65 years ago, a new league, the Basketball Association of America (eventually to become the National Basketball Association), appeared on the hoops firmament. Numbering among the league's charter membership were the Philadelphia Warriors, a franchise that would move to San Francisco in 1962, and then to Oakland in 1971, to become the Golden State Warriors we know and love. This is the story of their first season.

January 4, 1947

For the second game of the home-and-away series against the Steamrollers, the Philadelphia Warriors traveled to the Rhode Island Auditorium, in Providence. Coming off an emphatic 84-72 win at home, the Warriors hoped to continue their recent superior play and win for the fifth time in six tries.

Early in the contest, the Warriors took the upper hand and cruised into halftime with a 46-33 lead. However, in the second half, the Steamrollers, with a balanced scoring attack, chipped away at the deficit. Though they never led in regulation, they managed to tie the game at 69 and force overtime. In the extra stanza, Providence scored the first seven points and took command of the game. Aside from Joe Fulks' five points, the Steamrollers did all the scoring and won the contest, 78-74.

Fulks netted 31 for the game and paced a fine Warriors offensive effort, but their defense couldn't shut down Providence's fast break scheme. Five Steamrollers scored in double figures and the team returned to within just two games of Philadelphia for third place.

Box

January 4, 1947
Rhode Island Auditorium
Providence, Rhode Island
Attendance 4,440

Steamrollers 78, Warriors 74

Philadelphia scoring

Joe Fulks 31p
Howie Dallmar 10p
Angelo Musi 10p
Pete Rosenberg 10p
George Senesky 6p
Jerry Rullo 4p
Jerry Fleishman 3p
Art Hillhouse
Fred Sheffield

Providence scoring

Ernie Calverly 17p
Hank Beenders 15p
Dino Martin 12p
Earl Shannon 12p
George Mearns 11p
George Pastushok 9p
Pop Goodwin 2p
Bob Shea
Jake Weber