1954–55 Syracuse Nationals season

During the 1954–55 Syracuse Nationals season (their 6th), 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 1st season of the shot clock, the Nats would take 1st place in the Eastern Division with a 43–29 record.

1954–55 Syracuse Nationals season
NBA champions
Division champions
Head coachAl Cervi
ArenaOnondaga War Memorial
Results
Record43–29 (.597)
PlaceDivision: 1st (Eastern)
Playoff finishNBA Champions
Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com
RadioWSYR

Offseason

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

[3]

Roster
Roster listing
1954-55 Syracuse Nationals roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOB (YYYY-MM-DD)From
SG 12 Farley, Dick 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1932-04-13 Indiana
SG 7 Gabor, Billy 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1922-05-13 Syracuse
SG 15 Kenville, Bill 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 187 lb (85 kg) 1930-12-01 St. Bonaventure
C 10 Kerr, Red 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1932-07-17 Illinois
PG 3 King, George 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1928-08-16 Charleston
SF 11 Lloyd, Earl 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1928-04-03 West Virginia State
SF 8 Osterkorn, Wally 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1928-07-06 Illinois
C 16 Rocha, Red 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1923-09-18 Oregon State
PF 4 Schayes, Dolph 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1928-05-19 NYU
SG 5 Seymour, Paul 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1928-01-30 Toledo
C 6 Simmons, Connie 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 222 lb (101 kg) 1925-03-15 Flushing HS (NY)
PF 14 Tucker, Jim 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1932-12-11 Duquesne
Head coach

Al Cervi

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured

Roster

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]

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 home court shifted, the Pistons would spark back to life; taking all 3 games to take a 3–2 series lead. Heading back to Syracuse for Game 6 the Nats kept their Championship hopes alive by defeating the Pistons 109–104 to force a decisive game 7 at home. Game 7 would prove to be as tight as the entire series had played out to that point. As time started running out on the Pistons title hopes late in the 4th quarter of game 7 point guard George King sank a clutch free throw to give the Nats a 92–91 lead. King would then steal the inbound pass as time ticked away to clinch the NBA title 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". Archived from the original on 2012-02-21. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
  2. Syracuse Nationals (1946–1963)
  3. 1954 NBA Draft – Basketball-Reference.com
  4. 1954–55 Syracuse Nationals Games – Basketball-Reference.com
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