Oscar Robertson nonetheless led a balanced and solid Royals five that year, supported by Wayne Embry, Jack Twyman, Bob Boozer and Arlen Bockhorn.
Draft pick Adrian Smith had arrived and joined Tom Hawkins and Hub Reed at the head of the bench.
An ownership dispute between competing groups came to a head in 1963 when Louis Jacobs, who had bought Cincinnati Gardens from the Wood estate, scheduled a circus for the week of the Boston series without telling the Royals.
The team was furious and had to host their second home playoff game at Xavier University's small Schmidt Fieldhouse.
The season marks arguably the closest the Cincinnati Royals ever came to an NBA title, despite the obstacles mentioned above.