Oscar Robertson  United States Cincinnati
2 9 Jay Arnette  United States Texas

Ralph Davis from the University of Cincinnati, a recommended teammate of Robertson, was the team's third pick that year. The team's previous #1 pick from last year, Bob Boozer from Kansas State, reported this year also. He had spent the previous year with the AAU Peoria Caterpillars. Robertson, Boozer and Arnette had all played on the famed 1960 U.S. Olympic team.

Regular season

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Season standings

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Western Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Neutral Div
x-St. Louis Hawks 51 28 .646 – 29–5 15–20 7–3 25–14
x-Los Angeles Lakers 36 43 .456 15 16–12 8–20 12–11 19–20
x-Detroit Pistons 34 45 .430 17 20–11 3–19 11–15 18–21
Cincinnati Royals 33 46 .418 18 18–13 8–19 7–14 16–23

Record vs. opponents

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1960-61 NBA Records
Team BOS CIN DET LAL NYK PHI STL SYR
Boston — 7–3 8–2 8–2 10–3 8–5 6–4 10–3
Cincinnati 3–7 — 2–11 8–5 8–2 2–8 6–7 4–6
Detroit 2–8 11–2 — 4–9 5–5 5–5 3–10 4–6
Los Angeles 2–8 5–8 9–4 — 7–3 2–8 5–8 6–4
New York 3–10 2–8 5–5 3–7 — 2–11 1–9 5–8
Philadelphia 5–8 8–2 5–5 8–2 11–2 — 3–7 6–7
St. Louis 4–6 7–6 10–3 8–5 9–1 7–3 — 6–4
Syracuse 3–10 6–4 6–4 4–6 8–5 7–6 4–6 —

Game log

[edit]
1960–61 Game log
# Date Opponent Score High points Record
1 October 19 Los Angeles 123–140 Jack Twyman (30) 1–0
2 October 20 @ New York 113–105 Oscar Robertson (28) 2–0
3 October 22 New York 117–119 Phil Jordon (28) 3–0
4 October 23 St. Louis 103–114 Oscar Robertson (32) 4–0
5 October 26 @ Detroit 117–131 Jack Twyman (33) 4–1
6 October 27 Syracuse 140–143 (OT) Oscar Robertson (39) 5–1
7 October 29 @ St. Louis 97–113 Oscar Robertson (17) 5–2
8 November 1 Philadelphia 131–113 Phil Jordon (18) 5–3
9 November 5 @ Boston 113–104 Oscar Robertson (25) 6–3
10 November 8 Boston 136–120 Jack Twyman (32) 6–4
11 November 11 N Boston 110–128 Jack Twyman (29) 6–5
12 November 12 @ Detroit 112–116 Jack Twyman (25) 6–6
13 November 13 Detroit 125–113 Robertson, Twyman (34) 6–7
14 November 15 Philadelphia 115–124 Oscar Robertson (44) 7–7
15 November 16 @ Syracuse 87–124 Jack Twyman (22) 7–8
16 November 18 St. Louis 128–129 (OT) Oscar Robertson (36) 8–8
17 November 19 @ St. Louis 120–121 Oscar Robertson (37) 8–9
18 November 20 Boston 120–103 Oscar Robertson (21) 8–10
19 November 22 N Los Angeles 133–118 Phil Jordon (25) 8–11
20 November 23 Los Angeles 118–122 Oscar Robertson (31) 9–11
21 November 24 N Los Angeles 108–100 Jack Twyman (35) 9–12
22 November 26 @ Philadelphia 108–138 Oscar Robertson (26) 9–13
23 November 27 New York 122–118 (OT) Oscar Robertson (42) 9–14
24 November 29 N Syracuse 129–105 Jack Twyman (31) 9–15
25 December 1 Syracuse 137–126 Oscar Robertson (41) 9–16
26 December 4 N Detroit 116–115 Oscar Robertson (34) 9–17
27 December 6 @ New York 117–112 Jack Twyman (28) 10–17
28 December 7 Los Angeles 112–114 Oscar Robertson (38) 11–17
29 December 8 N Boston 118–115 Robertson, Twyman (36) 12–17
30 December 9 @ Boston 123–146 Jack Twyman (29) 12–18
31 December 13 N Syracuse 107–105 Jack Twyman (37) 12–19
32 December 14 New York 114–121 Arlen Bockhorn (35) 13–19
33 December 16 Los Angeles 116–130 Oscar Robertson (39) 14–19
34 December 18 Philadelphia 128–112 Oscar Robertson (31) 14–20
35 December 20 N Boston 112–115 Jack Twyman (36) 14–21
36 December 25 Detroit 119–126 Oscar Robertson (32) 15–21
37 December 26 @ Detroit 132–137 Oscar Robertson (43) 15–22
38 December 27 Syracuse 124–129 Oscar Robertson (45) 16–22
39 December 28 N New York 104–114 Oscar Robertson (38) 17–22
40 December 29 @ Philadelphia 124–128 Oscar Robertson (36) 17–23
41 December 30 N Philadelphia 130–136 Oscar Robertson (38) 18–23
42 January 1 St. Louis 112–114 Oscar Robertson (28) 19–23
43 January 2 N Syracuse 125–126 Oscar Robertson (42) 20–23
44 January 4 @ Syracuse 134–126 Oscar Robertson (32) 21–23
45 January 5 Boston 125–107 Oscar Robertson (38) 21–24
46 January 10 @ St. Louis 110–119 Oscar Robertson (31) 21–25
47 January 11 @ Detroit 122–126 Oscar Robertson (29) 21–26
48 January 12 N Detroit 124–112 Oscar Robertson (31) 21–27
49 January 14 @ Los Angeles 114–123 Oscar Robertson (45) 21–28
50 January 15 @ Los Angeles 109–105 Jack Twyman (31) 22–28
51 January 18 N Detroit 144–128 Ralph Davis (25) 22–29
52 January 19 New York 129–122 Jack Twyman (34) 22–30
53 January 21 N Detroit 130–106 Jack Twyman (22) 22–31
54 January 22 St. Louis 108–115 Wayne Embry (28) 23–31
55 January 24 Detroit 106–104 Jack Twyman (37) 23–32
56 January 25 @ Detroit 125–138 Jack Twyman (21) 23–33
57 January 27 Syracuse 138–126 Jack Twyman (37) 23–34
58 January 28 @ St. Louis 116–136 Jack Twyman (34) 23–35
59 January 30 Boston 88–116 Jack Twyman (41) 24–35
60 February 2 @ Philadelphia 118–133 Jack Twyman (25) 24–36
61 February 3 N Philadelphia 136–135 Wayne Embry (37) 24–37
62 February 5 @ Syracuse 115–129 Oscar Robertson (38) 24–38
63 February 6 N Los Angeles 110–101 Oscar Robertson (37) 24–39
64 February 9 N New York 115–119 Wayne Embry (23) 25–39
65 February 11 @ St. Louis 122–123 Oscar Robertson (38) 25–40
66 February 12 @ New York 105–104 Oscar Robertson (32) 26–40
67 February 13 N Los Angeles 100–104 Oscar Robertson (40) 27–40
68 February 16 St. Louis 107–133 Oscar Robertson (31) 28–40
69 February 19 Los Angeles 106–112 Oscar Robertson (43) 29–40
70 February 21 @ St. Louis 114–126 Oscar Robertson (36) 29–41
71 February 22 N Philadelphia 132–131 Oscar Robertson (39) 29–42
72 February 25 Philadelphia 129–120 Oscar Robertson (39) 29–43
73 February 26 St. Louis 148–122 Jack Twyman (25) 29–44
74 February 28 N St. Louis 105–131 Jack Twyman (24) 30–44
75 March 1 Detroit 122–137 Oscar Robertson (37) 31–44
76 March 5 @ New York 124–118 Robertson, Twyman (27) 32–44
77 March 7 N Boston 121–124 Oscar Robertson (32) 32–45
78 March 11 @ Los Angeles 108–105 Jack Twyman (23) 33–45
79 March 12 @ Los Angeles 122–123 Oscar Robertson (38) 33–46

Player statistics

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Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game
Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Arlen Bockhorn
Bob Boozer
Ralph Davis
Wayne Embry
Mike Farmer
Phil Jordon
Hub Reed
Oscar Robertson
Phil Rollins
Larry Staverman
Jack Twyman
Win Wilfong

Awards and honors

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  • Oscar Robertson, 1960–61 NBA Rookie Of The Year, First Team All-NBA selection, MVP of the 1961 NBA All-Star Game.[2]
  • Jack Twyman, NBA- All-Star, top ten NBA scorer.

References

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  1. ^ a b Cincinnati Royals (1957–1972)
  2. ^ Numbelievable!, p.33, Michael X. Ferraro and John Venziano, Triumph Books, 2007, Chicago, Illinois, ISBN 978-1-57243-990-0
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