NBA Conference Finals
Eastern Division/Conference -- Eastern Division Finals
Table:
Year
Champion
Coach
Result
Runner-up
Coach

1949
Washington Capitols
Red Auerbach
2–1
New York Knicks
Joe Lapchick

1950
Syracuse Nationals†
Al Cervi
2–1
New York Knicks
Joe Lapchick

1951
New York Knicks
Joe Lapchick
3–2
Syracuse Nationals
Al Cervi

1952
New York Knicks
Joe Lapchick
3–1
Syracuse Nationals
Al Cervi

1953
New York Knicks
Joe Lapchick
3–1
Boston Celtics
Red Auerbach

1954
Syracuse Nationals
Al Cervi
2–0
Boston Celtics
Red Auerbach

1955
Syracuse Nationals†
Al Cervi
3–1
Boston Celtics
Red Auerbach

1956
Philadelphia Warriors†
George Senesky
3–2
Syracuse Nationals
Al Cervi

1957
Boston Celtics†
Red Auerbach
3–0
Syracuse Nationals
Paul Seymour

1958
Boston Celtics†
Red Auerbach
4–1
Philadelphia Warriors
George Senesky

1959
Boston Celtics†
Red Auerbach
4–3
Syracuse Nationals
Paul Seymour

1960
Boston Celtics†
Red Auerbach
4–2
Philadelphia Warriors
Frank McGuire

1961
Boston Celtics†
Red Auerbach
4–1
Syracuse Nationals
Alex Hannum

1962
Boston Celtics†
Red Auerbach
4–3
Philadelphia Warriors
Frank McGuire

1963
Boston Celtics†
Red Auerbach
4–3
Cincinnati Royals
Charles Wolf

1964
Boston Celtics†
Red Auerbach
4–1
Cincinnati Royals
Jack McMahon

1965
Boston Celtics†
Red Auerbach
4–3
Philadelphia 76ers
Dolph Schayes

1966
Boston Celtics
Red Auerbach
4–1
Philadelphia 76ers†
Dolph Schayes

1967
Philadelphia 76ers†
Alex Hannum
4–1
Boston Celtics
Bill Russell

1968
Boston Celtics
Bill Russell
4–3
Philadelphia 76ers†
Alex Hannum

Looking at the given table as well as the background passages provided at the end.

Answer the following question: What is the nickname of the coach with two championship wins and three runner-ups , and was the coach of a team in the first year of its national franchise ? Output only the correct answer as {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Base your answer solely on the given information.

The 1949 BAA playoffs was the postseason tournament following the Basketball Association of America 1948-49 season , its third and last . ( Later that year the BAA and National Basketball League merged to create the National Basketball Association or NBA . ) The tournament concluded with the Western Division champion Minneapolis Lakers defeating the Eastern Division champion Washington Capitols 4 games to 2 in the BAA Finals . The eight qualified teams began tournament play on Tuesday and Wednesday , March 22 and 23 , and the Finals concluded on Wednesday , April 13 . Minneapolis and Washington played 10 and 11 games in a span of 22 days ; their six final games in ten days . Prior to their final series , however , Minneapolis had been idle for five days , Washington for only one day .
The 1948-49 BAA season was the Capitols ' 3rd season in the NBA/BAA . They became the first team to win 15 straight games to start the season , an NBA record , which was since tied 45 years later by the Houston Rockets in 1993 before Golden State Warriors surpassed it in 2015 .
Arnold Jacob Red Auerbach ( September 20 , 1917 - October 28 , 2006 ) was an American basketball coach of the Washington Capitols , the Tri-Cities Blackhawks and , most notably , the Boston Celtics . After he retired from coaching , he served as president and front office executive of the Celtics until his death . As a coach , he won 938 games ( a record at his retirement ) and nine National Basketball Association ( NBA ) championships in ten seasons ( a number surpassed only by Phil Jackson , who won 11 in eighteen seasons ) . As general manager and team president of the Celtics , he won an additional seven NBA titles , for a grand total of 16 in a span of 29 years , making him one of the most successful team officials in the history of North American professional sports . Auerbach is remembered as a pioneer of modern basketball , redefining basketball as a game dominated by team play and defense and for introducing the fast break as a potent offensive weapon . He groomed many players who went on to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame . Additionally , Auerbach was vital in breaking down color barriers in the NBA . He made history by drafting the first African-American NBA player , Chuck Cooper in 1950 , introduced the first African-American starting five in 1964 , and hired the first African-American head coach in North American sports ( Bill Russell in 1966 ) . Famous for his polarizing nature , he was well known for smoking a cigar when he thought a victory was assured , a habit that became , for many , the ultimate symbol of victory during his Boston tenure . In 1967 , the NBA Coach of the Year award , which he had won in 1965 , was named the Red Auerbach Trophy , and Auerbach was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1969 . In 1980 , he was named the greatest coach in the history of the NBA by the Professional Basketball Writers Association of America , and was NBA Executive of the Year in 1980 . In addition , Auerbach was voted one of the NBA 10 Greatest Coaches in history , was inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame , and is honored with a retired number 2 jersey in the TD Garden , the home of the Boston Celtics .
The 1948-49 New York Knicks season was the third season for the team in the Basketball Association of America ( BAA ) , which later became the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . The Knicks had a 32-28 record in 1948-49 and finished second in the Eastern Division , six games behind the Washington Capitols . New York qualified for the playoffs , and defeated the Baltimore Bullets 2-1 in a best-of-three series to earn a place in the Eastern Division Finals . In the division championship series , the Knicks lost to the Capitols , two games to one . Before the 1949-50 season , the BAA merged with the National Basketball League to form the NBA .
Joseph Bohomiel Lapchick ( April 12 , 1900 - August 10 , 1970 ) was an American professional basketball player , mostly known for playing with the Original Celtics in the 1920s and 1930s . He is commonly regarded as the best center of his era , overshadowed ( if anything ) in his later years only by Tarzan Cooper . After ending his playing career in 1937 , Lapchick became head coach at St. John 's University , a position he held until 1947 , when he took over the New York Knicks in the NBA . Lapchick coached the Knicks until 1957 , leading them to three consecutive NBA Finals appearances ( 1951-53 ) . He returned to St. John 's , coaching them until 1965 .
The 1950 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the inaugural National Basketball Association 1949-50 season . The tournament concluded with the Central Division champion Minneapolis Lakers defeating the Eastern Division champion Syracuse Nationals 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals . Twelve teams qualified for the playoffs . Including tiebreaker games that preceded two of the six first-round series , they began play on Monday to Wednesday , March 20 to 22 , and the best-of-seven Finals concluded in game six on Sunday , April 23 . The champions played the greatest number of games , 13 in a span of 34 days , on a schedule including both back-to-back games and as many as six days off .
The 1949-50 Syracuse Nationals season was the first season for the franchise in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . The Nationals played their previous three seasons in the National Basketball League , which merged with the Basketball Association of America to form the NBA . Al Cervi , nicknamed Digger for his superior defensive skills , guided the team with his competitive nature while serving as a player-coach . As the Syracuse Post-Standard describes , The Nationals shot poorly but succeeded because they played Cervi-style basketball : nasty , with an emphasis on defense . The Nationals went to the NBA Finals after beating the Philadelphia Warriors and New York Knicks , but lost to the Minneapolis Lakers in six games .
Alfred Nicholas Cervi ( February 12 , 1917 - November 9 , 2009 ) was an American professional basketball player and coach in the National Basketball League ( NBL ) and National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . 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 . He earned the nickname Digger because of his hard-nosed style of defense .
The 1949-50 New York Knicks season was the fourth season for the team in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . In the regular season , the Knicks finished in second place in the Eastern Division , posting a 40-28 record and advancing to the NBA Playoffs . New York won its first round series against the Washington Capitols , 2-0 , to make it to the Eastern Division Finals . There , the team was defeated two games to one by the Syracuse Nationals .
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 . The Rochester Royals ( now the Sacramento Kings ) were royalty in their first nine seasons , from 1945-46 to 1954-54 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 .
The 1950-51 New York Knicks season was the fifth season for the team in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . In the regular season , the Knicks finished in third place in the Eastern Division , and their 36-30 record gave them a berth in the NBA Playoffs for the fifth consecutive year . New York faced the Boston Celtics in the first round of the Eastern Division playoffs , and won the best-of-three series 2-0 to advance to the division finals . In that series , the Knicks defeated the Syracuse Nationals 3-2 in a best-of-five series , earning the franchise 's first trip to the NBA Finals . The Rochester Royals faced the Knicks in the Finals , and won the first three games of the best-of-seven series . New York won the next three games to even up the series , but Rochester won the seventh game by a score of 79-75 .
The 1950-51 Syracuse Nationals season was the fifth season of the franchise and the second in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . In the regular season , the Nationals finished in fourth place in the Eastern Division and their 32-34 record gave them a berth in the NBA Playoffs . Syracuse faced the Philadelphia Warriors in the first round of the Eastern Division playoffs and won the best-of-three series 2-0 to advance to the division finals . In that series , the Nationals lost to the New York Knicks 2-3 in a best-of-five series .
The 1952 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association 's 1951-52 season . The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Minneapolis Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals . For the first time in NBA history , all teams that made the playoffs the year before meet again , but this time with different outcomes . This would happen again in 1957 , in 1966 , and then 1973 before a few more teams add to the playoffs in 1975 , 1977 and 1984 . The first NBA dynasty , the Lakers won their third NBA title in the last 4 years and what would become their first of 3 straight titles . If not for their division finals loss to the Rochester Royals the previous season , Minneapolis would have won 6 straight titles .
The 1951-52 New York Knicks season was the sixth season for the team in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . The Knicks finished third in the Eastern Division with a 37-29 record , and advanced to the NBA Playoffs for the sixth consecutive season . In the first round of the Eastern Division playoffs , the Knicks defeated the Boston Celtics in a best-of-three series , two games to one , to move on to the Eastern Division Finals . New York won 3-1 in a best-of-five series with the Syracuse Nationals to reach its second straight NBA Finals . In the Finals , the Knicks lost to the Minneapolis Lakers in seven games .
The 1951-52 NBA season was the Nationals ' third season in the NBA .
The 1953 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association 's 1952-53 season . The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Minneapolis Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals . The Lakers won their fourth championship in the last five years , and defeated the Knicks in the Finals for the second straight season to complete their run . Not only did the four Western Division teams meet for the third straight year , but the Eastern Division teams this year , had a slight change . The Philadelphia Warriors did not make the playoffs , but the Baltimore Bullets did . They would be swept by the Eastern Division champion New York Knicks in 2 games . The Indianapolis Olympians played their last game , a Game 2 loss to the Lakers in the first round . They folded at the end of the season , and major professional basketball did not return to Indianapolis , Indiana until the Indiana Pacers were founded for the inaugural 1967-68 season of the American Basketball Association . The Boston Celtics earned their first playoff series victory with a two-game sweep of the Syracuse Nationals . The 1952-53 Baltimore Bullets hold the distinction of having the worst regular-season record of any playoff qualifier in league history , at 16-54 .
The 1952-53 New York Knicks season was the seventh season for the team in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . With a 47-23 record , the Knicks won the regular season Eastern Division title by a half-game over the Syracuse Nationals and made the NBA Playoffs for the seventh consecutive year . In the first round of the 1953 NBA Playoffs , the Knicks swept the Baltimore Bullets 2-0 in a best-of-three series to advance to the Eastern Division Finals . There , New York defeated the Boston Celtics 3-1 to make the NBA Finals for the third straight year . In the Finals , the Knicks lost to the Minneapolis Lakers , four games to one .
The 1952-53 NBA season was the Celtics ' 7th season in the NBA .
The 1954 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association 's 1953-54 season . The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Minneapolis Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Syracuse Nationals 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals . For the Lakers , it was their third straight NBA title , and fifth in the last six years . With the folding of the Indianapolis Olympians after the previous year 's playoffs , leaving the NBA with nine teams , they resorted to a round-robin playoff format in 1954 for the only time in league history . Although the Minneapolis Lakers , Fort Wayne Pistons , Rochester Royals and Syracuse Nationals all play in different cities now ( Los Angeles , Detroit , Sacramento and Philadelphia respectively ) , this is the earliest NBA playoff in which every team that participated still exists today .
The 1953-54 Syracuse Nationals season was the fifth season for the franchise in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . In the Eastern Division Finals the Nationals swept the Boston Celtics two straight to make it to the NBA Finals . The Nationals would go on to lose the Finals in seven games to the Minneapolis Lakers .
The 1953-54 NBA season was the Celtics ' 8th season in the NBA .
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 did n'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 .
During the 1954-55 Syracuse Nationals season the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) was struggling financially and down to just 8 teams , Nationals owner Danny Biasone suggested that the league limit the amount of time taken for a shot . Biasone was upset with the stalling tactics of opposing teams . During the summer of 1954 , Biasone had gotten together some of his pros and a group of high school players and timed them with a stopwatch . Most shots were taken within 12 seconds , Biasone discovered . Biasone calculated that a 24-second shot clock would allow at least 30 shots per quarter and assist in increasing scoring . The result would speed up a game that often ended with long periods of teams just holding the ball . Quickness and athletic ability became prized as they never had been before . Excessive fouling did n't disappear completely , but just about everyone concluded that the clock was good for the game . The shot clock was a success with the result that 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 Eastern Division with a 43-29 record .
The 1954-55 NBA season was the Celtics ' 9th season in the NBA .
The 1956 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association 's 1955-56 season . The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia Warriors defeating the Western Conference champion Fort Wayne Pistons 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals . It was the Warriors ' second NBA title ; their first was in 1947 back when the NBA was known as the BAA . They would have to wait until 1975 to taste championship gold again ; by that time they had moved to the Bay Area and become the Golden State Warriors . Philadelphia 's later team , the Philadelphia 76ers , would win the title in 1967 . This was the Pistons ' second straight trip to the NBA Finals , but they would not make another appearance until 1988 as the Detroit Pistons . No team from Indiana would return to the NBA Finals until the Indiana Pacers did so in 2000 .
The 1955-56 Philadelphia Warriors season George Senesky took over for Eddie Gottlieb as coach , the Warriors had a strong start by winning 12 of their first 16 games . Paul Arizin and Neil Johnston were among the league 's scoring leaders as the Warriors won the Eastern Division with a 45-27 record . The addition of rookie Tom Gola made the difference . In his first season Gola averaged 9.1 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game . In the Eastern Division Finals the Warriors beat the Syracuse Nationals in 5 games . In the NBA Finals , the Warriors won their 2nd Championship by beating the Fort Wayne Pistons 4 games to 1 .
George Lawrence Senesky ( April 4 , 1922 - June 25 , 2001 ) was an American professional basketball player and coach . A 6 ' 2 guard from Saint Joseph 's University , he played for eight seasons in the Basketball Association of America ( BAA ) and the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) , all with the Philadelphia Warriors . He later coached the franchise , from 1955 through to 1958 , winning the NBA title in 1956 .
The 1955-56 NBA season was the Nationals ' seventh season in the NBA .
The 1957 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association 's 1956-57 season . The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Division champion St. Louis Hawks 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals . It was the first title in Celtics history ; as of 2017 , they led the NBA in titles won with 17 . The Celtics and Hawks met in 4 out of 5 NBA Finals from 1957-1961 , with the Celtics winning 3 out of 4 . While the Hawks ' dominance of the Western Division was succeeded by the Los Angeles Lakers afterward , Boston missed the NBA Finals just once between 1957-1969 , and win the NBA title in every year but two . In the division semifinals , the Philadelphia Warriors were swept by the Syracuse Nationals 2-0 . This was the first time in NBA history that the defending champions were swept in the opening round . The next time the defending champions were swept in the opening round was in 2007 . It was also the only time in which the playoff series leading to the Final resulted in sweeps .
The 1956-57 Boston Celtics season was the 11th season for the franchise in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . The Celtics finished the season by winning their first NBA Championship .
The 1956-57 NBA season was the Nationals ' eighth season in the NBA .
Paul Norman Seymour ( January 30 , 1928 - May 5 , 1998 ) was an American professional basketball player and coach .
The 1958 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association 's 1957-58 season . The tournament concluded with the Western Division champion St. Louis Hawks defeating the Eastern Division champion Boston Celtics 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals . It was the second straight year the Celtics and Hawks met in the Finals ; they met four out of five years , with the Celtics winning three series and the Hawks one . This was the first ( and as of 2019 , only ) title in Hawks franchise history . St. Louis made it to the NBA Finals four times in five years between 1957-1961 , but since moving to Atlanta in 1968 , they have had considerably less success in the playoffs .
The 1957-58 Boston Celtics season was the 12th season for the Celtics in the NBA .
The 1957-58 NBA season was the Warriors ' 12th season in the NBA .
The 1959 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association 's 1958-59 season . The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Division champion Minneapolis Lakers 4 games to 0 in the NBA Finals . It was the Celtics ' second NBA championship . This was the first NBA Finals matchup between the Lakers and Celtics ; as of 2020 , they have met in the Finals 12 times . Boston won the first eight NBA Finals series of the rivalry , spanning 3 decades - the 1950s , 1960s and 1980s - before the Lakers finally defeated Boston for the title in 1985 and again in 1987 . Boston again topped the Lakers in 2008 , but the Lakers gained revenge in 2010 .
The 1958-59 Boston Celtics season was the 13th season for the franchise in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . The Celtics finished the season by winning their second NBA Championship .
The 1958-59 NBA season was the Nationals ' tenth season in the NBA .
The 1960 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association 's 1959-60 season . The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Division champion St. Louis Hawks 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals . This was the second straight and third overall NBA title for Boston , who got revenge for the Hawks ' win over them in 1958 . The 1960 Finals was the third Celtics-Hawks Finals in the past four years .
The 1959-60 Boston Celtics season was the 14th season for the franchise in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . The Celtics finished the season by winning their third NBA Championship .
Overbrook High School phenom Wilt Chamberlain joined the Warriors . Chamberlain would have an immediate impact as he won the Rookie of the Year Award and the NBA Most Valuable Player . He led the league in scoring and rebounds . He averaged 37.6 points per game and 27.0 rebounds per game . The Warriors finished in 2nd place with a 49-26 record . In the playoffs , the Warriors played the Syracuse Nationals . The Warriors beat them 2 games to 1 . In the Eastern Finals , Chamberlain was matched against Bill Russell . In the end , the Boston Celtics would emerge victorious in 6 games .
Frank Joseph McGuire ( November 8 , 1913 - October 11 , 1994 ) was an American basketball coach . At the collegiate level , he was head coach for three major programs : St. John 's , North Carolina , and South Carolina , winning over a hundred games at each .
The 1961 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association 's 1960-61 season . The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Division champion St. Louis Hawks 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals . The Lakers made the playoffs for the first time after moving to Los Angeles . They were one game away from their first Finals in L.A. as the St. Louis Hawks defeat them . For the Celtics , it was their third straight NBA title and fourth overall . This would be the last Finals appearance for the Hawks franchise to date ; though they still exist in the NBA as the Atlanta Hawks , they have yet to return to the Finals as of 2019 .
The 1960-61 Boston Celtics season was the 15th season for the franchise in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . The Celtics finished the season by winning their fourth NBA Championship .
The 1960-61 NBA season was the Nationals ' 12th season in the NBA .
Alexander Murray Hannum ( July 19 , 1923 - January 18 , 2002 ) was a professional basketball player and coach . Hannum coached two National Basketball Association ( NBA ) teams and one American Basketball Association ( ABA ) team to championships . In 1998 Hannum was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach .
The 1962 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association 's 1961-62 season . The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Division champion Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals . The Celtics won their 4th straight title to become the first ( and as of 2021 , only ) NBA team to do so . Boston 's Game 7 victory occurred in OT , with Bill Russell tying his own Finals record with 40 rebounds . This was the second NBA Finals played between the Celtics and Lakers , but it was the first one the Lakers played in since they moved to Los Angeles . Though the NBA has existed since 1947 , this is the earliest NBA Finals played between two teams that still reside in their present ( 2020 ) locations .
The 1961-62 NBA season was the Celtics ' 16th season in the NBA . The Celtics finished the season by winning their fifth NBA Championship . And also , the Celtics became the first team in NBA History to have reached 60 wins in the regular season after winning 60 wins . It is a record that stood for 3 seasons when the Celtics also broke the record when they reach 62 wins in 1964-65 season .
The 1961-62 Philadelphia Warriors season was the sixteenth season for the National Basketball Association franchise in Philadelphia , and the last before their relocation to San Francisco , California , for the following season . Wilt Chamberlain had perhaps the most dominating season in NBA history . Chamberlain led the league with an NBA record 50.4 points per game . In one eight-day stretch in January , Chamberlain participated in three games , where he scored at least 63 points . On March 2 , 1962 , the Warriors played the New York Knicks in Hershey , Pennsylvania . Chamberlain had one of the most dominating performances in NBA history as he notched 100 points before 4,124 fans . The game was actually played at the Warriors training facility . Despite his high scoring , Wilt would not win the NBA MVP . The award was given to Bill Russell . The Warriors finished 2nd behind Russell 's Boston Celtics with a 49-31 record . In the playoffs , the Warriors would defeat the Syracuse Nationals in five games . Russell and Chamberlain would meet in the Eastern Division Finals .
The 1963 NBA playoffs were the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association 's 1962-63 season . The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Division champion Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals . The Celtics won their 5th straight and 6th overall , NBA title . Boston defeated L.A. in the NBA Finals for the second straight year , something that happened regularly in the 1960s . The Cincinnati Royals advanced to the Division Finals for the first time since 1952 , extending the Celtics to seven games . This was the last playoff appearance for the Syracuse Nationals under that name ; they moved to Philadelphia , Pennsylvania the following season and became known as the Philadelphia 76ers . This was the first time that both Division Finals series went to a deciding Game 7 , and will be the last until 1979 and again until 2018 .
The 1962-63 NBA season was the Celtics ' 17th season in the NBA . The Celtics finished the season by winning their sixth NBA Championship .
The 1962-63 Cincinnati Royals season was the team 's 15th season in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) and its sixth in Cincinnati . The Royals were shifted from the Western Division into the Eastern Division before the start of the season because the Philadelphia Warriors had relocated to San Francisco . In their first season in the Eastern Division , the Royals posted a 42-38 record and finished in 3rd place . The season saw the Royals challenged by a rival league , the American Basketball League run by Abe Saperstein , like few NBA teams ever have been . Larry Staverman and Win Wilfong had left the team for the new league . # 1 draft picks Larry Siegfried and Jerry Lucas were both also signed away by the ABL . These key losses would later greatly affect the team 's playoffs result . Lucas was particularly missed by Cincinnati fans . Oscar Robertson nonetheless led a balanced and solid Royals five that year , supported by Wayne Embry , Jack Twyman , Bob Boozer and Bucky Bockhorn . Draft pick Adrian Smith had arrived and joined Tom Hawkins and Hub Reed at the head of the bench . Robertson posted 28.3 points per game , and his league-leading assists total was twice that of all but one other NBA player . He sank the second-most free throws in the league , and was a strong third on the Royals in rebounds .
Charles Charlie Anthony Wolf ( born May 7 , 1926 ) is a former professional basketball coach . He coached two National Basketball Association ( NBA ) teams : the Cincinnati Royals from 1960 through 1963 and the Detroit Pistons from 1963 through 1964 . While living in Fort Thomas , Kentucky , Wolf graduated from St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati in 1944 and from Xavier University . He coached basketball at Villa Madonna College ( now Thomas More University ) before becoming an NBA coach .
The 1964 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association 's 1963-64 season . The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Division champion San Francisco Warriors 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals . Boston earned their 6th straight and 7th overall NBA title , as they continued to dominate the decade ; except for 1967 , they won every NBA title in the 1960s . This was the San Francisco Warriors ' first trip to the NBA Finals since 1956 when they were based in Philadelphia ; they would make a repeat appearance in 1967 and ( as the Golden State Warriors ) would earn the franchise 's third championship in 1975 . The Philadelphia 76ers earned their first playoff appearance in their new city ; they had been founded as the independent Syracuse Nationals in 1939 and joined the NBL in 1946 .
The 1963-64 NBA season was the Celtics ' 18th season in the NBA . The Celtics finished the season by winning their seventh NBA Championship .
The 1963-64 season was the Royals 16th season in the NBA and its seventh in Cincinnati . The Royals finished in 2nd place with a 55-25 record , the second best record in the NBA . The team 's outstanding roster included Oscar Robertson , Jerry Lucas , Team Captain Wayne Embry , Jack Twyman , Bucky Bockhorn , Bob Boozer , Tom Hawkins , Adrian Smith , Bud Olsen , Larry Staverman and coach Jack McMahon . The team is noteworthy for having both the NBA MVP in Robertson and the NBA Rookie of the Year in Lucas , a rare occurrence in NBA history . The team played most of their home games at Cincinnati Gardens arena , but also hosted home games that season in Dayton , Lima , Columbus at Saint John arena and Cleveland at Cleveland Arena . In the playoffs the Royals defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in a 5-game series , but both Lucas and Olsen would be lost to injury . In the Eastern Conference Final , the Royals were eliminated by the Boston Celtics , who triumphed in 5 games .
John Joseph McMahon ( December 3 , 1928 - June 11 , 1989 ) was a professional basketball player and coach . A 6 ' 1 guard from St. John 's University , McMahon was selected by the Rochester Royals in the 1952 NBA draft . He played eight seasons in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) , for Rochester and the St. Louis Hawks . McMahon became a successful coach in the American Basketball League , the NBA and the American Basketball Association ( ABA ) , with eleven seasons as a head coach in the three leagues . His first coaching stint was with the Kansas City Steers of the ABL ( 1961-62 season ) . The following season , he began coaching in the NBA with the Chicago Zephyrs in the 1962-63 season . He would also coach the Cincinnati Royals , the San Diego Rockets , and the ABA 's Pittsburgh Condors .
The 1965 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association 's 1964-65 season . The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Division champion Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals . Boston won its seventh consecutive NBA title and eighth overall while handing the Lakers their fourth straight Finals loss in the process . This was the first playoff appearance for the Baltimore Bullets , who had begun play in the 1961-62 season as the Chicago Packers .
The 1964-65 NBA season was the Celtics ' 19th season in the NBA . The Celtics finished the season by winning their eighth NBA Championship , defeating the Los Angeles Lakers in five games . In 1996 , the team was named one of the 10 greatest teams in NBA history . In addition five players were inducted into the Hall of Fame - K.C . Jones , Sam Jones , Tom Heinsohn , Bill Russell , and John Havlicek . Sam Jones , Havlicek , and Russell were selected as among the NBA 's 50 greatest players . Both Red Auerbach and John Thompson were elected into the Hall of Fame as coaches .
The 1964-65 NBA season was the 76ers 16th season in the NBA and 2nd season in Philadelphia . The team made a major trade to obtain the services of Wilt Chamberlain during the middle of the season . In the playoffs they took the Boston Celtics to a seventh and decisive game . With the Sixers down 110-109 , and only 5 seconds on the clock , Hal Greer inbounded the ball , and John Havlicek made a play for the ages when he stole the inbound pass , and the Celtics went on to win the game , and eventually their 7th consecutive championship .
Adolph Schayes ( May 19 , 1928 - December 10 , 2015 ) was an American professional basketball player and coach in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . A top scorer and rebounder , he was a 12-time NBA All-Star and a 12-time All-NBA selection . Schayes won an NBA championship with the Syracuse Nationals in 1955 . He was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History and inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame . Schayes played his entire career with the Nationals and their successor , the Philadelphia 76ers , from 1948 to 1964 . In his 16-year career , he led his team into the playoffs 15 times . After the Nationals moved to Philadelphia , Schayes became player-coach of the newly-minted 76ers . He retired after the 1963-64 season and stayed on as coach for two more seasons , earning NBA Coach of the Year honors in 1966 . He briefly coached with the Buffalo Braves .
The 1966 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association 's 1965-66 season . The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Division champion Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals . The Celtics won their eighth consecutive NBA title and ninth overall , defeating the Lakers in the Finals for a fifth straight time . This was the last NBA playoffs under the top team in each division gets a first-round bye format established in the 1955 NBA playoffs ; the 1967 NBA playoffs featured an eight-team tournament with no first-round byes .
The 1965-66 Boston Celtics season was their 20th in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . On October 29 , 1965 , Sam Jones set a Celtics single-game scoring record with 51 , against the Detroit Pistons . His record would last until Larry Bird 's 53 in 1983 . The Celtics won their 8th title in a row , which still stands as a record for the most titles in a row . The Celtics defeated the Lakers 4 games to 3 .
The 1965-66 NBA season was the 76ers 17th season in the NBA and 3rd season in Philadelphia . The Sixers would capture the regular season division championship by a game over the Boston Celtics . However , in the Eastern Conference Finals , they would lose to the Celtics in five games . After the series , Dolph Schayes was fired , and Alex Hannum would take over as the new coach .
The 1967 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association 's 1966-67 season . The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Philadelphia 76ers defeating the Western Division champion San Francisco Warriors 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals . It was the 76ers ' second NBA title in franchise history ; their first had come in 1955 as the Syracuse Nationals . The Boston Celtics were denied the chance to win their ninth straight championship , though they would win the title the following two seasons . The expansion Chicago Bulls made the playoffs in their debut season , and the New York Knicks returned to the postseason for the first time since 1959 . It is the longest gap in Knicks franchise history , a record they matched when they missed the playoffs starting in 2004 and ending in 2011 . The 1967 NBA playoffs marked a change in the league 's playoff format ; every tournament since 1955 had given the top-ranked team in each division a first-round bye , but starting this season , the NBA upped the number of playoff teams to eight , thereby eliminating a first-round bye for the regular-season division champions .
The 1966-67 season of the Philadelphia 76ers was their 14th season in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) and their fourth since moving from Syracuse , as well as their final season at the Philadelphia Civic Center , before moving to the Spectrum in South Philadelphia , the next season . The season set a record in winning percentage and they won the NBA Finals for the franchise 's second championship and first in Philadelphia . The team was later chosen as the greatest individual team in 1980 for the NBA 35th Anniversary Team . During the off-season , the 76ers dismissed coach Dolph Schayes of Syracuse Nationals fame . Alex Hannum , the former 1950s power forward , who was the last man to coach a winner past Boston , was the new coach . The 43-year-old Hannum looked like he could still play , and often ran with the club in practice . [ citation needed ] Wilt Chamberlain 's eight assists per game set a record for centers and made him third in the NBA overall , while scoring 24 per game and again leading the NBA in rebounds and blocked shots . Shooting less , he made a league-record 68% of his shots ; his 875 free throw attempts , another league record , offset his percentage from the foul line . The 76ers also had three other players around the 20-point-per-game mark that season in Hal Greer with 22 points , and Chet Walker and Billy Cunningham , both with 19 points . The four players combined won a then-league-record 68 games together under Hannum 's watch . The team averaged a record 125 points per game , leading all teams in shooting accuracy . The 76ers started the season at 46-4 , which remains the best 50-game start in the NBA history ( tied in 2016 ) .
The 1966-67 NBA season was the Celtics ' 21st season in the NBA . The Celtics finished the season with a 60-21 record , the second best in the league . However , they lost to the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference Finals 4 games to 1 .
William Felton Russell ( born February 12 , 1934 ) is an American former professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) from 1956 to 1969 . A five-time NBA Most Valuable Player and a twelve-time All-Star , he was the centerpiece of the Celtics dynasty that won eleven NBA championships during his thirteen-year career . Russell and Henri Richard of the National Hockey League are tied for the record of the most championships won by an athlete in a North American sports league . Russell led the University of San Francisco to two consecutive NCAA championships in 1955 and 1956 , and he captained the gold-medal winning U.S. national basketball team at the 1956 Summer Olympics . Bill Russell is regarded by many as one of the greatest basketball players of all time . He is 6 ft 10 in ( 2.08 m ) tall , with a 7 ft 4 in ( 2.24 m ) wingspan . His shot-blocking and man-to-man defense were major reasons for the Celtics ' domination of the NBA during his career . Russell was equally notable for his rebounding abilities . He led the NBA in rebounds four times , had a dozen consecutive seasons of 1,000 or more rebounds , and remains second all-time in both total rebounds and rebounds per game . He is one of just two NBA players ( the other being prominent rival Wilt Chamberlain ) to have grabbed more than 50 rebounds in a game . Russell was never the focal point of the Celtics ' offense , but he did score 14,522 career points and provided effective passing . Russell played in the wake of black pioneers Earl Lloyd , Chuck Cooper , and Sweetwater Clifton , and he was the first black player to achieve superstar status in the NBA .
The 1968 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association 's 1967-68 season . The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Division champion Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals . The Celtics won their 10th NBA title , first under player/coach Bill Russell after Red Auerbach 's retirement . In the Eastern Division Finals , the Celtics became the first team in NBA history to rally from a 3-1 series deficit to win , as they knocked off the defending champion 76ers in 7 . In the West , the Lakers swept the Warriors in 4 games . It was the first time since 1954 that the top team in a division failed to make the Division Finals ; from 1955-1966 the league gave the regular-season division champion a first-round bye .
The 1967-68 Boston Celtics season was their 22nd in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) .
The 1967-68 season of the Philadelphia 76ers was their 15th season in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) and their fifth since moving from Syracuse , as well as their first season at their new home in South Philadelphia , The Spectrum . The 76ers finished the regular season with a record of 62-20 , and for the second straight year , had the best record in the entire NBA . In the playoffs , they eliminated the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals , 4 games to 2 . This series win proved costly , as Billy Cunningham , the sixth man , injured his non-shooting wrist and was out for the remainder of the playoffs . In the Eastern Conference Finals , the Sixers became the first team in NBA History to blow a 3-1 series lead and lost to the Boston Celtics in seven games . What was so damaging about this series loss were that Games 5 and 7 were at the Spectrum , and although Cunningham was not available , the team had the services of forward Johnny Green , a four time NBA All-Star in the 1960s and 1970s , to replace # 32 . After the season , head coach Alex Hannum resigned to take a position in the ABA , and Wilt Chamberlain was dealt to the Los Angeles Lakers for guard Archie Clark , center Darrall Imhoff , and forward Jerry Chambers ( who never played with the team ) . Philadelphia would win only a single home playoff game from 1969 to 1971 ( game six , 1971 playoffs vs. Baltimore , 0-7 for the remaining home games from 1969 to 1971 ) . It would be nine seasons until they won a single post-season series .