1951 NBA Playoffs
Encyclopedia
The 1951 NBA Playoffs
was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association
's 1950-1951 season
. The tournament concluded with the Western Division champion Rochester Royals
defeating the Eastern Division champion New York Knicks
, four games to three in the NBA Finals
.
The Rochester Royals (currently the Sacramento Kings
) had appeared in the NBL
Finals all three years they had been in the league, winning one championship. Their 1951 NBA championship win marks the first (and as of 2011, only) time the franchise has made it to the NBA Finals, let alone won the title.
New York made the first trip to the NBA Finals in franchise history; it would turn out to be their first of three consecutive appearances in the league's championship series. They would have to wait until 1970
for their first NBA championship, however.
The 1951 playoffs featured the return of the Boston Celtics
to the postseason after a three-year absence; they would not fail to make the playoffs again until 1970, after they had won eleven NBA championships.
Division Semifinals
(1) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (4) Indianapolis Olympians
:
Lakers win series 2-1
(2) Rochester Royals
vs. (3) Fort Wayne Pistons:
Royals win series 2-1
Division Finals
(1) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (2) Rochester Royals
:
Royals win series 3-1
Division Semifinals
(1) Philadelphia Warriors vs. (4) Syracuse Nationals
:
Nationals win series 2-0
(2) Boston Celtics
vs. (3) New York Knicks
:
Knicks win series 2-0
Division Finals
(3) New York Knicks
vs. (4) Syracuse Nationals
Knicks win series 3-2
VS. (3) New York Knicks
:
Royals win series 4-3
NBA Playoffs
The National Basketball Association Playoffs is a best-of-seven elimination tournament among sixteen teams in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference , ultimately deciding the final four teams who will play in the NBA Conference Finals.-Format:Following the NBA regular season, eight teams in...
was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
's 1950-1951 season
1950-51 NBA season
The 1950–51 NBA season was the 5th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Rochester Royals winning the NBA Championship, beating the New York Knicks 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals.- Notable occurrences :...
. The tournament concluded with the Western Division champion Rochester Royals
Rochester Royals
The franchise that would become the Sacramento Kings initially started in the city of Rochester, New York, as the Rochester Royals of the National Basketball League....
defeating the Eastern Division champion New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, four games to three in the NBA Finals
1951 NBA Finals
-Series Summary:Royals win series 4-3This marks the only time a team has gone down 3-0 and has come back to tie the series at 3-3. So far no other team has ever gone down 3-0 and forced game 7 or won the finals...
.
The Rochester Royals (currently the Sacramento Kings
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
) had appeared in the NBL
National Basketball League (United States)
Founded in 1937, the National Basketball League, often abbreviated to NBL, was a professional men's basketball league in the United States. The league would later merge with the Basketball Association of America to form the National Basketball Association in 1949.- League history :The...
Finals all three years they had been in the league, winning one championship. Their 1951 NBA championship win marks the first (and as of 2011, only) time the franchise has made it to the NBA Finals, let alone won the title.
New York made the first trip to the NBA Finals in franchise history; it would turn out to be their first of three consecutive appearances in the league's championship series. They would have to wait until 1970
1970 NBA Playoffs
The 1970 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1969-1970 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion New York Knicks defeating the Western Division champion Los Angeles Lakers, four games to three in the NBA Finals...
for their first NBA championship, however.
The 1951 playoffs featured the return of the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
to the postseason after a three-year absence; they would not fail to make the playoffs again until 1970, after they had won eleven NBA championships.
Bracket
Western Division
Champion: Rochester RoyalsRochester Royals
The franchise that would become the Sacramento Kings initially started in the city of Rochester, New York, as the Rochester Royals of the National Basketball League....
Division Semifinals
(1) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (4) Indianapolis Olympians
Indianapolis Olympians
The Indianapolis Olympians were a National Basketball Association team based in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. They were founded in 1949 and folded in 1953. Their home arena was the Hinkle Fieldhouse.-Franchise history:...
:
Lakers win series 2-1
- Game 1 @ Minneapolis: Minneapolis 95, Indianapolis 81
- Game 2 @ Indianapolis: Indianapolis 108, Minneapolis 88
- Game 3 @ Minneapolis: Minneapolis 85, Indianapolis 80
(2) Rochester Royals
Rochester Royals
The franchise that would become the Sacramento Kings initially started in the city of Rochester, New York, as the Rochester Royals of the National Basketball League....
vs. (3) Fort Wayne Pistons:
Royals win series 2-1
- Game 1 @ Rochester: Rochester 110, Fort Wayne 81
- Game 2 @ Fort Wayne: Fort Wayne 83, Rochester 78
- Game 3 @ Rochester: Rochester 97, Fort Wayne 78
Division Finals
(1) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (2) Rochester Royals
Rochester Royals
The franchise that would become the Sacramento Kings initially started in the city of Rochester, New York, as the Rochester Royals of the National Basketball League....
:
Royals win series 3-1
- Game 1 @ Minneapolis: Minneapolis 76, Rochester 73
- Game 2 @ Minneapolis: Rochester 70, Minneapolis 66
- Game 3 @ Rochester: Rochester 83, Minneapolis 70
- Game 3 @ Rochester: Rochester 80, Minneapolis 75
Eastern Division
Champion: New York KnicksNew York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
Division Semifinals
(1) Philadelphia Warriors vs. (4) Syracuse Nationals
Syracuse Nationals
The Syracuse Nationals were an American professional basketball team that existed from 1946 to 1963 as part of the National Basketball League and National Basketball Association . They are currently known as the Philadelphia 76ers, and are the NBA's oldest continued franchise.The team began in...
:
Nationals win series 2-0
- Game 1 @ Philadelphia: Syracuse 91, Philadelphia 89
- Game 2 @ Syracuse: Syracuse 90, Philadelphia 78
(2) Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
vs. (3) New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
:
Knicks win series 2-0
- Game 1 @ Boston: New York 83, Boston 69
- Game 2 @ New York: New York 92, Boston 78
Division Finals
(3) New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
vs. (4) Syracuse Nationals
Syracuse Nationals
The Syracuse Nationals were an American professional basketball team that existed from 1946 to 1963 as part of the National Basketball League and National Basketball Association . They are currently known as the Philadelphia 76ers, and are the NBA's oldest continued franchise.The team began in...
Knicks win series 3-2
- Game 1 @ New York: New York 103, Syracuse 92
- Game 2 @ Syracuse: Syracuse 102, New York 80
- Game 3 @ New York: New York 77, Syracuse 75
- Game 4 @ Syracuse: Syracuse 90, New York 83
- Game 5 @ New York: New York 83, Syracuse 81
NBA Finals
(2) Rochester RoyalsRochester Royals
The franchise that would become the Sacramento Kings initially started in the city of Rochester, New York, as the Rochester Royals of the National Basketball League....
VS. (3) New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
:
Royals win series 4-3
- Game 1 @ Rochester: Rochester 92, New York 65
- Game 2 @ Rochester: Rochester 79, New York 84
- Game 3 @ New York: Rochester 78, New York 71
- Game 4 @ New York: New York 79, Rochester 73
- Game 5 @ Rochester: New York 92, Rochester 89
- Game 6 @ New York: New York 80, Rochester 73
- Game 7 @ Rochester: Rochester 79, New York 75