1947–48 Minneapolis Lakers season | |
---|---|
NBL champions | |
Results | |
Record | 43–17 (.717) |
Place | Division: 1st (Western) |
Playoff finish | NBL Champions (Defeated Royals 3–1) |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
The 1947–48 Minneapolis Lakers season was the inaugural season for the Lakers in Minneapolis following its relocation from Detroit where it played as the Detroit Gems the previous season. [1] [2] The Lakers won the National Basketball League championship against the Rochester Royals. George Mikan led the team with 21.3 points per game and was the league's MVP. After the season, both the Lakers and Royals would leave the NBL to join the Basketball Association of America (BAA) along with two other NBL clubs, the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons and the Indianapolis Kautskys. [3] The Lakers would also participate in the final World Professional Basketball Tournament, winning the final championship over the independent New York Renaissance that year, [4] behind George Mikan's tournament record 40 points. [5]
Pos. | Western Division | Wins | Losses | Win % |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Minneapolis Lakers | 43 | 17 | .717 |
2 | Tri-Cities Blackhawks | 30 | 30 | .500 |
3 | Oshkosh All-Stars | 29 | 31 | .483 |
4 | Indianapolis Kautskys | 24 | 35 | .407 |
5 | Sheboygan Red Skins | 23 | 37 | .383 |
Shortly prior to the NBL finals, during the days of April 8-11, the Lakers played in the annual World Professional Basketball Tournament in Chicago. Considered the favorites, they did not disappoint in the first round, defeating Wilkes-Barre Barons 98–48. [7]
In the semi-finals, the Lakers came out on top against Anderson Duffey Packers, 59–56, behind Mikan's 21 points. [8]
In the title game the Lakers defeated the New York Renaissance 75–71, [9] [4] behind George Mikan's tournament record 40 points. [5] Mikan led all scorers and was named the tournaments Most Valuable Player. Along with Mikan, Jim Pollard was named to the All-Tournament first team. [10] [11]
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. The Lakers play their home games at Crypto.com Arena, an arena they share with the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association, and the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League. The Lakers are one of the most successful teams in the history of the NBA with 17 championships, the second most in the league behind the Boston Celtics.
The National Basketball League (NBL) was a professional basketball league in the United States. Established in 1935 as the Midwest Basketball Conference, it changed its name to the NBL in 1937. After the 1948–49 season, its twelfth, it merged with the Basketball Association of America (BAA) to create the National Basketball Association (NBA). Five current NBA teams trace their history back to the NBL: the Atlanta Hawks, the Detroit Pistons, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Philadelphia 76ers, and the Sacramento Kings.
George Lawrence Mikan Jr., nicknamed "Mr. Basketball", was an American professional basketball player for the Chicago American Gears of the National Basketball League (NBL) and the Minneapolis Lakers of the NBL, the Basketball Association of America (BAA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA). Invariably playing with thick, round spectacles, the 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m), 245 lb (111 kg) Mikan was one of the pioneers of professional basketball. Through his size and play, he redefined basketball as a game dominated in his day by "big men". His prolific rebounding, shot blocking, and ability to shoot over smaller defenders with his ambidextrous hook shot all helped to change the game. He also utilized the underhanded free-throw shooting technique long before Rick Barry made it his signature shot.
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James Clifford Pollard was an American professional basketball player and coach. As a player in the National Basketball Association (NBA), Pollard was considered one of the best forwards in the 1950s and was known for his leaping ability, earning him the nickname "The Kangaroo Kid". A five-time NBA champion and four-time NBA All-Star, Pollard spent his entire eight-year professional career with the Minneapolis Lakers.
Robert Frederick McDermott was an American professional basketball player in the 1930s and 1940s. He was known as an outstanding shooter and has been called "the greatest long-distance shooter in the history of the game" by contemporaries. His grandson is businessman Bill McDermott. McDermott was named to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1988.
The Detroit Gems were an American professional basketball team based in Detroit, Michigan. It played one season, 1946–47, in the Western Division of the National Basketball League, a predecessor organization to the National Basketball Association. Following the season, the franchise was sold and moved to Minneapolis to become the Minneapolis Lakers. In 1960 it relocated again, this time to Los Angeles, and became the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Los Angeles Lakers franchise has a long and storied history, having played and won championships in both the National Basketball League (NBL) and the Basketball Association of America (BAA) prior to their 1949 merger which formed the National Basketball Association (NBA). The franchise traces its roots to the NBL's Detroit Gems which was formed in 1946 and relocated to Minneapolis in 1947 to become the Lakers.
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The 1950 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s inaugural 1949–50 season following the merger of the National Basketball League (NBL) and the Basketball Association of America (BAA). The Central Division champion Minneapolis Lakers faced the Eastern Division champion Syracuse Nationals in a best-of-seven series with Syracuse having home-court advantage.
The World Professional Basketball Tournament was an annual invitational tournament held in Chicago from 1939 to 1948 and sponsored by the Chicago Herald American. Many teams came from the National Basketball League, but it also included the best teams from other leagues and the best independent barnstorming teams such as the New York Rens and Harlem Globetrotters. Games were played at various sites including Chicago Coliseum, International Amphitheater and Chicago Stadium.
Leroy Harry Edwards, nicknamed "Cowboy" and "Lefty", was one of the greatest basketball players of his era. He was an NCAA All-American at the University of Kentucky and also one of the most lauded professional players in the United States' National Basketball League's history.
The 1953–54 Minneapolis Lakers season was the sixth season for the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Lakers 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 named Clyde Lovellette, who was able to alleviate the pressure on Mikan. In the first round of the playoffs, the Lakers won three straight to face the Rochester Royals in the Western Finals. The Lakers beat the Royals to qualify for the NBA 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. 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 in 1960. Following the season, Mikan announced his retirement.
The Basketball Association of America (BAA) was a professional basketball league in North America, founded in 1946. Following its third season, 1948–49, the BAA merged with the National Basketball League (NBL) to form the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Paul Walter Napolitano was an American basketball player. He played college basketball for the University of San Francisco before going on to play professionally. In 1948, he won the National Basketball League championship and the World Professional Basketball Tournament with the Minneapolis Lakers. A good shooter, Napolitano was known for his one-handed jumpshot at a time when two-handed shots where the norm, with coach John Kundla calling it the "California shot".
Alonzo Lewis "Lon" Darling was an early influencer in American professional basketball, having created the barnstorming team the Oshkosh All-Stars, is credited with being the organizer of the National Basketball League (NBL), and was a two-time NBL Coach of the Year. The Oshkosh All-Stars saw great success over their twelve-year tenure in the NBL, winning the Western Division six times and the league championship twice, in 1941 and 1942. The All-Stars also won the World Professional Basketball Tournament in 1942.
The 1948 World Professional Basketball Tournament was the tenth and final edition of the World Professional Basketball Tournament. It was held in Chicago, Illinois, during the days of 8–11 April 1948 and featured eight teams. It was won by the Minneapolis Lakers who defeated the New York Renaissance 75–71 in the title game, behind George Mikan's tournament record 40 points. The Anderson Duffey Packers came in third after beating the Tri-Cities Blackhawks 66–44 in the third-place game. Mikan led all scorers and was named the tournaments Most Valuable Player.
The 1947 World Professional Basketball Tournament was the 9th edition of the World Professional Basketball Tournament. It was held in Chicago, Illinois, during the days of 7–11 April 1947 and featured 14 teams. It was won by the Indianapolis Kautskys who defeated the Toledo Jeeps 62–47 in the title game. The Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons came in third after beating the Oshkosh All-Stars 86–67 in the third-place game behind Ralph Hamilton's 26 points. Julie Rivlin of the Toledo Jeeps was named the tournaments Most Valuable Player.
The 1946 World Professional Basketball Tournament was the 8th edition of the World Professional Basketball Tournament. It was held in Chicago, Illinois, during the days of 25 March - 8 April 1946 and featured 14 teams. It was won by the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons who defeated the Oshkosh All-Stars 2–1 in the championship series. The Chicago American Gears came in third after beating the Baltimore Bullets 2–0 in the third-place best-of-three series. George Mikan of the American Gears was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player after finishing as its top scorer with 100 points in five games.
Mikan's 40 points, on 14 field goals and 12 of 15 free throws, broke the tournament individual scoring record.