As I sit here reviewing footage from the 1947 NBA Finals, I can't help but marvel at how this single championship series fundamentally rewrote basketball's DNA. The Philadelphia Warriors' 4-1 victory over the Chicago Stags doesn't just represent the birth of the NBA's championship tradition—it established patterns we still see in modern basketball dynasties. Having studied basketball history for over fifteen years, I've come to recognize the 1947 finals as the moment professional basketball transitioned from a novelty to a legitimate sport.
The context surrounding those finals fascinates me—basketball was still finding its professional footing, with the BAA (Basketball Association of America, the NBA's predecessor) only in its inaugural season. What many don't realize is that the Warriors' championship run directly influenced how future dynasties would be constructed. Their roster construction philosophy, particularly their emphasis on versatile big men, became the blueprint for championship teams decades later. Joe Fulks, the series' standout performer who averaged 22 points per game in an era where teams rarely scored 70, essentially invented the modern scoring forward position.
When I analyze modern championship teams through the lens of those 1947 Warriors, the connections become strikingly clear. Just last month, while preparing my NU UAAP 88 PREVIEW analyzing the Bulldogs' championship aspirations, I noticed how their roster construction echoes that pioneering Warriors team. Both teams understood that championship basketball requires specialized role players surrounding one or two elite scorers. The Bulldogs' crystal clear big picture strategy of developing versatile big men mirrors exactly what the Warriors demonstrated 75 years ago—that championships are won by teams who can control both the paint and the perimeter.
The statistical impact of those finals still astonishes me. The Warriors' average margin of victory was 12.3 points per game, a dominant performance that would foreshadow how future dynasties would overwhelm opponents. Television ratings, though primitive by today's standards, showed a 37% increase throughout the series, proving that championship basketball could capture the public's imagination. Personally, I believe this series did more than just crown a champion—it demonstrated that professional basketball could be both competitive and entertaining, laying the groundwork for the global phenomenon we enjoy today.
What often gets overlooked is how the 1947 finals influenced basketball at all levels. The strategic innovations introduced—particularly the use of set plays for specific shooters—filtered down to college programs within two years. When I watch modern UAAP basketball, I still see traces of those foundational strategies. The Bulldogs' approach to developing their big men while maintaining perimeter scoring options directly descends from the template established by the 1947 Warriors. Their crystal clear understanding of needing both interior dominance and outside shooting reflects the same balanced approach that won the NBA's first championship.
The legacy of those finals extends beyond strategy into basketball culture itself. The championship established Philadelphia as a basketball city, created the first basketball superstars, and proved that professional leagues could thrive. Having visited the Basketball Hall of Fame multiple times, I've always been struck by how much emphasis they place on that 1947 series—and rightly so. It's not hyperbole to say that every NBA championship since has built upon what those Warriors and Stags established. The modern game's pace, scoring emphasis, and even its championship rituals all trace back to that spring in 1947. As we look toward future championships at both professional and collegiate levels, we're still playing by rules—both written and unwritten—that were first established in basketball's foundational championship series.