Real Result: The Celtics win their 3rd straight, once again beating the Hawks
MVP: Bill Russell
East Semis: Nationals d. Warriors (3-0)
West Semis: Lakers d. Pistons (3-2)
Simulation: The Hawks are the defending champions and they are in the final four, along with (of course) Boston, Syracuse, and the Lakers, who now play in Los Angeles.
East Finals (March) Boston Celtics (57-22) v. Syracuse Nationals (38-41)
West Finals (March) St Louis Hawks (51-28) v. Los Angeles Lakers (36-43)
East Finals
Game 1 (Boston) Nationals 131 Celtics 126
Syracuse goes into Boston and takes game 1. 21 for Larry Costello. Double/double for Dolph Schayes, Red Kerr, Dave Gambee. Tommy Heinsohn scores 32 for Boston, 22 for Frank Ramsey, 21 and 10 for Sam Jones, Bill Russell has a 30 rebound game.
Game 2: (Syracuse) Nationals 128 Celtics 112
Syracuse goes up 2-0. Dick Barnett scores 33 points in 35 minutes to lead the way. Double double for Schayes/Kerr/Barney Cable. Heinsohn again leads the Celtics in scoring, with 23 along with 14 boards. 17 and 21 for Russell.
Game 3 (Boston) Nationals 129 Celtics 117
The Syracuse Nationals won the NBA title in '59 and are now up 3-0 on the Celtics, a game from the NBA Finals. 22 for Larry Costello, 21 for Dolph Schayes, 20 for Dick Barnett, 18 and 28 for Bill Russell in the loss.
Game 4 (Syracuse) Celtics 126 Nationals 117
The Celtics do not go home today; 24 for Cousy, 24 for Sharman, 20 for Ramsey, double doubles for Russell and Sam Jones. Dick Barnett has really emerged as the top threat for the Nationals, he goes for 24, 21 and 15 for Schayes.
Game 5 (Boston) Celtics 134 Nationals 119
Boston is making this interesting; they take game 5 and now the series is 3-2. Bill Sharman scores 29, 19 pts and 35 rebounds for Bill Russell. 23 and 13 for Frank Ramsey. 31 more for Dick Barnett, 26 for Schayes.
Game 6 (Syracuse) Celtics 132 Nationals 116
Look out. The Nationals were up 3-0 but Boston takes games 4,5,6 and now we will head back to the Boston Garden where a rabid home crowd will smell that Syracuse blood. Tommy Heinsohn has a monster game, 43 points, 13 rebounds. Heinsohn shot the ball 37 times (37 times!) a playoff record. Russell had a 23 rebound night. 26 for Larry Costello for the Nats, Schayes went 22/17, 20 for Barnett.
We get a game 7 - winner to the NBA Finals.
Game 7 (Boston) Celtics 142 Nationals 133
Boston adds to their legacy, the 3 time NBA Champs return to the Finals, coming all the way back from a 3-0 series deficit to beat the Nationals and win the East for the 5th time. Tom Heinsohn is the series MVP, 27 points, 15 rebounds. 26 for Sharman, 21 and 12 for Ramsey, 20 for Sam Jones, Russell is 3-14 from the floor, but has 26 rebounds. 29 for Dick Barnett in the very, very tough series defeat for the Nationals.
West Finals
Game One (St Louis) Hawks 123 Lakers 111
The Hawks met the Celtics in the NBA Finals 3 of the past 4 seasons, they open up the West Finals with a win. 28 for Cliff Hagan, 27 and 11 boards for Clyde Lovellette. Double/double for Si Green. Bob Pettit held to just 8 points. 24 and 15 for Elgin Baylor in the loss. Double/double for Ray Felix.
Game Two (St Louis) Hawks 137 Lakers 124
The Hawks take both games 1-2 at home. Pettit bounces back in a big way, 34 pts, 28 rebounds. Cliff Hagan has a triple/double, 17 pts, 13 boards, 11 assists. 26 pts/23 rebounds for Baylor in the loss. 25 for the rookie from West Virginia, Jerry West.
Game Three (LA) Lakers 130 Hawks 100
The first West Finals game played in Los Angeles goes to the Lakers. Elgin Baylor is clearly now one of the great players in the world, 35 points, 30 rebounds. Hot Rod Hundley adds 24, Double/Double for West. 28/12 for Pettit. 21/10 for Hagan.
Game Four (LA) Lakers 141 Hawks 119
The Lakers even the series. 29 pts/17 boards for Elgin Baylor; 17 and 10 for West. 20 for Rudy LaRusso, double/double for Jim Krebs. 23 and 20 for Pettit. Double/Double for Woody Sauldsberry.
Game Five (St Louis) Lakers 120 Hawks 107
The first road win of the series belongs to the Lakers, they head home with a chance to send Los Angeles to the NBA Finals in its first season, the Lakers old rivals from Boston await. 26 pts, 16 rebounds for Elgin Baylor. 20 and 13 for Jerry West. 20 points in 23 minutes for Rudy Larusso. Double/Doubles for Ray Felix and Tom Hawkins. Pettit and Hagan carry the Hawks, Pettit was 28/15, Hagan 25/13.
Game Six (LA) Hawks 124 Lakers 104
The defending champs stay alive and we head back to St Louis for game 7. Cliff Hagan was in his bag, 32 pts, 14 rebounds. 24 pts and 28 boards for Pettit. Woody Sauldsberry double/doubled. 28/20 for Baylor.
Back to St Louis, the Hawks looking to head back to the NBA Finals for their 4th title contest against the Celtics; the Lakers won 4 titles in Minneapolis and are a game from getting back to the Finals.
Game 7 (St Louis) Hawks 130 Lakers 118
For the 4th time in the past 5 years, the St Louis Hawks will face the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals, solidifying this as the greatest rivalry in history. Bob Pettit comes through in the big moment, 40 pts and 25 rebounds in game 7. He's the series MVP. 19/14 for Hagan. Double/Double for Sauldsberry. Elgin Baylor had a hell of a series and finished with 45 points and 23 boards in game 7, Baylor took 42 shots.
NBA FINALS (April) BOSTON CELTICS v. ST LOUIS HAWKS
The Celtics won the NBA Title in '53, '57, '58. They lost the title in '55 and last season; 3 of those series, '57, '58 and last season were against the Hawks. It's Celtics/Hawks IV for this season's NBA Title.
Celtics
HC - Red Auerbach
C Bill Russell (26) MVP, 2nd Team All NBA
F Tom Heinsohn (26) 2nd Team All NBA
G Bob Cousy (32) 1st Team All NBA
G Sam Jones (27)
G Bill Sharman (34)
Hawks
HC - Paul Seymour
C Woody Sauldsberry (26)
F Bob Pettit (28) 2nd MVP, 1st Team All NBA
F Cliff Hagan (29) All Star
G Lenny Wilkens (23)
G John McCarthy (26)
Game One (Boston) Celtics 128 Hawks 118
The Celtics take game one. Sam Jones scores 22 points in 23 minutes to lead the way. 20 for Frank Ramsey. 14 pts, 23 boards for Bill Russell. Bob Pettit has a big game in the loss, 28 pts, 23 rebounds.
Game Two (Boston) Celtics 139 Hawks 123
Boston takes both games 1-2 at home. Ramsey again leads with 28 points, Ramsey is 29, in the middle of his Hall of Fame career; the Celtics come at you with Hall of Famers throughout the roster. 23 points/23 rebounds for Russell. 25 points and 13 rebounds for 27 year old Sam Jones. Double/Double for Heinsohn. 28 and 11 for Cliff Hagan. 25/21 for Pettit.
Game Three (St Louis) Celtics 125 Hawks 106
The Celtics were down 3-0 in the East Finals - they've run off 7 straight since then and now hold a 3-0 lead of their own, a game from their 4th NBA Championship. 26 year old Bill Russell has won 2 regular season MVP Awards and is in position to add a Finals MVP to that total, 27 pts, 28 rebounds. 23 and 12 for Heinsohn and a double/double for Ramsey. 24/18 for Pettit, 23/19 for Sauldsberry.
Game Four (St Louis) Celtics 133 Hawks 121
A year after falling to the Hawks in the NBA Finals the Celts dominate with a 4-0 sweep and win their 4th NBA Title. 25 for Cousy, 24 for Sharman, 21 for Ramsey - Bill Russell wins the Finals MVP with 19 points and 22 rebounds. Double/double for Heinsohn. Pettit is 31/19 in the defeat.
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)Back
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 (PF, 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)
1960: St Louis Hawks d. Boston Celtics (4-2) - MVP Bob Pettit (PF, 27)
1961: Boston Celtics d. St Louis Hawks (4-0) - MVP Bill Russell (C, 26)
