The 16th NBA All-Star Game was played at Cincinnati Gardens on January 11, 1966. In the middle of the Celtics dynasty, Red Auerbach was the head coach for the East. He made a surprising choice, selecting the Cincinnati Royals’ Adrian Smith to the team as a reserve. The game featured some of the greatest ever to play: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West and Oscar Robertson – but Smith was the star of this largely one-sided affair. With the Cincinnati crowd behind him, he poured in 24 points and led the East to a 137-94 win and captured MVP on his home court. He also set a standard that remains to this day: The only one-time NBA All-Star ever to win the All-Star Game MVP award.
