NBA Champions ·
1955 Syracuse Nationals
The Syracuse Nationals won the 1955 NBA title, the first championship of the 24-second shot clock era, a clock their own owner Danny Biasone had pushed the league to adopt. Dolph Schayes led them at 18.5 points and 12 rebounds a game. They beat the Fort Wayne Pistons in a seven-game Finals decided by a single point in the last game.
Syracuse went 43-29 and finished first in the Eastern Division. Al Cervi coached. The Nationals had the best defense in the league and a deep, physical roster built around Schayes.
Schayes, a 6-8 forward with a soft outside shot and relentless rebounding, made the All-NBA first team. Captain Paul Seymour ran the offense at 14.6 points and led the team in assists. Red Rocha and rookie Red Kerr split the center work, and Earl Lloyd gave them defense and rebounding on the wing.
Syracuse beat the Boston Celtics in the Eastern finals, then met Fort Wayne for the title. The series went seven. In the decider George King sank a free throw for a 92-91 lead in the final seconds, then stole the ball to end it.
Biasone had helped invent the 24-second clock and convinced the NBA to use it that season, and his team won the first title under it. Earl Lloyd and Jim Tucker, both on this roster, became the first Black players to win an NBA championship. The franchise later moved to Philadelphia and became the 76ers.
Championship roster
Featured in Ring Holders Club
| Player | Role | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Paul Arizin | SF | 90 |
| Dolph Schayes | PF | 92 |
| George King | SG | 78 |
| Red Kerr | C | 80 |
| Jack George | PG | 80 |
| Earl Lloyd | 6th man | 74 |
| Al Cervi | Coach | 85 |
Ratings are year-specific curated estimates for Ring Holders Club, not official NBA stats.
Rest of the roster
| Player | Pos | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Paul Seymour | G | captain and assist leader, All-NBA second team |
| Red Rocha | C | |
| Connie Simmons | C | |
| Billy Kenville | G | |
| Dick Farley | G | rookie |
| Jim Tucker | F | one of the first Black players to win an NBA title |