1949–50 Syracuse Nationals season
| 1949–50 Syracuse Nationals season | |
|---|---|
Division champions | |
| Head coach | Al Cervi |
| Arena | State Fair Coliseum |
| Results | |
| Record | 51–13 (.797) |
| Place | Division: 1st (Eastern) |
| Playoff finish | NBA Finals (eliminated 2–4) |
Stats at Basketball Reference | |
| Local media | |
| Television | WHEN 5 |
| Radio | WSYR |
The 1949–50 Syracuse Nationals season was the first season for the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Nationals played its previous three seasons in the National Basketball League, which merged with the Basketball Association of America to form the NBA. Because of their prior association with the NBL, they were the only Eastern Division team this season to play 62 regular season games as opposed to the full 68 games that every other team had there. As such, they were one of three new NBA teams to play 62 games this season, with four other NBA teams that were also previously associated with the NBL at the time (all the rest of whom were playing in the Western Division this season) playing 64 games this season instead.
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."
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.