First NBA Title (1957)

Lore & Background

The Celtics and Hawks met in 4 out of 5 NBA Finals from 1957–1961, with the Celtics winning 3 out of 4. Boston missed the NBA Finals just once between 1957–1969, and won the NBA title in every year but two.

In Their Own Story

The air inside the Boston Garden was thick with tension, smelling of floor wax, sweat, and stale popcorn. It was late April 1957, and the clock had long stopped ticking on regulation time. Bob Cousy, his jersey soaked through, looked toward the sideline where Red Auerbach stood, arms crossed, eyes unblinking. On the court, Bill Russell was a force of nature, boxing out giants with a ferocity that defied physics. The St. Louis Hawks were grinding them down, but the Celtics' depth and speed were beginning to tell. In the final seconds of the second overtime, Ed Macauley drove into the paint, absorbing contact before laying the ball in. The buzzer sounded. A roar erupted from the stands that shook the rafters. Red didn't just smile; he exploded. He lit a cigar right there on the sideline, the smoke swirling into the arena lights as the first of eleven banners was raised.

Reader's Guide

In the Eastern Division Semifinals, the Syracuse Nationals swept the Philadelphia Warriors 2–0. In the Western Division Semifinals, the Minneapolis Lakers defeated the Fort Wayne Pistons. The Eastern Division Finals saw the Boston Celtics defeat the Syracuse Nationals. The Western Division Finals saw the St. Louis Hawks defeat the Minneapolis Lakers. The NBA Finals was the first playoff meeting between the Celtics and Hawks.

Did You Know?

• This was the first time in NBA history that the defending champions were swept in the opening round.
• It was the only time in which the playoff series leading to the Final resulted in sweeps.
• One of the NBA Finals Game 7s to go past the first overtime, though not the only one—others include the 1962 Finals Game 7 (double overtime) and the 1976 Finals Game 7 (triple overtime).