1956-57 NBA Season Standings

The Boston Celtics won their first-ever NBA championship, defeating the St. Louis Hawks in a dramatic seven-game Finals decided in double overtime in Game 7. Bob Cousy won league MVP and Tom Heinsohn was named Rookie of the Year, as Boston's core (Cousy, Bill Sharman, and rookie Bill Russell, who joined the team in December after the Melbourne Olympics) began to gel into a dynasty. The Western Division produced a remarkable three-way tie for first place among St. Louis, Minneapolis, and Fort Wayne, all finishing 34-38; the Hawks claimed the division title by winning two tiebreaker playoff games, defeating both the Lakers and the Pistons. This was the last season before the Rochester Royals and Fort Wayne Pistons relocated to Cincinnati and Detroit respectively. The league still comprised eight teams split evenly into Eastern and Western Divisions.