Pistons Top Royals for Third Straight Win

Mar. 1, 1965 - The Detroit Pistons beat the Cincinnati Royals, 130-110, tonight for their third straight victory. The win, Detroit’s second in three days over the Royals, moved the Pistons to within 2½ games of third place in the NBA’s Western Division. The Pistons (30-41) have nine games left to gain a playoff berth. (Pictured below, Oscar Robertson fouls Detroit’s Eddie Miles.)s

Reggie Harding and Don Kojis were the sparkplugs for Detroit. The 6-11 Harding led the club with 24 points and 14 rebounds.

Kojis, a reserve forward, came off the bench in the second quarter to shoot Detroit from a 35-22 lead into a commanding 80-61 edge by the middle of the third quarter. Kojis sank 15 points to lead the scoring surge.

Detroit led, 100-79, at the start of the final quarter, and player-coach Dave DeBusschere was able to spell his starters in the closing minutes.

“It was one of our better games,” DeBusschere admitted. “But we weren’t sure of anything until late. As long as Oscar Robertson and Jerry Lucas are on the floor, you’ve got to play scored.”

Robertson and Lucas each had 20 points for the Royals (41-27), who remain in second place behind the Boston Celtics (57-13) in the Eastern Division.

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