The 1955-56 season marked the Philadelphia Warriors’ successful campaign in the NBA, predating the team’s rebranding to the 76ers. Under the leadership of Hall of Fame coach George Senesky, the Warriors finished the regular season with a 45-27 record, placing them first in the Eastern Division.
Key to their success was the extraordinary play of Paul Arizin, who led the league in scoring, and Neil Johnston, who dominated the boards. The Warriors excelled in both offense and defense, showcasing a balanced team effort that proved vital in the playoffs.
During the postseason, the Warriors maintained their form, ultimately winning the NBA Championship. They defeated the Syracuse Nationals in the Eastern Division Finals and triumphed over the Fort Wayne Pistons in the NBA Finals, securing a 4-1 series victory. This championship marked the franchise’s second title, solidifying their place in basketball history during this era.
- Regular Season Record: 35-37
- Playoff Result: Division Semifinals: 2-1, Division Finals: 2-3
Philadelphia 76ers Roster and Stats for 1955-56 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Dolph Schayes | 73 | 20.4 | 11.8 | 2.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 8 | 22.1 | 13.9 | 3.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Red Kerr | 73 | 13.3 | 7.8 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 8 | 11.1 | 8.5 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Paul Seymour | 58 | 11.2 | 2.4 | 4.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 7 | 6.6 | 1.6 | 2.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| George King | 73 | 10.3 | 3.2 | 5.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 8 | 14.6 | 5.9 | 7.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Red Rocha | 73 | 9.9 | 5.3 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 8 | 8.5 | 6.5 | 1.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Earl Lloyd | 73 | 8.4 | 6.1 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 8 | 8.1 | 5.4 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Ed Conlin | 67 | 8.3 | 4.4 | 1.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 8 | 10.5 | 5.9 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Billy Kenville | 73 | 7.4 | 2.7 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 8 | 6.0 | 2.1 | 1.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Dick Farley | 73 | 6.6 | 2.1 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 8 | 10.9 | 2.6 | 3.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Jim Tucker | 71 | 3.9 | 3.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6 | 5.3 | 4.2 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Philadelphia 76ers in the 1956 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs Second Round vs. Boston Celtics
In the 1956 NBA Playoffs, the Philadelphia 76ers, then known as the Syracuse Nationals, faced the Fort Wayne Pistons in the Eastern Division Finals. The Nationals showcased their resilience and competitive edge but ultimately fell to the Pistons in a tightly contested series. Despite their exit, the Nationals' performance highlighted the talents of stars like Dolph Schayes, setting the stage for future successes.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 17, 1956 | @ Boston Celtics | L 110-93 | |
| Mar 19, 1956 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 101-98 | |
| Mar 21, 1956 | @ Boston Celtics | W 102-97 |
1956 Conference Championship vs. Philadelphia Warriors
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 23, 1956 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 109-87 | |
| Mar 25, 1956 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 122-118 | |
| Mar 27, 1956 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 119-96 | |
| Mar 28, 1956 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 108-104 | |
| Mar 29, 1956 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 109-104 |
Philadelphia 76ers 1955-56 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1955-56 season for the Philadelphia 76ers.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 05, 1955 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 114-113 | |
| Nov 06, 1955 | @ Rochester Royals | L 83-80 | |
| Nov 12, 1955 | @ St. Louis Hawks | W 91-81 | |
| Nov 13, 1955 | @ Fort Wayne Pistons | L 93-79 | |
| Nov 17, 1955 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 105-91 | |
| Nov 19, 1955 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 102-94 | |
| Nov 20, 1955 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 84-80 | |
| Nov 23, 1955 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 104-101 | |
| Nov 24, 1955 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 111-103 | |
| Nov 26, 1955 | @ New York Knicks | L 100-99 | |
| Nov 27, 1955 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 85-74 | |
| Nov 29, 1955 | @ Boston Celtics | L 105-97 | |
| Dec 03, 1955 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 114-103 | |
| Dec 04, 1955 | @ Minneapolis Lakers | W 102-96 | |
| Dec 06, 1955 | @ Fort Wayne Pistons | L 90-88 | |
| Dec 08, 1955 | @ Fort Wayne Pistons | L 105-94 | |
| Dec 09, 1955 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 101-92 | |
| Dec 11, 1955 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 101-89 | |
| Dec 15, 1955 | @ Syracuse Nationals | W 135-133 | |
| Dec 17, 1955 | @ Boston Celtics | W 110-104 | |
| Dec 18, 1955 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 99-79 | |
| Dec 20, 1955 | @ New York Knicks | W 98-91 | |
| Dec 25, 1955 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 111-96 | |
| Dec 26, 1955 | @ Rochester Royals | L 93-91 | |
| Dec 27, 1955 | @ Rochester Royals | L 91-80 | |
| Dec 29, 1955 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 112-83 | |
| Dec 30, 1955 | @ Boston Celtics | L 110-103 | |
| Dec 31, 1955 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 101-92 | |
| Jan 01, 1956 | @ Minneapolis Lakers | W 85-80 | |
| Jan 02, 1956 | @ St. Louis Hawks | W 84-82 | |
| Jan 04, 1956 | @ Syracuse Nationals | W 88-87 | |
| Jan 07, 1956 | @ Syracuse Nationals | W 105-99 | |
| Jan 08, 1956 | @ Minneapolis Lakers | L 99-91 | |
| Jan 10, 1956 | @ Minneapolis Lakers | L 90-79 | |
| Jan 12, 1956 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 93-78 | |
| Jan 13, 1956 | @ Boston Celtics | L 119-104 | |
| Jan 14, 1956 | @ Rochester Royals | L 102-93 | |
| Jan 15, 1956 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 99-88 | |
| Jan 19, 1956 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 122-100 | |
| Jan 21, 1956 | @ Boston Celtics | L 100-96 | |
| Jan 22, 1956 | @ Syracuse Nationals | W 109-105 | |
| Jan 25, 1956 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 112-100 | |
| Jan 26, 1956 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 100-89 | |
| Jan 28, 1956 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 93-85 | |
| Jan 29, 1956 | @ Syracuse Nationals | W 99-95 | |
| Feb 01, 1956 | @ Rochester Royals | L 83-77 | |
| Feb 02, 1956 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 97-89 | |
| Feb 04, 1956 | @ New York Knicks | W 103-94 | |
| Feb 05, 1956 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 90-85 | |
| Feb 06, 1956 | @ Fort Wayne Pistons | L 99-98 | |
| Feb 07, 1956 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 128-95 | |
| Feb 09, 1956 | @ Syracuse Nationals | W 98-97 | |
| Feb 10, 1956 | @ New York Knicks | W 94-88 | |
| Feb 12, 1956 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 101-74 | |
| Feb 17, 1956 | @ New York Knicks | W 91-86 | |
| Feb 18, 1956 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 85-84 | |
| Feb 19, 1956 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 118-98 | |
| Feb 21, 1956 | @ New York Knicks | W 108-107 | |
| Feb 23, 1956 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 94-92 | |
| Feb 24, 1956 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 116-103 | |
| Feb 26, 1956 | @ Syracuse Nationals | W 87-85 | |
| Feb 27, 1956 | @ Fort Wayne Pistons | W 98-95 | |
| Feb 29, 1956 | @ Minneapolis Lakers | L 98-94 | |
| Mar 01, 1956 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 111-100 | |
| Mar 03, 1956 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 102-96 | |
| Mar 04, 1956 | @ Syracuse Nationals | W 118-111 | |
| Mar 07, 1956 | @ Boston Celtics | L 111-98 | |
| Mar 08, 1956 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 92-88 | |
| Mar 10, 1956 | @ New York Knicks | L 104-84 | |
| Mar 11, 1956 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 99-88 | |
| Mar 12, 1956 | @ St. Louis Hawks | W 97-92 | |
| Mar 14, 1956 | @ Boston Celtics | L 122-103 | |
| Mar 15, 1956 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 82-77 |