The 1950–51 Rochester Royals season was the third season for the team in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Royals finished the season by winning their first NBA Championship. The Royals scored 84.6 points per game and allowed 81.7 points per game.[1] Rochester was led up front by Arnie Risen, a 6–9, 200-pound center nicknamed "Stilts", along with 6–5 Arnie Johnson and 6–7 Jack Coleman. The backcourt was manned by Bob Davies and Bobby Wanzer. Among the key reserves was a guard from City College of New York named William "Red" Holzman.[2] HoopsHype would later rank this squad as the team with the ninth-easiest route to win the NBA Finals due to the records of both their first round opponent and their championship opponent in the Fort Wayne Pistons and New York Knicks respectively.[3] The Royals (now currently going by the Sacramento Kings) would since have the longest NBA drought between championship teams following their sole NBA Finals championship this season.
| 1950-51 NBA Records | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=100 | Team | BAL | BOS | FWP | IND | MIN | NYK | PHI | ROC | SYR | TCB | WAS |
| Baltimore | — | 3–6 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 2–5 | 3–6 | 1–5 | 3–5 | 3–3 | 1–2 | |
| Boston | 6–3 | — | 5–1 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 4–4 | 4–4 | 2–4 | 2–5 | 4–2 | 4–3 | |
| Fort Wayne | 2–4 | 1–5 | — | 5–3 | 5–3 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 3–5 | 3–3 | 5–5 | 3–1 | |
| Indianapolis | 4–2 | 1–4 | 3–5 | — | 3–7 | 5–1 | 1–5 | 5–4 | 3–3 | 4–4 | 2–2 | |
| Minneapolis | 4–2 | 3–3 | 3–5 | 7–3 | — | 3–3 | 4–2 | 4–4 | 4–2 | 10–0 | 2–0 | |
| New York | 5–2 | 4–4 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 3–3 | — | 5–3 | 3–3 | 5–5 | 4–2 | 2–1 | |
| Philadelphia | 6–3 | 4–4 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 2–4 | 3–5 | — | 4–2 | 6–2 | 4–2 | 3–0 | |
| Rochester | 5–3 | 5–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 5–5 | 2–6 | — | 4–2 | 5–3 | 5–0 | |
| Syracuse | 5–3 | 5–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 5–5 | 2–6 | 2–4 | — | 3–3 | 2–0 | |
| Tri-Cities | 3–3 | 2–4 | 5–5 | 4–4 | 0–10 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 3–5 | 3–3 | — | 1–1 | |
| Washington | 2–1 | 3–4 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | — | |
| 1950–51 Game log | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Opponent | Score | High points | Record | ||
| 1 | October 31 | 70–78 | Arnie Risen (20) | 1–0 | ||
| 2 | November 4 | 71–95 | Bobby Wanzer (18) | 2–0 | ||
| 3 | November 11 | 77–86 | Davies, Risen (18) | 3–0 | ||
| 4 | November 12 | at Tri-Cities | 79–82 (OT) | Bobby Wanzer (17) | 3–1 | |
| 5 | November 15 | at Fort Wayne | 85–89 | Jack Coleman (22) | 3–2 | |
| 6 | November 18 | 86–77 (2OT) | Bob Davies (21) | 3–3 | ||
| 7 | November 19 | at Minneapolis | 77–90 | Coleman, Davies (15) | 3–4 | |
| 8 | November 21 | 79–91 | Arnie Risen (16) | 3–5 | ||
| 9 | November 23 | 71–89 | Jack Coleman (15) | 3–6 | ||
| 10 | November 25 | 82–90 | Risen, Saul (17) | 4–6 | ||
| 11 | November 28 | Washington | 71–87 | Davies, Johnson (15) | 5–6 | |
| 12 | November 29 | at Washington | 72–71 | Bob Davies (14) | 6–6 | |
| 13 | November 30 | 74–79 | Davies, Risen (14) | 6–7 | ||
| 14 | December 2 | Indianapolis | 72–94 | Arnie Risen (22) | 7–7 | |
| 15 | December 3 | at Fort Wayne | 79–80 | Arnie Risen (16) | 7–8 | |
| 16 | December 6 | 74–70 | Bob Davies (18) | 8–8 | ||
| 17 | December 7 | 76–69 | Bob Davies (18) | 9–8 | ||
| 18 | December 10 | Philadelphia | 84–99 | Jack Coleman (23) | 10–8 | |
| 19 | December 12 | Baltimore | 87–102 | Bobby Wanzer (24) | 11–8 | |
| 20 | December 13 | at Minneapolis | 82–72 | Bob Davies (28) | 12–8 | |
| 21 | December 16 | Syracuse | 79–75 (OT) | Arnie Risen (19) | 12–9 | |
| 22 | December 17 | at Boston | 75–88 | Bob Davies (17) | 12–10 | |
| 23 | December 20 | at Washington | 94–76 | Arnie Risen (23) | 13–10 | |
| 24 | December 23 | Fort Wayne | 65–77 | Bill Calhoun (15) | 14–10 | |
| 25 | December 25 | Boston | 77–90 | Bobby Wanzer (25) | 15–10 | |
| 26 | December 27 | at Fort Wayne | 74–68 | Red Holzman (18) | 16–10 | |
| 27 | December 28 | Minneapolis | 67–75 | Arnie Risen (17) | 17–10 | |
| 28 | December 30 | Washington | 77–91 | Bobby Wanzer (21) | 18–10 | |
| 29 | January 1 | New York | 88–91 (OT) | Arnie Risen (28) | 19–10 | |
| 30 | January 6 | Indianapolis | 75–73 (6OT) | Arnie Risen (26) | 19–11 | |
| 31 | January 7 | at Minneapolis | 57–69 | Jack Coleman (16) | 19–12 | |
| 32 | January 9 | at Indianapolis | 77–59 | Arnie Risen (19) | 20–12 | |
| 33 | January 10 | at Baltimore | 80–78 (OT) | Arnie Johnson (17) | 21–12 | |
| 34 | January 11 | at Philadelphia | 79–82 | Jack Coleman (24) | 21–13 | |
| 35 | January 13 | Fort Wayne | 78–99 | Frank Saul (14) | 22–13 | |
| 36 | January 14 | at Syracuse | 63–92 | Jack Coleman (14) | 22–14 | |
| 37 | January 16 | Tri-Cities | 89–97 | Arnie Risen (20) | 23–14 | |
| 38 | January 18 | at Syracuse | 96–87 | Johnson, Risen (16) | 24–14 | |
| 39 | January 20 | Philadelphia | 101–87 | Davies, Risen (19) | 24–15 | |
| 40 | January 21 | at New York | 83–88 (OT) | Arnie Risen (20) | 24–16 | |
| 41 | January 23 | New York | 92–102 (4OT) | Arnie Risen (26) | 25–16 | |
| 42 | January 27 | Syracuse | 83–85 | Arnie Risen (20) | 26–16 | |
| 43 | January 28 | at Fort Wayne | 88–93 | Arnie Risen (22) | 26–17 | |
| 44 | January 30 | Baltimore | 90–95 | Bob Davies (28) | 27–17 | |
| 45 | January 31 | at Indianapolis | 63–68 | Arnie Risen (21) | 27–18 | |
| 46 | February 3 | Philadelphia | 61–65 | Arnie Risen (24) | 28–18 | |
| 47 | February 4 | at Tri-Cities | 81–84 | Arnie Risen (24) | 28–19 | |
| 48 | February 6 | at Indianapolis | 76–78 | Arnie Risen (24) | 28–20 | |
| 49 | February 8 | at Minneapolis | 58–69 | Calhoun, Davies, Risen (11) | 28–21 | |
| 50 | February 10 | Tri-Cities | 90–98 | Bob Davies (25) | 29–21 | |
| 51 | February 11 | at Boston | 77–93 | Bob Davies (24) | 29–22 | |
| 52 | February 14 | at New York | 65–81 | Red Holzman (13) | 29–23 | |
| 53 | February 17 | Minneapolis | 82–87 | Bob Davies (28) | 30–23 | |
| 54 | February 18 | at Tri-Cities | 83–89 | Bob Davies (18) | 30–24 | |
| 55 | February 20 | Baltimore | 89–105 | Bobby Wanzer (27) | 31–24 | |
| 56 | February 22 | at Philadelphia | 90–98 | Arnie Risen (23) | 31–25 | |
| 57 | February 24 | Tri-Cities | 89–99 | Bob Davies (17) | 32–25 | |
| 58 | February 25 | at Tri-Cities | 82–78 | Bob Davies (14) | 33–25 | |
| 59 | February 27 | New York | 90–100 | Bob Davies (19) | 34–25 | |
| 60 | March 3 | Fort Wayne | 79–89 | Arnie Risen (24) | 35–25 | |
| 61 | March 6 | Minneapolis | 79–90 | Arnie Risen (23) | 36–25 | |
| 62 | March 9 | at Indianapolis | 91–84 | Bobby Wanzer (22) | 37–25 | |
| 63 | March 10 | Syracuse | 86–107 | Bob Davies (25) | 38–25 | |
| 64 | March 11 | Indianapolis | 95–88 | Jack Coleman (23) | 38–26 | |
| 65 | March 13 | at Boston | 111–107 (2OT) | Jack Coleman (25) | 39–26 | |
| 66 | March 15 | at Baltimore | 87–93 | Arnie Risen (26) | 39–27 | |
| 67 | March 17 | Boston | 89–114 | Bobby Wanzer (29) | 40–27 | |
| 68 | March 18 | Indianapolis | 79–91 | Arnie Risen (25) | 41–27 |
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 1| March 20| Fort Wayne| W 110–81| Bob Davies (21)| Edgerton Park Arena| 1–0|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 2| March 22| @ Fort Wayne| L 78–83| Risen, Davies (16)| North Side High School Gym| 1–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 3| March 24| Fort Wayne| W 97–78| Bobby Wanzer (20)| Edgerton Park Arena| 2–1|-|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 1| March 29| @ Minneapolis| L 73–76| Arnie Risen (24)| Minneapolis Auditorium| 0–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 2| March 31| @ Minneapolis| W 70–66| Red Holzman (23)| Minneapolis Auditorium| 1–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 3| April 1| Minneapolis| W 83–70| Johnson, Wanzer (20)| Edgerton Park Arena| 2–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 4| April 3| Minneapolis| W 80–75| Arnie Risen (26)| Edgerton Park Arena| 3–1|-|-|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 1| April 7| New York| W 92–65| Arnie Risen (24)| Arnie Risen (15)| Bobby Wanzer (9)| Edgerton Park Arena
4,200| 1–0|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 2| April 8| New York| W 99–84| Bob Davies (24)| Jack Coleman (28)| Jack Coleman (8)| Edgerton Park Arena
4,200| 2–0|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 3| April 11| @ New York| W 78–71| Arnie Risen (27)| Arnie Risen (18)| Bob Davies (8)| 69th Regiment Armory
5,000| 3–0|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 4| April 13| @ New York| L 73–79| Arnie Risen (26)| Arnie Risen (20)| Jack Coleman (9)| 69th Regiment Armory
4,000| 3–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 5| April 15| New York| L 89–92| Bobby Wanzer (21)| Arnie Risen (14)| Bob Davies (10)| Edgerton Park Arena
4,200| 3–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 6| April 18| @ New York| L 73–80| Arnie Johnson (27)| Arnie Johnson (15)| Jack Coleman (8)| 69th Regiment Armory
4,500| 3–3|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 7| April 21| New York| W 79–75| Arnie Risen (24)| Arnie Risen (13)| Jack Coleman (9)| Edgerton Park Arena
4,200| 4–3|-
The Royals took Game 1 easily, 92–65, as Risen and Wanzer recorded 24 and 19 points. Rochester won Game 2 99–84, behind 24 points from Davies and 28 rebounds from Coleman.[2] Three nights later, the finals shifted to the 69th Regiment Armory in New York, but the result was no different. The Royals defeated the Knicks 78–71 and took a 3–0 series lead, thanks to 27 points and 18 rebounds from Risen.The Knicks rebounded in Game 4 by a score of 79–73. The Knicks key player was Harry Gallatin who scored 22 points and 14 rebounds. Game 5 took place in Rochester and the Knicks won 92–89. Connie Simmons had 26 points; and then tied the series by taking Game 6 back in New York 80–73. Max Zaslofsky led the way with 23 points.[2] The seventh and deciding game was held on April 21 back in Rochester. The Royals jumped to an early 14-point lead, but the Knicks came back. With 44 seconds left and the score tied at 75, Davies was fouled by the Knicks’ Dick McGuire and sunk two free throws. Rochester would go on to win the seventh game and the NBA Championship. Davies finished the game with 20 points, and Risen scored 24 points and 13 rebounds in the deciding game.[2] Risen finished the series with averages of 21.7 points and 14.3 rebounds, Davies averaged 17 points and 5.3 assists, Wanzer 12.4 points and Coleman 13.1 rebounds. The Knicks remain the only time in NBA Finals history a team has bounced back from a 3–0 deficit to force a Game 7.[2]