| ||||||||||
| Dates | April 7–21 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hall of Famers | Royals: Bob Davies (1970) Red Holzman (1986, coach) Bobby Wanzer (1987) Arnie Risen (1998) Knicks: Harry Gallatin (1991) Dick McGuire (1993) Nat Clifton (2014) Coaches: Joe Lapchick (1966, player) Les Harrison (1980, contributor) Officials: Pat Kennedy (1959) | |||||||||
| Eastern finals | Knicks defeatedNationals, 3–2 | |||||||||
| Western finals | Royals defeatedLakers, 3–1 | |||||||||
| ||||||||||
The1951 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the1951 NBA Playoffs, which concluded theNational Basketball Association1950–51 season. TheWestern Division championRochester Royals faced theEastern Division championNew York Knicks in a best-of-seven series with Rochester having home-court advantage.
Rochester won the first three games, two at home, but New York won the next three, two at home. It was the first BAA or NBA Finals (spanning 1947 to 1951)[a] that extended to a seventh-game conclusion, a 4-point win by Rochester at home on Saturday, April 21.
The seven games were played in fifteen days, beginning Saturday and Sunday, April 7 and 8, in Rochester and incorporating one game in Rochester on each following weekend. Three Wednesday or Friday games were played in New York City. The entire postseason tournament spanned 33 days in which both Rochester and New York played 14 games.[1]
The Royals appeared in their first NBA finals by defeating theFort Wayne Pistons in the semifinals and the two-time defending championMinneapolis Lakers in the division finals while the Knicks defeated theBoston Celtics in the semifinals and theSyracuse Nationals in the division finals. This was the first finals appearance for both teams, and the first Finals with two teams that had not made a finals appearance since the1947 BAA Finals.
| Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head coach Legend
|
| Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head coach Legend
|
| Game | Date | Home team | Result | Road team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | April 7 | Rochester Royals | 92–65 (1–0) | New York Knicks |
| Game 2 | April 8 | Rochester Royals | 99–84 (2–0) | New York Knicks |
| Game 3 | April 11 | New York Knicks | 71–78 (0–3) | Rochester Royals |
| Game 4 | April 13 | New York Knicks | 79–73 (1–3) | Rochester Royals |
| Game 5 | April 15 | Rochester Royals | 89–92 (3–2) | New York Knicks |
| Game 6 | April 18 | New York Knicks | 80–73 (3–3) | Rochester Royals |
| Game 7 | April 21 | Rochester Royals | 79–75 (4–3) | New York Knicks |
Royals win series 4–3
The Rochester / Cincinnati Royals / Kansas City / Sacramento Kings won their first ever NBA Championship.
April 7 |
| New York Knicks 65,Rochester Royals92 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 18–24, 16–27, 16–21, 15–20 | ||
| Pts:Vince Boryla 13 Rebs:Simmons,Clifton 10 each Asts:Ernie Vandeweghe 4 | Pts:Arnie Risen 24 Rebs:Arnie Risen 15 Asts:Bobby Wanzer 9 | |
| Rochester leads series, 1–0 | ||
April 8 |
| New York Knicks 84,Rochester Royals99 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 17–26, 21–21,28–26, 18–26 | ||
| Pts:Max Zaslofsky 28 Rebs:Harry Gallatin 17 Asts:Vince Boryla 7 | Pts:Bob Davies 24 Rebs:Jack Coleman 28 Asts:Jack Coleman 8 | |
| Rochester leads series, 2–0 | ||
April 11 |
| Rochester Royals78,New York Knicks 71 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 15–17,20–16,16–15,27–23 | ||
| Pts:Arnie Risen 27 Rebs:Arnie Risen 18 Asts:Bob Davies 8 | Pts:Vince Boryla 20 Rebs:Nat Clifton 11 Asts:Dick McGuire 7 | |
| Rochester leads series, 3–0 | ||
April 13 |
| Rochester Royals 73,New York Knicks79 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 10–21, 18–19,28–17, 17–22 | ||
| Pts:Arnie Risen 26 Rebs:Arnie Risen 20 Asts:Jack Coleman 9 | Pts:Harry Gallatin 22 Rebs:Nat Clifton 17 Asts:Zaslofsky,Clifton 6 each | |
| Rochester leads series, 3–1 | ||
April 15 |
| New York Knicks92,Rochester Royals 89 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 25–28, 19–21,29–21, 19–19 | ||
| Pts:Connie Simmons 26 Rebs:Nat Clifton 10 Asts:Nat Clifton 7 | Pts:Bobby Wanzer 21 Rebs:Arnie Risen 14 Asts:Bob Davies 10 | |
| Rochester leads series, 3–2 | ||
April 18 |
| Rochester Royals 73,New York Knicks80 | ||
| Scoring by quarter:21–19, 17–19, 12–15, 23–27 | ||
| Pts:Arnie Johnson 27 Rebs:Arnie Johnson 15 Asts:Jack Coleman 8 | Pts:Max Zaslofsky 23 Rebs:Ernie Vandeweghe 8 Asts:Dick McGuire 6 | |
| Series tied, 3–3 | ||
April 21 |
| New York Knicks 75,Rochester Royals79 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 16–22, 18–18,26–22, 15–17 | ||
| Pts:Zaslofsky,Boryla 16 each Rebs:Harry Gallatin 10 Asts:Ernie Vandeweghe 5 | Pts:Arnie Risen 24 Rebs:Arnie Risen 13 Asts:Jack Coleman 9 | |
| Rochester wins series, 4–3 | ||
The Knicks led 74–72 with under three minutes later but Arnie Risen andBob Davies (who combined for 44 points scored in the game) managed to draw quick shots and free throws in the final minutes to give the Royals a 79–75 victory. Contrary to today's practices, there was no trophy presentation or a parade.[2]
This was the first and to date last title for the Rochester Royals, who would move toCincinnati, Ohio for the1958 season. The Royals would spend 15 years mired in mediocrity before moving toKansas City, Missouri in 1972, changing their name in the process to the Kings. One notable highlight was their appearance in the1981 NBA Playoffs, in which their 40–42 team reached the Western Conference Finals before losing to theHouston Rockets, who also had a 40–42 record. The Kings moved toSacramento, California in 1985, where they have remained to this day. The team reached the Western Conference Finals in2002, where they lost in seven games to theLos Angeles Lakers in a highly controversial series.[3] The Kings’ 2002 Western Conference Final run was the closest the team got to reaching the NBA Finals in the modern era. The Royals/Kings have the longest NBA title drought, the longest NBA Finals appearance drought, the longest active championship round appearance drought in all four of the American major pro sports leagues, and the third longest championship drought in North American sports.[4]
This would be the Knicks first of three consecutive appearances in the Finals, but they would lose all three times. They would not return to the Finals until1970, which they won.
| 1940s |  | |
|---|---|---|
| 1950s | ||
| 1960s | ||
| 1970s | ||
| 1980s | ||
| 1990s | ||
| 2000s | ||
| 2010s | ||
| 2020s | ||
See also:WNBA Finals | ||
