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1953–54 Minneapolis Lakers season

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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.[1] 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.[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 in 1960. Following the season, Mikan announced his retirement.[1]

1953–54 Minneapolis Lakers season
NBA champions
Division champions
Head coachJohn Kundla
ArenaMinneapolis Auditorium
Results
Record46–26 (.639)
PlaceDivision: 1st (Western)
Playoff finishNBA Champions
(Defeated Nationals 4–3)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
RadioWLOL
< 1952–53 1954–55 >

The Lakers would not win another NBA championship until 1972.

NBA draft

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Main article: 1953 NBA draft

Roster

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1953–54 Minneapolis Lakers roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
PF Fritsche, Jim 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1931-12-10 Hamline
G 16 Harrison, Bob 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1927-08-12 Michigan
SF 12 Holstein, Jim 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1930-09-24 Cincinnati
C 34−89 Lovellette, Clyde 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 234 lb (106 kg) 1929-09-07 Kansas
PG 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
PF 19 Mikkelsen, Vern 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1928-10-21 Hamline
SF 17 Pollard, Jim 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1922-07-09 Stanford
SG 18 Saul, Pep 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1924-02-16 Seton Hall
SF 15−24 Schnittker, Dick 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1928-05-27 Ohio State
SG 20 Skoog, Whitey 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1926-11-02 Minnesota
Head coach

John Kundla

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

Roster

Regular season

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Season standings

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Western Division
 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

Record vs. opponents

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1953–54 NBA records
Team BAL BOS FWP MIL MIN NYK PHI ROC SYR
Baltimore — 1–9 0–8 2–6 2–6 3–7 4–6 1–7 3–7
Boston 9–1 — 4–4 6–2 3–5 5–5 6–4 4–4 5–5
Fort Wayne 8–0 4–4 — 9–2 5–5 3–5 6–2 3–8 2–6
Milwaukee 6–2 2–6 2–9 — 3–8 3–5 3–5 1–9 1–7
Minneapolis 6–2 5–3 5–5 8–3 — 5–3 6–2 6–5 5–3
New York 7–3 5–5 5–3 5–3 3–5 — 7–3 7–1 5–5
Philadelphia 6–4 4–6 2–6 5–3 2–6 3–7 — 1–7 6–4
Rochester 7–1 4–4 8–3 9–1 5–6 1–7 7–1 — 3–5
Syracuse 7–3 5–5 6–2 7–1 3–5 5–5 4–6 5–3 —

Game log

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# 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 N Fort 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

Playoffs

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1954 playoff game log
Division Round Robin Semifinals: 3–0 (home: 2–0; road: 1–0)
Game Date Team Score High points Location Record
1 March 17 Rochester W 109–88 Slater Martin (24) Minneapolis Auditorium 1–0
2 March 18 @ Fort Wayne W 90–85 George Mikan (28) War Memorial Coliseum 2–0
3 March 20 Fort Wayne W 78–73 George Mikan (21) Minneapolis Auditorium 3–0
Division Finals: 2–1 (home: 2–0; road: 0–1)
Game Date Team Score High points Location Series
1 March 24 Rochester W 89–76 George Mikan (28) Minneapolis Auditorium 1–0
2 March 27 @ Rochester L 73–74 George Mikan (17) Edgerton Park Arena 1–1
3 March 28 Rochester W 82–72 George Mikan (17) Minneapolis Auditorium 2–1
NBA Finals: 4–3 (home: 2–2; road: 2–1)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 March 31 Syracuse W 79–68 Clyde Lovellette (16) George Mikan (10) Slater Martin (6) Minneapolis Auditorium
4,579 		1–0
2 April 3 Syracuse L 60–62 George Mikan (15) George Mikan (15) Vern Mikkelsen (3) Minneapolis Auditorium
6,277 		1–1
3 April 4 @ Syracuse W 81–67 George Mikan (30) George Mikan (15) Slater Martin (7) Onondaga War Memorial
8,719 		2–1
4 April 8 @ Syracuse L 69–80 Whitey Skoog (16) Jim Pollard (9) Slater Martin (6) Onondaga War Memorial
7,655 		2–2
5 April 10 @ Syracuse W 84–73 Vern Mikkelsen (21) Mikan, Lovellette (13) Slater Martin (7) Onondaga War Memorial
7,283 		3–2
6 April 11 Syracuse L 63–65 George Mikan (30) — — Minneapolis Auditorium
6,776 		3–3
7 April 12 Syracuse W 87–80 Jim Pollard (21) — — Minneapolis Auditorium
7,274 		4–3
1954 schedule

Awards and honors

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Minneapolis Lakers – Sports Ecyclopedia".
  2. ^ Ferraro, Michael X.; Veneziano, John (2007). Numbelievable!. Chicago: Triumph Books. p. 95. ISBN 978-1-57243-990-0.
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