Real World: The beginning of the Celtics dynasty, they beat the St Louis Hawks in 7.
MVP - Bob Cousy
West Tiebreaker: Hawks d. Pistons
Hawks d. Lakers
East Semi: Nationals d. Warriors (2-0)
West Semi: Lakers d. Pistons (2-0)
Simulation: The Celtics already have a title in the bank, back in '53. The Warriors will not repeat, they lose to Syracuse in the East Semi.
East Finals: Boston Celtics (44-28) v. Syracuse Nationals (38-34)
West Finals: St Louis Hawks (34-38) v. Minneapolis Lakers (34-38)
East Finals (March)
Game One (Boston): Nationals 117 Celtics 113
The Nats take game 1 in Boston. Red Kerr leads the way for Syracuse; 21 pts/14 boards. Dolph Schayes goes 17/18 and Bob Harrison chips in 20 of his own. 28 points and 11 rebounds for Tommy Heinsohn in the defeat.
Game Two (Syracuse) Nationals 130 Celtics 112
Syracuse has fallen short in 3 NBA Finals and they are a game from heading back. 7 Nationals in double figures led by Bob Hopkins who scored 19 off the bench with 9 boards. Double/double for Schayes. 19/17 for Bill Russell in the loss.
Game Three (Boston) Celtics 113 Nationals 103
The Celtics force game 4. Bill Russell has 19 points and a new postseason record 28 rebounds. 28 pts for Bob Cousy, 24 for Bill Sharman. 19 points, 17 rebounds for Schayes in the loss.
Game Four (Syracuse): Celtics 135 Nationals 96
Boston blows out the Nats and we will head back to the Boston Garden for the decisive game 5. 29 pts, 9 rebounds for Tommy Heinsohn leading the way for Boston. 22 points, 19 assists for Cousy, setting a new playoff assist record. Double/doubles for Russell and Jim Loscutoff. Schayes limited to just 10 points.
Game Five (Boston): Celtics 122 Nationals 113
Boston completes the comeback, down 2-0 they win the final 3 games of the series and advance to the NBA Finals. 31 pts, 12 rebounds for Heinsohn, winning the series MVP. 28 pts/10 assists for Cousy, double doubles for Russell and Loscutoff. 23 and 14 for Schayes.
West Finals (March)
Game One (St Louis) Lakers 124 Hawks 100
Are we looking at an every other year Lakers/Celtics matchup in the Finals?? 28 points for Dick Garmaker lead the way in the game one road win. Both future Hall of Famers, Vern Mikkelsen and Clyde Lovellette go double/double. Ed Kalafat goes 18/16 off the bench. 27/15 for Bob Pettit in the defeat.
Game Two (St Louis) Lakers 117 Hawks 98
The Lakers take 2 on the road and head home needing just one win to head back to the NBA Finals to once again take on the Celtics. 26 for Lovellette. 22 for Slick Leonard. Double/Double for Walt Dukes. 24 points/17 rebounds for Bob Pettit.
Game Three (Minneapolis) Hawks 137 Lakers 120
St Louis forces game 4. Bob Pettit throws up the first 50 point game in playoff history, adding 10 rebounds. Double/Double for Jack McMahon. 29 points, 11 rebounds for Lovellette in the loss.
Game Four (Minneapolis) Hawks 117 Lakers 108
4 games, 4 road wins and we will go back to St Louis for the decisive game 5. Bob Pettit is a monster, 35 pts, 22 rebounds. Ed Macauley was 3 time first team All NBA with the Celtics, but he and Cliff Hagan were sent to St Louis for the rights to Bill Russell. He went 20/10 and is a game away from facing his old squad in the NBA Finals. Mikkelsen goes 22 and 11 in the loss.
Game Five (St Louis) Hawks 139 Lakers 106
Boston lost the first 2 of the East Finals, came back with 3 straight wins to take the series; the same thing happened in the West, the Hawks complete the comeback, blowing out the Lakers and they head back to the NBA Finals they lost a year prior. Bob Pettit played 11 seasons and was first team All NBA in 10 of them. This is his third season, and in this one he scored 42, 20 rebounds, 7 blocks. Ed Macauley gets the matchup against his longtime team, he scored 23. 20 for Dick Garmaker in the loss.
In the real world, the Celtics beat the Hawks in 7; we get that same matchup here. The Celtics won the title in '53, lost in the finals in '55. The Hawks have never won an NBA Title, they were in the Finals last year and got swept. Ed Macauley and Cliff Hagan were dealt from the Hawks to the Celtics on draft night for the rights to Bill Russell; and they will all meet right here in the NBA Finals.
NBA FINALS (March/April) BOSTON CELTICS v. ST LOUIS HAWKS
Celtics
HC- Red Auerbach
C Bill Russell (22)
F Tom Heinsohn (22) Rookie of the Year
F Jim Loscutoff (26)
G Bob Cousy (28) MVP, 1st Team All NBA
G Bill Sharman (30) 1st Team All NBA
Hawks
HC- Red Holtzman
C Bob Pettit (24) 2nd MVP, 1st Team All NBA
F Ed Macauley (28) All Star
F Jack Coleman (32)
G Slater Martin (31) 2nd Team All NBA
G Jack McMahon (28)
Game One (Boston) Hawks 118 Celtics 112
Bob Petit was runner-up in the MVP to Bob Cousy - tonight, he was the best player in the world; 40 pts, 18 rebounds. Longtime Laker Slater Martin added 24. Double/double for former Celtic Cliff Hagan. 24 pts, 10 assists for Cousy, 21 for Bill Sharman, double/double for Bill Russell.
Game Two (Boston) Celtics 140 Hawks 109
22 year old rookie Bill Russell leads the way for the Celtics as they even the series, 28 pts, 11 rebounds. 27 pts for Tommy Heinsohn, double/doubles for Bob Cousy and Jim Loscutoff. Pettit is 25/12 in the defeat.
Game Three (St Louis) Celtics 119 Hawks 107
The Celtics take a 2-1 lead with a 42 pt 4th qtr. 29 for Bill Sharman, 25 pts and 12 rebounds for Heinsohn. 20 pts and a Finals record 26 rebounds for Russell. Double/doubles for both Cousy and Loscutoff. Pettit goes 27/14.
Game Four (St Louis) Celtics 139 Hawks 100
The Celtic future Hall of Fame backcourt gives them a 3-1 series lead. 35 points/10 assists for 28 year old Bob Cousy, the regular season MVP and 30 pts for 30 year old Bill Sharman who was first team All NBA. Heinsohn adds 21 in a game where Bill Russell made just two baskets. 18/14 for Pettit.
Game Five (Boston) Hawks 113 Celtics 105
St Louis isn't done yet; 24 year old Pettit has been the best player in this series, win or lose, 41 points, 21 rebounds. 21/12 for Cliff Hagan, double/double for Jack McMahon. 23/10 for Heinsohn, Russell breaks his finals game record with 28 rebounds.
Game Six (St Louis) Celtics 111 Hawks 104
Boston ends it, winning their second NBA Title, the Hawks lose in back to back seasons. Tommy Heinsohn has 28 pts, 18 rebounds. 27 for Cousy, 20 for Sharman, only 2 made field goals for Russell, but a 25 rebound night. Bob Pettit goes 31 and 17 and becomes the first player from the losing team ever named Finals MVP.
NBA Finals History
1947 (BAA): Philadelphia Warriors d. Chicago Stags (4-1)
1948 (BAA): Baltimore Bullets d. Philadelphia Warriors (4-2)
1949 (BAA): Minneapolis Lakers d. Washington Capitols (4-2)
1950: Minneapolis Lakers d. Syracuse Nationals (4-2)
1951: Rochester Royals d. New York Knicks (4-3)
1952: Rochester Royals d. Syracuse Nationals (4-3) - MVP: Jack Coleman (PF 27 yrs)
1953: Boston Celtics d. Minneapolis Lakers (4-3) - MVP: Bob Cousy (PG, 24)
1954: Minneapolis Lakers d. Syracuse Nationals (4-2) - MVP: George Mikan (C, 29)
1955: Minneapolis Lakers d. Boston Celtics (4-3) - MVP: Clyde Lovellette (C, 25)
1956: Philadelphia Warriors d. St Louis Hawks (4-0) - MVP: Neil Johnston (C, 26)
1957: Boston Celtics d. St Louis Hawks (4-2) - MVP Bob Pettit (C, 24)
