Fansided

Every NBA team’s worst iteration ever

By Rich Kraetsch

BOSTON - NOVEMBER 20: Guard Chris Herren and coach Rick Pitino's expressions on the bench reflected their loss against the 76ers. (Photo by Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
BOSTON - NOVEMBER 20: Guard Chris Herren and coach Rick Pitino's expressions on the bench reflected their loss against the 76ers. (Photo by Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) /
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CINCINNATI, OH – NOVEMBER 2: Jack Twyman #27 of the Cincinnati Royals goes for the lay-up during an NBA game against the St. Louis Hawks on November 2, 1958 at the Cincinnati Gardens in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Hy Peskin/Getty Images) (Set Number: X5495)
CINCINNATI, OH – NOVEMBER 2: Jack Twyman #27 of the Cincinnati Royals goes for the lay-up during an NBA game against the St. Louis Hawks on November 2, 1958 at the Cincinnati Gardens in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Hy Peskin/Getty Images) (Set Number: X5495) /

Cincinnati Royals (1958-59, 19-53, -7.88 SRS)

The Rochester Royals sat atop of the NBA in 1951 winning the franchise’s first (and to date) only championship. Six seasons later, the Royals were on the move to Cincinnati. During the team’s inaugural draft as the Cincinnati Royals, the franchise acquired Clyde Lovellette and George King. Lovellette and King joined up with Maurice Stokes and Jack Twyman (both under 25) to form one of the NBA’s most promising young teams. Despite finishing six games under .500 on the season, the Royals made it to the 1958 Western Division Semifinals.

It was there that the franchise’s course would take a dramatic turn. In the 1958 season finale vs. Minneapolis, Stokes—who averaged 16.9 points on the season—struck his head on the floor. Stokes thought nothing of in the injury at the time shaking it off and returning just three days later for the beginning of the Kings’ playoff run. During the flight back to Cincinnati for Game Two of the Western Division Semis, tragedy struck. Stokes suffered a seizure and was left permanently paralyzed.

Stokes meant a lot to the team both on and off the court so the tragedy put them on a horrible path. After losing in the Western Division Semifinals, the Royals traded their leading scorer Lovellette to the St. Louis Hawks setting the stage for one of the worst seasons in franchise history.

Cincinnati dropped to 19 wins in 1958-59 unable to whether the losses of Lovellette and Stokes. Tywann turned into one of the team’s strongest assets but he couldn’t do enough to get the franchise back on track. Bobby Wanzer—who had coached the Royals for the last three seasons—was sent away after a 3-15 start. Tom Marshall took over but only went 16-38 the rest of the way. The Royals were dead last in the league in defensive rating—after finishing second the year prior— and second-to-last in offensive rating.

Cincinnati finished worst in the league with only 19 wins and lost their games by an average margin of 8.88 points. The team’s -7.89 SRS is still the second worst in franchise history.

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