The 1956 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1955–56 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia Warriors defeating the Western Conference champion Fort Wayne Pistons 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals.
It was the Warriors' second NBA title; their first was in 1947 back when the NBA was known as the BAA. They would have to wait until 1975 to taste championship gold again; by that time they had moved to the Bay Area and become the Golden State Warriors. Philadelphia's later team, the Philadelphia 76ers, would win the title in 1967.
This was the Pistons' second straight trip to the NBA Finals, but they would not make another appearance until 1988 as the Detroit Pistons. No team from Indiana would return to the NBA Finals until the Indiana Pacers did so in 2000.
The play-in game between the Syracuse Nationals and the New York Knicks was the last play-in game to determine a playoff spot until 2020.
Bracket
Division Tiebreakers
Eastern Division Tiebreaker
New York Knicks @ Syracuse Nationals
Western Division Tiebreaker
Minneapolis Lakers @ St. Louis Hawks
Division Semifinals
Eastern Division Semifinals
(2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Syracuse Nationals
This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Nationals winning three of the first four meetings. +Previous playoff seriesSyracuse leads 3–1 in all-time playoff series
Western Division Semifinals
(2) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (3) St. Louis Hawks
To date, this 58-point margin remains the Hawks' worst playoff loss and the Lakers' largest playoff win in franchise history.
George Mikan’s final NBA game.
This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.
Division Finals
Eastern Division Finals
(1) Philadelphia Warriors vs. (3) Syracuse Nationals
This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the 76ers/Nationals winning the first three meetings. +Previous playoff seriesPhiladelphia 76ers/ Syracuse Nationals leads 3–0 in all-time playoff series
Western Division Finals
(1) Fort Wayne Pistons vs. (3) St. Louis Hawks
Pistons become first team to come back after from a 2–0 deficit in NBA playoffs.
This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.
NBA Finals: (E1) Philadelphia Warriors vs. (W1) Fort Wayne Pistons
This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.
References
External links Basketball-Reference.com's 1956 NBA Playoffs page
fi:NBA-kausi 1955–1956#Pudotuspelit