1966–67 Philadelphia 76ers season

1966–67 Philadelphia 76ers season
NBA Champions
Division Champions
Second NBA Championship
Head coach Alex Hannum
Arena Philadelphia Arena and Civic Center-Convention Hall
Results
Record 68–13 (.840)
Place Division: 1st (Eastern)
Playoff finish NBA Champions
(Defeated Warriors 4-2)

Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com

Local media
Television WFIL-TV
Radio WCAU

The 1966–67 season of the Philadelphia 76ers was their 14th season in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and their fourth since moving from Syracuse. The season would set a record in winning percentage and they won the NBA Finals for the franchise's second championship and first in Philadelphia. The team was later chosen as the greatest individual team in 1980 for the NBA 35th Anniversary Team.

During the off-season, the 76ers dismissed coach Dolph Schayes of Syracuse National fame. Alex Hannum, the former 1950s 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. His eight assists per game set a record for centers and made him third in the NBA overall, while scoring 24 per game and 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 season 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 averaged a record 125 points per game, leading all teams in shooting accuracy.

The 76ers started the season at 46–4, which remains 50 game start in the NBA history (tied in 2016). They finished the season at 68–13, the best record in league history at the time. In the first round of the playoffs, they would defeat the Royals in four games, then defeat the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals four to one, a team who had won eight consecutive titles, and nine out of the last ten. In the finals they would defeat the San Francisco Warriors four games to two.[1]

Offseason

NBA Draft

Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
1 9 Matt Guokas (G/F)  United States St. Joseph's

Regular season

Season standings

Eastern Division W L PCT GB Home Road Neutral Div
x-Philadelphia 76ers 68 13 .840 – 28–2 26–8 14–3 28–8
x-Boston Celtics 60 21 .741 8 27–4 25–11 8–6 30–6
x-Cincinnati Royals 39 42 .481 29 20–11 12–24 7–7 14–22
x-New York Knicks 36 45 .444 32 20–15 9–24 7–6 11–25
Baltimore Bullets 20 61 .247 48 12–20 3–30 5–11 7–29

Record vs. opponents

1966-67 NBA Records
Team BAL BOS CHI CIN DET LAL NYK PHI SFW STL
Baltimore — 1–8 3–6 3–6 2–7 2–7 2–7 1–8 2–7 4–5
Boston 8–1 — 8–1 8–1 6–3 5–4 9–0 5–4 6–3 5–4
Chicago 6–3 1–8 — 5–4 4–5 6–3 3–6 1–8 3–6 4–5
Cincinnati 6–3 1–8 4–5 — 7–2 3–6 6–3 1–8 5–4 6–3
Detroit 7–2 3–6 5–4 2–7 — 5–4 4–5 0–9 2–7 2–7
Los Angeles 7–2 4–5 3–6 6–3 4–5 — 4–5 1–8 3–6 4–5
New York 7–2 0–9 6–3 3–6 5–4 5–4 — 1–8 5–4 4–5
Philadelphia 8–1 4–5 8–1 8–1 9–0 8–1 8–1 — 7–2 8–1
San Francisco 7–2 3–6 6–3 4–5 7–2 6–3 4–5 2–7 — 5–4
St. Louis 5–4 4–5 5–4 3–6 7–2 5–4 5–4 1–8 4–5 —

Game log

1966–67 Game Log
Season Schedule

Player stats

Note: GP= Games played; PTS= Points; REB= Rebounds; AST= Assists; BLK= Blocks; STL= Steals;

Player GP PTS REB AST BLK STL

NBA finals

Game Date Home Team Result Road Team
Game 1 April 14 Philadelphia 141–135 San Francisco
Game 2 April 16 Philadelphia 126–95 San Francisco
Game 3 April 18 San Francisco 130–124 Philadelphia
Game 4 April 20 San Francisco 108–122 Philadelphia
Game 5 April 23 Philadelphia 109–117 San Francisco
Game 6 April 24 San Francisco 122–125 Philadelphia

76ers win series 4–2

Awards and Records

References

  1. ↑ Sachare, Alex (2008). "NBA Encyclopedia Playoff Edition: The Best Team Ever". Archived from the original on 9 May 2008. Retrieved 13 April 2008.
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