The 1965-66 Philadelphia 76ers season marked a significant period in the franchise’s history. Coached by Dolph Schayes, the team finished the regular season with an impressive 55-25 record, securing first place in the NBA Eastern Division. This success was largely attributed to the dominant performances of Wilt Chamberlain, who led the league in scoring and rebounding, showcasing his unmatched athletic prowess.
In the playoffs, the 76ers faced the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Division Finals. Despite their strong regular season, the 76ers were defeated by the Celtics in a hard-fought five-game series. This loss was a setback, but it set the stage for future success as the team continued to build around Chamberlain’s talent. The 1965-66 season was a stepping stone, demonstrating the 76ers’ potential as championship contenders in the years to come.
- Regular Season Record: 55-25
- Playoff Result: Division Finals: 1-4
Philadelphia 76ers Roster and Stats for 1965-66 Season
POINTS
Wilt Chamberlain
33.5
REBOUNDS
Wilt Chamberlain
24.6
ASSISTS
Wilt Chamberlain
5.2
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Wilt Chamberlain | 79 | 33.5 | 24.6 | 5.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5 | 28.0 | 30.2 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Hal Greer | 80 | 22.7 | 5.9 | 4.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5 | 16.4 | 7.2 | 4.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Chet Walker | 80 | 15.3 | 8.0 | 2.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5 | 14.6 | 7.4 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Billy Cunningham | 80 | 14.3 | 7.5 | 2.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4 | 5.3 | 4.5 | 2.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Wali Jones | 80 | 9.0 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5 | 13.0 | 3.0 | 3.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Luke Jackson | 79 | 8.3 | 8.6 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5 | 12.0 | 8.8 | 1.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Dave Gambee | 72 | 6.9 | 3.8 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5 | 6.0 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Al Bianchi | 78 | 6.3 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5 | 9.0 | 2.0 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Gerry Ward | 65 | 2.7 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Ben Warley | 1 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Art Heyman | 6 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Jesse Branson | 5 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Bob Weiss | 7 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Philadelphia 76ers in the 1966 NBA Playoffs
1966 Conference Championship vs. Boston Celtics
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 03, 1966 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 115-96 | |
| Apr 06, 1966 | @ Boston Celtics | L 114-93 | |
| Apr 07, 1966 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 111-105 | |
| Apr 10, 1966 | @ Boston Celtics | L 114-108 | |
| Apr 12, 1966 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 120-112 |
Philadelphia 76ers 1965-66 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1965-66 season for the Philadelphia 76ers.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 16, 1965 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 133-101 | |
| Oct 23, 1965 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 120-103 | |
| Oct 30, 1965 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | W 134-114 | |
| Nov 03, 1965 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 110-100 | |
| Nov 04, 1965 | vs. San Francisco Warriors | L 121-119 | |
| Nov 05, 1965 | vs. San Francisco Warriors | W 133-115 | |
| Nov 06, 1965 | @ Boston Celtics | L 101-91 | |
| Nov 09, 1965 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 118-110 | |
| Nov 11, 1965 | vs. San Francisco Warriors | W 109-101 | |
| Nov 12, 1965 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 123-114 | |
| Nov 13, 1965 | @ New York Knicks | W 127-119 | |
| Nov 16, 1965 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | W 107-98 | |
| Nov 17, 1965 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 131-115 | |
| Nov 19, 1965 | vs. Baltimore Bullets | L 134-124 | |
| Nov 20, 1965 | @ Baltimore Bullets | L 117-112 | |
| Nov 21, 1965 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 110-104 | |
| Nov 24, 1965 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 127-124 | |
| Nov 26, 1965 | @ San Francisco Warriors | W 132-120 | |
| Nov 27, 1965 | @ San Francisco Warriors | W 124-117 | |
| Nov 30, 1965 | @ Baltimore Bullets | L 129-108 | |
| Dec 03, 1965 | @ Boston Celtics | W 119-103 | |
| Dec 06, 1965 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 116-107 | |
| Dec 08, 1965 | @ Baltimore Bullets | L 129-127 | |
| Dec 10, 1965 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 116-114 | |
| Dec 11, 1965 | @ Cincinnati Royals | W 135-132 | |
| Dec 14, 1965 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 112-109 | |
| Dec 15, 1965 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 122-108 | |
| Dec 17, 1965 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 127-117 | |
| Dec 18, 1965 | @ San Francisco Warriors | W 120-116 | |
| Dec 20, 1965 | @ San Francisco Warriors | L 124-118 | |
| Dec 26, 1965 | vs. San Francisco Warriors | W 121-107 | |
| Dec 28, 1965 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 102-93 | |
| Dec 29, 1965 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 113-112 | |
| Dec 30, 1965 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 130-113 | |
| Jan 02, 1966 | vs. New York Knicks | W 133-122 | |
| Jan 04, 1966 | @ New York Knicks | W 129-127 | |
| Jan 06, 1966 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 133-127 | |
| Jan 07, 1966 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 126-120 | |
| Jan 08, 1966 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 115-105 | |
| Jan 09, 1966 | @ St. Louis Hawks | W 127-117 | |
| Jan 12, 1966 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 129-111 | |
| Jan 14, 1966 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 112-100 | |
| Jan 16, 1966 | @ Boston Celtics | L 137-122 | |
| Jan 18, 1966 | vs. Baltimore Bullets | W 128-117 | |
| Jan 19, 1966 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 110-93 | |
| Jan 21, 1966 | vs. New York Knicks | W 109-98 | |
| Jan 23, 1966 | @ St. Louis Hawks | W 104-98 | |
| Jan 24, 1966 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | W 110-107 | |
| Jan 25, 1966 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 110-106 | |
| Jan 28, 1966 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | W 125-103 | |
| Jan 30, 1966 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 117-98 | |
| Feb 02, 1966 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | L 96-89 | |
| Feb 05, 1966 | @ New York Knicks | L 120-113 | |
| Feb 06, 1966 | @ Boston Celtics | L 100-99 | |
| Feb 07, 1966 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 132-125 | |
| Feb 08, 1966 | @ New York Knicks | L 136-123 | |
| Feb 09, 1966 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 108-91 | |
| Feb 11, 1966 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | W 113-94 | |
| Feb 12, 1966 | @ Boston Celtics | L 85-83 | |
| Feb 14, 1966 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 149-123 | |
| Feb 15, 1966 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | W 121-109 | |
| Feb 17, 1966 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 136-121 | |
| Feb 19, 1966 | @ San Francisco Warriors | W 123-119 | |
| Feb 21, 1966 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 113-107 | |
| Feb 22, 1966 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 117-112 | |
| Feb 23, 1966 | @ Baltimore Bullets | L 119-115 | |
| Feb 25, 1966 | vs. New York Knicks | W 130-124 | |
| Feb 26, 1966 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 114-98 | |
| Mar 01, 1966 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 102-100 | |
| Mar 03, 1966 | vs. San Francisco Warriors | W 135-125 | |
| Mar 04, 1966 | @ Cincinnati Royals | W 107-103 | |
| Mar 05, 1966 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 102-85 | |
| Mar 06, 1966 | @ Boston Celtics | W 113-110 | |
| Mar 08, 1966 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | W 112-106 | |
| Mar 09, 1966 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | W 123-115 | |
| Mar 12, 1966 | vs. New York Knicks | W 134-126 | |
| Mar 13, 1966 | @ New York Knicks | W 115-113 | |
| Mar 17, 1966 | vs. New York Knicks | W 115-106 | |
| Mar 19, 1966 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | W 127-121 | |
| Mar 20, 1966 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 108-104 |