Syracuse Nationals
Encyclopedia
The Syracuse Nationals were an American professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...

 team that existed from 1946 to 1963 as part of the National Basketball League
National Basketball League (United States)
Founded in 1937, the National Basketball League, often abbreviated to NBL, was a professional men's basketball league in the United States. The league would later merge with the Basketball Association of America  to form the National Basketball Association  in 1949.- League history :The...

 (NBL) and National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...

 (NBA). They are currently known as the Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...

, and are the NBA's oldest continued franchise.

The team began in 1939 in Syracuse, New York
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...

 as the Syracuse Reds, an independent professional team. In 1946, they joined the National Basketball League
National Basketball League (United States)
Founded in 1937, the National Basketball League, often abbreviated to NBL, was a professional men's basketball league in the United States. The league would later merge with the Basketball Association of America  to form the National Basketball Association  in 1949.- League history :The...

 as the Syracuse Nationals, becoming the largely Midwest-based league's easternmost team. In 1949, the Nationals were one of seven NBL teams that merged with the Basketball Association of America (BAA) to form the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...

. In 1955, the Nationals (led by forward Dolph Schayes
Dolph Schayes
Adolph "Dolph" Schayes is a retired American professional basketball player and coach in the NBA. A top scorer and rebounder, he was a member of the 1955 NBA champion Syracuse Nationals and a 12-time All-Star....

) won the NBA championship.

Independent years (1939–1946)

The Syracuse Reds played from 1939–41, mainly against barnstorming
Barnstorm (sports)
Barnstorming in athletics refers to sports teams or individuals that travel to various locations, usually small towns, to stage exhibition matches....

 teams like the New York Renaissance
New York Renaissance
The New York Renaissance, also known as the Renaissance Big Five and as the Rens, was an all-black professional basketball team established February 13, 1923, by Robert "Bob" Douglas in agreement with the Renaissance Casino and Ballroom...

, New York Jewels
New York Jewels
The New York Jewels were an American basketball team based in New York, New York that was a member of the American Basketball League.The team was previously known as the Brooklyn Jewels. For the 2nd half of the 1936/37, the team was renamed the Brooklyn Jewels. Before the 1937/38 season, the...

, Oswego Merchants, Schenectady Pros and local teams. Some players for the Reds included local Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...

 stars Wilmeth Sidat-Singh
Wilmeth Sidat-Singh
Wilmeth Sidat-Singh was an African-American basketball and football player who was subject to segregation in college and professional sports in the 1930s....

 and Mark Haller, NBA Hall of Famer Al Cervi
Al Cervi
Alfred Nicholas Cervi was an American professional basketball player and coach in the National Basketball League and National Basketball Association . One of the strongest backcourt players of the 1940s and 1950s, he was always assigned to defend against the opposing team's best scoring threat...

, and Christian Brothers Academy alumnus Bob Nugent. There was no pro team during the war years of 1942–45.

NBL years (1946–1949)

1946/47: Owned by Italian immigrant Danny Biasone, the Syracuse Nationals began play in the National Basketball League, in the same year professional basketball was finally gaining some legitimacy with the rival Basketball Association of America that was based in large cities like New York and Philadelphia. While in the NBL with teams largely consisting of small Midwestern towns, the Nationals put together a 21–23 record, finishing in 4th place. In the playoffs, the Nats would be beaten by the fellow upstate neighbor Rochester Royals
Rochester Royals
The franchise that would become the Sacramento Kings initially started in the city of Rochester, New York, as the Rochester Royals of the National Basketball League....

 in 4 games.

1947–48: In their second season the Nationals would struggle, finishing in 5th place with a 24-36 record. Despite their struggles, the Nats would make the playoffs, getting swept by the Anderson Duffey Packers in 3 straight games.

1948–49: Several teams begin to leave the NBL for the BAA as the foundation for a merger is laid. Staying in the NBL, the Nationals sign Al Cervi to be player coach as Dolph Schayes
Dolph Schayes
Adolph "Dolph" Schayes is a retired American professional basketball player and coach in the NBA. A top scorer and rebounder, he was a member of the 1955 NBA champion Syracuse Nationals and a 12-time All-Star....

 makes his professional debut, leading the Nats to a winning record for the first time with a record of 40–23. In the playoffs the Nationals would make quick work of the Hammond Calumet Buccaneers, winning the series in 2 straight games. However, in the semifinals the Nats would fall to the Anderson Duffey Packers for the second straight season in 4 games. Following the season the remaining NBL teams would join the BAA as the two leagues merged and became the NBA.

NBA years (1950–1963)

1949–50: The Nationals were an instant success in the NBA winning the Eastern Division with a league best record of 51–13. In the playoffs the Nationals would continue to play solid basketball beating the Philadelphia Warriors in 2 straight. Moving on to the Eastern Finals the Nationals would battle the New York Knickerbockers
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...

 beating their big city rivals in a 3-game series. Moving on to the NBA Finals the Nationals would face fellow NBL alum Minneapolis Lakers. In Game 1 of the Finals the Nats would lose just their 2nd home game of the season 68–66. The Nats would not recover as they fell behind 3 games to 1 before falling in 6 games.

1950–51: Despite several teams leaving the NBA for the National Professional Basketball League the Nationals decided to stay put. In their second NBA season the Nationals played mediocre basketball all season finishing in 4th place with a record of 32–34. However, in the playoffs the Nats played their best basketball of the season as they stunned the 1st place Philadelphia Warriors in 2 straight taking Game 1 on the road in overtime 91–89. However, in the Eastern Finals the Nationals would be beaten by the New York Knickerbockers in a hard fought 5-game series losing the finale by just 2 points.

1951–52: Al Cervi, playing less and coaching more, emphasized a patient offense and a scrappy defense, which led the league by yielding a stingy 79.5 points per game, as the Nationals won the Eastern Division with a solid 40–26 record. In the playoffs the Nats would knock the Philadelphia Warriors off again in a 3-game series. However, in the Eastern Finals the Nats would fall to the New York Knickerbockers again dropping the series in 4 games.

1952–53: The Nationals would finish in 2nd place in a hard fought 3-way battle for first place in the Eastern Division with a record of 47–24. In the playoffs the Nationals would face the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...

 dropping Game 1 at home 87–81. Needing a win in Boston to keep their hopes alive, the Nationals would take the Celtics deep in to overtime before losing in quadruple OT 111–105, in what remains the longest playoff game in NBA history.

1953–54: The Nationals acquire Alex Groza and Ralph Beard as the Indianapolis Olympians folded leaving the NBA with just 9 teams. Once again the Nationals would battle for the Division title falling 2 games short with a 42–30 record. In the playoffs the Nats would win all 4 games of a round robin tournament involving the 3 playoff teams from the East. In the Eastern Finals the Nats would stay hot beating the Boston Celtics in 2 straight games. However, in the NBA Finals the Nationals would lose to the Minneapolis Lakers in a hard fought 7-game series where the 2 teams alternated wins throughout.

1954–55: With the NBA struggling financially and down to just 8 teams Nationals owner Danny Biasone suggested the league limit the amount of time taken for a shot thus speeding up a game that often ended with long periods of teams just holding the ball and playing keep away. Biasone calculated a 24-second shot clock would allow at least 30 shots per quarter speeding up the game and increasing scoring. The Shot Clock was an instant success as scoring was up 14 points per game league wide. In the first season of the shot clock the Nats would take first place in the East with a 43–29 record. After a first round bye the Nats would beat the Boston Celtics in 4 games to reach the NBA Finals for the 2nd straight season. In the finals the Nats would get off to a fast start taking the first 2 games at home against the Fort Wayne Pistons. However, as the series moved to Fort Wayne the Pistons would spark back to life taking all 3 games to take a 3–2 series lead. Back in Syracuse for Game 6 on the Nats kept Championship hopes alive by beating the Pistons 109-104 to force a 7th game at home. Game 7 would be as tight as the series as George King sank a free throw to give the Nats a 92–91 lead in the final seconds. King would then steal inbound pass to clinch the NBA Championship for the Nationals.

1955–56: Coming off their NBA Championship the Nationals struggled all season needing a tiebreaker over the New York Knickerbockers to avoid finishing in last place and make the playoffs with a 35–37 record. However, in the playoffs the Nats would stun the Boston Celtics winning the first round series in 3 games by taking the final 2 games. In the Eastern Finals the Nationals played solid basketball again as they pushed the Philadelphia Warriors to a decisive 5th game. However, the Nationals' reign as champions would end with a 109–104 loss in Philadelphia.

1956–57: The Nationals would get off to a slow start as coach Al Cervi is fired and replaced by Paul Seymour. Under Seymour the Nats would finish the season strongly finishing in 2nd place with a record of 38–34. In the playoffs the Nats would have trouble knocking off the defending champion Philadelphia Warriors advancing to the Eastern Finals with 2 straight wins. However, the Nats would be swept in 3 straight games by the Boston Celtics.

1957–58: Fort Wayne and Rochester had moved on to Detroit and Cincinnati, leaving the Syracuse Nationals as the last small town team in the big city NBA. That would not matter on the court as the Nats held their own finishing in 2nd place with a 41–31 record. However, in the playoffs the Nationals would fall in the first round as they lost a 3-game series to the Philadelphia Warriors.

1958–59: Despite a mediocre 35–37 record the Nationals would make the playoffs again by finishing in 3rd place. In the playoffs the Nationals would once again rise to the occasion sweeping the New York Knickerbockers in 2 straight to reach the Eastern Finals, where they gave the Boston Celtics all they could handle alternating wins before falling by 5 points in Game 7.

1959–60: Playing in a league now dominated by superstars like Bill Russell
Bill Russell
William Felton "Bill" Russell is a retired American professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association...

 of the Boston Celtics, Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain
Wilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain was an American professional NBA basketball player for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers; he also played for the Harlem Globetrotters prior to playing in the NBA...

 of the Philadelphia Warriors and Bob Pettit
Bob Pettit
Robert Lee "Bob" Pettit Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player. He played 11 seasons in the NBA, all with the Milwaukee/St. Louis Hawks . He was the first recipient of the NBA's Most Valuable Player Award. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1970...

 of the St. Louis Hawks, the Nationals hold their won posting a solid 45–30 record, while finishing in 3rd place. However, in the playoffs the Nats would lose a 3-game series to Chamberlain and the Warriors.

1960–61: With Lakers relocating from Minneapolis to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

 the Syracuse Nationals became the last NBL team to still be playing in their original city. The Nationals would go on to make the playoffs again by finishing in 3rd place with a 38–41 record. Once again the Nationals would prove to be dangerous in the playoffs as they stunned the Philadelphia Warriors in 3 straight games. However, in the Eastern Finals the Nats would be knocked off by the Boston Celtics in 5 games.

1961–62: Dolph Schayes misses 24 games and fails to lead the team in scoring for the first time in 14 years as Hal Greer leads the way with 22.8 ppg. The Nats would go on to finish in 3rd place again with a 41–39 record. In the playoffs the Nats would drop their first 2 games to the Philadelphia Warriors on the road. Facing elimination the Nats would win the next 2 games to force a 7th game in Philadelphia. However, in Game 5 the Warriors would prove too strong as they end the Nats season with a 121–104 victory. Following the season the Warriors would leave Philadelphia for San Francisco. This would leave the city of Philadelphia without a team for one season; investors in the City of Brotherly Love would begin searching for a new team immediately.

1962–63: With an aging team the Nationals were expected to fade, however with the scrappy play of Johnny Kerr the Nationals remained a strong contender finishing in 2nd place with a record of 48–32. In the playoffs the Nationals would face the Cincinnati Royals, getting off to a 2–1 series lead. However, needing a win to advance to the Eastern Finals again the Nationals would lose 2 straight dropping the decisive 5th game at home in overtime 131–127. That overtime loss on March 26 would prove to be the last game for the Syracuse Nationals, as investors Irv Kosloff and Ike Richman purchased the team from Danny Biasone moving the team to Philadelphia to become the 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...

, filling the void left by the Warriors.

After the Nationals

The NBA would return to Upstate New York
Upstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...

 in 1970, when the Buffalo Braves were established. They only lasted 8 seasons, and moved to San Diego in 1978, where they became the Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...

, who later moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

.

After the Nationals, and before and after the Braves, NBA fans in Upstate New York rooted for the Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...

. In 1995, Upstate New York NBA fans got another team to root for when the Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...

 were established in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...

, just across Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...

.

Meanwhile, Syracuse is home to a successful men's basketball team
Syracuse Orange men's basketball
The Syracuse Orange men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball team representing Syracuse University. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big East Conference...

 at Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...

, currently led by Jim Boeheim
Jim Boeheim
James Arthur "Jim" Boeheim is the head coach of the men's basketball team at Syracuse University. Boeheim has guided the Orange to eight Big East regular season championships, five Big East Tournament championships, and 28 NCAA Tournament appearances, including three appearances in the national...

, in his 4th decade as coach.

Season by season record

Year W L Pct. Finish Playoffs
1946–47 21 23 .467 4th Place Lost in NBL First Rd 1–3 (Rochester Royals
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...

)
1947–48 24 36 .400 5th Place Lost in NBL First Rd 0–3 (Anderson Duffey Packers
Anderson Packers
The Anderson Packers also known as the Anderson Duffy Packers was a professional basketball team based in Anderson, Indiana, in the 1940s and 1950s....

)
1948–49 40 23 .635 2nd Place Lost in NBL East Semifinals 1–3 (Anderson Duffey Packers)
1949–50 51 13 .797 East Division Champs Lost In NBA Finals 2–4 (Minneapolis Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...

)
1950–51 32 34 .485 4th, East Lost in East Finals 2–3 (New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...

)
1951–52 40 26 .606 East Division Champs Lost in East Finals 1–3 (New York Knicks)
1952–53 47 24 .662 2nd, East Lost in East Semi-Finals 0–2 (Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...

)
1953–54 42 30 .583 2nd, East Lost In NBA Finals 3–4 (Minneapolis Lakers)
1954–55 43 29 .597 East Division Champs Won NBA Championship 4–3 (Fort Wayne Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...

)
1955–56 35 37 .486 3rd, East Lost in East Finals 2–3 (Philadelphia Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...

)
1956–57 38 34 .528 2nd, East Lost in East Finals 0–3 (Boston Celtics)
1957–58 41 31 .569 2nd, East Lost in East Semi-Finals 1–2 (Philadelphia Warriors)
1958–59 35 37 .486 3rd, East Lost in East Finals 3–4 (Boston Celtics)
1959–60 45 30 .600 3rd, East Lost in East Semi-Finals 1–2 (Philadelphia Warriors)
1960–61 38 41 .481 3rd, East Lost in East Finals 1–4 (Boston Celtics)
1961–62 41 39 .513 3rd, East Lost in East Semi-Finals 2–3 (Philadelphia Warriors)
1962–63 48 32 .600 2nd, East Lost in East Semi-Finals 2–3 (Cincinnati Royals
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...

)
3 NBL Seasons 85 82 .509
14 NBA Seasons 576 437 .569
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