This date 1966: The NBA All-Star game comes to Cincinnati Gardens
The 1966 NBA All-Star Game was played at Cincinnati Gardens on Tuesday night, January 11, 1966.
Former Cincinnati Royal and UK Wildcat Adrian "Odie" Smith won MVP honors that night. He scored 24 points in 26 minutes, with nine rebounds and three assists.
The 82-year old Smith lives in Cincinnati. He still has the Ford Galaxie he won for winning MVP honors that night. Smith played on Adolph Rupp's 1958 national championship team at UK and won a gold medal as part of the 1960 U.S. Olympic basketball team. Smith averaged 11.3 points per game in his 11 year NBA career. He played nine seasons for the Royals, from 1961-62 to 1968-69.
This night in 1966 the heavily-favored East team defeated the West team, 137-94. The game was sold out, and standing-room only tickets were also sold before the game tipped off.
On this date the Cincinnati Royals had the most wins (28) in the league and would finish with the second-best record (behind the Boston Celtics) during the regular season.
How about these starting lineups?
East
Wilt Chamberlain
John Havlicek
Oscar Robertson
Jerry Lucas
Sam Jones
(The East squad had eight eventual NBA Hall of Famers)
West
Guy Rodgers
Nate Thurmond
Bailey Howell
Rick Barry
Jerry West
Box score HERE.