1959–60 NBA season
LeagueNational Basketball Association
SportBasketball
DurationOctober 17, 1959 – March 10, 1960
March 11–26, 1960 (Playoffs)
March 27 – April 9, 1960 (Finals)
Number of games75
Number of teams8
TV partner(s)NBC
Draft
Top draft pickBob Boozer
Picked byCincinnati Royals
Regular season
Top seedBoston Celtics
Season MVPWilt Chamberlain (Philadelphia)
Top scorerWilt Chamberlain (Philadelphia)
Playoffs
Eastern championsBoston Celtics
  Eastern runners-upPhiladelphia Warriors
Western championsSt. Louis Hawks
  Western runners-upMinneapolis Lakers
Finals
ChampionsBoston Celtics
  Runners-upSt. Louis Hawks

The 1959–60 NBA season was the 14th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Boston Celtics winning their 2nd straight NBA title, beating the St. Louis Hawks 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals.

Notable occurrences

  • On November 7, 1959 in a game between the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia Warriors, Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain played the first game of their 10-year professional rivalry.
  • The 1960 NBA All-Star Game was played in Philadelphia, with the East beating the West 125–115. Rookie Wilt Chamberlain of the local Philadelphia Warriors won the game's MVP award.
  • The Minneapolis Lakers played their final season in the Twin Cities. There would not be another NBA team in Minnesota until the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1989–90.
  • In an interesting quirk in the schedule, the Philadelphia Warriors and Minneapolis Lakers play a two-game series in California on January 31 – February 1, 1960, with the first game being played in San Francisco (the Warriors' future home) and the second in Los Angeles (the Lakers' future home).
  • The NBA schedule was expanded from 72 games per team to 75.
Coaching changes
Offseason
Team 1958–59 coach 1959–60 coach
Philadelphia Warriors Al Cervi Neil Johnston
In-season
Team Outgoing coach Incoming coach
Detroit Pistons Red Rocha Dick McGuire
Minneapolis Lakers John Castellani Jim Pollard
New York Knicks Andrew Levane Carl Braun

Final standings

Eastern Division

Eastern Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Neutral Div
x-Boston Celtics5916.787–25–224–910–528–11
x-Philadelphia Warriors4926.6531022–612–1915–122–17
x-Syracuse Nationals4530.6001425–412–198–721–18
New York Knicks2748.3603213–189–195–117–32

Western Division

Western Division
 Wins Losses PCT GB  Home   Road  Neutral Division
x-St. Louis Hawks4629.613–28–512–206–427–12
x-Detroit Pistons3045.4001617–146–217–1020–19
x-Minneapolis Lakers2550.333219–159–217–1417–22
Cincinnati Royals1956.253279–222–208–1414–25

x – clinched playoff spot

Playoffs

  • * Division winner
  • Bold Series winner
  • Italic Team with home-court advantage in NBA Finals

Statistics leaders

CategoryPlayerTeamStat
PointsWilt ChamberlainPhiladelphia Warriors2,707
ReboundsWilt ChamberlainPhiladelphia Warriors1,941
AssistsBob CousyBoston Celtics715
FG%Kenny SearsNew York Knicks.477
FT%Dolph SchayesSyracuse Nationals.893

Note: Prior to the 1969–70 season, league leaders in points, rebounds, and assists were determined by totals rather than averages.

NBA awards

See also

References


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