1961 NBA playoffs

Postseason tournament August 2023 NBA playoffs 1961 1960–61 March 14–April 11, 1961 6 Boston Celtics 4 St. Louis Hawks Scoring leader(s) Elgin Baylor (Lakers) 38.1 PPG Los Angeles Lakers Syracuse Nationals 1960 1962 The 1961 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1960-61 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Division champion St. Louis Hawks 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals. The Lakers made the playoffs for the first time after moving to Los Angeles. They were one game away from their first Finals in L.A., as the St. Louis Hawks defeated them four games to three in the western division finals. The Division Semifinals were extended from a best-of-three to a best-of-five series. For the Celtics, it was their third straight NBA title and fourth overall. This would be the last Finals appearance for the Hawks franchise to date; though they still exist in the NBA as the Atlanta Hawks, they have yet to return to the Finals as of . Bracket Division Semifinals Division Finals NBA Finals Eastern Division Western Division E3 Syracuse 3 E2 Philadelphia 0 W3 Detroit 2 W2 Los Angeles 3 E1 Boston* 4 E3 Syracuse 1 W1 St. Louis* 4 W2 Los Angeles 3 E1 Boston* 4 W1 St. Louis* 1* Division winner Bold Series winner Italic Team with home-court advantage in NBA Finals Division Semifinals Eastern Division Semifinals (2) Philadelphia Warriors vs. (3) Syracuse Nationals #eee March 14 Boxscore Syracuse Nationals 115 Philadelphia Warriors 107 34–24 23–32 29–19 29–32 Larry Costello 28 Swede Halbrook 15 Larry Costello 11 Wilt Chamberlain 46 Wilt Chamberlain 32 Tom Gola 7 Philadelphia Civic Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 4,391 Syracuse leads series, 1–0 March 16 Boxscore Philadelphia Warriors 114 Syracuse Nationals 115 22–26 35–28 22–39 35–22 Wilt Chamberlain 32 Wilt Chamberlain 14 Arizin, Attles 5 each Hal Greer 26 Dolph Schayes 14 Larry Costello 6 Onondaga War Memorial, Syracuse, New York 5,304 Syracuse leads series, 2–0 #eee March 18 Boxscore Syracuse Nationals 106 Philadelphia Warriors 103 31–22 19–30 27–30 29–21 Larry Costello 20 Red Kerr 18 Larry Costello 8 Wilt Chamberlain 33 Wilt Chamberlain 23 Gola, Rodgers 5 each Philadelphia Civic Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Syracuse wins series, 3–0 This was the eighth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the 76ers/Nationals winning four of the first seven meetings. +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 4–3 in all-time playoff series#fff 1950 Philadelphia Warriors 0 Syracuse Nationals 2 1950 Eastern Division Semifinals #fff 1951 Philadelphia Warriors 0 Syracuse Nationals 2 1951 Eastern Division Semifinals #fff 1952 Philadelphia Warriors 1 Syracuse Nationals 2 1952 Eastern Division Semifinals #fff 1956 Philadelphia Warriors 3 Syracuse Nationals 2 1956 Eastern Division Finals #fff 1957 Philadelphia Warriors 0 Syracuse Nationals 2 1957 Eastern Division Semifinals #fff 1958 Philadelphia Warriors 2 Syracuse Nationals 1 1958 Eastern Division Semifinals #fff 1960 Philadelphia Warriors 2 Syracuse Nationals 1 1960 Eastern Division Semifinals Western Division Semifinals (2) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (3) Detroit Pistons #eee March 14 Boxscore Detroit Pistons 102 Los Angeles Lakers 120 25–30 28–29 23–34 26–27 Gene Shue 20 Walter Dukes 11 Elgin Baylor 40 Ray Felix 21 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, California Los Angeles leads series, 1–0 March 15 Boxscore Detroit Pistons 118 Los Angeles Lakers 127 24–30 31–24 28–37 35–36 McMillon, Shue 24 each Walter Dukes 12 Elgin Baylor 49 Elgin Baylor 21 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, California 4,253 Los Angeles leads series, 2–0 #eee March 17 Boxscore Los Angeles Lakers 113 Detroit Pistons 124 25–24 25–42 29–35 34–23 Elgin Baylor 26 Bob Ferry 30 Detroit Olympia, Detroit, Michigan 3,422 Los Angeles leads series, 2–1 March 18 Boxscore Los Angeles Lakers 114 Detroit Pistons 123 39–30 21–27 25–37 29–29 Elgin Baylor 47 Gene Shue 29 Detroit Olympia, Detroit, Michigan Series tied, 2–2 #eee March 19 Boxscore Detroit Pistons 120 Los Angeles Lakers 137 21–34 25–27 32–43 42–33 Bob Ferry 25 Bob Ferry 16 Elgin Baylor 35 Baylor, Felix 15 each Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, California 3,705 Los Angeles wins series, 3–2 This was the eighth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning six of the first seven meetings when the Lakers were in Minneapolis. (It was also the 18th playoff series in Pistons history, and the first time they met a team that would not later move to another city.) +Previous playoff serieshttps://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=DET&opp_id=LAL&is_playoffs=Y Team Rivalry Finder — Detroit Pistons versus Los Angeles Lakers (Playoffs) basketball-reference.com February 19, 2021Los Angeles leads 6–1 in all-time playoff series#fff 1950 Fort Wayne Pistons 0 Minneapolis Lakers 2 1950 Central Division Finals #fff 1953 Fort Wayne Pistons 2 Minneapolis Lakers 3 1953 Western Division Finals #fff 1954 Fort Wayne Pistons 0 Minneapolis Lakers 2 1954 Western Division Round Robin Semifinals #fff 1955 Fort Wayne Pistons 3 Minneapolis Lakers 1 1955 Western Division Finals #fff 1957 Fort Wayne Pistons 0 Minneapolis Lakers 2 1957 Western Division Semifinals #fff 1959 Detroit Pistons 1 Minneapolis Lakers 2 1959 Western Division Semifinals #fff 1960 Detroit Pistons 0 Minneapolis Lakers 2 1960 Western Division Semifinals Division Finals Eastern Division Finals (1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Syracuse Nationals #eee March 19 Boxscore Syracuse Nationals 115 Boston Celtics 128 29–37 27–22 28–35 31–34 Dolph Schayes 26 Schayes, Costello 6 each Frank Ramsey 25 Bob Cousy 9 Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts 7,728 Boston leads series, 1–0 March 21 Boxscore Boston Celtics 98 Syracuse Nationals 115 21–28 30–26 20–33 27–28 Bill Russell 17 Bill Russell 5 Dolph Schayes 32 Larry Costello 9 Onondaga War Memorial, Syracuse, New York 6,657 Series tied, 1–1 #eee March 23 Boxscore Syracuse Nationals 110 Boston Celtics 133 27–35 25–31 29–42 29–25 Dick Barnett 22 Red Kerr 11 Larry Costello 4 Bill Sharman 30 Bill Russell 39 Bob Cousy 12 Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts 11,754 Boston leads series, 2–1 March 25 Boxscore Boston Celtics 120 Syracuse Nationals 107 25–20 32–25 29–33 34–29 Tom Heinsohn 22 Bob Cousy 9 Dolph Schayes 23 Barnett, Costello 4 each Onondaga War Memorial, Syracuse, New York Boston leads series, 3–1 #eee March 26 Boxscore Syracuse Nationals 101 Boston Celtics 123 25–23 32–36 26–29 18–35 Dick Barnett 25 Swede Halbrook 14 four players 4 each Bill Sharman 27 Bill Russell 33 Frank Ramsey 6 Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts 12,292 Boston wins series, 4–1 This was the eighth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Nationals winning four of the first seven meetings. +Previous playoff serieshttps://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=BOS&opp_id=PHI&is_playoffs=Y Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Philadelphia 76ers (Playoffs) basketball-reference.com February 19, 2021Syracuse leads 4–3 in all-time playoff series#fff 1953 Boston Celtics 2 Syracuse Nationals 0 1953 Eastern Division Semifinals #fff 1954 Boston Celtics 0 Syracuse Nationals 2 1954 Eastern Division Round Robin Semifinals #fff 1954 Boston Celtics 0 Syracuse Nationals 2 1954 Eastern Division Finals #fff 1955 Boston Celtics 1 Syracuse Nationals 3 1955 Eastern Division Finals #fff 1956 Boston Celtics 1 Syracuse Nationals 2 1956 Eastern Division Semifinals #fff 1957 Boston Celtics 3 Syracuse Nationals 0 1957 Eastern Division Finals #fff 1959 Boston Celtics 4 Syracuse Nationals 3 1959 Eastern Division Finals Western Division Finals (1) St. Louis Hawks vs. (2) Los Angeles Lakers #eee March 21 Boxscore Los Angeles Lakers 122 St. Louis Hawks 118 34–29 29–34 27–27 32–28 Elgin Baylor 44 Elgin Baylor 14 Bob Pettit 28 Bob Pettit 20 Kiel Auditorium, St. Louis, Missouri 8,147 Los Angeles leads series, 1–0 March 22 Boxscore Los Angeles Lakers 106 St. Louis Hawks 121 25–31 31–31 22–30 28–29 Elgin Baylor 35 Elgin Baylor 9 Clyde Lovellette 28 Bob Pettit 19 Kiel Auditorium, St. Louis, Missouri 8,472 Series tied, 1–1 #eee March 24 Boxscore St. Louis Hawks 112 Los Angeles Lakers 118 28–29 22–31 28–29 34–29 Bob Pettit 26 Bob Pettit 13 Elgin Baylor 25 Elgin Baylor 18 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, California 5,006 Los Angeles leads series, 2–1 March 25 Boxscore St. Louis Hawks 118 Los Angeles Lakers 117 28–26 29–31 31–29 30–31 Bob Pettit 40 Bob Pettit 18 Jerry West 33 Elgin Baylor 15 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, California 4,923 Series tied, 2–2 #eee March 27 Boxscore Los Angeles Lakers 121 St. Louis Hawks 112 24–36 33–25 28–17 36–34 Elgin Baylor 47 Elgin Baylor 20 Cliff Hagan 26 Bob Pettit 21 Kiel Auditorium, St. Louis, Missouri Los Angeles leads series, 3–2 March 29 Boxscore St. Louis Hawks 114 Los Angeles Lakers 113 OT 30–21 29–23 24–26 17–30 14–13 Bob Pettit 31 Bob Pettit 21 Elgin Baylor 39 Elgin Baylor 21 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, California 14,840 Series tied, 3–3 #eee April 1 Boxscore Los Angeles Lakers 103 St. Louis Hawks 105 28–22 20–27 30–32 25–24 Elgin Baylor 39 Baylor, West 12 each Bob Pettit 31 Bob Pettit 17 Kiel Auditorium, St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis wins series, 4–3 This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Hawks winning three of the first four meetings while the Lakers were based in Minneapolis. +Previous playoff serieshttps://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=ATL&opp_id=LAL&is_playoffs=Y Team Rivalry Finder — Atlanta Hawks versus Los Angeles Lakers (Playoffs) basketball-reference.com February 19, 2021St. Louis leads 3–1 in all-time playoff series#fff 1956 St. Louis Hawks 2 Minneapolis Lakers 1 1956 Western Division Semifinals #fff 1957 St. Louis Hawks 3 Minneapolis Lakers 0 1957 Western Division Finals #fff 1959 St. Louis Hawks 2 Minneapolis Lakers 4 1959 Western Division Finals #fff 1960 St. Louis Hawks 4 Minneapolis Lakers 3 1960 Western Division Finals NBA Finals: (E1) Boston Celtics vs. (W1) St. Louis Hawks 1961 NBA Finals #eee April 2 Boxscore St. Louis Hawks 95 Boston Celtics 129 26–30 22–26 25–35 22–38 Cliff Hagan 33 Cliff Hagan 13 Hagan, Sauldsberry 4 each Tom Heinsohn 26 Bill Russell 31 Bob Cousy 7 Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts 11,531 Boston leads series, 1–0 April 5 Boxscore St. Louis Hawks 108 Boston Celtics 116 32–27 20–26 23–31 33–32 Cliff Hagan 40 Bob Pettit 19 Cliff Hagan 6 Bob Cousy 26 Bill Russell 28 Bob Cousy 14 Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts 13,909 Boston leads series, 2–0 #eee April 8 Boxscore Boston Celtics 120 St. Louis Hawks 124 31–28 35–38 31–32 23–26 Russell, Heinsohn 24 each Bill Russell 23 Bill Russell 9 Bob Pettit 31 Bob Pettit 24 Si Green 7 Kiel Auditorium, St. Louis, Missouri 8,468 Boston leads series, 2–1 April 9 Boxscore Boston Celtics 119 St. Louis Hawks 104 28–31 24–25 39–26 28–22 Cousy, Sanders 22 each Bill Russell 24 Bob Cousy 12 Bob Pettit 40 Bob Pettit 18 Cliff Hagan 7 Kiel Auditorium, St. Louis, Missouri 10,442 Boston leads series, 3–1 #eee April 11 Boxscore St. Louis Hawks 112 Boston Celtics 121 39–33 22–29 23–37 28–22 Bob Pettit 24 Pettit, Sauldsberry 11 each Johnny McCarthy 6 Bill Russell 30 Bill Russell 38 Bob Cousy 12 Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts 13,909 Boston wins series, 4–1 Bill Sharman's final NBA game. This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning two of the first three meetings. +Previous playoff serieshttps://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=ATL&opp_id=BOS&is_playoffs=Y Team Rivalry Finder — Atlanta Hawks versus Boston Celtics (Playoffs) basketball-reference.com February 19, 2021Boston leads 2–1 in all-time playoff series#fff 1957 Boston Celtics 4 St. Louis Hawks 3 1957 NBA Finals #fff 1958 Boston Celtics 2 St. Louis Hawks 4 1958 NBA Finals #fff 1960 Boston Celtics 4 St. Louis Hawks 3 1960 NBA Finals References External links Basketball-Reference.com's 1961 NBA Playoffs page Category:NBA playoffs Playoffs