Opening night of the 1964 season would be one that changed the league forever. The NBA returned to Philadelphia as the newly rebranded 76ers faced off against the Cincinnati Royals and the dominant Wilt Chamberlain. The Royals were eager to get back on top after being eliminated by this team last year in the playoffs. With the Royals clinging to a small lead in the first quarter Wilt went up for a shot near the basket. Big man Walter Dukes slid under Wilt to try and take a charge and then the future of the league changed. Wilt collided with Dukes and when he came back down he crumpled to the floor in a way no one had ever seen before. He grabbed the back of his leg and everything went quiet. Wilt had never been injured before, had never missed a game until this moment. But everyone knew that was about to change. Wilt was assessed and it was determined he had damaged his achilles tendon. The optimism the Royals had for the season quickly faded and turned into dissension. It seemed that the only people aware of how severe the injury truly was were Wilt, the doctors, and the owner. Wilt was immediately ruled out for a few months, the beginning of January would be the earliest he could return to activities. When those few months were coming to an end, no one was sure if Chamberlain would return. No other announcements came and the team and coaching staff just had to come to work and hope Wilt would be waiting for them in the locker room. This caused a major rift between ownership and the locker room and eventually led Cliff Hagan to demanding a trade. The forward was not going to waste the final years waiting around to see if his team was going to be able to compete or not.
A team that was eager to take the Royals up on a deal was the St. Louis Hawks. The top team in the west last season, they had struggled to start out the year. They began the year by losing to the Baltimore Bullets (formerly the Chicago Zephyrs) in their first ever game in Baltimore. #1 pick Jerry Lucas showed promise as he finished with a double double and was the team's leading scorer while facing off against the great Bob Pettit. Another loss to the Bullets later in season finally forced ownership’s hand. Changes in staff were made and the first move new management made was a big deal that involved sending Tom Gola to Cincinnati for Hagan. The new look Hawks seemed reenergized a few days later as they beat the Los Angeles Lakers. However things wouldn’t be good for long. A week later Bob Pettit was injured and out for the first time in his storied career.
With the Hawks faltering, a new team out west stepped up and took the reins. In just his first year as coach, hall of famer Dolph Schayes had his San Francisco Warriors atop the league through the first half of the season. The roster was filled with former teammates of Schayes and the chemistry between the team was easy to see. They had a strength in numbers approach spotlighted by their rookie and eventual 6th man of the year Nate Thurmond.
The 1964 All Star Game went down as one of the best in history but it certainly didn’t start out that way. The East took a huge lead in the first half but the West battled back behind Elgin Baylor. With the game tight, forward Tommy Heinsohn rallied the East back and the shot making between him and Baylor was a sight to see. Oscar Robertson and Maurice Stokes hit big shots for the West late in the game and in the final seconds the West was unable to get a shot off. The East won the game but Elgin Baylor was awarded MVP for his impressive performance.
The New York Knicks once again finished with the best record in the East. In what was a replay of last year Oscar Robertson hit another game winner in the last game of the season to clinch the top seed, narrowly edging out Boston and Philadelphia. Cincinnati failed to stay above .500 without Chamberlain and Hagan.
Out West the Warriors finished the season with the best record and Schayes would win coach of the year in his first season. The Los Angeles Lakers struggled integrating their older players in new roles but Elgin Baylor once again set career highs in points, rebounds, and assists. The Hawks never got things figured out and finished around.500 while the Bullets and Pistons finished behind them.
Awards:
All Star MVP: Elgin Baylor
MVP Race: Oscar Robertson (Knicks)
Bill Russell (Celtics)
Elgin Baylor (Lakers)
Sam Jones (Warriors)
Jerry West (76ers)
1st - Oscar Robertson (Knicks) Sam Jones (Warriors) Elgin Baylor (Lakers) Bob Pettit (Hawks) Bill Rusell (Celtics)
2nd - Jerry West (Nationals) Frank Ramsey (Knicks) Tom Heinsohn (Knicks) Clyde Lovellete (Celtics) Walt Bellamy (Pistons)
3rd- Hal Greer (Hawks) John Havlicek (Celtics) Jack Twyman (Nationals) Jerry Lucas (Bullets) Maurice Stokes (Royals)
ROTY: Jerry Lucas (Bullets)
DPOY: Bill Russell (Celtics)
6MOY: Nate Thurmond (Warriors)
MIP: Bob Ferry (Royals)
COY: Dolph Schayes (Warriors)
Leaders
PPG: Elgin Baylor - 31.9
RPG: Bill Russell - 17.9
APG: Oscar Robertson - 8.9
SPG: Bill Russell - 2.1
BPG: Bill Russell - 3.3
MPG: Bill Russell - 41.4
After leading the Knicks to another top seed, Oscar Robertson was awarded with the MVP. He also set an assists record while Bill Russell, who finished second set a steals record and continued his streak of DPOYs. Clyde Lovellete made an All-NBA team for the first time since he played for the Lakers and Jerry Lucas was named to an All-NBA team in his rookie season.
In a rematch of last season’s Eastern Conference Finals Celtics matched up with the Philadelphia 76ers a round earlier this year. With a little more experience this time around the 76ers took care of business on their home floor and the series went to a 7th game. Jerry West started out hot in game 7 scoring 20 first half points. The Celtics Clyde Lovellete answered with 18 of his own and the game stayed locked through the 3rd quarter. But in the fourth quarter the 76ers went cold and could not keep up with the Celtics. They shot 30% in the quarter and that is what sealed their fate.
The Knicks were waiting in the conference finals. The Celtics had their number in the two previous seasons including a classic conference finals series a couple seasons ago. This one was tied after four games, setting up a tense game 5. While Bill Russell had elevated his game, it seemed that Oscar Robertson was not at the MVP level that he was in the regular season. That changed in game 5 as he broke the 20 point barrier for the first time all postseason. The game came down to the last minute. TheKnicks had the ball and Oscar Robertson drove the line and tossed up a layup that went in while being fouled by John Havlicek. The normally stoic Robertson let his emotion show after the shot, an indication of how much this meant for him. The free throw put the game out of reach and the Celtics couldn’t recover from the heartbreaking loss. They dropped the next game as the Knicks ended the series.
Neither the Warriors or Lakers were tested in their route to meet for the Western Conference title. They both took care of business against the Pistons and Hawks respectively. The two teams from California would meet for the first time ever to go to the Finals. The team effort of the Warriors seemed to be too much through 5 games as they took the series lead. But Baylor would get some help in game 6 as Dick Barnett scored a playoff career high 27 points. He outplayed his counterpart Sam Jones, who had a tough night shooting and it seemed like the pressure was getting to him as his struggles continued in game 7. Barnett was once again on fire and the Lakers led heading into the fourth. But reserve Frank Selvy went on a scoring run to bring the Warriors back. The Lakers tired legs started to show as the Warriors ran them out of the building scoring 40 points in the fourth quarter for a big comeback win.
Dolph Schayes had an accomplished career but he had never won a title. Now he was four wins away in just his first year as head coach. To get there he would have to beat a Knicks team that had never lost to the Warriors in the franchise’s history. It had been four seasons since the Knicks made the Finals and lost in a classic battle to the Cincinnati Royals. They didn’t know how to win as a group then but they did now. The energy of the Warriors was no match for the experience of the Knicks. After splitting the first two games the Knicks blew out the Warriors in game 3. While game 4 was close, every time the Knicks needed a basket, they got one. The Warriors could not stop the league’s best offense. Late in the fourth quarter Tommy Heinsohn hit a hook shot over a double team and then followed it up the next possession with a fadeaway as the shot clock expired. That basket put the game away and gave them a 3-1 lead. The Knicks closed out the series in the next game sparked by Robertson and Heinsohn. The Knicks were champions again, winning their first title since 1957. The lone holdover from that roster was Heinsohn who was a rookie back then. Oscar Robertson was awarded MVP of the Finals.
HOF:
Neil Johnston - PHI, STL, SYR, DET. Top 5 in MVP voting 2X. 3X All NBA selection.
Averaged over 30 a game in Philly for first two seasons, but left and became first big free agent signing when he teamed up with Bob Pettit and the Hawks. Despite having his scoring reduced in St. Louis, he always was a physical presence on defense and rebounding. Hit game winner in 59 All-Star game. His physical style of play wore on smaller guards who played against and was involved in multiple plays that left star opposing players injured including a brutal screen on Bob Cousy in the 59 Finals that swung the series. Retired as all time leader in games played
Clyde Lovellette - MNL/BOS - 1 LP - All-NBA 6MOY in 63
Played a big role in every season for the first decade of the sim. Started for Minneapolis championship teams and continued to start through the beginning of the Baylor years. Traded to Boston where he won 6MOY and got revenge against the Lakers with a game winner in G2 of the 63 Finals against them. Started next year and averaged 20 and 12 in his final season. Strong base made him immovable and unstoppable when he put his shoulder into defenders. Great touch around rim
Ray Felix- NYK/LAL 2X All-NBA DPOY in 55
First ever shot blocker. Anchored the Knicks for two Finals appearances, winning in 57. Later played for the Lakers and made two Finals with them as well. Retired as all time leader in rebounds and blocks.
The Hawks wasted no time in making changes as they traded Hal Greer to the 76ers in exchange for Richie Guerin and Al Attles. The Hawks had the second highest payroll but the second worst record in the league. With Greer’s stats declining over the last two seasons the Hawks wanted to move on from his big contract. They also fired their coach and brought in journeyman Jack Mcmahon as their head coach. He brought back former coach Alex Hannum as his assistant. The Pistons also made a big splash as they brought in legend Bob Cousy to replace Hannum as their head coach. Cousy retired last season after winning his third championship with the Celtics. The move was done by an organization that had fallen on hard times over the years and are eager to get back to the success of the 50s. They are hoping that Cousy can break through to his former teammate Ed Conlin who had a disappointing first season in year one of a big contract.
The Pistons wasted no time in getting an apprentice for Cousy. They selected guard Walt Hazzard from UCLA with the first pick of the draft. Hazzard brings with him a winning pedigree from college to a team in desperate need of success. The Hawks selected Olympian Jim Barnes of Texas Western with the second pick of the draft in hopes of finding someone who can eventually take over for Bob Pettit when he retires. Willis Reed went to the 76ers, and the New York Knicks selected native playground legend Connie Hawkins.
In free agency Maurice Stokes decided to leave the Cincinnati Royals to sign with the Boston Celtics. Royals management was shocked at the decision and just two years after winning back to back titles the Royals have just one starter from that team available for opening night and no clear timetable on Wilt’s return from injury. But the Royals replaced Stokes with Bob Boozer who left the Warriors. The decision came as a shock to the Warriors as well who had promised the same amount of money the Royals did. Johnny Kerr also left San Francisco for St. Louis ending one of the best stories of the season on a down note for the Warriors.
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