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1951 NBA playoffs

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1951 NBA playoffs
Tournament details
DatesMarch 20–April 21, 1951
Season1950–51
Teams8
Final positions
ChampionsRochester Royals (1st title)
Runner-upNew York Knicks
Semifinalists
← 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.[1]

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 three consecutive years as 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

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Division Semifinals Division Finals NBA Finals
         
E1 Philadelphia* 0
E4 Syracuse 2
E4 Syracuse 2
Eastern Division
E3 New York 3
E3 New York 2
E2 Boston 0
E3 New York 3
W2 Rochester 4
W1 Minneapolis* 2
W4 Indianapolis 1
W1 Minneapolis* 1
Western Division
W2 Rochester 3
W3 Fort Wayne 0
W2 Rochester 2
  • * Division winner
  • Bold Series winner
  • Italic Team with home-court advantage in NBA Finals

Division Semifinals

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Eastern Division Semifinals

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(1) Philadelphia Warriors vs. (4) Syracuse Nationals

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March 20
Syracuse Nationals 126, Philadelphia Warriors 8 121 (OT)
Scoring by quarter: 19–27, 29–23, 19–18, 22–21, Overtime: 2–0
Pts: [[Allen

Iverson]] 21
Rebs: [[Moses

Malone]] 10
Asts: Allen Iverson ,12		 Pts: Wilt Chamberlain 30
Rebs: Wilt Chamberlain 10
Asts: Steph Curry 11
Syracuse leads series, 1–0
March 22
Philadelphia Warriors 78, Syracuse Nationals 90
Scoring by quarter: 18–24, 11–20, 23–22, 26–24
Pts: Joe Fulks 22
Rebs: Arizin, Phillip 8 each
Asts: Andy Phillip 9		 Pts: Dolph Schayes 24
Rebs: Dolph Schayes 16
Asts: Seymour, Hannum 5 each
Syracuse wins series, 2–0

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the 76ers/Nationals winning the first meeting.

(2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) New York Knicks

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March 20
New York Knicks 83, Boston Celtics 69
Scoring by quarter: 28–14, 9–17, 19–15, 27–23
Pts: Vince Boryla 20 Pts: Ed Macauley 23
New York leads series, 1–0
March 22
Boston Celtics 78, New York Knicks 92
Scoring by quarter: 12–20, 15–19, 24–26, 27–27
Pts: Ed Macauley 21
Asts: Bob Cousy 6		 Pts: Max Zaslofsky 27
Asts: Dick McGuire 9
New York wins series, 2–0
Madison Square Garden III, Manhattan, New York
Referees: Pat Kennedy, Arnie Heft

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.[3]

Western Division Semifinals

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(1) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (4) Indianapolis Olympians

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March 21
Indianapolis Olympians 81, Minneapolis Lakers 95
Scoring by quarter: 14–29, 19–20, 28–19, 20–27
Pts: Groza, Beard 19 each Pts: George Mikan 41
Minneapolis leads series, 1–0
March 23
Minneapolis Lakers 88, Indianapolis Olympians 108
Scoring by quarter: 7–28, 29–27, 29–30, 23–23
Pts: Vern Mikkelsen 30 Pts: Alex Groza 40
Series tied, 1–1
March 25
Indianapolis Olympians 80, Minneapolis Lakers 85
Scoring by quarter: 22–15, 19–18, 18–29, 21–23
Pts: Alex Groza 38 Pts: George Mikan 30
Minneapolis wins series, 2–1

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.

(2) Rochester Royals vs. (3) Fort Wayne Pistons

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March 20
Fort Wayne Pistons 81, Rochester Royals 110
Scoring by quarter: 14–30, 29–27, 20–25, 18–28
Pts: Dick Mehen 19 Pts: Bob Davies 21
Rochester leads series, 1–0
March 22
Rochester Royals 78, Fort Wayne Pistons 83
Scoring by quarter: 13–20, 23–24, 18–18, 24–21
Pts: Risen, Davies 16 each Pts: Fred Schaus 21
Series tied, 1–1
March 24
Fort Wayne Pistons 78, Rochester Royals 97
Scoring by quarter: 22–23, 19–23, 11–27, 26–24
Pts: Fred Schaus 12 Pts: Bobby Wanzer 20
Rochester wins series, 2–1

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Pistons winning the first meeting.

Division Finals

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Eastern Division Finals

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(3) New York Knicks vs. (4) Syracuse Nationals

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March 28
Syracuse Nationals 92, New York Knicks 103
Scoring by quarter: 22–23, 17–25, 19–24, 34–31
Pts: George Ratkovicz 22
Asts: Alex Hannum 7		 Pts: Vince Boryla 30
Asts: Dick McGuire 13
New York leads series, 1–0
Madison Square Garden III, Manhattan, New York
Referees: Julie Meyer, Charles Eckman
March 29
New York Knicks 80, Syracuse Nationals 102
Scoring by quarter: 19–22, 17–21, 17–27, 27–32
Pts: Ray Lumpp 16
Asts: Vandeweghe, McGuire 5 each		 Pts: Dolph Schayes 21
Asts: Al Cervi 9
Series tied, 1–1
State Fair Coliseum, Geddes, New York
Referees: Julie Meyer, Charles Eckman
March 31
Syracuse Nationals 75, New York Knicks 77 (OT)
Scoring by quarter: 20–16, 16–12, 15–22, 19–20, Overtime: 5–7
Pts: Dolph Schayes 17 Pts: Harry Gallatin 18
New York leads series, 2–1
Madison Square Garden III, Manhattan, New York
Referees: Julie Meyer, Jocko Collins
April 1
New York Knicks 83, Syracuse Nationals 90
Scoring by quarter: 12–25, 22–21, 26–19, 23–25
Pts: Max Zaslofsky 20
Asts: Dick McGuire 9		 Pts: Dolph Schayes 34
Asts: Al Cervi 8
Series tied, 2–2
April 4
Syracuse Nationals 81, New York Knicks 83
Scoring by quarter: 20–25, 22–17, 22–15, 17–26
Pts: Dolph Schayes 14
Asts: four players 3 each		 Pts: Vince Boryla 23
Asts: Ernie Vandeweghe 5
New York wins series, 3–2
Madison Square Garden III, Manhattan, New York
Referees: Julie Meyer, Sid Borgia

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Nationals winning the first meeting.

Western Division Finals

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(1) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (2) Rochester Royals

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March 29
Rochester Royals 73, Minneapolis Lakers 76
Scoring by quarter: 20–20, 18–18, 10–16, 25–22
Pts: Arnie Risen 24 Pts: Vern Mikkelsen 23
Minneapolis leads series, 1–0
March 31
Rochester Royals 70, Minneapolis Lakers 66
Scoring by quarter: 17–16, 20–14, 16–19, 17–17
Pts: Red Holzman 23 Pts: Jim Pollard 20
Series tied, 1–1
April 1
Minneapolis Lakers 70, Rochester Royals 83
Scoring by quarter: 22–31, 17–17, 20–20, 11–15
Pts: George Mikan 23 Pts: Johnson, Wanzer 20 each
Rochester leads series, 2–1
April 3
Minneapolis Lakers 75, Rochester Royals 80
Scoring by quarter: 26–25, 14–16, 16–18, 19–21
Pts: George Mikan 32 Pts: Arnie Risen 26
Rochester wins series, 3–1

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning the first meeting.

NBA Finals: (W2) Rochester Royals vs. (E3) New York Knicks

[edit]
Main article: 1951 NBA Finals
April 7
New York Knicks 65, Rochester Royals 92
Scoring by quarter: 18–24, 16–27, 16–21, 15–20
Pts: Vince Boryla 13
Rebs: Simmons, Clifton 10 each
Asts: Ernie Vandeweghe 4		 Pts: Arnie Risen 24
Rebs: Arnie Risen 15
Asts: Bobby Wanzer 9
Rochester leads series, 1–0
April 8
New York Knicks 84, Rochester Royals 99
Scoring by quarter: 17–26, 21–21, 28–26, 18–26
Pts: Max Zaslofsky 28
Rebs: Harry Gallatin 17
Asts: Vince Boryla 7		 Pts: Bob Davies 24
Rebs: Jack Coleman 28
Asts: Jack Coleman 8
Rochester leads series, 2–0
April 11
Rochester Royals 78, New York Knicks 71
Scoring by quarter: 15–17, 20–16, 16–15, 27–23
Pts: Arnie Risen 27
Rebs: Arnie Risen 18
Asts: Bob Davies 8		 Pts: Vince Boryla 20
Rebs: Nat Clifton 11
Asts: Dick McGuire 7
Rochester leads series, 3–0
April 13
Rochester Royals 73, New York Knicks 79
Scoring by quarter: 10–21, 18–19, 28–17, 17–22
Pts: Arnie Risen 26
Rebs: Arnie Risen 20
Asts: Jack Coleman 9		 Pts: Harry Gallatin 22
Rebs: Nat Clifton 17
Asts: Zaslofsky, Clifton 6 each
Rochester leads series, 3–1
April 15
New York Knicks 92, Rochester Royals 89
Scoring by quarter: 25–28, 19–21, 29–21, 19–19
Pts: Connie Simmons 26
Rebs: Nat Clifton 10
Asts: Nat Clifton 7		 Pts: Bobby Wanzer 21
Rebs: Arnie Risen 14
Asts: Bob Davies 10
Rochester leads series, 3–2
April 18
Rochester Royals 73, New York Knicks 80
Scoring by quarter: 21–19, 17–19, 12–15, 23–27
Pts: Arnie Johnson 27
Rebs: Arnie Johnson 15
Asts: Jack Coleman 8		 Pts: Max Zaslofsky 23
Rebs: Ernie Vandeweghe 8
Asts: Dick McGuire 6
Series tied, 3–3
April 21
New York Knicks 75, Rochester Royals 79
Scoring by quarter: 16–22, 18–18, 26–22, 15–17
Pts: Zaslofsky, Boryla 16 each
Rebs: Harry Gallatin 10
Asts: Ernie Vandeweghe 5		 Pts: Arnie Risen 24
Rebs: Arnie Risen 13
Asts: Jack Coleman 9
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.[7]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "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.
  2. ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Golden State Warriors versus Philadelphia 76ers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  3. ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus New York Knicks (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  4. ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Detroit Pistons versus Sacramento Kings (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  5. ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — New York Knicks versus Philadelphia 76ers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  6. ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Los Angeles Lakers versus Sacramento Kings (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  7. ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — New York Knicks versus Sacramento Kings (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
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