| 1953–54 Minneapolis Lakers season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
NBA champions | |||
Division champions | |||
| Head coach | John Kundla | ||
| Arena | Minneapolis Auditorium | ||
| Results | |||
| Record | 46–26 (.639) | ||
| Place | Division: 1st (Western) | ||
| Playoff finish | NBA champions (DefeatedNationals 4–3) | ||
Stats atBasketball Reference | |||
| Radio | WLOL | ||
| |||
The1953–54 Minneapolis Lakers season was the sixth season for the franchise in theNational Basketball Association (NBA). TheLakers won the Western Division with a 46–26 record.George Mikan was hampered by knee troubles as he averaged only 18.1 points per game. The Lakers signed a promising rookie namedClyde Lovellette, who was able to alleviate the pressure on Mikan.[1]In the first round of theplayoffs, the Lakers won three straight to face the Rochester Royals in the Western Finals. The Lakers beat the Royals to qualify for theNBA Finals. In the Finals, the Lakers and Syracuse Nationals alternated wins. In the end, the Lakers emerged with their third straight title, and fifth overall in the franchise's first six seasons in the NBA. They became the first NBA team to win three consecutive NBA championships.[2] In the seventh and final game, the Lakers won by a score of 87–80, for the franchise's final NBA title before their relocation to Los Angeles in1960. Following the season, Mikan announced his retirement.[1]
The Lakers would not win another NBA championship until1972.
| Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Head coach John Kundla Legend
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| W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Neutral | Div | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| x-Minneapolis Lakers | 46 | 26 | .639 | – | 20–4 | 13–15 | 13–7 | 19–13 |
| x-Rochester Royals | 44 | 28 | .611 | 2 | 18–10 | 12–15 | 14–3 | 22–10 |
| x-Fort Wayne Pistons | 40 | 32 | .556 | 6 | 19–8 | 11–17 | 10–7 | 17–15 |
| Milwaukee Hawks | 21 | 51 | .292 | 25 | 11–14 | 5–17 | 6–20 | 6–26 |
| # | Date | Opponent | Score | High points | Record |
| 1 | October 30 | @Milwaukee | 59–69 | George Mikan (12) | 0–1 |
| 2 | October 31 | @New York | 67–91 | George Mikan (16) | 0–2 |
| 3 | November 1 | @Boston | 84–79 | Jim Pollard (20) | 1–2 |
| 4 | November 4 | @Baltimore | 77–75 | George Mikan (24) | 2–2 |
| 5 | November 5 | @Syracuse | 77–65 | Slater Martin (20) | 3–2 |
| 6 | November 7 | New York | 62–70 | George Mikan (22) | 4–2 |
| 7 | November 10 | NFort Wayne | 62–78 | Slater Martin (12) | 4–3 |
| 8 | November 13 | @ Milwaukee | 92–84 | George Mikan (26) | 5–3 |
| 9 | November 14 | @Rochester | 91–98 (3OT) | George Mikan (30) | 5–4 |
| 10 | November 15 | N Boston | 89–74 | Jim Pollard (17) | 6–4 |
| 11 | November 17 | N Fort Wayne | 83–66 | Clyde Lovellette (19) | 7–4 |
| 12 | November 19 | @Philadelphia | 107–79 | Vern Mikkelsen (24) | 8–4 |
| 13 | November 21 | Rochester | 70–76 | George Mikan (36) | 9–4 |
| 14 | November 22 | @ Milwaukee | 57–55 | George Mikan (24) | 10–4 |
| 15 | November 26 | Philadelphia | 80–88 | George Mikan (23) | 11–4 |
| 16 | November 29 | Boston | 82–95 | George Mikan (28) | 12–4 |
| 17 | December 3 | N Syracuse | 74–87 | George Mikan (27) | 13–4 |
| 18 | December 5 | Syracuse | 80–90 | George Mikan (18) | 14–4 |
| 19 | December 12 | New York | 67–71 | Martin, Mikkelsen (14) | 15–4 |
| 20 | December 13 | N Rochester | 87–70 | Frank Saul (16) | 15–5 |
| 21 | December 15 | @ New York | 79–80 (OT) | George Mikan (17) | 15–6 |
| 22 | December 16 | N Milwaukee | 69–63 (OT) | George Mikan (21) | 16–6 |
| 23 | December 17 | @ Baltimore | 64–75 | George Mikan (18) | 16–7 |
| 24 | December 19 | @ Rochester | 91–78 | Slater Martin (20) | 17–7 |
| 25 | December 20 | @ Syracuse | 76–81 | Slater Martin (17) | 17–8 |
| 26 | December 25 | N Baltimore | 78–88 | Vern Mikkelsen (15) | 17–9 |
| 27 | December 26 | Fort Wayne | 71–77 | George Mikan (16) | 18–9 |
| 28 | December 27 | @ Fort Wayne | 79–75 | George Mikan (21) | 19–9 |
| 29 | December 30 | Fort Wayne | 97–80 | George Mikan (17) | 19–10 |
| 30 | January 2 | New York | 74–78 | George Mikan (26) | 20–10 |
| 31 | January 4 | N Rochester | 85–84 | George Mikan (32) | 20–11 |
| 32 | January 7 | Rochester | 71–89 | Mikan, Mikkelsen (20) | 21–11 |
| 33 | January 9 | @ Milwaukee | 78–67 | Lovellette, Mikan (17) | 22–11 |
| 34 | January 10 | Boston | 85–99 | Mikan, Pollard (16) | 23–11 |
| 35 | January 13 | @ Boston | 84–88 | George Mikan (21) | 23–12 |
| 36 | January 14 | @ Syracuse | 71–96 | George Mikan (19) | 23–13 |
| 37 | January 16 | Milwaukee | 64–58 | Clyde Lovellette (12) | 23–14 |
| 38 | January 17 | @ Fort Wayne | 83–86 | Vern Mikkelsen (24) | 23–15 |
| 39 | January 18 | N Milwaukee | 91–72 | Vern Mikkelsen (18) | 24–15 |
| 40 | January 23 | Fort Wayne | 72–75 | George Mikan (16) | 25–15 |
| 41 | January 26 | @ Milwaukee | 84–69 | Lovellette, Martin (14) | 26–15 |
| 42 | January 27 | Baltimore | 73–76 | Jim Pollard (24) | 27–15 |
| 43 | January 28 | N Baltimore | 104–82 | George Mikan (24) | 28–15 |
| 44 | January 30 | Milwaukee | 64–80 | Jim Pollard (13) | 29–15 |
| 45 | January 31 | Boston | 67–82 | Jim Pollard (22) | 30–15 |
| 46 | February 2 | @ Rochester | 87–78 | George Mikan (23) | 31–15 |
| 47 | February 3 | N New York | 79–91 | Frank Saul (18) | 32–15 |
| 48 | February 4 | @ Baltimore | 82–70 | George Mikan (20) | 33–15 |
| 49 | February 6 | Philadelphia | 94–97 | George Mikan (26) | 34–15 |
| 50 | February 7 | @ Fort Wayne | 83–90 | Jim Pollard (18) | 34–16 |
| 51 | February 8 | N Philadelphia | 91–106 | George Mikan (20) | 35–16 |
| 52 | February 9 | N Philadelphia | 67–70 | George Mikan (23) | 36–16 |
| 53 | February 11 | Baltimore | 82–110 | Dick Schnittker (17) | 37–16 |
| 54 | February 12 | N Milwaukee | 62–71 | George Mikan (21) | 37–17 |
| 55 | February 13 | N Philadelphia | 77–86 | George Mikan (27) | 38–17 |
| 56 | February 14 | Rochester | 77–105 | George Mikan (16) | 39–17 |
| 57 | February 16 | N Rochester | 79–85 | Jim Pollard (24) | 40–17 |
| 58 | February 18 | Boston | 105–92 | George Mikan (17) | 40–18 |
| 59 | February 20 | Syracuse | 68–83 | George Mikan (14) | 41–18 |
| 60 | February 21 | @ Syracuse | 73–100 | Lovellette, Mikan,Skoog (14) | 41–19 |
| 61 | February 22 | N Philadelphia | 79–72 | Vern Mikkelsen (17) | 41–20 |
| 62 | February 23 | @ New York | 100–82 | Mikan, Mikkelsen (20) | 42–20 |
| 63 | February 25 | @ Philadelphia | 72–81 | Mikan, Mikkelsen (17) | 42–21 |
| 64 | February 27 | @ Baltimore | 95–85 | George Mikan (29) | 43–21 |
| 65 | February 28 | @ Fort Wayne | 77–94 | Lovellette, Mikan (15) | 43–22 |
| 66 | March 2 | Syracuse | 87–91 | George Mikan (27) | 44–22 |
| 67 | March 5 | @ Boston | 106–128 | George Mikan (30) | 44–23 |
| 68 | March 6 | @ Rochester | 59–74 | George Mikan (15) | 44–24 |
| 69 | March 7 | Milwaukee | 63–65 | Vern Mikkelsen (17) | 45–24 |
| 70 | March 9 | N Rochester | 70–61 | George Mikan (11) | 45–25 |
| 71 | March 10 | New York | 85–76 | Jim Pollard (17) | 45–26 |
| 72 | March 13 | Fort Wayne | 66–93 | Slater Martin (27) | 46–26 |
