Who won the first NBA title? The answer to this question takes us back to the earliest days of professional basketball in the United States. The National Basketball Association (NBA) was founded in 1946, and its first championship was awarded in 1947. Discovering the team that claimed this historic victory is a fascinating journey into the origins of one of the world’s most beloved sports leagues.
The first NBA title was won by the Chicago Stags. This team, which was part of the Basketball Association of America (BAA), merged with the National Basketball League (NBL) to form the NBA in 1949. The Chicago Stags were one of the original eight teams that joined the BAA, which was created as a rival to the NBL.
The 1946-1947 season was the first full season of the BAA, and the Chicago Stags finished the regular season with a 28-18 record, good enough for the fourth seed in the playoffs. In the first round, they defeated the New York Knicks in a three-game series, with the final game ending in a thrilling 52-49 victory. The Stags then faced the Washington Capitols in the semi-finals, prevailing in a best-of-three series with a 2-1 win.
The championship series was a best-of-three matchup against the Philadelphia Warriors, who had finished the season with a 29-15 record. The first game was a tightly contested affair, with the Warriors edging out the Stags 48-47. However, the Stags regrouped and won the next two games, securing the first NBA title with a 2-1 series victory.
The Chicago Stags’ victory was a significant achievement in the early days of professional basketball. The team was coached by George Mikan, who would later become one of the sport’s greatest legends. Mikan was a dominant center, and his presence on the court helped the Stags overcome the competition. The team’s success laid the foundation for the future of the NBA, and the first championship remains a memorable milestone in the history of the league.
