The 1957 NBA Playoffs

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 1956-1957 season

1956-57 NBA season

The 1956–57 NBA season was the 11th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Boston Celtics winning the NBA Championship , beating the St...

. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion 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...

 defeating the Western Division champion St. Louis Hawks, four games to three in the NBA Finals

1957 NBA Finals

The 1957 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 1956-57 National Basketball Association season, and was the conclusion of the 1957 NBA Playoffs. The best-of-seven series was played between the Western Conference champion St. Louis Hawks and the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics....

. It was the first championship in Celtics history; as of 2009 the Celtics lead the league in NBA titles won, with 17.

The Celtics and Hawks would meet in four out of five NBA Finals from 1957 to 1961

1961 NBA Finals

The 1961 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 1960-61 National Basketball Association season, and was the conclusion of the 1961 NBA Playoffs. The best-of-seven series was played between the Western Conference champion St. Louis Hawks and the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics...

, with the Celtics winning three series and the Hawks one. While the Hawks' dominance of the Western Division would be succeeded by the Los Angeles Lakers

Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...

 afterward, the Celtics would only miss the NBA Finals once between 1957 and 1969

1969 NBA Playoffs

The 1969 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1968–1969 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Division champion Los Angeles Lakers, four games to three in the NBA Finals.Despite...

, and win the NBA championship in every year but two.

In the division semifinals, the Ft. Wayne Pistons were swept by the Minneapolis Lakers in two straight games. This was the first time in NBA history that the defending champions were swept in the opening round of the playoffs. It would be another 50 years

2007 NBA Playoffs

The 2007 NBA Playoffs was the postseason to the National Basketball Association's 2006–2007 season.There were four rounds of postseason action, all of them in a best-of-seven format, with teams seeded on a bracket. The team with the better record wasn't necessarily the basis of seeding teams in...

 that the defending champions were swept in the first round of the playoffs.

Western Division Tie Breakers

St. Louis Hawks vs. Minneapolis Lakers:
Hawks win series 1-0

• Game 1 @ St. Louis: St. Louis 114, Minneapolis 111

St. Louis Hawks vs. Fort Wayne Pistons:
Hawks win series 1-0

• Game 1 @ St. Louis: St. Louis 115, Fort Wayne 103

St. Louis defeats Fort Wayne & Minneapolis for #1 seed in West. Minneapolis gets #2 seed, Fort Wayne #3.

Western Division

Champion: St. Louis Hawks

Division Semifinals

(1) St. Louis Hawks have division semifinals byes.

(2) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (3) Fort Wayne Pistons:
Lakers win series 2-0

• Game 1 @ Minneapolis: Minneapolis 131, Fort Wayne 127
• Game 2 @ Fort Wayne: Minneapolis 110, Fort Wayne 108

Division Finals

(1) St. Louis Hawks vs. (2) Minneapolis Lakers:
Hawks win series 3-0

• Game 1 @ St. Louis: St. Louis 118, Minneapolis 109
• Game 2 @ St. Louis: St. Louis 106, Minneapolis 104
• Game 3 @ Minneapolis: St. Louis 143, Minneapolis 135

Eastern Division

Champion: 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...

Division Semifinals

(1) Boston Celtics have division semifinals byes.

(2) 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...

vs. (3) Philadelphia Warriors:
Nationals win series 2-0

• Game 1 @ Philadelphia: Syracuse 103, Philadelphia 96
• Game 2 @ Syracuse: Syracuse 91, Philadelphia 80

Division Finals

(1) 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. (2) 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...

:
Celtics win series 3-0

• Game 1 @ Boston: Boston 108, Syracuse 90
• Game 2 @ Syracuse: Boston 120, Syracuse 105
• Game 3 @ Boston: Boston 83, Syracuse 80

NBA Finals

(1) 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. (1) St. Louis Hawks:
Celtics win series 4-3

• Game 1 @ Boston: St. Louis 125, Boston 123 (2OT)
• Game 2 @ Boston: Boston 119, St. Louis 99
• Game 3 @ St. Louis: St. Louis 100, Boston 98
• Game 4 @ St. Louis: Boston 123, St. Louis 118
• Game 5 @ Boston: Boston 110, St. Louis 104
• Game 6 @ St. Louis: St. Louis 96, Boston 94
• Game 7 @ Boston: Boston 125, St. Louis 123 (2OT)

External links

• Basketball-Reference.com's 1957 NBA Playoffs page