1958 NBA playoffs

1958 NBA playoffs
Tournament details
DatesMarch 15–April 12, 1958
Season1957–58
Teams6
Final positions
ChampionsSt. Louis Hawks (1st title)
Runner-upBoston Celtics
Semifinalists
← 1957
1959 →

The 1958 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1957-58 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Division champion St. Louis Hawks defeating the Eastern Division champion Boston Celtics 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals.

It was the second straight year the Celtics and Hawks met in the Finals; they met four out of five years, with the Celtics winning three series and the Hawks one.

This was the first (and as of 2024, only) title in Hawks franchise history. St. Louis made it to the NBA Finals four times in five years between 1957–1961, but since moving to Atlanta in 1968, they have had considerably less success in the playoffs.

Bracket

  • * Division winner
  • Bold Series winner
  • Italic Team with home-court advantage in NBA Finals

Division Semifinals

Eastern Division Semifinals

(2) Syracuse Nationals vs. (3) Philadelphia Warriors

March 15
Philadelphia Warriors 82, Syracuse Nationals 86
Scoring by quarter: 20–31, 24–18, 22–18, 16–19
Pts: Paul Arizin 24
Rebs: Graboski, Gola 13 each
Asts: Jack George 5		 Pts: Dolph Schayes 22
Rebs: Red Kerr 22
Asts: Schayes, Costello 4 each
Syracuse leads series, 1–0
March 16
Syracuse Nationals 93, Philadelphia Warriors 95
Scoring by quarter: 16–21, 22–25, 29–23, 26–26
Pts: Dolph Schayes 32
Rebs: Red Kerr 20
Asts: Paul Seymour 4		 Pts: Joe Graboski 23
Rebs: Woody Sauldsberry 14
Asts: George, Gola 5 each
Series tied, 1–1
March 18
Philadelphia Warriors 101, Syracuse Nationals 88
Scoring by quarter: 26–27, 25–19, 24–27, 26–15
Pts: Paul Arizin 25
Rebs: Joe Graboski 15
Asts: Joe Graboski 7		 Pts: Dolph Schayes 26
Rebs: Red Kerr 19
Asts: Larry Costello 7
Philadelphia wins series, 2–1

This was the sixth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the 76ers/Nationals winning four of the first five meetings.

Western Division Semifinals

(2) Detroit Pistons vs. (3) Cincinnati Royals

March 15
Cincinnati Royals 83, Detroit Pistons 100
Scoring by quarter: 18–32, 18–24, 29–19, 18–25
Pts: Clyde Lovellette 15 Pts: George Yardley 29
Detroit leads series, 1–0
March 16
Detroit Pistons 124, Cincinnati Royals 104
Scoring by quarter: 29–20, 28–27, 28–27, 39–30
Pts: Yardley, Dukes 24 each Pts: Jack Twyman 24
Detroit wins series, 2–0

This was the sixth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Royals winning three of the first five meetings while the Pistons were based in Fort Wayne and the Royals were based in Rochester.

Division Finals

Eastern Division Finals

(1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia Warriors

March 19
Philadelphia Warriors 98, Boston Celtics 107
Scoring by quarter: 20–33, 25–26, 24–25, 29–23
Pts: Woody Sauldsberry 25
Rebs: Woody Sauldsberry 12
Asts: Paul Arizin 5		 Pts: Bob Cousy 29
Rebs: Bill Russell 25
Asts: Bob Cousy 8
Boston leads series, 1–0
March 22
Boston Celtics 109, Philadelphia Warriors 87
Scoring by quarter: 18–21, 30–28, 30–21, 31–17
Pts: Bill Sharman 32
Rebs: Bill Russell 28
Asts: Sharman, Cousy 4 each		 Pts: Paul Arizin 25
Rebs: Joe Graboski 15
Asts: George, Beck 4 each
Boston leads series, 2–0
March 23
Philadelphia Warriors 92, Boston Celtics 106
Scoring by quarter: 28–26, 20–22, 20–28, 24–30
Pts: Paul Arizin 25
Rebs: Joe Graboski 15
Asts: Joe Graboski 8		 Pts: Bill Sharman 27
Rebs: Bill Russell 40
Asts: Bob Cousy 14
Boston leads series, 3–0
March 26
Boston Celtics 97, Philadelphia Warriors 112
Scoring by quarter: 16–23, 25–22, 29–34, 27–33
Pts: Tom Heinsohn 20
Rebs: Bill Russell 21
Asts: Cousy, Ramsey 5 each		 Pts: Gola, Arizin 31 each
Rebs: Neil Johnston 17
Asts: Neil Johnston 7
Boston leads series, 3–1
March 27
Philadelphia Warriors 88, Boston Celtics 93
Scoring by quarter: 15–20, 29–21, 23–25, 21–27
Pts: Paul Arizin 28
Rebs: Woody Sauldsberry 18
Asts: Tom Gola 6		 Pts: Heinsohn, Ramsey 22 each
Rebs: Bill Russell 30
Asts: Bob Cousy 5
Boston wins series, 4–1

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.[3]

Western Division Finals

(1) St. Louis Hawks vs. (2) Detroit Pistons

March 19
Detroit Pistons 111, St. Louis Hawks 114
Scoring by quarter: 30–23, 32–35, 28–26, 21–30
Pts: Gene Shue 29 Pts: Cliff Hagan 38
St. Louis leads series, 1–0
Kiel Auditorium, St. Louis, Missouri
Attendance: 7,328
Referees: Mendy Rudolph, Jim Duffy
March 22
St. Louis Hawks 99, Detroit Pistons 96
Scoring by quarter: 29–28, 32–22, 13–27, 25–19
Pts: Cliff Hagan 27 Pts: George Yardley 26
St. Louis leads series, 2–0
University of Detroit Fieldhouse, Detroit, Michigan
Referees: Mendy Rudolph, Jim Duffy
March 23
Detroit Pistons 109, St. Louis Hawks 89
Scoring by quarter: 35–21, 20–23, 23–15, 31–30
Pts: George Yardley 31 Pts: Cliff Hagan 29
St. Louis leads series, 2–1
Kiel Auditorium, St. Louis, Missouri
Attendance: 9,321
Referees: Mendy Rudolph, Jim Duffy
March 25
St. Louis Hawks 145, Detroit Pistons 101
Scoring by quarter: 40–20, 32–24, 31–26, 42–31
Pts: Cliff Hagan 28 Pts: Yardley, Dukes 16 each
St. Louis leads series, 3–1
March 27
Detroit Pistons 96, St. Louis Hawks 120
Scoring by quarter: 20–18, 22–31, 26–39, 28–32
Pts: Yardley, Dukes 18 each Pts: Cliff Hagan 32
St. Louis wins series, 4–1
Kiel Auditorium, St. Louis, Missouri
Attendance: 7,661
Referees: Mendy Rudolph, Jim Duffy

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Pistons winning the first meeting while being based in Fort Wayne.

NBA Finals: (E1) Boston Celtics vs. (W1) St. Louis Hawks

Main article: 1958 NBA Finals
March 29
St. Louis Hawks 104, Boston Celtics 102
Scoring by quarter: 17–23, 42–30, 21–30, 24–19
Pts: Cliff Hagan 33
Rebs: Bob Pettit 19		 Pts: Bob Cousy 27
Rebs: Bill Russell 29
St. Louis leads series, 1–0
Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
Attendance: 3,652
Referees: Arnie Heft, Mendy Rudolph
March 30
St. Louis Hawks 112, Boston Celtics 136
Scoring by quarter: 25–33, 35–35, 28–38, 24–30
Pts: Cliff Hagan 37
Rebs: Cliff Hagan 12		 Pts: Bob Cousy 25
Rebs: Bill Russell 27
Series tied, 1–1
Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
Attendance: 10,249
April 2
Boston Celtics 108, St. Louis Hawks 111
Scoring by quarter: 25–23, 24–26, 26–34, 33–28
Pts: Frank Ramsey 29
Rebs: Bill Russell 13		 Pts: Bob Pettit 32
Rebs: Bob Pettit 19
St. Louis leads series, 2–1
Kiel Auditorium, St. Louis, Missouri
Attendance: 10,148
April 5
Boston Celtics 109, St. Louis Hawks 98
Scoring by quarter: 25–16, 32–35, 27–20, 25–27
Pts: Bob Cousy 24
Rebs: three players 13 each		 Pts: Cliff Hagan 27
Rebs: Bob Pettit 17
Series tied, 2–2
Kiel Auditorium, St. Louis, Missouri
Attendance: 10,216
April 9
St. Louis Hawks 102, Boston Celtics 100
Scoring by quarter: 26–18, 32–25, 26–27, 18–30
Pts: Bob Pettit 33
Rebs: Bob Pettit 21		 Pts: Frank Ramsey 30
Rebs: Tom Heinsohn 20
St. Louis leads series, 3–2
Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
Attendance: 13,909
April 12
Boston Celtics 109, St. Louis Hawks 110
Scoring by quarter: 18–22, 34–35, 25–21, 32–32
Pts: Bill Sharman 26
Rebs: Arnie Risen 13		 Pts: Bob Pettit 50
Rebs: Bob Pettit 19
St. Louis wins series, 4–2
Kiel Auditorium, St. Louis, Missouri
Attendance: 10,216

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning the first meeting.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Golden State Warriors versus Philadelphia 76ers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  2. ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Detroit Pistons versus Sacramento Kings (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  3. ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Golden State Warriors (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  4. ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Atlanta Hawks versus Detroit Pistons (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  5. ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Atlanta Hawks versus Boston Celtics (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved February 19, 2021.