I still remember the first time I truly understood what championship endurance meant. It wasn't during some modern playoff game with chartered flights and luxury hotels, but while reading about the very first NBA champions - the 1947 Philadelphia Warriors. Their journey feels almost mythical now, especially when you contrast it with today's carefully managed seasons. The reference material I came across recently perfectly captures this difference: "It's not like the local tournaments we play where you can stick to a specific seven and then you get to rest 4-5 days before the next game. Here, every game you play and we're expected to play with anyone who is put inside the court." This raw, relentless approach defined that inaugural championship run in ways modern athletes would find unimaginable.

The Warriors' path to becoming the first NBA champion was anything but glamorous. They played 61 regular-season games in about four months, often traveling by train between cities like Philadelphia, New York, and Boston within days. Their star player, Joe Fulks, averaged 23.2 points per game - astronomical for an era where most teams barely scored 70 points total. What fascinates me is how they managed fatigue. Coach Eddie Gottlieb basically used an eight-man rotation, with players logging 38-40 minutes nightly. There were no sports scientists monitoring their heart rates, no recovery smoothies waiting in the locker room. Just pure basketball survival. I've always believed this grueling schedule actually forged their championship mentality - when you're constantly playing through exhaustion, you either break or become unbreakable.

Looking deeper into their historic journey to victory reveals how different roster management was back then. The reference about playing "anyone who is put inside the court" perfectly describes their approach. During their final series against the Chicago Stags, they lost key forward Howie Dallmar to injury in game 3. Instead of panicking, Gottlieb inserted Angelo Musi, who'd played barely 12 minutes per game all season. The guy ended up scoring 18 crucial points in game 5. This adaptability speaks volumes about their championship DNA. Personally, I think modern teams could learn from this - we've become so obsessed with specialization that we've forgotten the value of versatile players who can step up unexpectedly.

Their solution to the relentless schedule was what I'd call "practical resilience." They developed this almost intuitive understanding of when to push and when to conserve energy during games. In their championship-clinching victory, they actually trailed by 9 points entering the fourth quarter. Instead of frantic plays, they methodically worked their offense through Fulks, outscoring Chicago 28-14 in the final period. This came after playing three games in five days! The mental toughness required for that kind of finish is something I wish more young players understood today. We focus so much on physical recovery that we neglect developing that championship composure.

Reflecting on who was the first NBA champion teaches us that some championship qualities transcend eras. The Warriors won because they embraced the grind rather than complaining about it. They played 11 playoff games in 23 days while traveling between four cities - a brutal stretch that would have modern player associations filing grievances. Yet this forged their identity. In my coaching experience, I've found that the teams who adapt to adversity rather than resisting it often discover their true potential. The Warriors' victory wasn't just about being the best team - it was about being the most resilient group during basketball's most experimental era. Their 4-1 series victory doesn't fully capture how they transformed mid-season struggles into championship composure, creating a blueprint that champions would follow for decades.