The 1961 NBA Playoffs

NBA Playoffs

The National Basketball Association Playoffs is a best-of-seven elimination tournament among sixteen teams in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference , ultimately deciding the final four teams who will play in the NBA Conference Finals.-Format:Following the NBA regular season, eight teams in...

was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association

National Basketball Association

The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...

's 1960-61 season

1960-61 NBA season

The 1960–61 NBA season was the 15th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Boston Celtics winning their 3rd straight NBA Championship, beating the St...

. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Boston Celtics

Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...

 defeating the Western Division champion St. Louis Hawks, 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals

1961 NBA Finals

The 1961 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 1960-61 National Basketball Association season, and was the conclusion of the 1961 NBA Playoffs. The best-of-seven series was played between the Western Conference champion St. Louis Hawks and the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics...

.

For the Celtics it was their third consecutive NBA championship and fourth overall. This would be the last NBA Finals appearance for the Hawks franchise to date; though they still exist in the NBA 48 years later as the Atlanta Hawks

Atlanta Hawks

The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...

, they have yet to return to the Finals.

Western Division

Champion: St. Louis Hawks

Division Semifinals

(1) St. Louis Hawks have division semifinals byes.

(2) Los Angeles Lakers

Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...

vs. (3) Detroit Pistons

Detroit Pistons

The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...

:
Lakers win series 3-2

• Game 1 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 120, Detroit 102
• Game 2 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 127, Detroit 118
• Game 3 @ Detroit: Detroit 124, Los Angeles 113
• Game 4 @ Detroit: Detroit 123, Los Angeles 114
• Game 5 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 137, Detroit 120

Division Finals

(1) St. Louis Hawks vs. (2) Los Angeles Lakers

Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...

:
Hawks win series 4-3

• Game 1 @ St. Louis: Los Angeles 122, St. Louis 118
• Game 2 @ St. Louis: St. Louis 121, Los Angeles 106
• Game 3 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 118, St. Louis 112
• Game 4 @ Los Angeles: St. Louis 118, Los Angeles 117 (OT)
• Game 5 @ St. Louis: Los Angeles 121, St. Louis 112
• Game 6 @ Los Angeles: St. Louis 114, Los Angeles 113
• Game 7 @ St. Louis: St. Louis 105, Los Angeles 103

Eastern Division

Champion: Boston Celtics

Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...

Division Semifinals

(1) Boston Celtics have division semifinals byes.

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

Syracuse Nationals

The Syracuse Nationals were an American professional basketball team that existed from 1946 to 1963 as part of the National Basketball League and National Basketball Association . They are currently known as the Philadelphia 76ers, and are the NBA's oldest continued franchise.The team began in...

:
Nationals win series 3-0

• Game 1 @ Philadelphia: Syracuse 115, Philadelphia 107
• Game 2 @ Syracuse: Syracuse 115, Philadelphia 114
• Game 3 @ Philadelphia: Syracuse 106, Philadelphia 103

Division Finals

(1) Boston Celtics

Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...

vs. (3) Syracuse Nationals

Syracuse Nationals

The Syracuse Nationals were an American professional basketball team that existed from 1946 to 1963 as part of the National Basketball League and National Basketball Association . They are currently known as the Philadelphia 76ers, and are the NBA's oldest continued franchise.The team began in...

:
Celtics win series 4-1

• Game 1 @ Boston: Boston 128, Syracuse 115
• Game 2 @ Syracuse: Syracuse 115, Boston 98
• Game 3 @ Boston: Boston 133, Syracuse 110
• Game 4 @ Syracuse: Boston 120, Syracuse 107
• Game 5 @ Boston: Boston 123, Syracuse 101

NBA Finals

(1) Boston Celtics

Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...

vs. (1) St. Louis Hawks:
Celtics win series 4-1

• Game 1 @ Boston: Boston 129, St. Louis 95
• Game 2 @ Boston: Boston 116, St. Louis 108
• Game 3 @ St. Louis: St. Louis 124, Boston 120
• Game 4 @ St. Louis: Boston 119, St. Louis 104
• Game 5 @ Boston: Boston 121, St. Louis 112

External links

• Basketball-Reference.com's 1961 NBA Playoffs page