Season for the Nationals in the National Basketball Association
The 1949–50 Syracuse Nationals season was the 1st season for the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Nationals played their previous three seasons in the National Basketball League , which merged with the Basketball Association of America to form the NBA. Al Cervi , nicknamed "Digger" for his superior defensive skills, guided the team with his competitive nature while serving as a player-coach . As the Syracuse Post-Standard describes, "The Nationals shot poorly but succeeded because they played Cervi-style basketball: nasty, with an emphasis on defense."[1] The Nationals went to the NBA Finals after beating the Philadelphia Warriors and New York Knicks , but lost to the Minneapolis Lakers in six games.
Draft picks [ ]
Main article: 1949 NBA draft
Round
Pick
Player
Position
Nationality
College
Roster [ ]
Syracuse Nationals 1949–50 roster
Players
Coaches
Pos.
#
Nat.
Name
Ht.
Wt.
From
G/F
15
Cervi, Al
5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
170 lb (77 kg)
East High School (Buffalo )
F
9
Chollet, Leroy
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
190 lb (86 kg)
Canisius College
G
4
Corley, Ray
6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
180 lb (82 kg)
Georgetown
G/F
7
Gabor, Bill
5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
170 lb (77 kg)
Syracuse
F/C
10
Hannum, Alex
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
210 lb (95 kg)
Southern California
G/F
14
Levane, Andrew
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
190 lb (86 kg)
St. John's
G/F
5
Macknowski, Johnny
6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
180 lb (82 kg)
Seton Hall
C
50
Peterson, Ed
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
220 lb (100 kg)
Cornell University
F/C
65
Ratkovicz, George
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
220 lb (100 kg)
Lindblom High School (Chicago )
F/C
55
Schayes, Dolph
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
195 lb (88 kg)
New York University
G/F
25
Seymour, Paul
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
180 lb (82 kg)
Toledo
Head coach
Legend
(C) Team captain(DP) Unsigned draft pick(FA) Free agent(S) Suspended Injured
Roster
Regular season [ ]
Standings [ ]
Record vs. opponents [ ]
1949–50 NBA records
Team
AND
BAL
BOS
CHI
DEN
FWP
IND
MIN
NYK
PHI
ROC
SHE
STL
SYR
TCB
WAS
WAT
Anderson
—
1–1
0–2
1–1
4–3
1–1
2–5
1–1
1–1
1–1
0–2
5–2
2–0
3–4
7–2
1–1
7–0
Baltimore
1–1
—
2–4
1–5
1–1
3–3
1–1
1–5
1–5
3–3
3–3
2–0
3–3
0–2
0–2
2–4
1–1
Boston
2–0
4–2
—
0–6
1–1
2–4
1–1
1–5
1–5
3–3
0–6
1–1
2–4
0–2
0–2
3–3
1–1
Chicago
1–1
5–1
6–0
—
2–0
2–4
1–1
2–4
2–4
4–2
2–4
2–0
5–1
0–2
1–1
3–3
2–0
Denver
3–4
1–1
1–1
0–2
—
0–2
0–7
0–2
0–2
0–2
0–2
3–4
0–2
1–6
0–7
0–2
2–5
Fort Wayne
1–1
3–3
4–2
4–2
2–0
—
1–1
2–4
4–2
4–2
3–3
2–0
5–1
0–2
2–0
2–4
1–1
Indianapolis
5–2
1–1
1–1
1–1
7–0
1–1
—
1–1
1–1
2–0
1–1
5–2
1–1
2–7
4–3
1–1
5–2
Minneapolis
1–1
5–1
5–1
4–2
2–0
4–2
1–1
—
5–1
4–2
3–3
1–1
5–1
1–1
2–0
6–0
2–0
New York
1–1
5–1
5–1
4–2
2–0
2–4
1–1
1–5
—
1–5
1–5
1–1
4–2
0–2
1–1
5–1
2–0
Philadelphia
1–1
3–3
3–3
2–4
2–0
2–4
0–2
2–4
1–5
—
1–5
2–0
2–4
0–2
1–1
2–4
2–0
Rochester
2–0
3–3
6–0
4–2
2–0
3–3
1–1
3–3
5–1
5–1
—
1–1
5–1
1–1
2–0
6–0
2–0
Sheboygan
2–5
0–2
1–1
0–2
4–3
0–2
2–5
1–1
1–1
0–2
1–1
—
0–2
1–6
3–4
2–0
4–3
St. Louis
0–2
3–3
4–2
1–5
2–0
1–5
1–1
1–5
2–4
4–2
1–5
2–0
—
1–1
2–0
0–6
1–1
Syracuse
4–3
2–0
2–0
2–0
6–1
2–0
7–2
1–1
2–0
2–0
1–1
6–1
1–1
—
6–1
1–1
6–1
Tri-Cities
2–7
2–0
2–0
1–1
7–0
0–2
3–4
0–2
1–1
1–1
0–2
4–3
0–2
1–6
—
1–1
4–3
Washington
1–1
4–2
3–3
3–3
2–0
4–2
1–1
0–6
1–5
4–2
0–6
0–2
6–0
1–1
1–1
—
1–1
Waterloo
0–7
1–1
1–1
0–2
5–2
1–1
2–5
0–2
0–2
0–2
0–2
3–4
1–1
1–6
3–4
1–1
—
Game log [ ]
1949–50 Game Log Total: 51–13 (Home: 31–1 ; Road: 15–12 ; Neutral: 5–0)
November: 13–1 (Home: 8–0 ; Road: 3–1 ; Neutral: 2–0)
December: 11–3 (Home: 5–0 ; Road: 5–3 ; Neutral: 1–0)
January: 9–3 (Home: 7–1 ; Road: 1–2 ; Neutral: 1–0)
Game
Date
Opponent
Score
Location
High points
Record
29
January 1
Washington Capitols
79–73
State Fair Coliseum
Billy Gabor (20)
25–4
30
January 5
Tri-Cities Blackhawks
82–73
State Fair Coliseum
Al Cervi (18)
26–4
31
January 8
Waterloo Hawks
84–68
State Fair Coliseum
Billy Gabor (19)
27–4
32
January 10
@ Waterloo Hawks
84–86 (OT)
McElroy Auditorium
Paul Seymour (14)
27–5
33
January 11
@ Minneapolis Lakers
88–98
Minneapolis Auditorium
Al Cervi (19)
27–6
34
January 12
@ Fort Wayne Pistons
64–62
North Side High School Gym
Al Cervi (17)
28–6
35
January 15
Indianapolis Olympians
82–69
State Fair Coliseum
Dolph Schayes (23)
29–6
36
January 19
Denver Nuggets
107–86
State Fair Coliseum
Johnny Macknowski (19)
30–6
37
January 22
Anderson Packers
75–77 (OT)
State Fair Coliseum
George Ratkovicz (15)
30–7
38
January 26
Rochester Royals
76–72
State Fair Coliseum
Billy Gabor (20)
31–7
39
January 29
Sheboygan Red Skins
85–70
State Fair Coliseum
Dolph Schayes (21)
32–7
40
January 30
vs Indianapolis Olympians
91–75
(Louisville, Kentucky)
Dolph Schayes (24)
33–7
February: 11–4 (Home: 7–0 ; Road: 3–4 ; Neutral: 1–0)
Game
Date
Opponent
Score
Location
High points
Record
41
February 1
@ Tri-Cities Blackhawks
83–91
Wharton Field House
Dolph Schayes (25)
33–8
42
February 2
@ Indianapolis Olympians
73–67
Butler Fieldhouse
George Ratkovicz (16)
34–8
43
February 3
Waterloo Hawks
103–79
State Fair Coliseum
Billy Gabor (32)
35–8
44
February 5
Baltimore Bullets
96–87
State Fair Coliseum
Johnny Macknowski (22)
36–8
45
February 8
Sheboygan Red Skins
106–81
State Fair Coliseum
Billy Gabor (19)
37–8
46
February 11
@ Baltimore Bullets
77–76
Baltimore Coliseum
Al Cervi (18)
38–8
47
February 12
Waterloo Hawks
102–98
State Fair Coliseum
Andrew Levane (21)
39–8
48
February 16
Tri-Cities Blackhawks
105–74
State Fair Coliseum
Dolph Schayes (17)
40–8
49
February 19
Indianapolis Olympians
82–78
State Fair Coliseum
Dolph Schayes (29)
41–8
50
February 21
@ Denver Nuggets
78–89
Denver Auditorium Arena
Dolph Schayes (31)
41–9
51
February 23
@ Denver Nuggets
108–80
Denver Auditorium Arena
Dolph Schayes (25)
42–9
52
February 24
vs Indianapolis Olympians
72–67
(Chicago)
George Ratkovicz (19)
43–9
53
February 26
Chicago Stags
73–64
State Fair Coliseum
Dolph Schayes (24)
44–9
54
February 27
@ Anderson Packers
73–97
Anderson High School Wigwam
Dolph Schayes (17)
44–10
55
February 28
@ Indianapolis Olympians
72–110
Butler Fieldhouse
Alex Hannum (13)
44–11
March: 7–2 (Home: 4–0 ; Road: 3–2 ; Neutral: 0–0)
Game
Date
Opponent
Score
Location
High points
Record
56
March 1
@ Waterloo Hawks
93–72
McElroy Auditorium
Dolph Schayes (24)
45–11
57
March 2
@ Sheboygan Red Skins
85–95
Sheboygan Municipal Auditorium and Armory
Dolph Schayes (26)
45–12
58
March 5
Minneapolis Lakers
84–75
State Fair Coliseum
Dolph Schayes (28)
46–12
59
March 9
St. Louis Bombers
85–74
State Fair Coliseum
Dolph Schayes (19)
47–12
60
March 12
Boston Celtics
96–72
State Fair Coliseum
Dolph Schayes (21)
48–12
61
March 14
@ Indianapolis Olympians
65–68
Butler Fieldhouse
George Ratkovicz (20)
48–13
62
March 16
@ Sheboygan Red Skins
88–75
Sheboygan Municipal Auditorium and Armory
Dolph Schayes (18)
49–13
63
March 18
@ Tri-Cities Blackhawks
89–88 (OT)
Wharton Field House
Johnny Macknowski (25)
50–13
64
March 19
Anderson Packers
72–67
State Fair Coliseum
Dolph Schayes (20)
51–13
1949–50 Schedule
Playoffs [ ]
1950 playoff game log
Division Semifinals: 2–0 (Home: 1–0; Road: 1–0)
Division Finals: 2–1 (Home: 2–0; Road: 0–1)
NBA Finals: 2–4 (Home: 2–1; Road: 0–3)
1950 schedule
Nationals had a bye in the NBA Semifinals as the team with the best record amongst teams who advanced past the Division Finals.
Awards and records [ ]
References [ ]
1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s