1955–56 NBA season
| 1955–56 NBA season | |
|---|---|
| League | National Basketball Association |
| Sport | Basketball |
| Number of games | 72 |
| Number of teams | 8 |
| TV partner(s) | NBC |
| Regular season | |
| Season MVP | Bob Pettit (St. Louis) |
| Top scorer | Bob Pettit (St. Louis) |
| Playoffs | |
| Eastern champions | Philadelphia Warriors |
| Eastern runners-up | Syracuse Nationals |
| Western champions | Fort Wayne Pistons |
| Western runners-up | St. Louis Hawks |
| Finals | |
| Champions | Philadelphia Warriors |
| Runners-up | Fort Wayne Pistons |
The 1955–56 NBA season was the tenth season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Philadelphia Warriors winning the NBA Championship, beating the Fort Wayne Pistons 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals.
Notable occurrences
- The Hawks relocate from Milwaukee, Wisconsin to St. Louis, Missouri.
- The NBA hands out a Most Valuable Player award for the first time. Its inaugural recipient is Bob Pettit of the St. Louis Hawks.
- The 1956 NBA All-Star Game was played in Rochester, New York, with the West beating the East 108–94. Bob Pettit of the St. Louis Hawks wins the game's MVP award.
Final standings
Eastern Division
| W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Neutral | Div | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| x-Philadelphia Warriors | 45 | 27 | .625 | - | 21-7 | 11-17 | 13-3 | 22-14 |
| x-Boston Celtics | 39 | 33 | .542 | 6 | 20-7 | 12-15 | 7-11 | 18-18 |
| x-Syracuse Nationals | 35 | 37 | .486 | 10 | 23-8 | 9–19 | 3-10 | 15-21 |
| New York Knicks | 35 | 37 | .486 | 10 | 13-15 | 16-13 | 6-9 | 17-19 |
- Syracuse finished ahead of New York by defeating them in a tiebreaker match.
Western Division
| W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Neutral | Div | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| x-Fort Wayne Pistons | 37 | 35 | .514 | - | 19-7 | 10-17 | 8-11 | 19-17 |
| x-Minneapolis Lakers | 33 | 39 | .458 | 4 | 14-12 | 6-21 | 13-6 | 19-17 |
| x-St. Louis Hawks | 33 | 39 | .458 | 4 | 15-11 | 11-17 | 7-11 | 18-18 |
| Rochester Royals | 31 | 41 | .431 | 6 | 15-14 | 6-21 | 10-6 | 16-20 |
- Minneapolis finished ahead of St. Louis by defeating them in a tiebreaker match.
x – clinched playoff spot
Statistics leaders
| Category | Player | Team | Stat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Points | Bob Pettit | St. Louis Hawks | 1,849 |
| Rebounds | Bob Pettit | St. Louis Hawks | 1,164 |
| Assists | Bob Cousy | Boston Celtics | 642 |
| FG% | Neil Johnston | Philadelphia Warriors | .457 |
| FT% | Bill Sharman | Boston Celtics | .867 |
Note: Prior to the 1969–70 season, league leaders in points, rebounds, and assists were determined by totals rather than averages.
NBA awards
- Most Valuable Player: Bob Pettit, St. Louis Hawks
- Rookie of the Year: Maurice Stokes, Rochester Royals
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References
- 1955–56 NBA Season Summary basketball-reference.com. Retrieved December 10, 2010