The National Basketball Association(NBA) was earlier known as the Basketball Association of America(BAA) during 1946-47. At the end of the championship, the Philadelphia Warriors defeated the Chicago Bulls and got the title of the first BAA Champions. They had a winning score of 4-1.
Season Review 1946-47
On November 1, 1946, the first game of the season was played between New York Knicks and Toronto Huskies by 68-66. The tournament took place at the Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto. Ossie Schectman of the New York Knicks achieved the opening basket in the history of BAA and scored the first points for his team.
The season ended with the victory of Philadelphia over Chicago. Joe Fulks, a member of the Philadelphia Warriors scored the first league scoring title of 23.2 points. Bob Feerick of Washington Capitols scored 40.1% field goals throughout the season, while Fred Scolari of Washington Capitols scored 81.1% of the Free throws percentage of the team.
By the end of the quarterfinals, the New York Knicks defeated the Cleveland Rebels by a score of 2-1. On the other hand, Philadelphia defeated St. Louis by the winning score of 2-1. This led the two teams to move towards the semi-finals. In the match between Chicago v/s Washington and Philadelphia v/s New York, Chicago and Philadelphia defeated their respective opponents by 4-2 and 2-0.
To note, an additional rule was brought to force that a player is forgiven six fouls before he gets eligible for disqualification.
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Participating teams in 1946-47
As decided, the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference teams competed against each other. The teams under the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference are mentioned below:
Eastern Conference:
- Boston Celtics
- New York knicks
- Philadelphia Warriors
- Providence Steamrollers
- Toronto Huskies
- Washington Capitols
Western Conference:
- Chicago Stags
- Cleveland Rebels
- Detroit Falcons
- Pittsburgh Ironmen
- St. Louis Bombers
Washington Capitols stood on the top of the Eastern Division with a win-loss ratio of 49-11. It was followed by the Philaphedia Warriors with a win-loss ratio of 35-22. On the other hand, Chicago Stags stood on top in its respective division with a win-loss ratio of 39-22. They were followed by the St. Louis Bombers with a win-loss ratio of 38-23 in the game of 1946-47.
Top Movements in 1946-47 BAA championship
The league was one of the crucial events to mark the new changes in the championship. The following changes were observed during the event:
1. New League Infrastructure-
In order to level up the earlier management, organisation and infrastructural facilities, new and larger arenas were set up. In addition to that, small gyms and YMCA halls were built. This helped the players and management to shift their life schedule to even better amenities.
2. Non-U.S. Team Toronto-
Toronto Huskies was a strategic plan to level the sports fandom to a bigger section of contitent and not just the small cities. Thus, Maple Leaf Gardens, which was one of the most influential arena in America at that time, was chosen for the championship. The main motive was to draw the population of the city to the stadium and increase the sales of tickets. But this plan failed.
3. 1947 BBA Draft
It was published on 1 July, 1947 by the BBA. The draft gave the teams the freedom to choose their players for the championship. For example, Clifton McNeely was appointed for the game.
4. Financial Shortage
The Toronto Maple Leaf Gardens were not a fair idea. This was because the people over there were unaware of this sport and mostly watched Hockey. This was the reason that the season got a very low attendance at the championship due to which financial issues arose. The tickets for the match didn’t sell.
5. Introduction of Star Players
Star players like Joe Culks were appointed who brought the game to an another level. His innovative strategies and game play brought the public’s attention to the sports.
CONCLUSION
The BBA, now the NBA, has gone through a lot of phases, transformations, and failed attempts to grow up to this level. It tried to expand itself in the early years by installing larger arenas, star players and even drafting new rules and regulations. Through them, it has suffered huge losses. But anyhow, it has grown from the ashes of their mistakes, be it financial or logistical errors.
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FAQs
- What was the NBA called in 1946-47?
Ans. NBA was called the Basketball Association of America during 1946-47.
- Who was named as the best player of the season 1946-47?
Ans. Joe Fulks
- How many teams played in the season?
Ans. 11 teams took part in the first season of BBA.
- Who was the first player to earn the opening basket?
Ans. Ossie Schectman was the first player to score in the BAA history.
