1949–50 Minneapolis Lakers season

1949–50 Minneapolis Lakers season
NBA champions
Division champions
Head coachJohn Kundla
ArenaMinneapolis Auditorium
Results
Record51–17 (.750)
PlaceDivision: 1st (Central)
Playoff finishNBA Champions
(Defeated Nationals 4–2)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
RadioWLOL
< 1948–49 1950–51 >

The 1949–50 Minneapolis Lakers season was the second season for the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Lakers repeated as NBA Champions, defeating the Syracuse Nationals in six games in the NBA Finals, making it (to date) the only franchise to win the championship in each of its first two NBA seasons.

NBA draft

Main article: 1949 BAA draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality School/Club Team
T – Vern Mikkelsen F/C  United States Hamline
– – Bob Harrison G  United States Michigan
– – Paul Walther F/G  United States Tennessee

Roster

The team.
1949–50 Minneapolis Lakers roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
G/F 15 Carlson, Don 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1919-03-22 Minnesota
G/F 18 Ferrin, Arnie 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1925-07-29 Utah
F 20 Glick, Normie 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1927-11-10 Loyola Marymount
F 14−20 Grant, Bud 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1927-05-20 Minnesota
G 16 Harrison, Bob 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1927-08-12 Michigan
G 11 Hassett, Billy 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1921-10-21 Notre Dame
G/F 13 Jaros, Tony 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1920-02-22 Minnesota
G 22 Martin, Slater 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1925-10-22 Texas
C 99 Mikan, George 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 245 lb (111 kg) 1924-06-18 DePaul
F/C 19 Mikkelsen, Vern 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1928-10-21 Hamline
F/C 17 Pollard, Jim 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1922-07-09 Stanford
G/F 10 Schaefer, Herm 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1918-11-20 Indiana
G/F 12 Stump, Gene 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1923-11-13 DePaul
G/F 14 Walther, Paul 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 160 lb (73 kg) 1927-03-23 Tennessee
Head coach

John Kundla

Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Roster

Regular season

Season standings

Central Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Neutral Div
x-Minneapolis Lakers 51 17 .750 – 30–1 18–16 3–0 16–8
x-Rochester Royals 51 17 .750 – 33–1 17–16 1–0 15–9
x-Fort Wayne Pistons 40 28 .588 11 28–6 12–22 – 14–10
x-Chicago Stags 40 28 .588 11 18–6 14–21 8–1 11–13
St. Louis Bombers 26 42 .382 25 17–14 7–26 2–2 4–20

Record vs. opponents

1949–50 NBA records
Team AND BAL BOS CHI DEN FWP IND MIN NYK PHI ROC SHE STL SYR TCB WAS WAT
Anderson — 1–1 0–2 1–1 4–3 1–1 2–5 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–2 5–2 2–0 3–4 7–2 1–1 7–0
Baltimore 1–1 — 2–4 1–5 1–1 3–3 1–1 1–5 1–5 3–3 3–3 2–0 3–3 0–2 0–2 2–4 1–1
Boston 2–0 4–2 — 0–6 1–1 2–4 1–1 1–5 1–5 3–3 0–6 1–1 2–4 0–2 0–2 3–3 1–1
Chicago 1–1 5–1 6–0 — 2–0 2–4 1–1 2–4 2–4 4–2 2–4 2–0 5–1 0–2 1–1 3–3 2–0
Denver 3–4 1–1 1–1 0–2 — 0–2 0–7 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–2 3–4 0–2 1–6 0–7 0–2 2–5
Fort Wayne 1–1 3–3 4–2 4–2 2–0 — 1–1 2–4 4–2 4–2 3–3 2–0 5–1 0–2 2–0 2–4 1–1
Indianapolis 5–2 1–1 1–1 1–1 7–0 1–1 — 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 5–2 1–1 2–7 4–3 1–1 5–2
Minneapolis 1–1 5–1 5–1 4–2 2–0 4–2 1–1 — 5–1 4–2 3–3 1–1 5–1 1–1 2–0 6–0 2–0
New York 1–1 5–1 5–1 4–2 2–0 2–4 1–1 1–5 — 1–5 1–5 1–1 4–2 0–2 1–1 5–1 2–0
Philadelphia 1–1 3–3 3–3 2–4 2–0 2–4 0–2 2–4 1–5 — 1–5 2–0 2–4 0–2 1–1 2–4 2–0
Rochester 2–0 3–3 6–0 4–2 2–0 3–3 1–1 3–3 5–1 5–1 — 1–1 5–1 1–1 2–0 6–0 2–0
Sheboygan 2–5 0–2 1–1 0–2 4–3 0–2 2–5 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 — 0–2 1–6 3–4 2–0 4–3
St. Louis 0–2 3–3 4–2 1–5 2–0 1–5 1–1 1–5 2–4 4–2 1–5 2–0 — 1–1 2–0 0–6 1–1
Syracuse 4–3 2–0 2–0 2–0 6–1 2–0 7–2 1–1 2–0 2–0 1–1 6–1 1–1 — 6–1 1–1 6–1
Tri-Cities 2–7 2–0 2–0 1–1 7–0 0–2 3–4 0–2 1–1 1–1 0–2 4–3 0–2 1–6 — 1–1 4–3
Washington 1–1 4–2 3–3 3–3 2–0 4–2 1–1 0–6 1–5 4–2 0–6 0–2 6–0 1–1 1–1 — 1–1
Waterloo 0–7 1–1 1–1 0–2 5–2 1–1 2–5 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–2 3–4 1–1 1–6 3–4 1–1 —

Game log

# Date Opponent Score High points Record
1 November 2 at Philadelphia 81–69 Jim Pollard (30) 1–0
2 November 5 at Baltimore 92–77 George Mikan (28) 2–0
3 November 8 at Washington 68–66 Jim Pollard (21) 3–0
4 November 10 at Boston 98–84 George Mikan (37) 4–0
5 November 12 at Chicago 79–86 George Mikan (30) 4–1
6 November 16 St. Louis 94–71 Herm Schaefer (20) 5–1
7 November 17 at St. Louis 65–78 George Mikan (17) 5–2
8 November 19 at Anderson 80–83 George Mikan (34) 5–3
9 November 20 Indianapolis 121–95 George Mikan (29) 6–3
10 November 23 Baltimore 84–71 George Mikan (28) 7–3
11 November 25 at Denver 101–81 George Mikan (29) 8–3
12 November 27 Chicago 82–96 George Mikan (34) 8–4
13 November 30 New York 102–92 George Mikan (28) 9–4
14 December 1 at Indianapolis 68–86 George Mikan (33) 9–5
15 December 3 at Chicago 91–80 George Mikan (34) 10–5
16 December 4 Rochester 95–80 George Mikan (27) 11–5
17 December 7 Washington 93–76 George Mikan (35) 12–5
18 December 8 at Fort Wayne 66–87 George Mikan (27) 12–6
19 December 10 vs Denver 89–76 George Mikan (31) 13–6
20 December 11 Philadelphia 90–81 George Mikan (28) 14–6
21 December 14 at New York 84–94 George Mikan (38) 14–7
22 December 15 at Baltimore 68–87 George Mikan (34) 14–8
23 December 18 Boston 77–72 George Mikan (24) 15–8
24 December 20 at Rochester 62–87 George Mikan (26) 15–9
25 December 21 at Washington 75–61 George Mikan (21) 16–9
26 December 22 at Boston 69–87 George Mikan (21) 16–10
27 December 25 Fort Wayne 72–58 George Mikan (22) 17–10
28 December 26 at Tri-Cities 78–76 George Mikan (22) 18–10
29 December 28 Baltimore 88–77 Mikan, Pollard (24) 19–10
30 December 31 at Waterloo 86–68 George Mikan (35) 20–10
31 January 1 Anderson 87–75 George Mikan (38) 21–10
32 January 4 Fort Wayne 91–75 George Mikan (22) 22–10
33 January 5 at Sheboygan 82–85 George Mikan (42) 22–11
34 January 8 Boston 85–80 (OT) George Mikan (30) 23–11
35 January 11 Syracuse 98–88 George Mikan (27) 24–11
36 January 12 at St. Louis 89–73 Vern Mikkelsen (31) 25–11
37 January 14 at Rochester 77–83 George Mikan (51) 25–12
38 January 15 Rochester 85–73 George Mikan (25) 26–12
39 January 17 at Boston 105–79 George Mikan (22) 27–12
40 January 18 at Washington 76–68 George Mikan (23) 28–12
41 January 19 at New York 94–83 George Mikan (31) 29–12
42 January 20 at Philadelphia 89–90 George Mikan (34) 29–13
43 January 22 Chicago 103–75 George Mikan (28) 30–13
44 January 24 at Chicago 80–68 George Mikan (40) 31–13
45 January 25 St. Louis 85–78 George Mikan (23) 32–13
46 January 29 Washington 88–60 George Mikan (31) 33–13
47 February 1 New York 96–81 George Mikan (35) 34–13
48 February 2 at Fort Wayne 79–78 Vern Mikkelsen (21) 35–13
49 February 5 Philadelphia 100–67 George Mikan (23) 36–13
50 February 9 Washington 71–59 Mikan, Mikkelsen (15) 37–13
51 February 12 Boston 88–70 Jim Pollard (29) 38–13
52 February 15 Rochester 92–70 George Mikan (34) 39–13
53 February 16 at St. Louis 72–71 Jim Pollard (25) 40–13
54 February 17 Waterloo 80–74 Vern Mikkelsen (20) 41–13
55 February 19 Chicago 96–83 George Mikan (33) 42–13
56 February 22 St. Louis 100–57 George Mikan (28) 43–13
57 February 25 at Rochester 64–66 George Mikan (39) 43–14
58 February 26 Tri-Cities 80–66 George Mikan (30) 44–14
59 February 28 Fort Wayne 71–65 Mikan, Mikkelsen (19) 45–14
60 March 2 at Baltimore 88–68 George Mikan (24) 46–14
61 March 3 at Philadelphia 61–66 George Mikan (21) 46–15
62 March 4 at New York 84–75 Mikan, Pollard (23) 47–15
63 March 5 at Syracuse 75–84 George Mikan (29) 47–16
64 March 7 Sheboygan 90–73 Vern Mikkelsen (19) 48–16
65 March 8 Philadelphia 68–65 George Mikan (34) 49–16
66 March 12 New York 87–66 George Mikan (32) 50–16
67 March 15 Baltimore 96–62 George Mikan (34) 51–16
68 March 19 at Fort Wayne 67–69 George Mikan (30) 51–17

Playoffs

1950 playoff game log
Division Tiebreaker (finishes as Central's #1 seed)
Game Date Team Score High points High assists Location Record
1 March 21 @ Rochester W 78–76 George Mikan (35) Herm Schaefer (7) Edgerton Park Arena 1–0
Division Semifinals: 2–0 (home: 1–0; road: 1–0)
Game Date Team Score High points High assists Location Series
1 March 22 Chicago W 85–75 George Mikan (30) George Mikan (3) Minneapolis Auditorium 1–0
2 March 25 @ Chicago W 75–67 George Mikan (34) — Chicago Stadium 2–0
Division Finals: 2–0 (home: 1–0; road: 1–0)
Game Date Team Score High points High assists Location Series
1 March 27 Fort Wayne W 93–79 George Mikan (24) George Mikan (4) Minneapolis Auditorium 1–0
2 March 28 @ Fort Wayne W 89–82 George Mikan (37) — North Side High School Gym 2–0
NBA Semifinals: 2–0 (home: 1–0; road: 1–0)
Game Date Team Score High points High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 April 5 Anderson W 75–50 George Mikan (26) Jim Pollard (5) Minneapolis Auditorium 1–0
2 April 6 @ Anderson W 90–71 George Mikan (32) — Anderson High School Wigwam 2–0
NBA Finals: 4–2 (home: 3–0; road: 1–2)
Game Date Team Score High points High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 April 8 @ Syracuse W 68–66 George Mikan (37) — State Fair Coliseum
7,552 		1–0
2 April 9 @ Syracuse L 85–91 George Mikan (32) — State Fair Coliseum
8,280 		1–1
3 April 14 Syracuse W 91–77 George Mikan (28) George Mikan (8) St. Paul Auditorium
10,288 		2–1
4 April 16 Syracuse W 77–69 George Mikan (28) Jim Pollard (4) St. Paul Auditorium
10,512 		3–1
5 April 20 @ Syracuse L 76–83 George Mikan (28) — State Fair Coliseum
9,024 		3–2
6 April 23 Syracuse W 110–95 George Mikan (40) Jim Pollard (10) Minneapolis Auditorium
9,812 		4–2
1950 schedule

Awards and honors

References