1954–55 NBA season

1954–55 NBA season
League	National Basketball Association
Sport	Basketball
Number of games	72
Number of teams	8 (9)^note
TV partner(s)	NBC
Regular season
Top scorer	Neil Johnston (Philadelphia)
Playoffs
Eastern champions	Syracuse Nationals
Eastern runners-up	Boston Celtics
Western champions	Ft. Wayne Pistons
Western runners-up	Minneapolis Lakers
Finals
Champions	Syracuse Nationals
Runners-up	Ft. Wayne Pistons

The 1954–55 NBA season was the ninth season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Syracuse Nationals winning the NBA Championship, beating the Fort Wayne Pistons 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals.

Notable occurrences

• In response to the relatively slow pace of games, the NBA introduced a 24-second shot clock. The shot clock revitalized the game and scoring skyrocketed league-wide.
• The Baltimore Bullets ceased operations after playing 14 games, with a record of 3–11, and Baltimore's record was expunged. It would be the last time an NBA franchise folded. The NBA would return to Baltimore when the Chicago Zephyrs relocated there as the "new" Bullets for the 1963–64 season.
• The NBA schedule had to be adjusted; each team now played 12 games against divisional opponents, and 9 games against the four teams in the other division, for a total of 72 games.
• The 1955 NBA All-Star Game was played in New York City, with the East beating the West 100–91. Bill Sharman of the Boston Celtics won the game's MVP award.
• NBC began televising NBA games. This continued until the 1962–63 season, when ABC took over. NBC would begin televising NBA games again in 1990.

Final standings

Eastern Division

Eastern Division	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Neutral	Div
x-Syracuse Nationals	43	29	.597	–	25–7	10–17	8–5	21–15
x-New York Knicks	38	34	.528	5	17–9	8–17	13–8	15–21
x-Boston Celtics	36	36	.500	7	21–5	4–22	11–9	19–17
Philadelphia Warriors	33	39	.458	10	14–5	6–20	13–14	17–19

Western Division

Western Division	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Neutral	Div
x-Fort Wayne Pistons	43	29	.597	–	21–6	9–14	13–9	28–8
x-Minneapolis Lakers	40	32	.556	3	18–6	10–14	12–12	18–18
x-Rochester Royals	29	43	.403	14	17–11	4–19	8–13	14–22
Milwaukee Hawks	26	46	.361	17	6–11	9–16	11–19	14–22

x – clinched playoff spot

Statistics leaders

Category	Player	Team	Stat
Points	Neil Johnston	Philadelphia Warriors	1,631
Rebounds	Neil Johnston	Philadelphia Warriors	1,085
Assists	Bob Cousy	Boston Celtics	557
FG%	Larry Foust	Fort Wayne Pistons	.487
FT%	Bill Sharman	Boston Celtics	.897

Note: Prior to the 1969–70 season, league leaders in points, rebounds, and assists were determined by totals rather than averages.

NBA awards

• Rookie of the Year: Bob Pettit, Milwaukee Hawks

All-NBA First Team: Neil Johnston, Philadelphia Warriors Dolph Schayes, Syracuse Nationals Bob Cousy, Boston Celtics Bob Pettit, Milwaukee Hawks Larry Foust, Fort Wayne Pistons

All-NBA Second Team: Harry Gallatin, New York Knicks Slater Martin, Minneapolis Lakers Vern Mikkelsen, Minneapolis Lakers Paul Seymour, Syracuse Nationals Bill Sharman, Boston Celtics

References

• 1954–55 NBA Season Summary basketball-reference.com. Retrieved December 10, 2010