1958 NBA Finals
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| Dates | March 29–April 12 | |||||||||
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| Hall of Famers |
Celtics: Bill Russell Andy Phillip Arnie Risen Tom Heinsohn (as a player and coach) Bob Cousy Frank Ramsey Sam Jones (basketball) Bill Sharman (as a player and coach) Hawks: Slater Martin Ed Macauley Cliff Hagan Bob Pettit Coaches: Alex Hannum Red Auerbach |
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| Eastern Finals | Celtics defeat Warriors, 4–1 | |||||||||
| Western Finals | Hawks defeat Pistons, 4–1 | |||||||||
The 1958 NBA World Championship Series was the championship series for the 1957–58 National Basketball Association (NBA) season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. It pitted the Western Division champion St. Louis Hawks against the Eastern Division champion Boston Celtics. The Hawks won the series in six games to win the club's first and so far only NBA championship title.
Hawks win series 4–2
After suffering a heartbreaking loss to the Celtics in Game 7 of the 1957 NBA Finals, St. Louis survived rough times in the 1957-58 NBA season, coming back to the NBA Finals to face the Celtics once more. The teams split the first two games and were tied 49-49 in the third game when the series' decisive play occurred. Bill Russell soared high to block a shot by Bob Pettit, landed heavily on his right ankle and collapsed in a heap on the floor with a severe sprain. He missed the next 2 games. Boston won just one more game, the fourth, as the Hawks gained revenge with a six-game series victory that gave them their first and (to date) only NBA championship.
The sixth game was sweet vindication for Bob Pettit, and that's an understatement. Before a cheering, stomping crowd of 10,218 at St. Louis, Pettit put on a show perhaps unmatched by any individual in NBA playoff history. Russell was back in action, limping badly on a cast and obviously hampered, but it's questionable whether even if Russell had been at the top of his game he could have contained the inspired Pettit on this occasion.
Pettit scored 19 points as the Hawks took a 57-52 lead into the halftime intermission. Six straight points by Pettit pushed the Hawks' margin to 10 in the third quarter before the Celtics sparked by Bob Cousy's brilliant playmaking, cut the margin back to six, 83-77. A Boston spurt in the opening moments of the final period gave the Celts an 86-84 lead, and the gloom was so thick in the arena one could practically cut it with a knife.
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