1957 NBA playoffs
The 1957 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1956-57 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Division champion St. Louis Hawks 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals.
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | March 14–April 13, 1957 |
| Season | 1956–57 |
| Teams | 6 |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Boston Celtics (1st title) |
| Runner-up | St. Louis Hawks |
| Semifinalists |
|
It was the first title in Celtics history; as of 2020, they are tied with the Los Angeles Lakers in NBA titles won with 17.
The Celtics and Hawks met in 4 out of 5 NBA Finals from 1957–1961, with the Celtics winning 3 out of 4. While the Hawks' dominance of the Western Division was succeeded by the Los Angeles Lakers afterward, Boston missed the NBA Finals just once between 1957–1969, and won the NBA title in every year but two.
In the division semifinals, the Philadelphia Warriors were swept by the Syracuse Nationals 2–0. This was the first time in NBA history that the defending champions were swept in the opening round. The next time the defending champions were swept in the opening round was in 2007. It was also the only time in which the playoff series leading to the Final resulted in sweeps.