1964 Overview

From Hoopedia

1963-64 NBA Season

Opponents didn’t like Red Auerbach. They didn’t like his cigar smoke and they didn’t like his teams winning year after year. But there was little they could do about it.

“The thrill never goes from wining,” Boston’s coach said. “But maybe the reasons change. First it was just trying to win a title. Now it is a question of going down as the greatest team of all time. That stimulates you.”

Bob Cousy retired, but the Celtics didn’t skip a beat. K.C. Jones stepped in as a starter and the band played on.

Maurice Podoloff, the only president the league had ever known, retired before the season and was replaced by J. Walter Kennedy, who had earlier served as publicity director. In franchise shifts, the Chicago Zephyrs moved to Baltimore and became the new Baltimore Bullets, while the Syracuse Nationals moved to Philadelphia, vacated by the Warriors a season earlier, and became the 76ers.

A pair of impressive rookie big men came into the league, Jerry Lucas (Cincinnati) and Nate Thurmond (San Francisco). Alex Hannum became coach at San Francisco, where he instilled a defensive philosophy. Led by Chamberlain and Thurmond, the Warriors allowed a league-low 102.6 points per game and won the West by two games over St. Louis. The Warriors fought of a spirited challenge from Bob Pettit’sHawks to win the Western Division Finals in seven games, but were no match for Boston’s depth as the Celtics polished them off in five games for a sixth straight title.