1951 NBA playoffs

Postseason tournament August 2023 NBA playoffs 1951 1950–51 March 20 – April 21, 1951 8 Rochester Royals 1 New York Knicks Minneapolis Lakers Syracuse Nationals 1950 1952 The 1951 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association 1950–51 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Division champion Rochester Royals defeating the Eastern Division champion New York Knicks 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals. The eight qualified teams began tournament play on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 20 and 21, and the Finals concluded on Saturday, April 21. Rochester and New York played 14 games in a span of 33 days; their seven final games in fifteen days. The Rochester Royals (now the Sacramento Kings) were "royalty" in their first nine seasons, from 1945–46 to 1953–54 always one of the strong teams in their league. Rochester had played three seasons in the National Basketball League, winning the 1946 NBL championship and losing the Finals in 1947 and 1948. In one BAA and one NBA season, the team had won 75% of its games before losing in the second round, then first round, of the 1949 and 1950 playoffs. The 1950–51 team won more than 60% of its games, as the Royals would do for three more seasons, and participated in the club's only NBA Finals. That remains true more than 60 years later, covering stints in Rochester, Cincinnati, Kansas City, and Sacramento. The New York Knicks were an original Basketball Association of America franchise, now in its sixth season and participating in the BAA or NBA Finals for the first time. It would be the first of three consecutive years as the losing finalist. Another six-year-old, original BAA team, the Boston Celtics had qualified only for the 1948 BAA Playoffs. Now the second-place Eastern Division team, Boston had earned home-court advantage for a first-round series with third-place New York. It was the first playoff meeting in the Celtics–Knicks rivalry and it would be the first of 19 consecutive years in the playoffs. Bracket Division Semifinals Division Finals NBA Finals Eastern Division Western Division E1 Philadelphia* 0 E4 Syracuse 2 E3 New York 2 E2 Boston 0 W1 Minneapolis* 2 W4 Indianapolis 1 W3 Fort Wayne 1 W2 Rochester 2 E4 Syracuse 2 E3 New York 3 W1 Minneapolis* 1 W2 Rochester 3 E3 New York 3 W2 Rochester 4* Division winner Bold Series winner Italic Team with home-court advantage in NBA Finals Division Semifinals Eastern Division Semifinals (1) Philadelphia Warriors vs. (4) Syracuse Nationals #eee March 20 Boxscore Syracuse Nationals 91 Philadelphia Warriors 89 OT 19–27 29–23 19–18 22–21 2–0 Fred Scolari 23 Dolph Schayes 13 Seymour, Cervi 7 each Joe Fulks 30 Ed Mikan 16 George Senesky 10 Philadelphia Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Syracuse leads series, 1–0 March 22 Boxscore Philadelphia Warriors 78 Syracuse Nationals 90 18–24 11–20 23–22 26–24 Joe Fulks 22 Arizin, Phillip 8 each Andy Phillip 9 Dolph Schayes 24 Dolph Schayes 16 Seymour, Hannum 5 each State Fair Coliseum, Geddes, New York Syracuse wins series, 2–0 This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the 76ers/Nationals winning the first meeting. +Previous playoff serieshttps://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=GSW&opp_id=PHI&is_playoffs=Y Team Rivalry Finder — Golden State Warriors versus Philadelphia 76ers (Playoffs) basketball-reference.com February 19, 2021Philadelphia 76ers/ Syracuse Nationals leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series#fff 1950 Philadelphia Warriors 0 Syracuse Nationals 2 1950 Eastern Division Semifinals (2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) New York Knicks #eee March 20 Boxscore New York Knicks 83 Boston Celtics 69 28–14 9–17 19–15 27–23 Vince Boryla 20 Ed Macauley 23 Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts New York leads series, 1–0 March 22 Boxscore Boston Celtics 78 New York Knicks 92 12–20 15–19 24–26 27–27 Ed Macauley 21 Bob Cousy 6 Max Zaslofsky 27 Dick McGuire 9 Madison Square Garden III, Manhattan, New York Pat Kennedy, Arnie Heft New York wins series, 2–0 This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=BOS&opp_id=NYK&is_playoffs=Y Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus New York Knicks (Playoffs) basketball-reference.com February 19, 2021 Western Division Semifinals (1) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (4) Indianapolis Olympians #eee March 21 Boxscore Indianapolis Olympians 81 Minneapolis Lakers 95 14–29 19–20 28–19 20–27 Groza, Beard 19 each George Mikan 41 Minneapolis Auditorium, Minneapolis, Minnesota Minneapolis leads series, 1–0 March 23 Boxscore Minneapolis Lakers 88 Indianapolis Olympians 108 7–28 29–27 29–30 23–23 Vern Mikkelsen 30 Alex Groza 40 Butler Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana Series tied, 1–1 #eee March 25 Boxscore Indianapolis Olympians 80 Minneapolis Lakers 85 22–15 19–18 18–29 21–23 Alex Groza 38 George Mikan 30 Minneapolis Auditorium, Minneapolis, Minnesota Minneapolis wins series, 2–1 This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams. (2) Rochester Royals vs. (3) Fort Wayne Pistons #eee March 20 Boxscore Fort Wayne Pistons 81 Rochester Royals 110 14–30 29–27 20–25 18–28 Dick Mehen 19 Bob Davies 21 Edgerton Park Arena, Rochester, New York Rochester leads series, 1–0 March 22 Boxscore Rochester Royals 78 Fort Wayne Pistons 83 13–20 23–24 18–18 24–21 Risen, Davies 16 each Fred Schaus 21 North Side High School Gym, Fort Wayne, Indiana Series tied, 1–1 #eee March 24 Boxscore Fort Wayne Pistons 78 Rochester Royals 97 22–23 19–23 11–27 26–24 Fred Schaus 12 Bobby Wanzer 20 Edgerton Park Arena, Rochester, New York Rochester wins series, 2–1 This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Pistons winning the first meeting. +Previous playoff serieshttps://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=DET&opp_id=SAC&is_playoffs=Y Team Rivalry Finder — Detroit Pistons versus Sacramento Kings (Playoffs) basketball-reference.com February 19, 2021Fort Wayne leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series#fff 1950 Fort Wayne Pistons 2 Rochester Royals 0 1950 Central Division Semifinals Division Finals Eastern Division Finals (3) New York Knicks vs. (4) Syracuse Nationals #eee March 28 Boxscore Syracuse Nationals 92 New York Knicks 103 22–23 17–25 19–24 34–31 George Ratkovicz 22 Alex Hannum 7 Vince Boryla 30 Dick McGuire 13 Madison Square Garden III, Manhattan, New York Julie Meyer, Charles Eckman New York leads series, 1–0 March 29 Boxscore New York Knicks 80 Syracuse Nationals 102 19–22 17–21 17–27 27–32 Ray Lumpp 16 Vandeweghe, McGuire 5 each Dolph Schayes 21 Al Cervi 9 State Fair Coliseum, Geddes, New York Julie Meyer, Charles Eckman Series tied, 1–1 #eee March 31 Boxscore Syracuse Nationals 75 New York Knicks 77 OT 20–16 16–12 15–22 19–20 5–7 Dolph Schayes 17 Harry Gallatin 18 Madison Square Garden III, Manhattan, New York Julie Meyer, Jocko Collins New York leads series, 2–1 April 1 Boxscore New York Knicks 83 Syracuse Nationals 90 12–25 22–21 26–19 23–25 Max Zaslofsky 20 Dick McGuire 9 Dolph Schayes 34 Al Cervi 8 State Fair Coliseum, Geddes, New York Series tied, 2–2 #eee April 4 Boxscore Syracuse Nationals 81 New York Knicks 83 20–25 22–17 22–15 17–26 Dolph Schayes 14 four players 3 each Vince Boryla 23 Ernie Vandeweghe 5 Madison Square Garden III, Manhattan, New York Julie Meyer, Sid Borgia New York wins series, 3–2 This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Nationals winning the first meeting. +Previous playoff serieshttps://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=NYK&opp_id=PHI&is_playoffs=Y Team Rivalry Finder — New York Knicks versus Philadelphia 76ers (Playoffs) basketball-reference.com February 19, 2021Syracuse leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series#fff 1950 New York Knicks 1 Syracuse Nationals 2 1950 Eastern Division Finals Western Division Finals (1) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (2) Rochester Royals #eee March 29 Boxscore Rochester Royals 73 Minneapolis Lakers 76 20–20 18–18 10–16 25–22 Arnie Risen 24 Vern Mikkelsen 23 Minneapolis Auditorium, Minneapolis, Minnesota Minneapolis leads series, 1–0 March 31 Boxscore Rochester Royals 70 Minneapolis Lakers 66 17–16 20–14 16–19 17–17 Red Holzman 23 Jim Pollard 20 Minneapolis Auditorium, Minneapolis, Minnesota Series tied, 1–1 #eee April 1 Boxscore Minneapolis Lakers 70 Rochester Royals 83 22–31 17–17 20–20 11–15 George Mikan 23 Johnson, Wanzer 20 each Edgerton Park Arena, Rochester, New York Rochester leads series, 2–1 April 3 Boxscore Minneapolis Lakers 75 Rochester Royals 80 26–25 14–16 16–18 19–21 George Mikan 32 Arnie Risen 26 Edgerton Park Arena, Rochester, New York Rochester wins series, 3–1 This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning the first meeting. As of , this is the last time the Royals/Kings won a conference championship. +Previous playoff serieshttps://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=LAL&opp_id=SAC&is_playoffs=Y Team Rivalry Finder — Los Angeles Lakers versus Sacramento Kings (Playoffs) basketball-reference.com February 19, 2021Minneapolis leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series#fff 1949 Minneapolis Lakers 2 Rochester Royals 0 1949 Western Division Finals NBA Finals: (W2) Rochester Royals vs. (E3) New York Knicks 1951 NBA Finals #eee April 7 Boxscore New York Knicks 65 Rochester Royals 92 18–24 16–27 16–21 15–20 Vince Boryla 13 Simmons, Clifton 10 each Ernie Vandeweghe 4 Arnie Risen 24 Arnie Risen 15 Bobby Wanzer 9 Edgerton Park Arena, Rochester, New York 4,200 Rochester leads series, 1–0 April 8 Boxscore New York Knicks 84 Rochester Royals 99 17–26 21–21 28–26 18–26 Max Zaslofsky 28 Harry Gallatin 17 Vince Boryla 7 Bob Davies 24 Jack Coleman 28 Jack Coleman 8 Edgerton Park Arena, Rochester, New York 4,200 Rochester leads series, 2–0 #eee April 11 Boxscore Rochester Royals 78 New York Knicks 71 15–17 20–16 16–15 27–23 Arnie Risen 27 Arnie Risen 18 Bob Davies 8 Vince Boryla 20 Nat Clifton 11 Dick McGuire 7 69th Regiment Armory, Manhattan, New York 5,000 Rochester leads series, 3–0 April 13 Boxscore Rochester Royals 73 New York Knicks 79 10–21 18–19 28–17 17–22 Arnie Risen 26 Arnie Risen 20 Jack Coleman 9 Harry Gallatin 22 Nat Clifton 17 Zaslofsky, Clifton 6 each 69th Regiment Armory, Manhattan, New York 4,000 Rochester leads series, 3–1 #eee April 15 Boxscore New York Knicks 92 Rochester Royals 89 25–28 19–21 29–21 19–19 Connie Simmons 26 Nat Clifton 10 Nat Clifton 7 Bobby Wanzer 21 Arnie Risen 14 Bob Davies 10 Edgerton Park Arena, Rochester, New York 4,200 Rochester leads series, 3–2 April 18 Boxscore Rochester Royals 73 New York Knicks 80 21–19 17–19 12–15 23–27 Arnie Johnson 27 Arnie Johnson 15 Jack Coleman 8 Max Zaslofsky 23 Ernie Vandeweghe 8 Dick McGuire 6 69th Regiment Armory, Manhattan, New York 4,500 Series tied, 3–3 #eee April 21 Boxscore New York Knicks 75 Rochester Royals 79 16–22 18–18 26–22 15–17 Zaslofsky, Boryla 16 each Harry Gallatin 10 Ernie Vandeweghe 5 Arnie Risen 24 Arnie Risen 13 Jack Coleman 9 Edgerton Park Arena, Rochester, New York 4,200 Rochester wins series, 4–3 This was the first time in NBA playoff history a team has forced a seventh game after falling behind 3–0 in the series, and the only time to date in the NBA Finals. This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=NYK&opp_id=SAC&is_playoffs=Y Team Rivalry Finder — New York Knicks versus Sacramento Kings (Playoffs) basketball-reference.com February 19, 2021 References 25em "1950–51 NBA Season Summary". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2015-03-04.   Select "Previous Season" from the heading for 1950–51, and so on. Select "Finals" from League Playoffs for the daily schedule of the final series, and so on. External links 1951 Playoff Results at NBA.com 1951 NBA Playoffs at Basketball-Reference.com Category:NBA playoffs Playoffs fi:NBA-kausi 1950–1951#Pudotuspelit