1964-65 NBA Season Standings

Boston posted a franchise-best 62-18 record to run away with the Eastern Division, then beat the Los Angeles Lakers 4-1 in the NBA Finals for a seventh straight title, cementing the Celtics dynasty as the most dominant run in North American professional sports history to that point. Bill Russell won the regular-season MVP award, his fifth, while Oscar Robertson's Cincinnati Royals finished second in the East behind another brilliant all-around season from Robertson. This was also a memorable season for the famous "Havlicek stole the ball!" play — broadcaster Johnny Most's call of John Havlicek's steal off a Philadelphia inbounds pass — which clinched Game 7 of the Eastern Division Finals against the 76ers and remains one of the most iconic calls in American sports broadcasting history. The Western Division remained a nine-team, five-team split with San Francisco struggling to a league-worst 17-63 record in Wilt Chamberlain's injury-hit season before he was traded back to Philadelphia midseason in a deal that reshaped both franchises. Elgin Baylor and Jerry West kept the Lakers competitive enough to reach the Finals again despite the Celtics' overwhelming dominance.