In 1955, the NBA was still new, less than a decade old and a few years from the transformational rivalry between Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain. Its future was far from certain.
Prior to Russell’s arrival in 1957 and the speed that the Boston Celtics brought to the league, it was pretty slow and bland. Some elements were recognizable in this clip from the 1955 All-Star game though. There is a jump ball to start the game, you see a 24-second clock and, naturally, at least one guy is standing still with his hands out, demanding the ball.