1948 BAA playoffs

1948 BAA playoffs
Tournament details
DatesMarch 23–April 21, 1948
Season1947–48
Teams6
Final positions
ChampionsBaltimore Bullets (1st title)
Runner-upPhiladelphia Warriors
Semifinalists
← 1947
1949 →

The 1948 BAA playoffs was the postseason tournament following the Basketball Association of America 1947–48 season. Following its third, 1948–49 season, the BAA and National Basketball League merged to create the National Basketball Association or NBA. The tournament concluded with the Baltimore Bullets defeating the Philadelphia Warriors 4 games to 2 in the BAA Finals.

The two Division champions and two teams involved in a 3-way tiebreaker began tournament play on Tuesday, March 23, and the Finals concluded on Wednesday, April 21. Baltimore and Philadelphia played 12 and 13 games in the span of 30 days; their six final games in 12 days.

Bracket

There were no byes. Western and Eastern champions St. Louis and Philadelphia immediately played a long semifinal series with St. Louis having home-court advantage. Philadelphia won the seventh game in St. Louis, 85–46, two days before Baltimore concluded its sequence of tie-breaker (not shown) and two short series with other runners-up.

First RoundBAA SemifinalsBAA Finals
W1St. Louis*3
E1Philadelphia*4
E1Philadelphia*2
W2Baltimore2
W2Baltimore4
E2New York1
W2Baltimore2
W3Chicago0
E3Boston1
W3Chicago2
  • * Division winner
  • Bold Series winner

Division Tiebreakers

Western Division Tiebreakers

Washington Capitols @ Chicago Stags

March 23
Washington Capitols 70, Chicago Stags 74
Scoring by quarter: 16–10, 20–22, 21–20, 13–22
Pts: Feerick, Scolari 16 each Pts: Max Zaslofsky 24
Washington fails to qualify
Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois
Referees: Ed Boyle, Jim Beiersdorfer

Baltimore Bullets @ Chicago Stags

March 25
Baltimore Bullets 75, Chicago Stags 72
Scoring by quarter: 10–17, 21–15, 17–21, 27–19
Pts: Kleggie Hermsen 14 Pts: Max Zaslofsky 21
Baltimore finishes as the West's #2 seed, Chicago as the West's #3 seed
Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois
Referees: Ed Boyle, Jim Beiersdorfer

First round

(W2) Baltimore Bullets vs. (E2) New York Knicks

March 27
New York Knicks 81, Baltimore Bullets 85
Scoring by quarter: 21–19, 22–26, 19–21, 19–19
Pts: Bud Palmer 21 Pts: Connie Simmons 34
Baltimore leads series, 1–0
March 28
Baltimore Bullets 69, New York Knicks 79
Scoring by half: 30–33, 39–46
Pts: Connie Simmons 23 Pts: Bud Palmer 18
Series tied, 1–1
April 1
New York Knicks 77, Baltimore Bullets 84
Scoring by half: 46–41, 31–43
Pts: Sid Tanenbaum 18 Pts: Connie Simmons 22
Baltimore wins series, 2–1

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.

(E3) Boston Celtics vs. (W3) Chicago Stags

March 28
Chicago Stags 79, Boston Celtics 72
Scoring by half: 29–32, 50–40
Pts: Max Zaslofsky 18 Pts: Sadowski, Riebe 22 each
Chicago leads series, 1–0
March 31
Chicago Stags 77, Boston Celtics 81
Scoring by half: 33–40, 44–41
Pts: Max Zaslofsky 22 Pts: Saul Mariaschin 17
Series tied, 1–1
April 2
Chicago Stags 81, Boston Celtics 74
Scoring by half: 37–40, 44–34
Pts: Max Zaslofsky 31 Pts: Ed Sadowski 26
Chicago wins series, 2–1

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.

BAA Semifinals

(W1) St. Louis Bombers vs. (E1) Philadelphia Warriors

March 23
Philadelphia Warriors 58, St. Louis Bombers 60
Scoring by half: 29–31, 29–29
Pts: Joe Fulks 18
Asts: Howie Dallmar 3		 Pts: Belus Smawley 21
Asts: John Logan 2
St. Louis leads series, 1–0
March 25
Philadelphia Warriors 65, St. Louis Bombers 64
Scoring by half: 31–37, 34–29
Pts: George Senesky 20
Asts: Howie Dallmar 2		 Pts: Belus Smawley 13
Asts: Bob Doll 3
Series tied, 1–1
March 27
St. Louis Bombers 56, Philadelphia Warriors 84
Scoring by quarter: 17–17, 11–18, 13–25, 15–24
Pts: Rocha, Maughan 16 each
Asts: Don Putman 2		 Pts: Joe Fulks 30
Asts: Howie Dallmar 5
Philadelphia leads series, 2–1
March 30
St. Louis Bombers 56, Philadelphia Warriors 51
Scoring by half: 29–28, 27–23
Pts: Red Rocha 19
Asts: Red Rocha 2		 Pts: Joe Fulks 21
Asts: Howie Dallmar 2
Series tied, 2–2
April 1
Philadelphia Warriors 62, St. Louis Bombers 69
Scoring by half: 34–36, 28–33
Pts: Joe Fulks 17
Asts: Howie Dallmar 2		 Pts: Red Rocha 22
Asts: John Logan 4
St. Louis leads series, 3–2
April 3
St. Louis Bombers 61, Philadelphia Warriors 84
Scoring by half: 30–47, 31–37
Pts: Rocha, Logan 11 each
Asts: four players 1 each		 Pts: Joe Fulks 23
Asts: Howie Dallmar 5
Series tied, 3–3
April 6
Philadelphia Warriors 85, St. Louis Bombers 46
Scoring by half: 38–21, 47–25
Pts: Joe Fulks 15
Asts: Chink Crossin 4		 Pts: John Logan 18
Asts: Logan, Smawley 1 each
Philadelphia wins series, 4–3
  • This was the first game 7 in league history and also the first road team to win game 7. It was also the Warriors' last game 7 win on the road until 2018.

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Warriors winning the first meeting.

(W2) Baltimore Bullets vs. (W3) Chicago Stags

April 7
Baltimore Bullets 73, Chicago Stags 67
Scoring by half: 41–27, 32–40
Pts: Paul Hoffman 19 Pts: Zaslofsky, Miasek 15 each
Baltimore leads series, 1–0
April 8
Chicago Stags 72, Baltimore Bullets 89
Scoring by half: 41–38, 31–51
Pts: Stan Miasek 27 Pts: Chick Reiser 18
Baltimore wins series, 2–0

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.

BAA Finals: (E1) Philadelphia Warriors vs. (W2) Baltimore Bullets

Main article: 1948 BAA Finals
April 10
Baltimore Bullets 60, Philadelphia Warriors 71
Scoring by quarter: 12–17, 7–17, 21–21, 20–16
Pts: Connie Simmons 15
Asts: Jeannette, Schulz 2 each		 Pts: Chick Halbert 19
Asts: Howie Dallmar 3
Philadelphia leads series, 1–0
April 13
Baltimore Bullets 66, Philadelphia Warriors 63
Scoring by quarter: 13–19, 7–22, 20–7, 26–15
Pts: Connie Simmons 25
Asts: Kleggie Hermsen 3		 Pts: Joe Fulks 27
Asts: Dallmar, Musi 2 each
Series tied, 1–1
April 15
Philadelphia Warriors 70, Baltimore Bullets 72
Scoring by quarter: 12–11, 18–20, 17–18, 23–23
Pts: Joe Fulks 21
Asts: Kaplowitz, Dallmar 2 each		 Pts: Connie Simmons 14
Asts: Kleggie Hermsen 3
Baltimore leads series, 2–1
April 17
Philadelphia Warriors 75, Baltimore Bullets 78
Scoring by quarter: 13–20, 15–20, 17–12, 30–26
Pts: Joe Fulks 29
Asts: Howie Dallmar 3		 Pts: Paul Hoffman 27
Asts: Hermsen, Jeannette 2 each
Baltimore leads series, 3–1
April 20
Baltimore Bullets 82, Philadelphia Warriors 91
Scoring by quarter: 19–20, 14–18, 26–23, 23–30
Pts: Connie Simmons 16
Asts: Chick Reiser 2		 Pts: Joe Fulks 19
Asts: Howie Dallmar 4
Baltimore leads series, 3–2
April 21
Philadelphia Warriors 73, Baltimore Bullets 88
Scoring by quarter: 18–13, 13–24, 17–26, 25–25
Pts: Joe Fulks 28
Asts: Howie Dallmar 2		 Pts: Chick Reiser 16
Asts: Connie Simmons 6
Baltimore wins series, 4–2

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.

See also