SWC75
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The Playoffs
The Celtics
The Nats had a first round bye. The Celtics lost the first game to the Knicks but came back strong to beat them twice. Minneapolis also beat Rochester 2 out of 3. Ft. Wayne thankfully handled the Lakers in four games. Meanwhile, the Nats took on Red Auerbach's team, this time for a shot at winning either franchise’s first title. The Celtics had not only split with the Nats but had outscored them, 1193-1198. The Nats had won no games in Boston that year and the Celtics had averaged 111 points a game in beating the Knicks.
No matter. The Nats won the opener, 110-100, on March 23, before 6,360 at the War Memorial. Johnny Kerr scored 27 points on 11 for 17 from the field. George King scored 21 and played good defense against Bob Cousy, (who liked playing against bigger, slower guards, not smallish quick guys like King). A 37 point third quarter put the home team in command. Kerr admitted to “a bad case of the jitters”, saying his knees were knocking before his first playoff game. He turned that nervous energy into a winning performance. But Auerbach credited King, saying he set up his team’s defense to stop Schayes and Seymour and King were the ones who killed them.
“Having a nice time, wish I was there”
Al Cervi- and his players- felt that game two was just as important, given the difficulty of winning a game in the Boston Garden. The Nats had missed 10 free throws in the first game and Cervi called an extra practice before game two just to practice free throws. Auerbach, on the other hand, let his assistants drill his team while he was in New York City scouting a college all-star team. Meanwhile Herald Journal sports editor Jack Slattery complained that he had to be in Florida during the playoffs and would miss all the games. He was covering spring training and the Syracuse Chiefs. Minor league baseball was deemed more important than NBA basketball in those days.
The Nats took the second game, 116-110, before 8,181 fans. Scoring 41 points in the second quarter, they led by 16 points on several occasions but an eight minute streak without a field goal allowed the Celtics to take a 93-96 lead with 10 minutes left. King scored twice and Seymour once to take the lead back at 99-96. After Bill Sharman, who was high man with 32 points, scored but Wally Osterkorn came roaring off the bench to score three baskets in a row, his first points in the playoffs. After that, the Nats were in command. Schayes had 22, Rocha 21 and Seymour 18 to lead the home team to a 2-0 lead.
Hatchet tactics
Two nights later, on 3/26/55, before 13,091 fans in Boston, the Celtics put the breaks on with a 97-100 win. The Nats trailed most of the game but tied it at 77 and went ahead, 88-87 with 4:45 left. Easy Ed McCauley answered with a score and George King tied again at 89. Neither team scored in an agonizing last 2:25. The Nats held for the last shot but Schayes and Lloyd on a follow shot both missed. The home team pulled it out in overtime, scoring the first five points and leading to the end. Former UCLA star Don Barksdale came off the bench to score 17 points and grab 17 rebounds, while McCauley had 21 and Cousy 23. Johnny Kerr led the Nats with 20 while Dolph Schayes was held to 14.
In the second quarter of this one Bob Brannum nailed Paul Seymour with two punches and sent him sprawling to the parquet floor. Seymour was so incensed he invaded the Celtics locker room at the half and had to be escorted out by police. ”Brannum insisted it was accidental that both fists hit Paul in the forehead”, according to the Herald Journal, which said that, after the incident, “Paul could never find the range so again Brannum’s hatchet tactics hurt the Nats.”
They wanted to win
This put the Nationals in a determined mood for game four of the best of five series. “It is doubtful that the squad will again reach the pinnacle of determination exhibited in ousting the Celtics and only overconfidence could deprive them of being the first Eastern team to win a championship since Minneapolis, Rochester and Ft. Wayne joined the league.” David Ramsey in his book “Nats”, was more succinct. He said the Nats slapped the Celtics around, 110-94. Dolph Schayes, despite being hounded by Auerbach’s defense, scored 28, many on his “rainmaker” outside shots, after being 5 for 22 from the field in game three. Earl Lloyd took advantage of the lack of defensive possessions to score 22 himself, and helps Syracuse dominate the boards. The Nats led by 7 at the half and 12 after three periods. Frustrated Boston fans started chanting for Brannum to smack somebody. “If we’re going to die, let’s die right”, shouted one of them. According to Ramsey, “near the end, Celtics fans began to jeer Auerbach. He coached a team that could run and score, but why was it so soft in the middle? When would Red go out and get a center?” A couple of them invaded the Boston locker room after the game and went after Red, who was saved by Brannum, who acted as a bouncer. But it was the Celtics who had been bounced by the Nats- in their own place, for the first time all season.
Just as the trip back after the division clinching in Milwaukee had been a trial due to a blizzard, another blizzard, (22 inches this time) again prevented the team from landing in Syracuse. They flew to Ithaca and then took a bus through the blizzard and arrived in Clinton Square at 5:30 AM with their luggage still back in Boston. Still, they had to be happy. They were going to get to play for the NBA title for the third time in history against a team they had beaten 7 of 9 times that year and which had never won a game in the Salt City. And they had home field advantage. Al Cervi had already treated them to a steak dinner in Boston. One incident in the clincher had to make him particularly pleased. His star, Dolph Schayes had actually refused to go into the game to replace Johnny Kerr in the third period. Why? “That combination is going too smooth”, he told his coach. This team had one priority. They wanted to win.
The Celtics
The Nats had a first round bye. The Celtics lost the first game to the Knicks but came back strong to beat them twice. Minneapolis also beat Rochester 2 out of 3. Ft. Wayne thankfully handled the Lakers in four games. Meanwhile, the Nats took on Red Auerbach's team, this time for a shot at winning either franchise’s first title. The Celtics had not only split with the Nats but had outscored them, 1193-1198. The Nats had won no games in Boston that year and the Celtics had averaged 111 points a game in beating the Knicks.
No matter. The Nats won the opener, 110-100, on March 23, before 6,360 at the War Memorial. Johnny Kerr scored 27 points on 11 for 17 from the field. George King scored 21 and played good defense against Bob Cousy, (who liked playing against bigger, slower guards, not smallish quick guys like King). A 37 point third quarter put the home team in command. Kerr admitted to “a bad case of the jitters”, saying his knees were knocking before his first playoff game. He turned that nervous energy into a winning performance. But Auerbach credited King, saying he set up his team’s defense to stop Schayes and Seymour and King were the ones who killed them.
“Having a nice time, wish I was there”
Al Cervi- and his players- felt that game two was just as important, given the difficulty of winning a game in the Boston Garden. The Nats had missed 10 free throws in the first game and Cervi called an extra practice before game two just to practice free throws. Auerbach, on the other hand, let his assistants drill his team while he was in New York City scouting a college all-star team. Meanwhile Herald Journal sports editor Jack Slattery complained that he had to be in Florida during the playoffs and would miss all the games. He was covering spring training and the Syracuse Chiefs. Minor league baseball was deemed more important than NBA basketball in those days.
The Nats took the second game, 116-110, before 8,181 fans. Scoring 41 points in the second quarter, they led by 16 points on several occasions but an eight minute streak without a field goal allowed the Celtics to take a 93-96 lead with 10 minutes left. King scored twice and Seymour once to take the lead back at 99-96. After Bill Sharman, who was high man with 32 points, scored but Wally Osterkorn came roaring off the bench to score three baskets in a row, his first points in the playoffs. After that, the Nats were in command. Schayes had 22, Rocha 21 and Seymour 18 to lead the home team to a 2-0 lead.
Hatchet tactics
Two nights later, on 3/26/55, before 13,091 fans in Boston, the Celtics put the breaks on with a 97-100 win. The Nats trailed most of the game but tied it at 77 and went ahead, 88-87 with 4:45 left. Easy Ed McCauley answered with a score and George King tied again at 89. Neither team scored in an agonizing last 2:25. The Nats held for the last shot but Schayes and Lloyd on a follow shot both missed. The home team pulled it out in overtime, scoring the first five points and leading to the end. Former UCLA star Don Barksdale came off the bench to score 17 points and grab 17 rebounds, while McCauley had 21 and Cousy 23. Johnny Kerr led the Nats with 20 while Dolph Schayes was held to 14.
In the second quarter of this one Bob Brannum nailed Paul Seymour with two punches and sent him sprawling to the parquet floor. Seymour was so incensed he invaded the Celtics locker room at the half and had to be escorted out by police. ”Brannum insisted it was accidental that both fists hit Paul in the forehead”, according to the Herald Journal, which said that, after the incident, “Paul could never find the range so again Brannum’s hatchet tactics hurt the Nats.”
They wanted to win
This put the Nationals in a determined mood for game four of the best of five series. “It is doubtful that the squad will again reach the pinnacle of determination exhibited in ousting the Celtics and only overconfidence could deprive them of being the first Eastern team to win a championship since Minneapolis, Rochester and Ft. Wayne joined the league.” David Ramsey in his book “Nats”, was more succinct. He said the Nats slapped the Celtics around, 110-94. Dolph Schayes, despite being hounded by Auerbach’s defense, scored 28, many on his “rainmaker” outside shots, after being 5 for 22 from the field in game three. Earl Lloyd took advantage of the lack of defensive possessions to score 22 himself, and helps Syracuse dominate the boards. The Nats led by 7 at the half and 12 after three periods. Frustrated Boston fans started chanting for Brannum to smack somebody. “If we’re going to die, let’s die right”, shouted one of them. According to Ramsey, “near the end, Celtics fans began to jeer Auerbach. He coached a team that could run and score, but why was it so soft in the middle? When would Red go out and get a center?” A couple of them invaded the Boston locker room after the game and went after Red, who was saved by Brannum, who acted as a bouncer. But it was the Celtics who had been bounced by the Nats- in their own place, for the first time all season.
Just as the trip back after the division clinching in Milwaukee had been a trial due to a blizzard, another blizzard, (22 inches this time) again prevented the team from landing in Syracuse. They flew to Ithaca and then took a bus through the blizzard and arrived in Clinton Square at 5:30 AM with their luggage still back in Boston. Still, they had to be happy. They were going to get to play for the NBA title for the third time in history against a team they had beaten 7 of 9 times that year and which had never won a game in the Salt City. And they had home field advantage. Al Cervi had already treated them to a steak dinner in Boston. One incident in the clincher had to make him particularly pleased. His star, Dolph Schayes had actually refused to go into the game to replace Johnny Kerr in the third period. Why? “That combination is going too smooth”, he told his coach. This team had one priority. They wanted to win.
