Last Updated on June 17, 2025 by Mathew Diekhake
Here are the 1956–57 NBA Regular Season Standings. This was a pivotal season, marking the Boston Celtics’ first NBA championship.
Eastern Conference
| Division | Team | W | L | PCT | GB | Head Coach | Playoff Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern | Boston Celtics | 44 | 28 | .611 | — | Red Auerbach | Won NBA Championship |
| Eastern | Syracuse Nationals | 38 | 34 | .528 | 6.0 | Paul Seymour | Lost Division Finals |
| Eastern | Philadelphia Warriors | 37 | 35 | .514 | 7.0 | George Senesky | Lost Division Semifinals |
| Eastern | New York Knicks | 36 | 36 | .500 | 8.0 | Carl Braun (player-coach) | Did not qualify |
Western Conference
| Division | Team | W | L | PCT | GB | Head Coach | Playoff Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western | St. Louis Hawks | 34 | 38 | .472 | — | Alex Hannum | Lost NBA Finals |
| Western | Minneapolis Lakers | 34 | 38 | .472 | — | John Kundla | Lost Division Finals |
| Western | Fort Wayne Pistons | 34 | 38 | .472 | — | Charles Eckman | Lost Division Semifinals |
| Western | Rochester Royals | 31 | 41 | .431 | 3.0 | Bobby Wanzer | Did not qualify |
Notes:
- The Boston Celtics won their first NBA Championship, defeating the St. Louis Hawks 4–3 in the 1957 NBA Finals.
- Game 7 of the Finals went into double overtime, a historic thriller.
- This was Bill Russell’s rookie season; he joined Boston mid-season after the Olympics and became a defensive game-changer.
- The Western Division had a rare three-way tie at the top (all 34–38), decided via tiebreakers for playoff seeding.