
Posted Mar 2 2013 10:49PM
PREVIOUS SEASON || NEXT SEASON
The NBA continued to evolve in the 1966-67 season, with a new team joining the fold and a significant change being enacted in the postseason. There were changes, too, to the league's hierarchy as the eight-time champion Boston Celtics finally saw their reign end.
The Chicago Bulls were added as an expansion team and the Baltimore Bullets moved to the East. With two five-team divisions, the playoffs were changed so division winners no longer received a first-round bye.
Philadelphia, which had hired veteran Alex Hannum as coach, got off to a 45-4 start and never looked back, posting an NBA-best 68-13 record. Chet Walker and Billy Cunningham scored more as Wilt Chamberlain concentrated on rebounding and defense. Chamberlain still finished third in scoring (24.1), but he also led the league in rebounding (24.2) and was third in assists (7.8).
That group guided Philly to its first Finals appearance since 1955 and once there, Chamberlain exacted revenge on his former team -- the San Francisco Warriors -- as the Sixers wrapped up the championship in six games.
The true Finals that season, though, were perhaps played in the East finals. It was there that Chamberlain faced his longtime nemesis, the Celtics, and finally ousted them. Though Philly topped Boston in five games, two of those games were decided by five points or less. But team-first play reminiscent of the Celtics' own dominant style is what helped Chamberlain vanquish the defending champs.
"The whole season was just magical, something where a team played almost perfect basketball," said Sixers guard Wali Jones. "We played as a team/family concept."
Even the Celtics had to admit the 76ers were better.
"They're playing the same game we've played for the last nine years," said K.C. Jones, who had known nothing but NBA titles in his first eight seasons as a player. "In other words, team ball."

Eastern Division semifinals
Boston defeated New York (3-1)
Philadelphia defeated Cincinnati (3-1)
Western Division semifinals
St. Louis defeated Chicago (3-0)
San Francisco defeated Los Angeles (3-0)
Eastern Division finals
Philadelphia defeated Boston (4-1)
Western Division finals
San Francisco defeated St. Louis (4-2)
NBA Finals
Philadelphia defeated San Francisco (4-2)
PPG -- Rick Barry, San Francisco Warriors (35.6)
FG% -- Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia 76ers (.683)
FT% -- Adrian Smith, Cincinnati Royals (.903)
Assists -- Guy Rodgers, Chicago Bulls (11.2)
Rebounds -- Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia 76ers (24.2)
Most Valuable Player -- Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia 76ers
Rookie of the Year -- Dave Bing, Detroit Pistons
Coach of the Year -- Johnny "Red" Kerr, Chicago Bulls
All-Star Game MVP -- Rick Barry, San Francisco Warriors

![]() | Top 10 Bloopers of the 2012-13 Season Check out the top 10 funny moments that happened around the NBA this past season. |
![]() | Top Showdowns: Carmelo vs. Westbrook In a game that went down to the wire, Carmelo Anthony scores 36 points and pulls down 12 boards to offset Russell Westbrook's triple-double. |
![]() | Top Showdowns: Melo vs. Kobe Carmelo Anthony drops 30 points in a win over the Lakers, while Kobe Bryant adds 31 points of his own. |
![]() | Top Showdowns: Carmelo vs. Paul Carmelo Anthony's 42 points wasn't enough to down the Clippers, who received a stellar game from his buddy Chris Paul. |
![]() | Top Showdowns: Carmelo vs. LeBron Carmelo finished with 32 points while LeBron's near triple-double prevailed for the win against the Knicks. |