1954-55 NBA season
Encyclopedia
The 1954–55 NBA season was the 9th season of the National Basketball Association
. The season ended with the Syracuse Nationals
winning the NBA Championship, beating the Fort Wayne Pistons 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals
.
Note: Prior to the 1969-70 season, league leaders in points, rebounds, and assists were determined by totals rather than averages.
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...
. The season ended with the 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...
winning the NBA Championship, beating the Fort Wayne Pistons 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals
1955 NBA Finals
The 1955 NBA Finals 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 by one point...
.
Notable occurrences
- In response to the relatively slow pace of games, the NBA introduced a 24 second shot clockShot clockA shot clock is used in some sports to quicken the pace of the game. It is normally associated with basketball, but has also found use in sports such as snooker, professional lacrosse, water polo, and korfball....
. The shot clock revitalized the game as scoring skyrocketed league-wide. - The Baltimore Bullets ceased operations after playing 14 games, with a record of 3 and 11. Games involving Baltimore were not included in the final standings. It would be the last time an NBA franchise folded.
- The NBA schedule had to be adjusted. Each team now played 12 games against divisional opponents, and 9 games against the four teams in the other division, for a total of 72 games.
- The 1955 NBA All-Star Game1955 NBA All-Star GameThe 1955 NBA All Star Game was the fifth NBA All-Star Game.-Eastern Conference:Head Coach: Al Cervi, Syracuse Nationals-Western Conference:Head Coach: Charley Eckman, Fort Wayne Pistons...
was played in New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, with the East beating the West 100-91. Bill SharmanBill SharmanWilliam Walton "Bill" Sharman is a former professional basketball player and coach. Sharman completed high school in the rural city of Porterville, California and is mostly known for his time with the Boston Celtics in the 1950s, partnering with Bob Cousy in what some consider the greatest...
of the Boston CelticsBoston CelticsThe 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...
won the game's MVP award. - NBCThe NBA on NBCNBA on NBC was a weekly presentation of National Basketball Association games on the National Broadcasting Company television network from 1955 to 1962, and again from 1990 to 2002. The NBA on NBC succeeded the NBA on CBS...
began televising NBA games. This continued until the 1962-63 season1962-63 NBA seasonThe 1962–63 NBA season was the 17th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Boston Celtics winning their 5th straight NBA Championship, beating the Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals.- History :...
, when ABC took over. NBC would begin televising NBA games again in 1990.
Statistics leaders
| Category | Player | Team | Stat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Points | Neil Johnston Neil Johnston Donald Neil Johnston was an American Hall of Fame basketball player at the center position who played 8 years in the NBA from 1951 to 1959.... |
Philadelphia Warriors | 1,631 |
| Rebounds | Neil Johnston | Philadelphia Warriors | 1,085 |
| Assists | Bob Cousy Bob Cousy Robert Joseph "Bob" Cousy is a retired American professional basketball player. The 6'1" , 175-pound Cousy played point guard with the National Basketball Association's Boston Celtics from 1951 to 1963 and briefly with the Cincinnati Royals in the 1969–70 season... |
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... |
557 |
| FG% | Larry Foust Larry Foust Lawrence Michael Foust was an American basketball player who spent 12 seasons in the NBA and was an 8-time All-Star. He attended South Catholic High School in Philadelphia... |
Fort Wayne Pistons | 48.7 |
| FT% | Bill Sharman Bill Sharman William Walton "Bill" Sharman is a former professional basketball player and coach. Sharman completed high school in the rural city of Porterville, California and is mostly known for his time with the Boston Celtics in the 1950s, partnering with Bob Cousy in what some consider the greatest... |
Boston Celtics | 89.7 |
Note: Prior to the 1969-70 season, league leaders in points, rebounds, and assists were determined by totals rather than averages.
NBA awards
- Rookie of the YearNBA Rookie of the Year AwardThe National Basketball Association's Rookie of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1952–53 NBA season, to the top rookie of the regular season. The winner receives the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy, which is named in honor of the Philadelphia Warriors head...
: Bob PettitBob PettitRobert Lee "Bob" Pettit Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player. He played 11 seasons in the NBA, all with the Milwaukee/St. Louis Hawks . He was the first recipient of the NBA's Most Valuable Player Award. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1970...
, Milwaukee HawksAtlanta HawksThe Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
- All-NBA First TeamAll-NBA TeamThe All-NBA Team is an annual National Basketball Association honor bestowed on the best players in the league following every NBA season. The voting is conducted by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. The team has been selected in every season of the...
:- Neil JohnstonNeil JohnstonDonald Neil Johnston was an American Hall of Fame basketball player at the center position who played 8 years in the NBA from 1951 to 1959....
, Philadelphia Warriors - Dolph SchayesDolph SchayesAdolph "Dolph" Schayes is a retired American professional basketball player and coach in the NBA. A top scorer and rebounder, he was a member of the 1955 NBA champion Syracuse Nationals and a 12-time All-Star....
, Syracuse NationalsSyracuse NationalsThe 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... - Bob CousyBob CousyRobert Joseph "Bob" Cousy is a retired American professional basketball player. The 6'1" , 175-pound Cousy played point guard with the National Basketball Association's Boston Celtics from 1951 to 1963 and briefly with the Cincinnati Royals in the 1969–70 season...
, Boston CelticsBoston CelticsThe 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... - Bob PettitBob PettitRobert Lee "Bob" Pettit Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player. He played 11 seasons in the NBA, all with the Milwaukee/St. Louis Hawks . He was the first recipient of the NBA's Most Valuable Player Award. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1970...
, Milwaukee Hawks - Larry FoustLarry FoustLawrence Michael Foust was an American basketball player who spent 12 seasons in the NBA and was an 8-time All-Star. He attended South Catholic High School in Philadelphia...
, Fort Wayne Pistons
- Neil Johnston
- All-NBA Second Team:
- Harry Gallatin, New York KnicksNew York KnicksThe 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...
- Slater MartinSlater MartinSlater Nelson "Dugie" Martin Jr. is an American retired professional basketball player and coach who played the guard position for 11 seasons in the National Basketball Association...
, Minneapolis Lakers - Vern MikkelsenVern MikkelsenArild Verner Agerskov "Vern" Mikkelsen is an American former professional basketball player. He was one of the NBA's first power forwards in the 1950s and was known for his tenacious defense.-Early life:...
, Minneapolis Lakers - Paul SeymourPaul Seymour (basketball)Paul Norman Seymour was an American basketball player and coach. A 6'1" guard, he played collegiately at the University of Toledo, and had a 12-year career in the NBA and its predecessor, the Basketball Association of America...
, Syracuse Nationals - Bill SharmanBill SharmanWilliam Walton "Bill" Sharman is a former professional basketball player and coach. Sharman completed high school in the rural city of Porterville, California and is mostly known for his time with the Boston Celtics in the 1950s, partnering with Bob Cousy in what some consider the greatest...
, Boston Celtics
- Harry Gallatin, New York Knicks