1961–62 Syracuse Nationals season

1961–62 Syracuse Nationals season
Head coachAlex Hannum
ArenaOnondaga War Memorial
Results
Record41–39 (.513)
PlaceDivision: 3rd (Eastern)
Playoff finishEast Division Semifinals
(eliminated 2–3)

Stats at Basketball Reference
Local media
TelevisionWSYR-TV
RadioWSYR

The 1961–62 Syracuse Nationals season was the 13th season of the Nationals in the NBA.[1]

Roster

1961-62 Syracuse Nationals roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Player Height Weight DOB From
G 24 Al Bianchi 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1932-03-26 Bowling Green
G 21 Larry Costello 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1931-07-02 Niagara
F 20 Dave Gambee 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1937-04-16 Oregon State
F 23 Joe Graboski 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1930-01-15 Tuley (IL)
G/F 15 Hal Greer 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1936-06-26 Marshall
C 11 Swede Halbrook 7 ft 3 in (2.21 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1933-01-30 Oregon State
F/C 10 Johnny Kerr 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1932-08-17 Illinois
G 5 Paul Neumann 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1938-01-30 Stanford
F 23 Chuck Osborne 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1939-01-21 Western Kentucky
F 12 Joe Roberts 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 214 lb (97 kg) 1936-05-18 Ohio State
F/C 4 Dolph Schayes 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1928-05-19 NYU
F 22 Lee Shaffer 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1939-02-23 North Carolina
Head coach

Alex Hannum


Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured

Roster

Regular season

Season standings

W L PCT GB Home Road Neutral Div
x-Boston Celtics 60 20 .750 23–5 26–12 11–3 26–10
x-Philadelphia Warriors 49 31 .613 11 18–11 19–19 12–1 18–18
x-Syracuse Nationals 41 39 .513 19 18–10 11–19 12–10 17–19
New York Knicks 29 51 .363 31 19–15 2–23 8–13 11–25
x – clinched playoff spot

Game log

1961–62 Game log
# Date Opponent Score High points Record
1 October 21 Chicago 103–123 Hal Greer (23) 1–0
2 October 26 N St. Louis 107–110 Dave Gambee (21) 1–1
3 October 27 @ Philadelphia 126–122 Dolph Schayes (28) 2–1
4 October 28 Philadelphia 119–115 Dolph Schayes (31) 2–2
5 October 29 @ Cincinnati 132–139 Dolph Schayes (27) 2–3
6 October 31 @ St. Louis 107–90 Hal Greer (30) 3–3
7 November 3 St. Louis 106–94 Lee Shaffer (16) 3–4
8 November 4 @ Boston 107–127 Johnny Kerr (21) 3–5
9 November 9 @ Philadelphia 108–151 Dave Gambee (20) 3–6
10 November 11 New York 109–135 Hal Greer (24) 4–6
11 November 14 N Cincinnati 115–119 Dolph Schayes (28) 4–7
12 November 15 N New York 114–102 Johnny Kerr (25) 5–7
13 November 18 Philadelphia 130–148 Hal Greer (36) 6–7
14 November 22 N New York 109–110 Hal Greer (30) 6–8
15 November 23 N Cincinnati 117–99 Hal Greer (21) 7–8
16 November 24 Cincinnati 127–125 Dolph Schayes (32) 7–9
17 November 25 @ St. Louis 108–141 Larry Costello (20) 7–10
18 November 28 N Los Angeles 121–111 Johnny Kerr (24) 8–10
19 November 29 @ Cincinnati 136–122 Dave Gambee (30) 9–10
20 December 1 @ New York 100–118 Dolph Schayes (23) 9–11
21 December 2 Chicago 118–132 Kerr, Shaffer (25) 10–11
22 December 4 @ Los Angeles 120–131 Lee Shaffer (32) 10–12
23 December 5 N Los Angeles 120–125 Larry Costello (22) 10–13
24 December 6 @ Los Angeles 121–123 (OT) Dolph Schayes (28) 10–14
25 December 8 @ Boston 111–123 Larry Costello (32) 10–15
26 December 9 Boston 106–102 Dolph Schayes (24) 10–16
27 December 12 @ New York 126–124 Hal Greer (33) 11–16
28 December 13 Cincinnati 136–126 Lee Shaffer (28) 11–17
29 December 14 @ Philadelphia 125–136 Johnny Kerr (26) 11–18
30 December 16 N Los Angeles 128–123 Lee Shaffer (34) 12–18
31 December 19 N Detroit 124–111 Larry Costello (30) 13–18
32 December 25 Boston 127–122 Dave Gambee (28) 13–19
33 December 26 N Philadelphia 111–118 Hal Greer (25) 13–20
34 December 27 N Los Angeles 111–119 Lee Shaffer (23) 13–21
35 December 28 Los Angeles 121–114 Lee Shaffer (26) 13–22
36 December 30 Detroit 108–109 Lee Shaffer (22) 14–22
37 January 1 @ Cincinnati 110–106 Johnny Kerr (23) 15–22
38 January 2 @ Chicago 127–102 Hal Greer (31) 16–22
39 January 5 N Detroit 135–138 (OT) Dave Gambee (34) 16–23
40 January 6 Chicago 102–120 Hal Greer (27) 17–23
41 January 7 @ New York 123–116 Greer, Shaffer (23) 18–23
42 January 9 @ Philadelphia 129–120 Johnny Kerr (31) 19–23
43 January 10 St. Louis 122–134 Hal Greer (36) 20–23
44 January 13 N Boston 127–117 Lee Shaffer (26) 21–23
45 January 14 New York 118–141 Hal Greer (40) 22–23
46 January 18 N Chicago 118–111 Hal Greer (35) 23–23
47 January 19 @ Boston 103–128 Hal Greer (23) 23–24
48 January 20 Boston 107–101 Johnny Kerr (27) 23–25
49 January 21 N Philadelphia 132–139 (OT) Hal Greer (44) 23–26
50 January 23 @ St. Louis 107–115 Dave Gambee (21) 23–27
51 January 24 @ Detroit 102–111 Hal Greer (34) 23–28
52 January 25 N Detroit 100–101 Lee Shaffer (23) 23–29
53 January 27 @ Chicago 107–102 Hal Greer (22) 24–29
54 January 28 @ Cincinnati 131–139 Lee Shaffer (31) 24–30
55 January 31 New York 109–138 Hal Greer (30) 25–30
56 February 2 N St. Louis 135–101 Hal Greer (38) 26–30
57 February 3 Philadelphia 112–134 Johnny Kerr (32) 27–30
58 February 4 @ Philadelphia 117–128 Hal Greer (38) 27–31
59 February 6 N Chicago 127–123 Hal Greer (33) 28–31
60 February 8 Boston 110–122 Lee Shaffer (28) 29–31
61 February 9 @ New York 111–120 Al Bianchi (23) 29–32
62 February 11 Detroit 116–132 Hal Greer (23) 30–32
63 February 15 @ Chicago 121–126 Hal Greer (33) 30–33
64 February 16 N Chicago 132–106 Hal Greer (25) 31–33
65 February 17 N Chicago 136–127 Dolph Schayes (30) 32–33
66 February 18 New York 126–141 Gambee, Greer (33) 33–33
67 February 21 Philadelphia 109–150 Dave Gambee (31) 34–33
68 February 22 N Boston 106–134 Johnny Kerr (26) 34–34
69 February 23 @ Boston 107–121 Dave Gambee (28) 34–35
70 February 24 N New York 120–117 Dave Gambee (36) 35–35
71 February 25 Boston 110–106 Lee Shaffer (24) 35–36
72 February 27 @ New York 130–120 Lee Shaffer (34) 36–36
73 March 1 Cincinnati 108–137 Al Bianchi (29) 37–36
74 March 3 @ Detroit 128–114 Lee Shaffer (26) 38–36
75 March 4 Los Angeles 124–115 Lee Shaffer (32) 38–37
76 March 7 St. Louis 126–129 Dave Gambee (34) 39–37
77 March 10 Detroit 111–128 Lee Shaffer (31) 40–37
78 March 11 Philadelphia 130–148 Johnny Kerr (36) 41–37
79 March 13 @ Boston 110–142 Johnny Kerr (24) 41–38
80 March 14 @ Detroit 102–105 Larry Costello (21) 41–39

Playoffs

1962 playoff game log
Division Semifinals: 2–3 (home: 1–1; road: 1–2)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance
Series
1 March 16 @ Philadelphia L 103–110 Larry Costello (23) Red Kerr (15) Bianchi, Shaffer (4) Philadelphia Civic Center
6,937
0–1
2 March 18 Philadelphia L 82–97 Red Kerr (18) Lee Shaffer (13) Larry Costello (5) Onondaga War Memorial
5,250
0–2
3 March 19 @ Philadelphia W 101–100 Lee Shaffer (30) Red Kerr (16) Larry Costello (10) Philadelphia Civic Center
5,328
1–2
4 March 20 Philadelphia W 106–99 Red Kerr (27) Red Kerr (22) Larry Costello (7) Onondaga War Memorial 2–2
5 March 22 @ Philadelphia L 104–121 Lee Shaffer (30) Red Kerr (15) Al Bianchi (5) Philadelphia Civic Center
7,829
2–3
1962 schedule

References