1955 NBA Finals

1955 NBA finals
TeamCoachWins
Syracuse Nationals Al Cervi 4
Fort Wayne Pistons Charles Eckman 3
DatesMarch 31–April 10
Hall of FamersNationals:
Dolph Schayes (1973)
Earl Lloyd (2003)
Pistons:
George Yardley (1996)
Andy Phillip (1961)
Bob Houbregs (1987)
Coaches:
Al Cervi (1985, player)
Officials:
Mendy Rudolph (2007)
Eastern finalsNationals defeated Celtics, 3–1
Western finalsPistons defeated Lakers, 3–1
← 1954 NBA finals 1956 →

The 1955 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1954–55 NBA season. The best-of-seven series was won by the Syracuse Nationals, who defeated the Fort Wayne Pistons in the final game when Syracuse's George King made a free throw with 12 seconds left to put the Nationals up 92–91. King then stole the ball from Fort Wayne's Andy Phillip with three seconds remaining to clinch the victory for Syracuse.[1] Because of the arena not believing Fort Wayne would make the NBA Finals, the arena was booked and not available, and the Fort Wayne home games were played in Indianapolis.[2]

It has been alleged that some Fort Wayne players conspired with gamblers to throw the series to Syracuse.[3] The suspicious nature of the seventh game in particular has raised concerns about the legitimacy of the series. Fort Wayne led Syracuse 41–24 early in the second quarter, then allowed the Nationals to rally to win the game.[4] Andy Phillip, who turned the ball over with three seconds left in the game, was believed by at least one of his teammates, George Yardley, to have thrown the game. "There were always unwholesome implications about that ball game", Yardley told the author Charley Rosen.[5] However, Phillip may not have acted alone. Other Pistons players were strongly believed to have thrown games during the 1954 and 1955 NBA seasons.[6] In fact, Yardley himself turned the ball over to Syracuse with a palming violation with 18 seconds remaining in Game 7.[7] The foul that gave Syracuse its winning free throw, meanwhile, was committed by Frankie Brian.[7] The NBA did not return to the 2–3–2 format until 1985. As of the 2022–23 season, this is the only NBA Finals to date in which the home team has won all seven games.

Series summary

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Game Date Home team Result Road team
Game 1 March 31 Syracuse Nationals 87–82 (1–0) Fort Wayne Pistons
Game 2 April 2 Syracuse Nationals 87–84 (2–0) Fort Wayne Pistons
Game 3 April 3 Fort Wayne Pistons* 96–89 (1–2) Syracuse Nationals
Game 4 April 5 Fort Wayne Pistons* 109–102 (2–2) Syracuse Nationals
Game 5 April 7 Fort Wayne Pistons* 74–71 (3–2) Syracuse Nationals
Game 6 April 9 Syracuse Nationals 109–104 (3–3) Fort Wayne Pistons
Game 7 April 10 Syracuse Nationals 92–91 (4–3) Fort Wayne Pistons

Nationals win series 4–3

  • – Games played in Indianapolis

Team rosters

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Syracuse Nationals

[edit]
1954-55 Eastern Division Champions Syracuse Nationals roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB 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 (WV)
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
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Roster

Fort Wayne Pistons

[edit]
1954–55 Fort Wayne Pistons Western Division Champions roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
SG 7 Brian, Frankie 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) May 1, 1923 LSU
C 16 Foust, Larry 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 215 lb (98 kg) June 24, 1928 La Salle
C 8 Houbregs, Bob 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 225 lb (102 kg) March 12, 1932 Washington
PF 9 Hutchins, Mel 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 200 lb (91 kg) November 22, 1928 BYU
PF 17 Meineke, Monk 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 208 lb (94 kg) October 30, 1930 Dayton
PG 14 Phillip, Andy 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 195 lb (88 kg) March 7, 1922 Illinois
SF 15 Rosenthal, Dick 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 205 lb (93 kg) January 20, 1930 Notre Dame
SG 5 Walther, Paul 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 160 lb (73 kg) March 23, 1927 Tennessee
SF 12 Yardley, George 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 190 lb (86 kg) November 3, 1928 Stanford
SG 10 Zaslofsky, Max 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 170 lb (77 kg) December 7, 1925 St. John's
Head coach

Charles Eckman

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

Roster

Box scores

[edit]
Main article: 1955 NBA Finals
March 31
Fort Wayne Pistons 82, Syracuse Nationals 86
Scoring by quarter: 19–26, 25–22, 20–18, 18–20
Pts: Larry Foust 26 Pts: Red Rocha 19
Syracuse leads series, 1–0
April 2
Fort Wayne Pistons 84, Syracuse Nationals 87
Scoring by quarter: 13–30, 25–29, 27–14, 19–24
Pts: George Yardley 21 Pts: Dolph Schayes 24
Syracuse leads series, 2–0
April 3
Syracuse Nationals 89, Fort Wayne Pistons 96
Scoring by quarter: 22–23, 21–20, 14–26, 32–27
Pts: Rocha, Schayes 21 each Pts: Mel Hutchins 23
Syracuse leads series, 2–1
April 5
Syracuse Nationals 102, Fort Wayne Pistons 109
Scoring by quarter: 24–27, 24–26, 22–29, 32–27
Pts: Dolph Schayes 28 Pts: Frankie Brian 18
Series tied, 2–2
April 7
Syracuse Nationals 71, Fort Wayne Pistons 74
Scoring by quarter: 18–22, 13–16, 14–20, 26–16
Pts: Bill Kenville 15 Pts: George Yardley 16
Fort Wayne leads series, 3–2
April 9
Fort Wayne Pistons 104, Syracuse Nationals 109
Scoring by quarter: 27–19, 28–34, 19–25, 30–31
Pts: George Yardley 31 Pts: Dolph Schayes 28
Series tied, 3–3
April 10
Fort Wayne Pistons 91, Syracuse Nationals 92
Scoring by quarter: 31–21, 22–26, 21–27, 17–18
Pts: Larry Foust 24
Asts: Andy Phillip 10		 Pts: King, Kenville 15 each
Asts: Paul Seymour 8
Syracuse wins series, 4–3
  • George King hit a free throw with 12 seconds left, then stole the ball from Andy Phillip with 3 seconds left to seal it.

Notes and sources

[edit]
  1. ^ "City Hails Nats' World Title Triumph", Syracuse Herald Journal, April 11, 1955, pp. 1, 45.
  2. ^ "Nats Win First Title of Shot-Clock Era", NBA.com
  3. ^ The Wizard of Odds: How Jack Molinas Almost Destroyed the Game of Basketball. By Charley Rosen. p. 154. 2001 Seven Stories Press. ISBN 1-58322-268-5
  4. ^ "Syracuse Five Defeats Pistons in N.B.A. Play-Off Final, 92-91", The New York Times, April 11, 1955, p. 31.
  5. ^ Rosen, p. 154.
  6. ^ Rosen, pp. 108-154.
  7. ^ a b Syracuse Herald Journal, April 11, 1955, p. 45.

See also

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[edit]

NBA Finals on Basketball Reference

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