The 1950–51 Syracuse Nationals season was the 5th season of the franchise and the second in the National Basketball Association (NBA). In the regular season, the Nationals finished in fourth place in the Eastern Division & their 32–34 record gave them an NBA playoffs berth. Syracuse faced the Philadelphia Warriors in the 1st round of the Eastern Division playoffs and won the best-of-three series 2–0 to advance to the division finals. In that series, the Nationals lost to the New York Knicks 2–3 in a best-of-five series.
Syracuse Nationals 1950–51 roster
|
Players |
Coaches
|
Pos. |
# |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
From
|
SG
|
12
|
Calabrese, Gerald
|
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
|
175 lb (79 kg)
|
|
St. John's
|
PG
|
15
|
Cervi, Al
|
5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
|
170 lb (77 kg)
|
|
|
F
|
11
|
Chollet, Leroy
|
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
|
190 lb (86 kg)
|
|
Canisius
|
SG
|
7
|
Gabor, Billy
|
5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
|
170 lb (77 kg)
|
|
Syracuse
|
PF
|
10
|
Hannum, Alex
|
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
|
210 lb (95 kg)
|
|
USC
|
C
|
13
|
Jorgensen, Noble
|
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
|
228 lb (103 kg)
|
|
Iowa
|
F/C
|
11
|
Lofgran, Don
|
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
|
200 lb (91 kg)
|
|
San Francisco
|
G/F
|
5
|
Macknowski, Johnny
|
6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
|
180 lb (82 kg)
|
|
Seton Hall
|
C
|
13
|
Peterson, Ed
|
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
|
220 lb (100 kg)
|
|
Cornell
|
PF
|
6
|
Ratkovicz, George
|
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
|
220 lb (100 kg)
|
|
|
F/C
|
4
|
Schayes, Dolph
|
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
|
220 lb (100 kg)
|
|
NYU
|
PG
|
14
|
Scolari, Fred
|
5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
|
180 lb (82 kg)
|
|
San Francisco
|
G/F
|
8
|
Seymour, Paul
|
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
|
180 lb (82 kg)
|
|
Toledo
|
SG
|
14
|
Smawley, Belus
|
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
|
195 lb (88 kg)
|
|
Appalachian State
|
|
- Head coach
- Legend
- (DP) Unsigned draft pick
- (FA) Free agent
- (S) Suspended
- Injured
|
Record vs. opponents
edit
1950–51 NBA records
|
Team
|
BAL
|
BOS
|
FWP
|
IND
|
MIN
|
NYK
|
PHI
|
ROC
|
SYR
|
TCB
|
WAS
|
Baltimore
|
— |
3–6 |
4–2 |
2–4 |
2–4 |
2–5 |
3–6 |
1–5 |
3–5 |
3–3 |
1–2
|
Boston
|
6–3 |
— |
5–1 |
4–1 |
3–3 |
4–4 |
4–4 |
2–4 |
2–5 |
4–2 |
4–3
|
Fort Wayne
|
2–4 |
1–5 |
— |
5–3 |
5–3 |
2–4 |
3–3 |
3–5 |
3–3 |
5–5 |
3–1
|
Indianapolis
|
4–2 |
1–4 |
3–5 |
— |
3–7 |
5–1 |
1–5 |
5–4 |
3–3 |
4–4 |
2–2
|
Minneapolis
|
4–2 |
3–3 |
3–5 |
7–3 |
— |
3–3 |
4–2 |
4–4 |
4–2 |
10–0 |
2–0
|
New York
|
5–2 |
4–4 |
4–2 |
1–5 |
3–3 |
— |
5–3 |
3–3 |
5–5 |
4–2 |
2–1
|
Philadelphia
|
6–3 |
4–4 |
3–3 |
5–1 |
2–4 |
3–5 |
— |
4–2 |
6–2 |
4–2 |
3–0
|
Rochester
|
5–3 |
5–2 |
3–3 |
3–3 |
2–4 |
5–5 |
2–6 |
— |
4–2 |
5–3 |
5–0
|
Syracuse
|
5–3 |
5–2 |
3–3 |
3–3 |
2–4 |
5–5 |
2–6 |
2–4 |
— |
3–3 |
2–0
|
Tri-Cities
|
3–3 |
2–4 |
5–5 |
4–4 |
0–10 |
2–4 |
2–4 |
3–5 |
3–3 |
— |
1–1
|
Washington
|
2–1 |
3–4 |
1–3 |
2–2 |
0–2 |
1–2 |
0–3 |
0–5 |
0–2 |
1–1 |
—
|
1950–51 Game Log Total: 32–34 (Home: 23–10 ; Road: 9–24)
|
November: 7–7 (Home: 6–2 ; Road: 1–5)
|
December: 7–7 (Home: 3–3 ; Road: 4–4)
|
January: 7–7 (Home: 5–3 ; Road: 2–4)
Game |
Date |
Opponent |
Score |
Location |
High points |
Record
|
29 |
January 1 |
Boston Celtics |
106–89 |
State Fair Coliseum |
Dolph Schayes (21) |
15–14
|
30 |
January 4 |
Minneapolis Lakers |
77–80 |
State Fair Coliseum |
Billy Gabor (20) |
15–15
|
31 |
January 6 |
@ New York Knicks |
87–85 (OT) |
Madison Square Garden |
Dolph Schayes (26) |
16–15
|
32 |
January 7 |
Baltimore Bullets |
73–65 |
State Fair Coliseum |
George Ratkovicz (18) |
17–15
|
33 |
January 10 |
@ Tri-Cities Blackhawks |
97–96 |
Wharton Field House |
Ratkovicz, Schayes (20) |
18–15
|
34 |
January 11 |
@ Fort Wayne Pistons |
76–84 |
North Side High School Gym |
Dolph Schayes (16) |
18–16
|
35 |
January 14 |
Rochester Royals |
92–63 |
State Fair Coliseum |
Dolph Schayes (17) |
19–16
|
36 |
January 18 |
Rochester Royals |
87–96 |
State Fair Coliseum |
George Ratkovicz (20) |
19–17
|
37 |
January 21 |
Philadelphia Warriors |
86–96 |
State Fair Coliseum |
Noble Jorgensen (18) |
19–18
|
38 |
January 24 |
@ Baltimore Bullets |
82–87 |
Baltimore Coliseum |
George Ratkovicz (23) |
19–19
|
39 |
January 25 |
Tri-Cities Blackhawks |
113–87 |
State Fair Coliseum |
George Ratkovicz (24) |
20–19
|
40 |
January 27 |
@ Rochester Royals |
83–85 |
Edgerton Park Arena |
Dolph Schayes (24) |
20–20
|
41 |
January 28 |
Boston Celtics |
104–83 |
State Fair Coliseum |
Dolph Schayes (22) |
21–20
|
42 |
January 30 |
@ Boston Celtics |
87–96 |
Boston Garden |
Dolph Schayes (23) |
21–21
|
|
February: 7–7 (Home: 5–2 ; Road: 2–5)
Game |
Date |
Opponent |
Score |
Location |
High points |
Record
|
43 |
February 1 |
New York Knicks |
90–93 |
State Fair Coliseum |
Dolph Schayes (26) |
21–22
|
44 |
February 2 |
@ Boston Celtics |
90–96 (OT) |
Boston Garden |
Dolph Schayes (19) |
21–23
|
45 |
February 5 |
Philadelphia Warriors |
78–75 |
State Fair Coliseum |
Dolph Schayes (19) |
22–23
|
46 |
February 7 |
@ Baltimore Bullets |
82–102 |
Baltimore Coliseum |
Johnny Macknowski (20) |
22–24
|
47 |
February 8 |
New York Knicks |
96–83 |
State Fair Coliseum |
George Ratkovicz (19) |
23–24
|
48 |
February 11 |
Baltimore Bullets |
80–72 |
State Fair Coliseum |
Dolph Schayes (18) |
24–24
|
49 |
February 14 |
@ Fort Wayne Pistons |
75–77 |
North Side High School Gym |
Dolph Schayes (18) |
24–25
|
50 |
February 15 |
Boston Celtics |
94–80 |
State Fair Coliseum |
Dolph Schayes (24) |
25–25
|
51 |
February 17 |
@ New York Knicks |
75–88 |
Madison Square Garden |
Dolph Schayes (26) |
25–26
|
52 |
February 18 |
Minneapolis Lakers |
91–80 |
State Fair Coliseum |
Billy Gabor (26) |
26–26
|
53 |
February 20 |
@ Indianapolis Olympians |
81–79 |
Butler Fieldhouse |
Dolph Schayes (18) |
27–26
|
54 |
February 21 |
@ Minneapolis Lakers |
76–82 |
Minneapolis Auditorium |
Johnny Macknowski (17) |
27–27
|
55 |
February 25 |
New York Knicks |
98–93 |
State Fair Coliseum |
Fred Scolari (18) |
28–27
|
56 |
February 27 |
@ Philadelphia Warriors |
72–86 |
Philadelphia Arena |
Dolph Schayes (18) |
28–28
|
|
March: 4–6 (Home: 4–1 ; Road: 0–5)
Game |
Date |
Opponent |
Score |
Location |
High points |
Record
|
57 |
March 1 |
Fort Wayne Pistons |
108–86 |
State Fair Coliseum |
Gabor, Schayes (19) |
29–28
|
58 |
March 3 |
@ New York Knicks |
78–97 |
Madison Square Garden |
Johnny Macknowski (15) |
29–29
|
59 |
March 4 |
Philadelphia Warriors |
85–79 |
State Fair Coliseum |
Dolph Schayes (23) |
30–29
|
60 |
March 8 |
Indianapolis Olympians |
121–97 |
State Fair Coliseum |
Noble Jorgensen (27) |
31–29
|
61 |
March 10 |
@ Rochester Royals |
86–107 |
Edgerton Park Arena |
Dolph Schayes (17) |
31–30
|
62 |
March 11 |
Philadelphia Warriors |
91–95 |
State Fair Coliseum |
Dolph Schayes (26) |
31–31
|
63 |
March 13 |
@ Indianapolis Olympians |
93–98 |
Butler Fieldhouse |
Alex Hannum (23) |
31–32
|
64 |
March 14 |
@ Minneapolis Lakers |
76–100 |
Minneapolis Auditorium |
Dolph Schayes (24) |
31–33
|
65 |
March 17 |
@ Philadelphia Warriors |
86–100 |
Philadelphia Arena |
George Ratkovicz (20) |
31–34
|
66 |
March 18 |
Boston Celtics |
97–89 |
State Fair Coliseum |
George Ratkovicz (20) |
32–34
|
|
1950–51 Schedule
|
1951 playoff game log
|
Division Semifinals: 2–0 (home: 1–0; road: 1–0)
|
Division Finals: 2–3 (home: 2–0; road: 0–3)
|
1951 schedule
|