1956 Overview

From Hoopedia

1955-56 NBA Season

The numbers do the talking -- 25.7 points and 16.2 rebounds. That’s the kind of year Bob Pettit had, leading the league in both categories.

Pettit’s big performance in his second NBA season also helped his Hawks make their move from Milwaukee to St. Louis.

The NBA, too, was in its second season -- of adjustment to the shot clock. The league was just beginning to comprehend the potential of the up-tempo game. Scoring surged to 99 points per team per game, and quickness and athleticism became very important.

Gone were the Baltimore Bullets. Their demise, just 14 games into the previous season left the NBA an eight-team league, six of which made the playoffs. Philadelphia and Fort Wayne, the first-place teams in each division, received first-round byes, then dismissed Syracuse and St. Louis, respectively, to gain the NBA Finals.

The Warriors had won just 33 games the previous season, but with Paul Arizin loving the new rules and rookie Tom Gola displaying a nice floor game, they improved to 45-27. Owned by Eddie Gottlieb and coached by George Senesky, the Warriors got 22.1 points per game from Neil Johnston in the post to go along with Arizin’s 24.2 points from the wing.

The Pistons were coached by former referee Charlie Eckman, who liked to feature George Yardley in a loosely run offense.

However, the 6-4 Arizin hit a hot streak at playoff time, scoring 289 points in 10 games, too much for the Pistons in the Finals. They fell in five games.