The 1954–55 Fort Wayne Pistons season was the seventh season for the Pistons in the National Basketball Association (NBA)[1] and 14th season as a franchise.
| 1954–55 Fort Wayne Pistons season | |
|---|---|
Division champions | |
| Head coach | Charles Eckman |
| Arena | War Memorial Coliseum |
| Results | |
| Record | 43–29 (.597) |
| Place | Division: 1st (Western) |
| Playoff finish | NBA Finals (eliminated 3–4) |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
With new coach and former referee Charley Eckman, the Pistons finished 43-29 (.597), first in the NBA Western Division. In the Western Division Finals, the Pistons eliminated the Minneapolis Lakers 3-1 in a best-of-five series to reach the NBA Finals. In the 7-game series with the Syracuse Nationals, the teams held home court advantage, although Fort Wayne would play "at home" in Indianapolis because Fort Wayne arena management did not plan for the Pistons to make the NBA Finals, and the arena was booked for a bowling conference after March 4.[2]
In the 7th game in Syracuse, Syracuse's George King made a free throw with 12 seconds left to put the Nationals up 92–91. King then stole the ball from Fort Wayne's Andy Phillip with three seconds remaining to clinch the victory for Syracuse.[3][4]
Rumors about the finish continue with suggestions that some Fort Wayne players conspired with gamblers to throw the series to Syracuse.[5] In the 7th game, Fort Wayne led Syracuse 41–24 early in the second quarter, then allowed the Nationals to rally to win the game.[6] Andy Phillip, who turned the ball over with three seconds left in the game, was believed by at least one of his teammates, George Yardley, to have thrown the game. "There were always unwholesome implications about that ball game", Yardley would later comment.[7]
However, Phillip may not have acted alone. Other Pistons players were strongly believed to have thrown games during the 1954 and 1955 NBA seasons, with Piston Jack Molinas banned from the league for gambling the year prior.[8] In fact, Yardley himself turned the ball over to Syracuse with a palming violation with 18 seconds remaining in Game 7.[9] The foul that gave Syracuse its winning free throw, meanwhile, was committed by Frankie Brian.[9] The NBA did not return to the 2–3–2 format until 1985.[10][11]
The team was led on the season by a double-double from center Larry Foust (17.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg, NBA All-Star), guard Andy Phillip (9.6 ppg, 7.7 apg, NBA All-Star) and forward George Yardley (17.3 ppg, 9.9 rpg, NBA All-Star).
Regular season
Season standings
| W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Neutral | Div | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| x-Fort Wayne Pistons | 43 | 29 | .597 | – | 21–6 | 9–14 | 13–9 | 28–8 |
| x-Minneapolis Lakers | 40 | 32 | .556 | 3 | 18–6 | 10–14 | 12–12 | 18–18 |
| x-Rochester Royals | 29 | 43 | .403 | 14 | 17–11 | 4–19 | 8–13 | 14–22 |
| Milwaukee Hawks | 26 | 46 | .361 | 17 | 6–11 | 9–16 | 11–19 | 14–22 |
- x – clinched playoff spot
Record vs. opponents
| 1954-55 NBA Records | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | BOS | FWP | MIL | MIN | NYK | PHI | ROC | SYR |
| Boston | — | 4–5 | 6–3 | 3–6 | 6–6 | 7–5 | 4–5 | 6–6 |
| Fort Wayne | 5–4 | — | 11–1 | 9–3 | 2–7 | 6–3 | 8–4 | 2–7 |
| Milwaukee | 3–6 | 1–11 | — | 5–7 | 3–6 | 4–5 | 6–6 | 4–5 |
| Minneapolis | 6–3 | 3–9 | 7–5 | — | 4–5 | 6–3 | 8–4 | 6–3 |
| New York | 6–6 | 7–2 | 6–3 | 5–4 | — | 5–7 | 5–4 | 4–8 |
| Philadelphia | 5–7 | 3–6 | 5–4 | 3–6 | 7–5 | — | 5–4 | 5–7 |
| Rochester | 5–4 | 4–8 | 6–6 | 4–8 | 4–5 | 4–5 | — | 2–7 |
| Syracuse | 6–6 | 7–2 | 5–4 | 3–6 | 8–4 | 7–5 | 7–2 | — |
Game log
| 1954–55 Game log | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Date | Opponent | Score | High points | Record | |||||
| 1 | October 30 | @ Milwaukee | 91–72 | Hutchins, Yardley, Zaslofsky (14) | 1–0 | |||||
| 2 | October 31 | Boston | 86–90 | Mel Hutchins (22) | 2–0 | |||||
| 3 | November 6 | New York | 83–90 | Don Meineke (16) | 3–0 | |||||
| 4 | November 7 | Rochester | 84–109 | George Yardley (22) | 4–0 | |||||
| 5 | November 11 | Syracuse | 88–86 | Larry Foust (23) | 4–1 | |||||
| 6 | November 13 | @ Rochester | 103–98 | Mel Hutchins (22) | 5–1 | |||||
| 7 | November 14 | Milwaukee | 91–93 | Andy Phillip (23) | 6–1 | |||||
| 8 | November 18 | @ Syracuse | 82–91 | Larry Foust (30) | 6–2 | |||||
| 9 | November 20 | @ Philadelphia | 82–99 | Don Meineke (15) | 6–3 | |||||
| 10 | November 21 | Rochester | 78–89 | Larry Foust (23) | 7–3 | |||||
| 11 | November 24 | N Philadelphia | 91–87 | Mel Hutchins (20) | 7–4 | |||||
| 12 | November 27 | Minneapolis | 81–97 | Mel Hutchins (22) | 8–4 | |||||
| 13 | November 28 | Milwaukee | 81–96 | George Yardley (17) | 9–4 | |||||
| 14 | November 30 | N Minneapolis | 90–92 | George Yardley (29) | 10–4 | |||||
| 15 | December 1 | @ Rochester | 101–96 (OT) | Larry Foust (37) | 11–4 | |||||
| 16 | December 2 | Boston | 98–116 | George Yardley (32) | 12–4 | |||||
| 17 | December 4 | @ New York | 90–88 | Larry Foust (24) | 13–4 | |||||
| 18 | December 5 | Rochester | 97–96 | Larry Foust (21) | 13–5 | |||||
| 19 | December 7 | N Milwaukee | 85–101 | George Yardley (29) | 14–5 | |||||
| 20 | December 8 | N Milwaukee | 68–92 | Max Zaslofsky (17) | 15–5 | |||||
| 21 | December 12 | Boston | 99–100 | Larry Foust (28) | 16–5 | |||||
| 22 | December 15 | N Philadelphia | 99–90 | George Yardley (24) | 16–6 | |||||
| 23 | December 18 | @ Rochester | 87–86 | Andy Phillip (24) | 17–6 | |||||
| 24 | December 19 | Milwaukee | 82–87 | Dick Rosenthal (22) | 18–6 | |||||
| 25 | December 23 | N Philadelphia | 92–82 | George Yardley (22) | 19–6 | |||||
| 26 | December 25 | @ Rochester | 73–80 | George Yardley (17) | 19–7 | |||||
| 27 | December 26 | Philadelphia | 96–109 | Frank Brian (31) | 20–7 | |||||
| 28 | December 30 | N Minneapolis | 76–93 | George Yardley (26) | 21–7 | |||||
| 29 | December 31 | Minneapolis | 103–91 | George Yardley (22) | 21–8 | |||||
| 30 | January 2 | Philadelphia | 66–89 | George Yardley (24) | 22–8 | |||||
| 31 | January 4 | N Minneapolis | 92–93 | George Yardley (28) | 23–8 | |||||
| 32 | January 5 | N Milwaukee | 97–92 | Max Zaslofsky (16) | 23–9 | |||||
| 33 | January 6 | N Rochester | 83–90 | Mel Hutchins (19) | 24–9 | |||||
| 34 | January 9 | Minneapolis | 86–89 | George Yardley (29) | 25–9 | |||||
| 35 | January 11 | Boston | 119–110 | Larry Foust (33) | 25–10 | |||||
| 36 | January 13 | @ Syracuse | 83–100 | Bob Houbregs (14) | 25–11 | |||||
| 37 | January 14 | N New York | 97–83 | George Yardley (20) | 25–12 | |||||
| 38 | January 15 | @ New York | 87–106 | Frank Brian (17) | 25–13 | |||||
| 39 | January 16 | Milwaukee | 78–89 | George Yardley (19) | 26–13 | |||||
| 40 | January 19 | N Boston | 105–84 | George Yardley (29) | 27–13 | |||||
| 41 | January 22 | @ Milwaukee | 85–83 | Larry Foust (18) | 28–13 | |||||
| 42 | January 23 | Rochester | 84–105 | Dick Rosenthal (18) | 29–13 | |||||
| 43 | January 25 | N Syracuse | 66–69 | Frank Brian (14) | 30–13 | |||||
| 44 | January 26 | @ Boston | 90–99 | Andy Phillip (15) | 30–14 | |||||
| 45 | January 27 | @ Syracuse | 79–94 | Mel Hutchins (16) | 30–15 | |||||
| 46 | January 29 | @ Minneapolis | 91–100 | Larry Foust (23) | 30–16 | |||||
| 47 | January 30 | Minneapolis | 92–99 | Larry Foust (34) | 31–16 | |||||
| 48 | January 31 | N New York | 91–84 | Frank Brian (27) | 31–17 | |||||
| 49 | February 2 | @ Rochester | 74–84 | Frank Brian (22) | 31–18 | |||||
| 50 | February 3 | Syracuse | 85–104 | Larry Foust (22) | 32–18 | |||||
| 51 | February 5 | @ Philadelphia | 96–88 | Larry Foust (25) | 33–18 | |||||
| 52 | February 6 | Rochester | 75–92 | George Yardley (19) | 34–18 | |||||
| 53 | February 10 | Philadelphia | 97–105 | Max Zaslofsky (19) | 35–18 | |||||
| 54 | February 11 | N Rochester | 91–83 | Foust, Yardley (16) | 35–19 | |||||
| 55 | February 12 | @ New York | 82–88 | Larry Foust (26) | 35–20 | |||||
| 56 | February 13 | Milwaukee | 78–90 | Larry Foust (19) | 36–20 | |||||
| 57 | February 14 | N New York | 92–88 | Larry Foust (19) | 36–21 | |||||
| 58 | February 17 | N New York | 93–86 | Andy Phillip (14) | 36–22 | |||||
| 59 | February 19 | @ Minneapolis | 92–98 | George Yardley (28) | 36–23 | |||||
| 60 | February 20 | Milwaukee | 87–96 | Larry Foust (22) | 37–23 | |||||
| 61 | February 23 | N Minneapolis | 97–120 | Larry Foust (26) | 38–23 | |||||
| 62 | February 24 | N Milwaukee | 85–95 | Mel Hutchins (20) | 39–23 | |||||
| 63 | February 26 | @ Minneapolis | 90–89 | Larry Foust (24) | 40–23 | |||||
| 64 | February 27 | New York | 95–83 | Larry Foust (22) | 40–24 | |||||
| 65 | February 28 | N Minneapolis | 88–90 | Andy Phillip (19) | 41–24 | |||||
| 66 | March 1 | N Boston | 118–98 | Max Zaslofsky (18) | 42–24 | |||||
| 67 | March 2 | N Syracuse | 103–90 | George Yardley (16) | 42–25 | |||||
| 68 | March 3 | Syracuse | 83–81 | Larry Foust (22) | 42–26 | |||||
| 69 | March 6 | @ Boston | 104–108 | George Yardley (32) | 42–27 | |||||
| 70 | March 7 | @ Boston | 91–110 | Don Meineke (23) | 42–28 | |||||
| 71 | March 10 | N Philadelphia | 91–93 (OT) | George Yardley (27) | 43–28 | |||||
| 72 | March 12 | @ Syracuse | 92–112 | George Yardley (24) | 43–29 | |||||