Real World: The Celtics win their second title in 3 years, sweeping the Lakers
MVP: Bob Pettit
East Semis: Nationals d. Knicks (2-0)
West Semis: Lakers d. Pistons (2-1)
Simulation: Boston's gone back to back and are in the East Finals again this year.
East Finals (March/April): Boston Celtics (52-20) v. Syracuse Nationals (35-37)
West Finals (March): St Louis Hawks (49-23) v. Minneapolis Lakers (33-39)
East Finals
Game 1 (Boston): Nationals 126 Celtics 119
The Nationals take game 1 in Boston Garden. 23 pts/14 rebounds for Dolph Schayes. 22 and 19 for George Yardley. Double/double for Red Kerr. 25 for Tommy Heinsohn, 24 for Bob Cousy, 21 for Bill Sharman, and a 24 rebound game for Bill Russell.
Game 2: (Syracuse): Nationals 131 Celtics 119
Syracuse goes up 2-0 against the two time defending champion Celtics. George Yardley does it in this one, 28 pts, 13 boards. Dolph Schayes goes 24/19, Red Kerr 19 and 18. 26 points/23 boards for Bill Russell in the loss. Sharman adds 24.
Game 3 (Boston): Celtics 151 Nationals 139
The Celtics break the postseason scoring mark. Tom Heinsohn leads the way, 33 pts, 11 boards. Cousy has 27 with 11 assists. 23 for Bill Sharman, 22 for Frank Ramsey, Bill Russell and Gene Conley both double/double. 20/11 for Yardley, 21 for Larry Costello in the loss.
Game 4 (Syracuse): Celtics 153 Nationals 142
Boston again sets the single game postseason scoring mark and evens things up at 2; this round moves to a best of 7 this year, so game 5 is not the decisive game in would have been previously. Bill Sharman scores 30. 29 points, 16 assists for Bob Cousy 22 for Heinsohn, 16 points/19 boards for Bill Russell. Jim Loscutoff has a double/double. 21 for Hal Greer, 20/16 for Dolph Schayes, 20/12 for George Yardley, double/double for Red Kerr.
Game 5 (Boston) Nationals 140 Celtics 117
Syracuse has been to 3 NBA Finals, losing each - they are a game from knocking out the back to back Champion Celtics and returning to those NBA Finals. 24 pts, 19 boards for Dolph Schayes. 24 and 18 for Red Kerr. 21 for Larry Costello. Double/Double for George Yardley. 20 and 23 for Bill Russell in the loss. 21/10 for Heinsohn.
Game 6 (Syracuse) Celtics 109 Nationals 104
Syracuse led most of the way and all of the 4th until a short Russell jumper tied the game with 1:20 to play. A minute later, Heinsohn hit 1 of 2 foul shots to give Boston a 1 pt lead. Russell forced a Schayes miss on the other end and the Celtics hit foul shots to salt it away and force game 7. 24 for Bill Sharman, 19 pts and 24 boards for Russell. George Yardley had 30 pts and 17 boards in the loss. Double/doubles for Schayes and Red Kerr.
One game to go - back to Boston for game 7, which was the same outcome of the real world series, winner takes the East and heads to the NBA Finals.
Game 7 (Boston) Nationals 130 Celtics 116
The Nationals take both games 5 and 7 in Boston to knock out the defending champs and win the East for the 4th time. 23 for George Yardley, he wins the series MVP. 23 for Hal Greer, a double/double for Red Kerr. 20 pts/20 boards for Bill Russell in the loss, Heinsohn had 20.
West Finals
Game 1 (St Louis) Hawks 104 Lakers 94
The Hawks have won the West and then lost the NBA Finals in 3 consecutive years; they take Game 1 here. Bob Pettit has been the best postseason performer in the NBA to date; 32 pts/12 rebounds in this one. Double/double for Cliff Hagan and Clyde Lovellette; Lovellete was Finals MVP with the Lakers in '55. He was dealt to the Royals in '57 and to these Hawks at the beginning of the season. 17/15 for Larry Foust in the loss, the rookie Elgin Baylor had 18 rebounds.
Game 2 (Minneapolis) Lakers 118 Hawks 112
The Lakers even the series. 27 pts, 15 boards for Elgin Baylor; 20 for Dick Garmaker, a double/double for Larry Foust. Bob Pettit - of course - led the Hawks, 38 pts, 12 boards. Slater Martin had a double/double.
Game 3 (St Louis) Lakers 120 Hawks 118
The Lakers take game 3 on the road. The Hawks led by 3 with 2 minutes left when Al Farrari made 2 free throws, Dick Garmaker hit a runner in the paint with a minute left to cut the lead to a point. Clyde Lovellette missed a long jumper, and with 30 seconds left Larry Foust went off glass to give the Lakers their first lead of the quarter. After a Hawks turnover, Elgin Baylor hit a free throw with seconds remaining and the Lakers won by 2. 27 pts, 17 boards for Baylor. Double/doubles for Vern Mikkelsen and Larry Foust. 5 other Lakers finished in double figures. 32 points for Cliff Hagan, 27/20 for Bob Pettit in the loss.
Game 4 (Minneapolis) Hawks 111 Lakers 98
St Louis comes right back and evens the series. 36 pts and 22 rebounds for Pettit. 23 points, 18 rebounds for Cliff Hagan. Baylor went 24/11, Foust 22/14 in the defeat.
Game 5 (St Louis) Hawks 122 Lakers 118
An Al Ferrari baseline jumper with 2:30 left gave the Hawks a 1 pt lead they would never relinquish - St Louis takes game 5 and is one win away from their 4th straight West title. Bob Pettit locks up his claim as the top postseason player in NBA history to date, 45 points, 18 rebounds. 25 for Hagan. Double/double for Lovellette and Chuck Share. 24/12 for Baylor in the defeat.
Game 6 (Minneapolis) Lakers 121 Hawks 106
Both of the divisional finals go 7 games, the Lakers sending the series back to St Louis. 9 Lakers in double figures, the Lakers really spreading around the minutes in game 6. Mikkelsen leads with 18 pts, a double/double for Baylor. Pettit is 31/19 in the defeat.
Game 7 (St Louis) Lakers 114 Hawks 105
4 years after their last NBA Title, the Lakers head back to the Finals. 19 points/10 rebounds for Vern Mikkelsen, double/doubles for Larry Foust and Boo Ellis. Bob Pettit is the series MVP despite the loss, he went 33/18 here.
NBA FINALS (April, 1959) SYRACUSE NATIONALS v. MINNEAPOLIS LAKERS
Its a rematch of the '54 Finals; the Nationals head to their 4th NBA Finals looking for their first ever title. The Lakers have 4 titles, 3 NBA Championships and a BAA Title. Both of these squads under .500 in the regular season.
Nationals
HC - Paul Seymour
C Red Kerr (26) - All Star
F Dolph Schayes (30) - 2nd Team All NBA
F George Yardley (30) - All Star
G Larry Costello (27) - All Star
G Hal Greer (22)
Lakers
HC - John Kundla
C - Larry Foust (30) - All Star
F Vern Mikkelsen (30)
F Elgin Baylor (24) 3rd MVP, 1st Team All NBA, Rookie of the Year
G Slick Leonard (26)
G Dick Garmaker (26) All Star
Game One (Syracuse) Nationals 120 Lakers 114
Game 1 goes to the Nats. Dolph Schayes is in his 10th season, all with Syracuse, he scores 24 with 12 rebounds. 26 for George Yardley. Red Kerr had a double/double. 22 for Dick Garmaker in the loss, Elgin Baylor went 17/17.
Game Two (Syracuse) Nationals 113 Lakers 97
Syracuse takes a 2-0 lead, winning both games at home. George Yardley was a Piston throughout his entire career, he had 2 top 5 MVP Finishes, just before the postseason, the Nationals got him in a deal for Ed Conlin, that not only gave the Nats Yardley, who scored 30 here to lead the team, but opened up a starting slot for Hal Greer. 17/20 for Schayes. Double/double for Kerr. 20 and 11 for Baylor in the loss.
Game Three (Minneapolis) Lakers 138 Nationals 128
The home teams continue to win each game in the finals. Elgin Baylor was Rookie of the Year and he scores 33 with 17 rebounds. Vern Mikkelsen is in his 10th and final season, all with the Lakers, 26 pts, 11 boards. 20 for Slick Leonard. 22 and 17 for Dolph Schayes in the loss.
Game Four (Minneapolis) Nationals 125 Lakers 98
Syracuse beats up on the Lakers, taking a commanding 3-1 lead, one game away from winning their first NBA Championship in four finals appearances. 18 points/18 rebounds for Schayes. 20 for Hal Greer, another Red Kerr double/double. 20 and 11 for Baylor in the loss.
Game Five (Syracuse) Nationals 121 Lakers 104
The Syracuse Nationals lost to the Lakers in the first NBA Finals in 1950, lost to them again in 1954 - but they win game five and celebrate their first NBA Title in front of the home fans. 27 points for George Yardley, Dolph Schayes is the Finals MVP with 20 of his own. One last Red Kerr double/double. 22/15 for Baylor in the loss.
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)
1958: Boston Celtics d. St Louis Hawks (4-1) - MVP Bob Cousy (PG, 29)
1959: Syracuse Nationals d. Minneapolis Lakers (4-1) - MVP Dolph Schayes (F, 30)
1950s Playoffs All NBA
1st Team
C George Mikan (Lakers)
F Bob Pettit (Hawks) - Playoff Player of the Decade
F Dolph Schayes (Nationals)
G Bob Cousy (Lakers)
G Bill Sharman (Lakers)
2nd Team
C Bill Russell (Lakers)
F Neil Johnston (Warriors)
F Clyde Lovellette (Lakers)
G Slater Martin (Lakers/Hawks)
G Paul Seymour (Nationals)
