1952–53 Minneapolis Lakers season
| 1952–53 Minneapolis Lakers season | |
|---|---|
|
NBA champions | |
|
Division champions | |
| Head coach | John Kundla |
| Arena | Minneapolis Auditorium |
| Results | |
| Record | 48–22 (.686) |
| Place | Division: 1st (Western) |
| Playoff finish |
NBA Champions (Defeated Knicks 4-1) |
|
Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com | |
| Radio | WLOL |
The 1952-53 Minneapolis Lakers season was the fifth season for the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Lakers continued to be the dominant force in the league as they won the Western Division with a 48–22 record. In the playoffs, the Lakers would sweep the Indianapolis Olympians in 2 straight. In the Western Finals, the Lakers would win the first 2 games at home. Against the Fort Wayne Pistons, the Lakers were pushed to a 5th game. The series returned to Minneapolis, where the Lakers won the 5th game 74–58. In the Finals, the Lakers vanquished the New York Knickerbockers for their 2nd straight Championship, and 4th Championship overall in the franchise's first five seasons in the NBA.[1]
Offseason
Regular season
Season standings
| Western Division | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Neutral | Div |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| x-Minneapolis Lakers | 48 | 22 | .686 | - | 24-2 | 16-15 | 8-5 | 17-13 |
| x-Rochester Royals | 44 | 26 | .629 | 4 | 24-8 | 13-17 | 7-1 | 27-13 |
| x-Fort Wayne Pistons | 36 | 33 | .522 | 11.5 | 25-9 | 8-19 | 3-5 | 18-22 |
| x-Indianapolis Olympians | 28 | 43 | .394 | 20.5 | 19-14 | 4-23 | 5-6 | 15-26 |
| Milwaukee Hawks | 27 | 44 | .380 | 21.5 | 14-8 | 3-24 | 10-12 | 15-26 |
Record vs. opponents
| colspan=11 | FWP | IND | MIL | MIN | NYK | PHI | ROC | SYR | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore | — | 2–8 | 0–6 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 1–5 | 0–10 | 6–4 | 0–6 | 2–8 |
| Boston | 8–2 | — | 4–2 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 1–5 | 6–4 | 9–1 | 4–2 | 5–6 |
| Fort Wayne | 6–0 | 2–4 | — | 7–3 | 7–3 | 1–9 | 4–2 | 5–0 | 3–7 | 1–5 |
| Indianapolis | 4–2 | 2–4 | 3–7 | — | 5–6 | 4–6 | 1–5 | 5–1 | 3–7 | 1–5 |
| Milwaukee | 3–3 | 1–5 | 3–7 | 6–5 | — | 3–7 | 1–5 | 4–2 | 3–7 | 3–3 |
| Minneapolis | 5–1 | 5–1 | 9–1 | 6–4 | 7–3 | — | 4–2 | 6–0 | 4–6 | 2–4 |
| New York | 10–0 | 4–6 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 2–4 | — | 10–0 | 3–3 | 6–4 |
| Philadelphia | 4–6 | 1–9 | 0–5 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 0–6 | 0–10 | — | 2–4 | 2–8 |
| Rochester | 6–0 | 2–4 | 7–3 | 7–3 | 7–3 | 6–4 | 3–3 | 4–2 | — | 2–4 |
| Syracuse | 8–2 | 6–5 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 4–6 | 8–2 | 4–2 | — |
Player stats
Note: GP= Games played; REB= Rebounds; AST= Assists; STL = Steals; BLK = Blocks; PTS = Points; AVG = Average
| Player | GP | REB | AST | STL | BLK | PTS | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Playoffs
West Division Semifinals
(1) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (4) Indianapolis Olympians: Lakers win series 2–0
- Game 1 @ Minneapolis: Minneapolis 85, Indianapolis 69
- Game 2 @ Indianapolis: Minneapolis 81, Indianapolis 79
Last Playoff Meeting: 1952 Western Division Semifinals (Minneapolis won 2–0)
West Division Finals
(1) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (3) Fort Wayne Pistons: Lakers win series 3–2
- Game 1 @ Minneapolis: Minneapolis 83, Fort Wayne 73
- Game 2 @ Minneapolis: Minneapolis 82, Fort Wayne 75
- Game 3 @ Fort Wayne: Fort Wayne 98, Minneapolis 95
- Game 4 @ Fort Wayne: Fort Wayne 85, Minneapolis 82
- Game 5 @ Minneapolis: Minneapolis 74, Fort Wayne 58
Last Playoff Meeting: 1950 Central Division Finals (Minneapolis won 2–0)
NBA Finals
(W1) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (E1) New York Knicks: Lakers win series 4–1
- Game 1 @ Minneapolis: New York 96, Minneapolis 88
- Game 2 @ Minneapolis: Minneapolis 73, New York 71
- Game 3 @ New York: Minneapolis 90, New York 75
- Game 4 @ New York: Minneapolis 72, New York 69
- Game 5 @ New York: Minneapolis 91, New York 84
Last Playoff Meeting: 1952 NBA Finals (Minneapolis won 4–3)