1954–55 Syracuse Nationals season

1954–55 Syracuse Nationals season
NBA champions
Division champions
Head coach Al Cervi
Arena Onondaga War Memorial
Results
Record 43–29 (.597)
Place Division: 1st (Eastern)
Playoff finish NBA Champions

During the 1954-55 Syracuse Nationals season the National Basketball Association (NBA) was struggling financially and down to just 8 teams, Nationals owner Danny Biasone suggested that the league limit the amount of time taken for a shot. Biasone was upset with the stalling tactics of opposing teams. During the summer of 1954, Biasone had gotten together some of his pros and a group of high school players and timed them with a stopwatch.[1] Most shots were taken within 12 seconds, Biasone discovered. Biasone calculated that a 24-second shot clock would allow at least 30 shots per quarter and assist in increasing scoring. The result would speed up a game that often ended with long periods of teams just holding the ball. Quickness and athletic ability became prized as they never had been before. Excessive fouling didn't disappear completely, but just about everyone concluded that the clock was good for the game. The shot clock was a success with the result that scoring was up 14 points per game league wide.[2] In the first season of the shot clock, the Nats would take first place in the Eastern Division with a 43–29 record.

Offseason

NBA Draft

Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
16Red KerrC/F United StatesIllinois

[3]

Regular season

Season standings

Eastern Division W L PCT GB Home Road Neutral Div
x-Syracuse Nationals4329.597–25–710–178–521–15
x-New York Knicks3834.528517–98–1713–815–21
x-Boston Celtics3636.500721–54–2211–919–17
Philadelphia Warriors3339.4581014–56–2013–1417–19

Record vs. opponents

1954-55 NBA Records
Team BOS FWP MIL MIN NYK PHI ROC SYR
Boston —4–56–33–66–67–54–56–6
Fort Wayne 5–4—11–19–32–76–38–42–7
Milwaukee 3–61–11—5–73–64–56–64–5
Minneapolis 6–33–97–5—4–56–38–46–3
New York 6–67–26–35–4—5–75–44–8
Philadelphia 5–73–65–43–67–5—5–45–7
Rochester 5–44–86–64–84–54–5—2–7
Syracuse 6–67–25–43–68–47–57–2—

Season schedule

Date Opponent Score Result Record
Oct 31Minneapolis Lakers94–97Loss0–1
Nov 6@ Boston Celtics84–107Loss0–2
Nov 7Milwaukee Hawks97–80Win1–2
Nov 11@ Fort Wayne Pistons88–86Win2–2
Nov 13@ Milwaukee Hawks72–85Loss2–3
Nov 14@ Minneapolis Lakers92–99Loss2–4
Nov 16Philadelphia Warriors (at New York, NY)86–85Win3–4
Nov 18Fort Wayne PIstons91–82Win4–4
Nov 20@ Rochester Royals80–79Win5–4
Nov 21Boston Celtics110–104Win6–4
Nov 25Milwaukee Hawks91–85Win7–4
Nov 27@ New York Knicks80–74Win8–4
Nov 28New York Knicks79–77Win9–4
Dec 1New York Knicks (at Philadelphia)86–88Loss9–5
Dec 2Rochester Royals82–78Win10–5
Dec 4@ Philadelphia Warriors73–79Loss10–6
Dec 5Philadelphia Warriors89–72Win11–6
Dec 7Philadelphia Warriors (at New Haven, CT)88–81Win12–6
Dec 8@ Rochester Royals78–105Loss12–7
Dec 9Boston Celtics120–107Win13–7

[4]

Player stats

Note: GP= Games played; REB= Rebounds; AST= Assists; STL = Steals; BLK = Blocks; PTS = Points; AVG = Average

Player GP REB AST STL BLK PTS AVG
Dolph Schayes728872131333

[5]

Playoffs

East Division Semifinals

The Nationals had a division semifinal bye.

East Division Finals

(1) Syracuse Nationals vs. (3) Boston Celtics: Nationals win series 3–1

  • Game 1 @ Syracuse: Syracuse 110, Boston 100
  • Game 2 @ Syracuse: Syracuse 116, Boston 110
  • Game 3 @ Boston: Boston 100, Syracuse 97 (OT)
  • Game 4 @ Boston: Syracuse 110, Boston 94

NBA finals

In the finals the Nats would get off to a fast start taking the first 2 games at home against the Fort Wayne Pistons. However, as the series moved to Fort Wayne the Pistons would spark back to life taking all 3 games to take a 3–2 series lead. Back in Syracuse for Game 6 on the Nats kept Championship hopes alive by beating the Pistons 109–104 to force a 7th game at home. Game 7 would be as tight as the series as George King sank a free throw to give the Nats a 92–91 lead in the final seconds. King would then steal inbound pass to clinch the NBA Championship for the Nationals.[2]

GameDateHome TeamResultRoad Team
Game 1March 31Syracuse86–82Fort Wayne
Game 2April 2Syracuse87–84Fort Wayne
Game 3April 3Fort Wayne96–89Syracuse
Game 4April 5Fort Wayne109–82Syracuse
Game 5April 7Fort Wayne74–71Syracuse
Game 6April 9Syracuse109–104Fort Wayne
Game 7April 10Syracuse92–91Fort Wayne

Nationals win series 4–3

Awards and honors

References

  1. ↑ NBA.com: Nats Win First Title of Shot-Clock Era
  2. 1 2 Syracuse Nationals (1946–1963)
  3. ↑ 1954 NBA Draft – Basketball-Reference.com
  4. ↑ 1954–55 Syracuse Nationals Games – Basketball-Reference.com
  5. ↑ 1954–55 Syracuse Nationals Statistics – Basketball-Reference.com
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