1954 NBA Finals
The 1954 NBA World Championship Series marked the conclusion of the National Basketball Association's 1953–54 campaign, pitting the Western Division champions, the Minneapolis Lakers, against the Eastern Division victors, the Syracuse Nationals. This best-of-seven matchup granted home-court advantage to Minneapolis. The Lakers achieved their third straight NBA championship and fifth title within a six-year span starting from 1949.
Following Minneapolis' victory in the opening game, the teams exchanged wins throughout the series. Ultimately, the Lakers secured the championship by a seven-point margin on their home floor. The seven contests unfolded over a period of thirteen days, from March 31 to April 12, as part of a 28-day postseason during which both squads competed in 13 games.
This triumph represented the final major professional sports championship for a Minneapolis-St. Paul franchise until the Minnesota Twins captured the 1987 World Series.
Series summary
| Game | Date | Home team | Result | Road team |
|---|
Lakers win series 4–3
Box scores
- Paul Seymour delivered a decisive shot from a distance of 43 feet with only seven seconds left on the clock.
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Television
The second game of the series was notable as the first NBA Finals contest broadcast live across the nation, transmitted by the DuMont network. DuMont also aired game five, featuring Marty Glickman as the play-by-play commentator alongside color analyst Lindsey Nelson.
External links
- 1954 Finals at NBA.com
- 1954 NBA Playoffs at Basketball-Reference.com