NBL Years:\n \n1946/47: Owned by Italian Immigrant Danny Biasone the Syracuse Nationals begin play in the National Basketball League, in the same year professional basketball was finally gaining some legitimacy with the rival Basketball Association of America that was based in large cities like New York and Philadelphia. While in the NBL with teams largely consisting of small Midwestern towns the Nationals put together a 21-23 record finishing in 4th place. In the playoffs the Nats, would be beaten by the fellow upstate neighbor Rochester Royals in 4 years.\n\n1947/48: In their second season the Nationals would struggle finishing in 5th place with a 24-36 record. Despite their struggles the Nats would make the playoffs getting swept by the Anderson Duffey Packers in 3 straight games.\n\n1948/49: Several teams begin to leave the NBL for the BAA as the foundation for a merger is laid. Staying in the NBL the Nationals sign AL Cervi to be player coach as Dolph Schayes makes his professional debut leading the Nats to a winning record for the first time with a record of 40-23. In the playoffs the Nationals would make quick work of the Hammond Calumet Buccaneers winning the series in 2 straight games. However, in the semifinals the Nats would fall to the Anderson Duffey Packers for the second straight season in 4 games. Following the season the remaining NBL teams would join the BAA as the two leagues merged and became the NBA.\n\nNBA Years:\n \n1949/50: The Nationals were an instant success in the NBA winning the Eastern Division with a league best record of 51-13. In the playoffs the Nationals would continue to play solid basketball beating the Philadelphia Warriors in 2 straight. Moving on to the Eastern Finals the Nationals would battle the New York Knickerbockers beating their big city rivals in a 3-game series. Moving on to the NBA Finals the Nationals would face fellow NBL alum Minneapolis Lakers. In Game 1 of the Finals the Nats would lose just their 2nd home game of the season 68-66. The Nats would not recover as they fell behind 3 games to 1 before falling in 6 games. \n\n1950/51: Despite several teams leaving the NBA to reorganize the NBL the Nationals deiced to stay put. In their second NBA season the Nationals would play mediocre basketball all season finishing in 4th place with a record of 32-34. However, in the playoffs the Nats would play their best basketball of the season as they stunned the 1st place Philadelphia Warriors in 2 straight taking Game 1 on the road in overtime 91-89. However, in the Eastern Finals the Nationals would be beaten by the New York Knickerbockers in a hard fought 5-game series losing the finale by just 2 points.         \n\n1951/52: Al Cervi, playing less and coaching more, emphasized a patient offense and a scrappy defense, which led the league by yielding a stingy 79.5 points per game, as the Nationals won the Eastern Division with a solid 40-26 record. In the playoffs the Nats would knock the Philadelphia Warriors off again in a 3-game series. However, in the Eastern Finals the Nats would fall to the New York Knickerbockers again dropping the series in 4 games.\n\n1952/53: The Nationals would finish in 2nd place in a hard fought 3-way battle for first place in the Eastern Division with a record of 47-24. In the playoffs the Nationals would face the Boston Celtics dropping Game 1 at home 87-81. Needing a win in Boston to keep their hopes alive, the Nationals would take the Celtics deep in to overtime before losing in quadruple OT 111-105, in what remains the longest game in NBA history.\n\n1953/54: The Nationals acquire Alex Groza and Ralph Beard as the Indianapolis Olympians folded leaving the NBA with just 9 teams. Once again the Nationals would battle for the Division title falling 2 games short with a 42-30 record. In the playoffs the Nats would win all 4 games of a round robin tournament involving the 3 playoff teams from the East. In the Eastern Finals the Nats would stay hot beating