1948 BAA Playoffs

The **1948 BAA Playoffs** was the postseason tournament following the Basketball Association of America 1947–48 season. (Following its third, 1948–49 season, the BAA and National Basketball League merged to create the National Basketball Association or NBA.) The tournament concluded with the Baltimore Bullets defeating the Philadelphia Warriors 4 games to 2 in the BAA Finals.

The two Division champions and two teams involved in a 3-way tiebreaker began tournament play on Tuesday, March 23, and the Finals concluded on Wednesday, April 21. Baltimore and Philadelphia played 12 and 13 games in the span of 30 days; their six final games in 12 days.

1948 BAA playoffs
 Teams
 Champions

## Bracket

There were no byes. Western and Eastern champions St. Louis and Philadelphia immediately played a long semifinal series with St. Louis having home-court advantage. Philadelphia won the seventh game in St. Louis, 85–46, two days before Baltimore concluded its sequence of tie-breaker (not shown) and two short series with other runners-up.[1]

## Western Division tiebreaker

**Chicago Stags** vs. Washington Capitols: *Stags win series 1-0*

* **Game 1** @ Chicago (March 23): **Chicago 74**, Washington 70

Chicago Stags vs. **Baltimore Bullets**: *Bullets win series 1-0*

* **Game 1** @ Chicago (March 25): **Baltimore 75**, Chicago 72

## First Round

(W2) **Baltimore Bullets** vs. (E2) New York Knicks: *Bullets win series 2-1*

* **Game 1** @ Baltimore (March 27): **Baltimore 85**, New York 81
* **Game 2** @ New York (March 28): **New York 79**, Baltimore 69
* **Game 3** @ Baltimore (April 1): **Baltimore 84**, New York 77

This was the first playoff series between the Bullets and Knicks.

(E3) Boston Celtics vs. (W3) **Chicago Stags**: *Stags win series 2-1*

* **Game 1** @ Boston (March 28): **Chicago 79**, Boston 72
* **Game 2** @ Boston (March 31): **Boston 81**, Chicago 77
* **Game 3** @ Boston (April 2): **Chicago 81**, Boston 74

This was the first playoff series between the Celtics and Stags.

## Semifinals

(W1) St. Louis Bombers vs. (E1) **Philadelphia Warriors**: *Warriors win series 4-3*

* **Game 1** @ St. Louis (March 23): **St. Louis 60**, Philadelphia 58
* **Game 2** @ St. Louis (March 25): **Philadelphia 65**, St. Louis 64
* **Game 3** @ Philadelphia (March 27): **Philadelphia 84**, St. Louis 56
* **Game 4** @ Philadelphia (March 30): **St. Louis 56**, Philadelphia 51
* **Game 5** @ St. Louis (April 1): **St. Louis 69**, Philadelphia 62
* **Game 6** @ Philadelphia (April 3): **Philadelphia 84**, St. Louis 61
* **Game 7** @ St. Louis (April 6): **Philadelphia 85**, St. Louis 46

Last playoff meeting: 1947 BAA First Round (Philadelphia won 2-1)

(W2) **Baltimore Bullets** vs. (W3) Chicago Stags: *Bullets win series 2-0*

* **Game 1** @ Chicago (April 7): **Baltimore 73**, Chicago 67
* **Game 2** @ Baltimore (April 8): **Baltimore 89**, Chicago 72

This was the first playoff series between the Bullets and Stags.

## BAA Finals

Main article: 1948 BAA Finals

(E1) Philadelphia Warriors vs. (W2) **Baltimore Bullets**: *Bullets win series 4-2*

* **Game 1** @ Philadelphia (April 10): **Philadelphia 71**, Baltimore 60
* **Game 2** @ Philadelphia (April 13): **Baltimore 66**, Philadelphia 63
* **Game 3** @ Baltimore (April 15): **Baltimore 72**, Philadelphia 70
* **Game 4** @ Baltimore (April 17): **Baltimore 78**, Philadelphia 75
* **Game 5** @ Philadelphia (April 20): **Philadelphia 91**, Baltimore 82
* **Game 6** @ Baltimore (April 21): **Baltimore 88**, Philadelphia 73

This was the first playoff series between the Warriors and Bullets.