1969β70 Cincinnati Royals season | |
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Head coach | Bob Cousy |
Owners | Max Jacobs Jeremy Jacobs |
Arena | Cincinnati Gardens |
Results | |
Record | 36–46 (.439) |
Place | Division: 5th ( Eastern) |
Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Local media | |
Television | WLWT |
Radio | WLW |
The 1969β70 Cincinnati Royals season was one of the last years the franchise played in Cincinnati. In 1972, they moved to Kansas City. This was also the final season for Oscar Robertson, who went to the Milwaukee Bucks next season.
After his death in 1968, Louis Jacob's sons took over the ownership of the team. The first move of the young Jacobses was to hire in Kansas City sports manager Joe Axelson, a relative unknown in NBA circles who had befriended the ownership family. Axelson replaced the outgoing GM, Pepper Wilson, who had served with the franchise since it arrived in Cincinnati in 1957. The three then were able to draw in former Boston College coach and Boston Celtics legend Bob Cousy for the then-very high salary of $100,000 per season to replace Cincinnati favorite Ed Jucker as coach. Cousy arrived to considerable press to his new team.
Cousy wanted a young running team and began shipping out veterans who did not follow his new program. Jerry Lucas, a three-time First Team All-Pro with Cincinnati, was traded to the San Francisco Warriors in exchange for guard Jim King and forward Bill Turner. King and Turner combined to average ten points per game that season, then left the following season. Turner in fact joined Lucas in San Francisco. Lucas played four more NBA seasons and was a San Francisco NBA All-Star in 1971.
Cousy also sent long-time Cincinnati favorite Adrian Smith to San Francisco. Cousy attempted to trade Oscar Robertson to the Baltimore Bullets for Gus Johnson. [1] Robertson exercised his right to veto the trade. The team was known as "the Running Royals". Cincinnati topped the 110-point mark in each of the campaign's final 21 contests, and during a six-game span in mid-February, the team averaged 127 points. [1]
Cousy spoke often of a youth movement for the team that year, but ended up starting 36-year-old Johnny Green, 33-year-old Connie Dierking and 30-year-old Oscar Robertson. Tom Van Arsdale joined Robertson as NBA All-Stars. He then took the ball out of the hands of Robertson, the NBA's all-time point guard, and gave it to rookie Norm Van Lier, who did turn in an impressive season.
Adding still more to the story was Bob Cousy's decision to play at age 41. In order to be activated, the Royals had to trade solid reserve Bill Dinwiddie to the Boston Celtics so that Red Auerbach could release him from the Boston retired list. Cousy played seven games in November, and played poorly, having not played in the NBA for five seasons. Despite the hype and changes, the team was clearly worse than it had been the previous season. But the Jacobses and Axelson were already looking to sell the team anyway. This season marked the beginning of the end of the Cincinnati Royals as a result. The Royals failed to qualify for the playoffs. The Royals finished in 5th place with a 36β46 record.
Following the season, Robertson was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks for Flynn Robinson and Charlie Paulk. In 10 seasons with the Royals, Robertson averaged 29.3 points, 10.3 assists, and 8.5 rebounds per game. [1]
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The Royals first round pick was star guard Herm Gilliam of Purdue. Gilliam was lost for much of the 1969β70 season with mandatory military service. The following year, he was selected by Buffalo in the expansion draft.
Second pick Luther Rackley had starred locally at Xavier as a solid 6'10 big man. He played one year for the Royals and then was selected by Cleveland in the expansion draft. Slender 6'7 Luther Green was the third Royals pick. He found better chances with the ABA's New York Nets and signed there.
W | L | PCT | GB | |
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x- New York Knicks | 60 | 22 | .732 | β |
x- Milwaukee Bucks | 56 | 26 | .683 | 4 |
x- Baltimore Bullets | 50 | 32 | .610 | 10 |
x- Philadelphia 76ers | 42 | 40 | .512 | 18 |
Cincinnati Royals | 36 | 46 | .439 | 24 |
Boston Celtics | 34 | 48 | .415 | 26 |
Detroit Pistons | 31 | 51 | .378 | 29 |
1969β70 NBA records | ||||||||||||||
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Team | ATL | BAL | BOS | CHI | CIN | DET | LAL | MIL | NYK | PHI | PHO | SDR | SFW | SEA |
Atlanta | β | 2β4 | 6β0 | 5β2 | 3β3 | 3β3 | 4β3 | 3β3 | 4β2 | 3β3 | 2β4 | 4β2 | 5β2 | 4β2 |
Baltimore | 4β2 | β | 5β2 | 5β1 | 4β3 | 5β2 | 4β2 | 3β3 | 1β5 | 3β4 | 3β3 | 6β0 | 2β4 | 5β1 |
Boston | 0β6 | 2β5 | β | 3β3 | 3β3 | 4β3 | 2β4 | 1β6 | 4β3 | 2β4 | 2β4 | 4β2 | 5β1 | 2β4 |
Chicago | 2β5 | 1β5 | 3β3 | β | 3β3 | 3β3 | 4β2 | 4β2 | 0β6 | 3β3 | 5β2 | 3β4 | 4β2 | 4β3 |
Cincinnati | 3β3 | 3β4 | 3β3 | 3β3 | β | 4β2 | 2β4 | 2β5 | 2β5 | 4β3 | 3β3 | 4β2 | 2β4 | 1β5 |
Detroit | 3β3 | 2β5 | 3β4 | 3β3 | 2β4 | β | 3β3 | 1β6 | 1β6 | 1β5 | 3β3 | 3β3 | 3β3 | 3β3 |
Los Angeles | 3β4 | 2β4 | 4β2 | 2β4 | 4β2 | 3β3 | β | 3β3 | 2β4 | 4β2 | 3β4 | 5β2 | 5β2 | 6β0 |
Milwaukee | 3β3 | 3β3 | 6β1 | 2β4 | 5β2 | 6β1 | 3β3 | β | 2β4 | 5β2 | 6β0 | 6β0 | 4β2 | 5β1 |
New York | 2β4 | 5β1 | 3β4 | 6β0 | 5β2 | 6β1 | 4β2 | 4β2 | β | 5β2 | 6β0 | 5β1 | 5β1 | 4β2 |
Philadelphia | 3β3 | 4β3 | 4β2 | 3β3 | 3β4 | 5β1 | 2β4 | 2β5 | 2β5 | β | 4β2 | 4β2 | 6β0 | 0β6 |
Phoenix | 4β2 | 3β3 | 4β2 | 2β5 | 3β3 | 3β3 | 4β3 | 0β6 | 0β6 | 2β4 | β | 7β0 | 3β3 | 4β3 |
San Diego | 2β4 | 0β6 | 2β4 | 4β3 | 2β4 | 3β3 | 2β5 | 0β6 | 1β5 | 2β4 | 0β7 | β | 5β2 | 4β2 |
San Francisco | 2β5 | 4β2 | 1β5 | 2β4 | 4β2 | 3β3 | 2β5 | 2β4 | 1β5 | 0β6 | 3β3 | 2β5 | β | 3β4 |
Seattle | 2β4 | 1β5 | 4β2 | 3β4 | 5β1 | 3β3 | 0β6 | 1β5 | 2β4 | 6β0 | 3β4 | 2β4 | 4β3 | β |
1969β70 Game log | ||||||||||
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# | Date | Opponent | Score | High points | Record | |||||
1 | October 15 | New York | 94β89 | Tom Van Arsdale (20) | 0β1 | |||||
2 | October 17 | @ Boston | 110β108 | Oscar Robertson (25) | 1β1 | |||||
3 | October 18 | Philadelphia | 134β123 | Luther Rackley (29) | 1β2 | |||||
4 | October 22 | Los Angeles | 116β109 | Tom Van Arsdale (24) | 1β3 | |||||
5 | October 24 | @ Baltimore | 126β131 (OT) | Oscar Robertson (35) | 1β4 | |||||
6 | October 25 | @ Philadelphia | 109β98 | Connie Dierking (27) | 2β4 | |||||
7 | October 30 | @ Phoenix | 104β106 | Tom Van Arsdale (23) | 2β5 | |||||
8 | October 31 | @ Seattle | 121β129 | Oscar Robertson (30) | 2β6 | |||||
9 | November 1 | @ San Francisco | 97β120 | Oscar Robertson (26) | 2β7 | |||||
10 | November 2 | @ Los Angeles | 124β116 | Tom Van Arsdale (41) | 3β7 | |||||
11 | November 5 | San Diego | 120β133 | Oscar Robertson (33) | 4β7 | |||||
12 | November 6 | San Francisco | 130β109 | Tom Van Arsdale (18) | 4β8 | |||||
13 | November 8 | Baltimore | 121β130 | Oscar Robertson (38) | 5β8 | |||||
14 | November 12 | Boston | 107β116 | Oscar Robertson (25) | 6β8 | |||||
15 | November 15 | Detroit | 105β104 | Tom Van Arsdale (26) | 6β9 | |||||
16 | November 18 | @ New York | 94β112 | Johnny Green (16) | 6β10 | |||||
17 | November 19 | Los Angeles | 116β103 | Oscar Robertson (21) | 6β11 | |||||
18 | November 21 | Chicago | 119β133 | Oscar Robertson (41) | 7β11 | |||||
19 | November 23 | Phoenix | 123β137 | Oscar Robertson (39) | 8β11 | |||||
20 | November 24 | @ Milwaukee | 129β104 | Tom Van Arsdale (29) | 9β11 | |||||
21 | November 28 | N New York | 106β105 | Oscar Robertson (33) | 9β12 | |||||
22 | November 29 | @ Atlanta | 111β128 | Oscar Robertson (22) | 9β13 | |||||
23 | November 30 | Philadelphia | 107β115 | Tom Van Arsdale (31) | 10β13 | |||||
24 | December 2 | @ Baltimore | 107β129 | Oscar Robertson (32) | 10β14 | |||||
25 | December 3 | Seattle | 118β117 | Oscar Robertson (36) | 10β15 | |||||
26 | December 5 | Atlanta | 127β156 | Johnny Green (31) | 11β15 | |||||
27 | December 6 | @ Philadelphia | 102β120 | Fred Foster (27) | 11β16 | |||||
28 | December 9 | @ New York | 103β101 | Oscar Robertson (31) | 12β16 | |||||
29 | December 10 | Philadelphia | 121β122 | Oscar Robertson (35) | 13β16 | |||||
30 | December 11 | @ Detroit | 116β119 (OT) | Oscar Robertson (44) | 13β17 | |||||
31 | December 13 | @ Phoenix | 110β126 | Fred Foster (19) | 13β18 | |||||
32 | December 14 | @ Phoenix | 137β130 (2OT) | Oscar Robertson (37) | 14β18 | |||||
33 | December 17 | @ Seattle | 104β117 | Oscar Robertson (28) | 14β19 | |||||
34 | December 19 | @ Los Angeles | 117β109 | Connie Dierking (31) | 15β19 | |||||
35 | December 20 | @ San Diego | 111β126 | Oscar Robertson (33) | 15β20 | |||||
36 | December 25 | San Francisco | 124β120 (OT) | Oscar Robertson (38) | 15β21 | |||||
37 | December 26 | N Atlanta | 130β110 | Oscar Robertson (28) | 16β21 | |||||
38 | December 27 | Milwaukee | 110β112 (OT) | Oscar Robertson (31) | 17β21 | |||||
39 | December 29 | @ Detroit | 110β103 | Connie Dierking (29) | 18β21 | |||||
40 | December 30 | San Diego | 120β125 | Tom Van Arsdale (29) | 19β21 | |||||
41 | January 2 | @ Baltimore | 116β118 | Oscar Robertson (31) | 19β22 | |||||
42 | January 3 | @ Atlanta | 104β102 | Tom Van Arsdale (30) | 20β22 | |||||
43 | January 4 | Baltimore | 128β129 | Tom Van Arsdale (35) | 21β22 | |||||
44 | January 6 | Phoenix | 124β128 | Oscar Robertson (29) | 22β22 | |||||
45 | January 7 | @ Milwaukee | 119β138 | Fred Foster (32) | 22β23 | |||||
46 | January 11 | N Phoenix | 125β118 | Johnny Green (27) | 22β24 | |||||
47 | January 13 | N Milwaukee | 112β92 | Fred Foster (21) | 22β25 | |||||
48 | January 15 | @ Chicago | 120β130 | Tom Van Arsdale (28) | 22β26 | |||||
49 | January 16 | N Atlanta | 100β117 | Luther Rackley (23) | 22β27 | |||||
50 | January 18 | @ Philadelphia | 116β141 | Luther Rackley (25) | 22β28 | |||||
51 | January 22 | Boston | 104β111 | Oscar Robertson (40) | 23β28 | |||||
52 | January 24 | @ Milwaukee | 109β125 | Tom Van Arsdale (25) | 23β29 | |||||
53 | January 25 | Baltimore | 122β129 | Oscar Robertson (41) | 24β29 | |||||
54 | January 26 | N Chicago | 116β115 | Oscar Robertson (36) | 25β29 | |||||
55 | January 28 | Milwaukee | 126β114 | Johnny Green (25) | 25β30 | |||||
56 | January 30 | @ Boston | 103β108 | Tom Van Arsdale (25) | 25β31 | |||||
57 | January 31 | Detroit | 115β117 | Fred Foster (25) | 26β31 | |||||
58 | February 1 | @ Chicago | 108β115 | Johnny Green (27) | 26β32 | |||||
59 | February 3 | N Los Angeles | 124β114 | Tom Van Arsdale (36) | 26β33 | |||||
60 | February 4 | Seattle | 121β115 | Tom Van Arsdale (29) | 26β34 | |||||
61 | February 6 | New York | 135β92 | Tom Van Arsdale (21) | 26β35 | |||||
62 | February 7 | @ New York | 114β121 | Connie Dierking (24) | 26β36 | |||||
63 | February 8 | @ Boston | 117β130 | Tom Van Arsdale (38) | 26β37 | |||||
64 | February 10 | @ Detroit | 117β115 | Connie Dierking (30) | 27β37 | |||||
65 | February 11 | N Detroit | 113β124 | Tom Van Arsdale (32) | 28β37 | |||||
66 | February 13 | @ San Francisco | 128β110 | Tom Van Arsdale (34) | 29β37 | |||||
67 | February 15 | @ San Diego | 123β150 | Fred Foster (32) | 29β38 | |||||
68 | February 18 | N Atlanta | 125β139 (OT) | Tom Van Arsdale (27) | 29β39 | |||||
69 | February 21 | Chicago | 119β127 | Tom Van Arsdale (30) | 30β39 | |||||
70 | February 22 | Philadelphia | 116β136 | Connie Dierking (45) | 31β39 | |||||
71 | March 1 | @ Milwaukee | 114β120 | Oscar Robertson (25) | 31β40 | |||||
72 | March 2 | N Baltimore | 110β118 | Oscar Robertson (28) | 31β41 | |||||
73 | March 4 | @ San Diego | 127β125 | Connie Dierking (31) | 32β41 | |||||
74 | March 6 | @ Seattle | 122β126 | Tom Van Arsdale (26) | 32β42 | |||||
75 | March 7 | @ San Francisco | 121β119 | Connie Dierking (33) | 33β42 | |||||
76 | March 8 | @ Los Angeles | 116β144 | Tom Van Arsdale (26) | 33β43 | |||||
77 | March 11 | Boston | 144β127 | Johnny Green (32) | 33β44 | |||||
78 | March 12 | San Diego | 151β165 | Tom Van Arsdale (36) | 34β44 | |||||
79 | March 15 | Seattle | 113β116 | Oscar Robertson (37) | 35β44 | |||||
80 | March 16 | N Chicago | 140β142 (OT) | Tom Van Arsdale (42) | 35β45 | |||||
81 | March 20 | San Francisco | 118β111 | Tom Van Arsdale (32) | 35β46 | |||||
82 | March 21 | @ New York | 136β120 | Connie Dierking (35) | 36β46 |
October 2β6 including a road win at Boston, November 8β7, December 9β8, the team finished December at a decent 19β21. January 7β10, including four-straight. February 5β8 and March 5β7 with the team tiring down the stretch. The team missed the playoffs by six games.