| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | March 20 – April 23, 1950 |
| Season | 1949–50 |
| Teams | 12 |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Minneapolis Lakers(2nd title) |
| Runners-up | Syracuse Nationals |
The1950 NBA playoffs was thepostseason tournament of the inauguralNational Basketball Association1949–50 season. The tournament concluded with the Central Division championMinneapolis Lakers defeating the Eastern Division championSyracuse Nationals 4 games to 2 in theNBA Finals.
Twelve teams qualified for the playoffs. Including tiebreaker games that preceded two of the six first-round series, they began play on Monday to Wednesday, March 20 to 22, and the best-of-seven Finals concluded in game six on Sunday, April 23. The champions played the greatest number of games, 13 in a span of 34 days, on a schedule including both back-to-back games and as many as six days off.[1]
The NBA was created in 1949 by merger of two competing professional basketball leagues, theBAA andNBL. For its first season only, the NBA teams were arranged in three divisions: Eastern, comprising the five surviving BAA Eastern Division teams plus Syracuse from the NBL; Central, comprising the five surviving BAA Western Division teams; and Western, comprising all the NBL teams except Syracuse.[1][2] Within each division the top four teams were matched in two rounds of short series to generate a champion, after which the three division champions contended for the NBA title. With three contenders the third round of the tournament comprised a bye for one and a best-of-three match between the other two.[1]
| Division Semifinals | Division Finals | NBA Semifinals | NBA Finals | |||||||||||||||
| E1 | Syracuse* | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| E4 | Philadelphia | 0 | ||||||||||||||||
| E1 | Syracuse* | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| E2 | New York | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| E3 | Washington | 0 | ||||||||||||||||
| E2 | New York | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| C1 | Minneapolis* | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| C4 | Chicago | 0 | ||||||||||||||||
| C1 | Minneapolis* | 2 | 1 | Syracuse | 2 | |||||||||||||
| C3 | Fort Wayne | 0 | 3 | Anderson | 0 | 2 | Minneapolis | 4 | ||||||||||
| C3 | Fort Wayne | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Minneapolis | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| C2 | Rochester | 0 | ||||||||||||||||
| W1 | Indianapolis* | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| W4 | Sheboygan | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| W1 | Indianapolis* | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| W2 | Anderson | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| W3 | Tri-Cities | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| W2 | Anderson | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
March 20 |
| Chicago Stags 69,Fort Wayne Pistons86 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 21–22, 14–24, 12–16, 22–24 | ||
| Pts:Max Zaslofsky 14 Asts:Phillip,Kudelka 4 each | Pts:Fred Schaus 18 Asts:Fred Schaus 6 | |
| Fort Wayne finishes as the Central's #3 seed, Chicago as the Central's #4 seed | ||
March 21 |
| Minneapolis Lakers78,Rochester Royals 76 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 20–23, 16–20,20–16,22–17 | ||
| Pts:George Mikan 35 Asts:Herm Schaefer 7 | Pts:Bob Davies 26 Asts:Bob Davies 6 | |
| Minneapolis finishes as the Central's #1 seed, Rochester as the Central's #2 seed | ||
March 22 |
| Chicago Stags 75,Minneapolis Lakers85 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 17–22,18–17, 16–20, 24–26 | ||
| Pts:Leo Barnhorst 17 Asts:Andy Phillip 4 | Pts:George Mikan 30 Asts:George Mikan 3 | |
| Minneapolis leads series, 1–0 | ||
March 25 |
| Minneapolis Lakers75,Chicago Stags 67 | ||
| Scoring by quarter:19–17,19–17,18–16,19–17 | ||
| Pts:George Mikan 34 | Pts:Max Zaslofsky 31 | |
| Minneapolis wins series, 2–0 | ||
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning the first meeting.[a]
| Minneapolis leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series |
|---|
March 23 |
| Fort Wayne Pistons90,Rochester Royals 84 | ||
| Scoring by quarter:22–15,26–20, 18–20, 24–29 | ||
| Pts:Wager,Schaefer 18 each | Pts:three players 15 each | |
| Fort Wayne leads series, 1–0 | ||
March 24 |
| Rochester Royals 78,Fort Wayne Pistons79 (OT) | ||
| Scoring by quarter:21–17, 11–23,21–19,17–11, Overtime: 8–9 | ||
| Pts:Arnie Risen 17 | Pts:Bob Carpenter 27 | |
| Fort Wayne wins series, 2–0 | ||
This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.[a][3]
March 22 |
| Philadelphia Warriors 76,Syracuse Nationals93 | ||
| Scoring by quarter:24–20, 14–28, 17–19, 21–26 | ||
| Pts:Chink Crossin 20 Asts:Al Guokas 4 | Pts:George Ratkovicz 25 Asts:Dolph Schayes 6 | |
| Syracuse leads series, 1–0 | ||
March 23 |
| Syracuse Nationals59,Philadelphia Warriors 53 | ||
| Scoring by quarter:16–12, 10–19, 13–13,20–9 | ||
| Pts:Dolph Schayes 16 Asts:Al Cervi 2 | Pts:Vern Gardner 17 Asts:Leo Mogus 4 | |
| Syracuse wins series, 2–0 | ||
This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.[a][4]
March 21 |
| New York Knicks90,Washington Capitols 87 | ||
| Scoring by quarter:26–25, 16–20,21–19,27–23 | ||
| Pts:Carl Braun 26 Asts:Carl Braun 6 | Pts:Fred Scolari 23 Asts:Don Otten 4 | |
| New York leads series, 1–0 | ||
March 22 |
| Washington Capitols 83,New York Knicks103 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 21–25, 21–26, 21–24, 20–28 | ||
| Pts:Don Otten 21 Asts:three players 3 each | Pts:Harry Gallatin 20 Asts:Dick McGuire 6 | |
| New York wins series, 2–0 | ||
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Capitols winning the first meeting.[a]
| Washington leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series |
|---|
March 21 |
| Sheboygan Red Skins 85,Indianapolis Olympians86 | ||
| Scoring by quarter:24–23, 15–22,25–14, 21–27 | ||
| Pts:Jack Burmaster 19 | Pts:Ralph Beard 17 | |
| Indianapolis leads series, 1–0 | ||
March 23 |
| Indianapolis Olympians 85,Sheboygan Red Skins95 | ||
| Scoring by quarter:31–21, 22–28, 15–20, 17–26 | ||
| Pts:Alex Groza 26 | Pts:Bob Brannum 17 | |
| Series tied, 1–1 | ||
March 25 |
| Sheboygan Red Skins 84,Indianapolis Olympians91 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 22–27, 18–19,28–19, 16–26 | ||
| Pts:Noble Jorgensen 20 | Pts:Alex Groza 30 | |
| Indianapolis wins series, 2–1 | ||
This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.[a]
March 21 |
| Tri-Cities Blackhawks 77,Anderson Packers89 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 17–20,21–15, 19–21, 20–33 | ||
| Pts:Jack Nichols 27 | Pts:Red Owens 19 | |
| Anderson leads series, 1–0 | ||
March 23 |
| Anderson Packers 75,Tri-Cities Blackhawks76 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 9–13, 12–18,22–21,32–24 | ||
| Pts:Frankie Brian 26 | Pts:Jack Nichols 23 | |
| Series tied, 1–1 | ||
March 24 |
| Tri-Cities Blackhawks 71,Anderson Packers94 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 21–22, 18–25, 11–26, 21–21 | ||
| Pts:Dike Eddleman 23 | Pts:John Hargis 21 | |
| Anderson wins series, 2–1 | ||
This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.[a]
March 27 |
| Fort Wayne Pistons 79,Minneapolis Lakers93 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 14–19, 14–30,19–16,32–28 | ||
| Pts:Fred Schaus 20 Asts:Fred Schaus 4 | Pts:George Mikan 24 Asts:George Mikan 4 | |
| Minneapolis leads series, 1–0 | ||
March 28 |
| Minneapolis Lakers89,Fort Wayne Pistons 82 | ||
| Scoring by quarter:20–18,26–20,19–18, 24–26 | ||
| Pts:George Mikan 37 | Pts:Fred Schaus 33 | |
| Minneapolis wins series, 2–0 | ||
This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.[a][5]
March 26 |
| New York Knicks 83,Syracuse Nationals91 (OT) | ||
| Scoring by half:42–36, 35–41 Overtime: 6–14 | ||
| Pts:Carl Braun 22 Asts:Carl Braun 4 | Pts:Dolph Schayes 26 Asts:Andrew Levane 4 | |
| Syracuse leads series, 1–0 | ||
March 30 |
| Syracuse Nationals 76,New York Knicks80 | ||
| Scoring by half: 33–42,43–38 | ||
| Pts:George Ratkovicz 17 Asts:Al Cervi 4 | Pts:Vince Boryla 21 Asts:Dick McGuire 7 | |
| Series tied, 1–1 | ||
April 2 |
| New York Knicks 80,Syracuse Nationals91 | ||
| Scoring by half: 42–45, 38–46 | ||
| Pts:Gallatin,Vandeweghe 17 each Asts:Dick McGuire 5 | Pts:Dolph Schayes 24 Asts:Schayes,Cervi 3 each | |
| Syracuse wins series, 2–1 | ||
This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.[a][6]
March 28 |
| Anderson Packers 74,Indianapolis Olympians77 | ||
| Scoring by quarter:19–16, 19–21,20–17, 16–23 | ||
| Pts:Milo Komenich 14 | Pts:Alex Groza 31 | |
| Indianapolis leads series, 1–0 | ||
March 30 |
| Indianapolis Olympians 67,Anderson Packers84 | ||
| Scoring by quarter:23–15, 11–21, 20–25, 13–23 | ||
| Pts:Joe Holland 14 | Pts:three players 13 each | |
| Series tied, 1–1 | ||
April 1 |
| Anderson Packers67,Indianapolis Olympians 65 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 17–18, 12–12,18–14, 20–21 | ||
| Pts:Frankie Brian 14 | Pts:Alex Groza 26 | |
| Anderson wins series, 2–1 | ||
This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.[a]
April 5 |
| Anderson Packers 50,Minneapolis Lakers75 | ||
| Scoring by half: 19–27, 31–48 | ||
| Pts:Bill Closs 12 Asts:three players 2 each | Pts:George Mikan 26 Asts:Jim Pollard 5 | |
| Minneapolis leads series, 1–0 | ||
April 6 |
| Minneapolis Lakers90,Anderson Packers 71 | ||
| Scoring by quarter:25–21, 18–22,21–8,26–20 | ||
| Pts:George Mikan 32 | Pts:Bill Closs 16 | |
| Minneapolis wins series, 2–0 | ||
This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.[a]
April 8 |
| Minneapolis Lakers68,Syracuse Nationals 66 | ||
| Scoring by quarter:16–10, 18–20, 17–23,17–13 | ||
| Pts:George Mikan 37 | Pts:Dolph Schayes 19 | |
| Minneapolis leads series, 1–0 | ||
April 9 |
| Minneapolis Lakers 85,Syracuse Nationals91 | ||
| Scoring by quarter:17–16, 14–28, 22–23,32–24 | ||
| Pts:George Mikan 32 | Pts:George Ratkovicz 17 | |
| Series tied, 1–1 | ||
April 14 |
| Syracuse Nationals 77,Minneapolis Lakers91 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 15–21,24–21, 16–24, 22–25 | ||
| Pts:Johnny Macknowski 25 Asts:Paul Seymour 5 | Pts:George Mikan 28 Asts:George Mikan 8 | |
| Minneapolis leads series, 2–1 | ||
April 16 |
| Syracuse Nationals 69,Minneapolis Lakers77 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 22–27,16–11, 19–24, 12–15 | ||
| Pts:Schayes,Hannum 18 each Asts:Bill Gabor 6 | Pts:George Mikan 28 Asts:Jim Pollard 4 | |
| Minneapolis leads series, 3–1 | ||
April 20 |
| Minneapolis Lakers 76,Syracuse Nationals83 | ||
| Scoring by quarter:16–14, 8–24, 19–23,33–22 | ||
| Pts:George Mikan 28 | Pts:Dolph Schayes 19 | |
| Minneapolis leads series, 3–2 | ||
April 23 |
| Syracuse Nationals 95,Minneapolis Lakers110 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 18–25, 21–26, 17–30,39–29 | ||
| Pts:Dolph Schayes 23 Asts:Johnny Macknowski 5 | Pts:George Mikan 40 Asts:Jim Pollard 10 | |
| Minneapolis wins series, 4–2 | ||
This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.[a][7]