1961 NBA playoffs
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | March 14–April 11, 1961 |
| Season | 1960–61 |
| Teams | 6 |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Boston Celtics (4th title) |
| Runner-up | St. Louis Hawks |
| Semifinalists | |
The 1961 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the
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.
The Division Semifinals were extended from a best-of-three to a best-of-five series.
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 2024.
Bracket
| Division Semifinals | Division Finals | NBA Finals | |||||||||||
| E1 | Boston* | 4 | |||||||||||
| E3 | Syracuse | 3 | E3 | Syracuse | 1 | ||||||||
| E2 | Philadelphia | 0 | E1 | Boston* | 4 | ||||||||
| W1 | St. Louis* | 1 | |||||||||||
| W1 | St. Louis* | 4 | |||||||||||
| W3 | Detroit | 2 | W2 | Los Angeles | 3 | ||||||||
| W2 | Los Angeles | 3 | |||||||||||
- * Division winner
- Bold Series winner
- Italic Team with home-court advantage in NBA Finals
Division Semifinals
Eastern Division Semifinals
(2) Syracuse Nationals
March 14
|
Philadelphia Warriors 107
| ||
| Scoring by quarter: 34–24, 23–32, 29–19, 29–32 | ||
| 11 | Pts: Wilt Chamberlain 46 Rebs: Wilt Chamberlain 32 Asts: Tom Gola 7 | |
| Syracuse leads series, 1–0 | ||
Philadelphia Civic Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Attendance: 4,391 |
March 16
|
Syracuse Nationals 115
| ||
| Scoring by quarter: 22–26, 35–28, 22–39, 35–22 | ||
| 5 each | Pts: Hal Greer 26 Rebs: Dolph Schayes 14 Asts: Larry Costello 6 | |
| Syracuse leads series, 2–0 | ||
Onondaga War Memorial, Syracuse, New York Attendance: 5,304 |
March 18
|
Philadelphia Warriors 103
| ||
| Scoring by quarter: 31–22, 19–30, 27–30, 29–21 | ||
| 8 | Pts: Wilt Chamberlain 33 Rebs: Wilt Chamberlain 23 Asts: Gola, Rodgers 5 each | |
| Syracuse wins series, 3–0 | ||
Philadelphia Civic Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
This was the eighth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the 76ers/Nationals winning four of the first seven meetings.
| Philadelphia 76ers/ Syracuse Nationals leads 4–3 in all-time playoff series |
|---|
Western Division Semifinals
(2) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (3) Detroit Pistons
March 14
|
| Detroit Pistons 102, Los Angeles Lakers 120 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 25–30, 28–29, 23–34, 26–27 | ||
| 11 | Pts: Elgin Baylor 40 Rebs: Ray Felix 21 | |
| Los Angeles leads series, 1–0 | ||
March 15
|
| Detroit Pistons 118, Los Angeles Lakers 127 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 24–30, 31–24, 28–37, 35–36 | ||
| 12 | Pts: Elgin Baylor 49 Rebs: Elgin Baylor 21 | |
| Los Angeles leads series, 2–0 | ||
March 17
|
| Los Angeles Lakers 113, Detroit Pistons 124 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 25–24, 25–42, 29–35, 34–23 | ||
Pts: Elgin Baylor 26 |
Pts: Bob Ferry 30 | |
| Los Angeles leads series, 2–1 | ||
March 18
|
| Los Angeles Lakers 114, Detroit Pistons 123 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 39–30, 21–27, 25–37, 29–29 | ||
Pts: Elgin Baylor 47 |
Pts: Gene Shue 29 | |
| Series tied, 2–2 | ||
March 19
|
| Detroit Pistons 120, Los Angeles Lakers 137 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 21–34, 25–27, 32–43, 42–33 | ||
| 16 | Pts: Elgin Baylor 35 Rebs: Baylor, Felix 15 each | |
| Los Angeles wins series, 3–2 | ||
This was the eighth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning six of the first seven meetings when the Lakers were in Minneapolis.
| Los Angeles leads 6–1 in all-time playoff series |
|---|
Division Finals
Eastern Division Finals
(1) Syracuse Nationals
March 19
|
Syracuse Nationals 115, Boston Celtics 128
| ||
| Scoring by quarter: 29–37, 27–22, 28–35, 31–34 | ||
| 6 each | Pts: Frank Ramsey 25 Asts: Bob Cousy 9 | |
| Boston leads series, 1–0 | ||
March 21
|
Syracuse Nationals 115
| ||
| Scoring by quarter: 21–28, 30–26, 20–33, 27–28 | ||
| 5 | Pts: Dolph Schayes 32 Asts: Larry Costello 9 | |
| Series tied, 1–1 | ||
Onondaga War Memorial, Syracuse, New York Attendance: 6,657 |
March 23
|
Syracuse Nationals 110, Boston Celtics 133
| ||
| Scoring by quarter: 27–35, 25–31, 29–42, 29–25 | ||
| 4 | Pts: Bill Sharman 30 Rebs: Bill Russell 39 Asts: Bob Cousy 12 | |
| Boston leads series, 2–1 | ||
March 25
|
Syracuse Nationals 107
| ||
| Scoring by quarter: 25–20, 32–25, 29–33, 34–29 | ||
| 9 | Pts: Dolph Schayes 23 Asts: Barnett, Costello 4 each | |
| Boston leads series, 3–1 | ||
Onondaga War Memorial, Syracuse, New York |
March 26
|
Syracuse Nationals 101, Boston Celtics 123
| ||
| Scoring by quarter: 25–23, 32–36, 26–29, 18–35 | ||
| : four players 4 each | Pts: Bill Sharman 27 Rebs: Bill Russell 33 Asts: Frank Ramsey 6 | |
| Boston wins series, 4–1 | ||
This was the eighth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Nationals winning four of the first seven meetings.
| Syracuse leads 4–3 in all-time playoff series |
|---|
Western Division Finals
(1) St. Louis Hawks vs. (2) Los Angeles Lakers
March 21
|
St. Louis Hawks 118
| ||
| Scoring by quarter: 34–29, 29–34, 27–27, 32–28 | ||
| 14 | Pts: Bob Pettit 28 Rebs: Bob Pettit 20 | |
| Los Angeles leads series, 1–0 | ||
March 22
|
St. Louis Hawks 121
| ||
| Scoring by quarter: 25–31, 31–31, 22–30, 28–29 | ||
| 9 | Pts: Clyde Lovellette 28 Rebs: Bob Pettit 19 | |
| Series tied, 1–1 | ||
March 24
|
St. Louis Hawks 112, Los Angeles Lakers 118
| ||
| Scoring by quarter: 28–29, 22–31, 28–29, 34–29 | ||
| 13 | Pts: Elgin Baylor 25 Rebs: Elgin Baylor 18 | |
| Los Angeles leads series, 2–1 | ||
March 25
|
St. Louis Hawks 118, Los Angeles Lakers 117
| ||
| Scoring by quarter: 28–26, 29–31, 31–29, 30–31 | ||
| 18 | Pts: Jerry West 33 Rebs: Elgin Baylor 15 | |
| Series tied, 2–2 | ||
March 27
|
St. Louis Hawks 112
| ||
| Scoring by quarter: 24–36, 33–25, 28–17, 36–34 | ||
| 20 | Pts: Cliff Hagan 26 Rebs: Bob Pettit 21 | |
| Los Angeles leads series, 3–2 | ||
March 29
|
St. Louis Hawks 114, Los Angeles Lakers 113 (OT)
| ||
| Scoring by quarter: 30–21, 29–23, 24–26, 17–30, Overtime: 14–13 | ||
| 21 | Pts: Elgin Baylor 39 Rebs: Elgin Baylor 21 | |
| Series tied, 3–3 | ||
April 1
|
St. Louis Hawks 105
| ||
| Scoring by quarter: 28–22, 20–27, 30–32, 25–24 | ||
| 12 each | Pts: Bob Pettit 31 Rebs: Bob Pettit 17 | |
| St. Louis wins series, 4–3 | ||
This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Hawks winning three of the first four meetings while the Lakers were based in Minneapolis.
| St. Louis leads 3–1 in all-time playoff series |
|---|
NBA Finals: (E1) Boston Celtics vs. (W1) St. Louis Hawks
April 2
|
St. Louis Hawks 95, Boston Celtics 129
| ||
| Scoring by quarter: 26–30, 22–26, 25–35, 22–38 | ||
| 4 each | Pts: Tom Heinsohn 26 Rebs: Bill Russell 31 Asts: Bob Cousy 7 | |
| Boston leads series, 1–0 | ||
April 5
|
St. Louis Hawks 108, Boston Celtics 116
| ||
| Scoring by quarter: 32–27, 20–26, 23–31, 33–32 | ||
| 6 | Pts: Bob Cousy 26 Rebs: Bill Russell 28 Asts: Bob Cousy 14 | |
| Boston leads series, 2–0 | ||
April 8
|
St. Louis Hawks 124
| ||
| Scoring by quarter: 31–28, 35–38, 31–32, 23–26 | ||
| 9 | Pts: Bob Pettit 31 Rebs: Bob Pettit 24 Asts: Si Green 7 | |
| Boston leads series, 2–1 | ||
April 9
|
St. Louis Hawks 104
| ||
| Scoring by quarter: 28–31, 24–25, 39–26, 28–22 | ||
| 12 | Pts: Bob Pettit 40 Rebs: Bob Pettit 18 Asts: Cliff Hagan 7 | |
| Boston leads series, 3–1 | ||
April 11
|
St. Louis Hawks 112, Boston Celtics 121
| ||
| Scoring by quarter: 39–33, 22–29, 23–37, 28–22 | ||
| 6 | Pts: Bill Russell 30 Rebs: Bill Russell 38 Asts: Bob Cousy 12 | |
| Boston wins series, 4–1 | ||
- Bill Sharman's final NBA game.
This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning two of the first three meetings.
| Boston leads 2–1 in all-time playoff series |
|---|
See also
- NBA records
References
- ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Golden State Warriors versus Philadelphia 76ers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
- ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Detroit Pistons versus Los Angeles Lakers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
- ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Philadelphia 76ers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
- ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Atlanta Hawks versus Los Angeles Lakers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
- ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Atlanta Hawks versus Boston Celtics (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved February 19, 2021.