1955 NBA playoffs
The 1955 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National [Basketball Association]'s 1954–55 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Syracuse Nationals defeating the Western Conference champion Fort [Wayne Pistons] 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals.
This was the only title for the Nationals under that moniker; the franchise won its next title in 1967 as the Philadelphia 76ers.
For the Pistons, this was their first trip to the NBA Finals in franchise history; they returned the next year, but didn't win their first title until 1989 as the Detroit Pistons.
After experimenting with a round robin playoff format in 1954, the NBA moved to a system in which the top team in each conference earned a first-round bye, giving them the right to start out in the division finals. It remained in place until 1967, when it changed to an eight-team format in which all teams played the first round.
Division Semifinals
Eastern Division Semifinals
(2) [New York Knicks] vs. (3) [Boston Celtics]
This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Knicks winning three of the first four meetings.| New York leads 3–1 in all-time playoff series |
Western Division Semifinals
(2) [Minneapolis Lakers] vs. (3) [Rochester Royals]
- Bob Davies’s final NBA game.
| Minneapolis leads 4–1 in all-time playoff series |
Division Finals
Eastern Division Finals
(1) [Syracuse Nationals] vs. (3) [Boston Celtics]
This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Nationals winning two of the first three meetings.| Syracuse leads 2–1 in all-time playoff series |
Western Division Finals
(1) [Fort Wayne Pistons] vs. (2) [Minneapolis Lakers]
- Jim Pollard’s final NBA game.
| Minneapolis leads 3–0 in all-time playoff series |
NBA Finals: (E1) Syracuse Nationals vs. (W1) Fort Wayne Pistons
- George King hit a free throw with 12 seconds left, then stole the ball from Andy Phillip with 3 seconds left to seal it.