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1948–49 Minneapolis Lakers season

{{short description|BAA professional basketball team season}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{Infobox NBA season

| team = Minneapolis Lakers

| team_link = Los Angeles Lakers

| league = BAA

| end_year = 1949

| championship_win = yes

| wins = 44

| losses = 16

| division = Western

| division_place = 2

| coach = John Kundla

| gm = Max Winter

| owners = Ben Berger

| arena = Minneapolis Auditorium

| television =

| radio = WLOL

| playoffs = BAA Champions
(Defeated Capitols 4–2)

| bbr_team = LAL

}}

The 1948–49 BAA season was the Lakers' first season in the Basketball Association of America (BAA) (which later became the National Basketball Association (NBA) after the conclusion of this season).{{Cite web |title=1948-49 Minneapolis Lakers Roster and Stats |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/MNL/1949.html |access-date=2025-03-19 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}

This season saw the Lakers win their first BAA championship, defeating the Washington Capitols in six games in the BAA Finals.

The last remaining active member of the 1948–49 Minneapolis Lakers was center George Mikan, who played his final NBA game in the 1955–56 season, although he missed the 1954–55 season. After long being honored by the Lakers following their eventual move to Los Angeles, Mikan's #99 would eventually be retired properly (albeit posthumously) on October 30, 2022.

Draft

{{main|1948 BAA draft}}

class="wikitable sortable sortable"

! style="background:#7CA3DC; color:#FFFFFF" width="10%"| Round

! style="background:#7CA3DC; color:#FFFFFF" width="10%"| Pick

! style="background:#7CA3DC; color:#FFFFFF" width="20%"| Player

! style="background:#7CA3DC; color:#FFFFFF" width="15%"| Position

! style="background:#7CA3DC; color:#FFFFFF" width="15%"| Nationality

! style="background:#7CA3DC; color:#FFFFFF" width="20%"| College

19Chuck Hanger–{{flagu|United States}}California
––Cliff Crandall–{{flagu|United States}}Oregon State
––Arnie FerrinG/F{{flagu|United States}}Utah
––Earl GardnerF{{flagu|United States}}DePauw
––Dee GibsonG/F{{flagu|United States}}Western Kentucky
––Ken Jastrow–{{flagu|United States}}Denver
––Bob Lowther–{{flagu|United States}}LSU
––Johnny OrrF{{flagu|United States}}Beloit
––Junior Skogland–{{flagu|United States}}Gustavus Adolphus
––Quentin Stinson–{{flagu|United States}}Southern Illinois

Roster

{{NBA roster header|team=1948–49 Minneapolis Lakers

| bg1 = #7BA4DB | color1 =#FBE122

| bg2 = #FBE122 | color2 =#7BA4DB

}}

{{player2 | num = 11 | first = Mike | last = Bloom | dab = basketball | pos = F/C | ft = 6 | in = 6 | lbs = 190 | college = Temple | DOB = 1915-01-14 }}

{{player2 | num = 15 | first = Don | last = Carlson | pos = G/F | ft = 6 | in = 0 | lbs = 170 | college = Minnesota | DOB = 1919-03-22 }}

{{player2 | num = 19 | first = Jack | last = Dwan | pos = F/G | ft = 6 | in = 4 | lbs = 200 | college = Loyola Chicago | DOB = 1921-05-03 }}

{{player2 | num = 18 | first = Ray | last = Ellefson | pos = C | ft = 6 | in = 8 | lbs = 230 | college = West Texas State | DOB = 1922-11-18 }}

{{player2 | num = 18 | first = Arnie | last = Ferrin | pos = F/G | ft = 6 | in = 2 | lbs = 180 | college = Utah | DOB = 1925-07-29 }}

{{player2 | num = 22 | first = Donnie | last = Forman | pos = G | ft = 5 | in = 10 | lbs = 175 | school = NYU | DOB = 1926-01-17 }}

{{player2 | num = 14 | first = Earl | last = Gardner | dab = basketball | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 3 | lbs = 195 | school = DePauw | DOB = 1923-09-18 }}

{{player2 | num = 13 | first = Tony | last = Jaros | pos = F/G | ft = 6 | in = 3 | lbs = 185 | school = Minnesota | DOB = 1920-02-22 }}

{{player2 | num = 16 | first = Johnny | last = Jorgensen | pos = G/F | ft = 6 | in = 2 | lbs = 185 | school = DePaul | DOB = 1921-12-28 }}

{{player2 | num = 20 | first = Whitey | last = Kachan | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 2 | lbs = 175 | school = DePaul | DOB = 1925-09-15 }}

{{player2 | num = 99 | first = George | last = Mikan | pos = C | ft = 6 | in = 10 | lbs = 245 | college = DePaul | DOB = 1924-06-18 }}

{{player2 | num = 17 | first = Jim | last = Pollard | pos = SF | ft = 6 | in = 4 | lbs = 185 | college = Stanford | DOB = 1922-07-09 }}

{{player2 | num = 24 | first = Herm | last = Schaefer | pos = G/F | ft = 6 | in = 0 | lbs = 175 | college = Indiana | DOB = 1918-12-20 }}

{{player2 | num = 12 | first = Don | last = Smith | dab = basketball, born 1920 | pos = G/F | ft = 6 | in = 2 | lbs = 190 | college = Minnesota | DOB = 1920-07-27 }}

{{player2 | num = 19 | first = Jack | last = Tingle | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 4 | lbs = 205 | college = Kentucky | DOB = 1924-12-30 }}

{{NBA roster footer

| head_coach = John Kundla | roster_url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/MNL/1949.html }}

Regular season

=Season standings=

{{col-begin|width=50%}}

{{col-break}}

{{1948–49 BAA West standings|team=MNL}}

{{col-end}}

:x – clinched playoff spot

=Record vs. opponents=

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:center;"
colspan=14|1948–49 BAA records
width=100|Team

!style="background:#003EA4;color:#D30032;width=35"|BAL

!style="background:#006400;color:#FFFFFF;width=35"|BOS

!style="background:#D50032;color:#22356A;width=35"|CHI

!style="background:#012F6B;color:#D40032;width=35"|FWP

!style="background:#0F1D42;color:#D40030;width=35"|IND

!style="background:#7BA4DB;color:#FBE122;width=35"|MIN

!style="background:#003EA4;color:#E85109;width=35"|NYK

!style="background:#002F6C;color:#FFC72C;width=35"|PHI

!style="background:#D40032;color:#000000;width=35"|PRO

!style="background:#0050B0;color:#FFFFFF;width=35"|ROC

!style="background:#D40032;color:#FFFFFF;width=35"|STL

!style="background:#046B38;color:#FECD2A;width=35"|WAS

style="text-align:left;" | Baltimore—4–21–44–15–01–42–44–22–41–42–33–3
style="text-align:left;" | Boston2–4—0–54–13–22–33–33–33–31–43–21–5
style="text-align:left;" | Chicago4–15–0—4–25–12–43–22–35–02–43–33–2
style="text-align:left;" | Fort Wayne1–41–42–4—3–32–41–45–04–10–61–42–3
style="text-align:left;" | Indianapolis0–52–31-53–3—0–61–41–44–11–53–32–3
style="text-align:left;" | Minneapolis4–13–24–24–26–0—4–14–15–04–24–22–3
style="text-align:left;" | New York4–23–32–34–14–11–4—2–45–11–43–22–3
style="text-align:left;" | Philadelphia2–43–33–20–54–11–44–2—6–00–53–22–4
style="text-align:left;" | Providence4–23–30–51–41–40–51–50–6—2–30–50–6
style="text-align:left;" | Rochester4–14–14–26–05–12–44–15–03–2—6–02–3
style="text-align:left;" | St. Louis3–22–33–34–13–32–42–32–35–00–6—2–3
style="text-align:left;" | Washington3–35–12–33–23–23–23–24–26–03–23–2—

=Game log=

class="wikitable" width="50%"
align="center" style="background:#7CA3DC; color:#FFFFFF;"

| #

DateOpponentScoreHigh pointsRecord
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 1

November 4@ Baltimore84–72Herm Schaefer (23)1–0
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 2

November 6@ Washington62–67George Mikan (27)1–1
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 3

November 9@ Boston55–77George Mikan (29)1–2
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 4

November 11@ New York77–68George Mikan (34)2–2
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 5

November 13@ Providence90–67George Mikan (38)3–2
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 6

November 14@ Rochester75–92George Mikan (36)3–3
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 7

November 17Boston72–74George Mikan (21)3–4
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 8

November 19@ Chicago85–81Herm Schaefer (28)4–4
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 9

November 21Baltimore94–81George Mikan (33)5–4
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 10

November 23@ Indianapolis88–82George Mikan (33)6–4
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 11

November 24Providence117–89George Mikan (20)7–4
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 12

November 27@ St. Louis87–71George Mikan (26)8–4
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 13

November 28Philadelphia88–67Herm Schaefer (25)9–4
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 14

November 30vs Boston94–84George Mikan (32)10–4
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 15

December 1@ Fort Wayne74–84George Mikan (44)10–5
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 16

December 4@ Chicago100–104 (OT)George Mikan (47)10–6
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 17

December 5St. Louis78–68George Mikan (27)11–6
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 18

December 8Washington83–94George Mikan (34)11–7
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 19

December 10@ Rochester96–75George Mikan (31)12–7
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 20

December 12Rochester67–58George Mikan (22)13–7
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 21

December 15Indianapolis79–61Jim Pollard (19)14–7
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 22

December 19Chicago94–84George Mikan (31)15–7
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 23

December 21@ Philadelphia64–72George Mikan (18)15–8
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 24

December 22@ New York79–97George Mikan (24)15–9
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 25

December 26Rochester99–90George Mikan (32)16–9
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 26

December 29Washington91–68George Mikan (34)17–9
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 27

January 1Fort Wayne92–72George Mikan (22)18–9
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 28

January 5St. Louis101–76George Mikan (31)19–9
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 29

January 8@ St. Louis59–64George Mikan (22)19–10
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 30

January 9St. Louis74–58George Mikan (29)20–10
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 31

January 12Providence98–64George Mikan (26)21–10
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 32

January 16Indianapolis75–66Jim Pollard (21)22–10
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 33

January 18@ Indianapolis81–56George Mikan (19)23–10
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 34

January 20Fort Wayne83–65George Mikan (29)24–10
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 35

January 23Philadelphia89–71George Mikan (33)25–10
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 36

January 26Chicago84–49Jim Pollard (20)26–10
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 37

January 30Washington84–79George Mikan (48)27–10
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 38

February 2@ Fort Wayne82–79 (OT)George Mikan (31)28–10
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 39

February 3@ Philadelphia78–76George Mikan (30)29–10
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 40

February 6Rochester74–85George Mikan (32)29–11
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 41

February 10New York95–75George Mikan (21)30–11
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 42

February 11@ Chicago97–105George Mikan (36)30–12
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 43

February 13Baltimore91–74Jim Pollard (32)31–12
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 44

February 16Chicago90–71George Mikan (25)32–12
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 45

February 18@ Boston85–71George Mikan (28)33–12
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 46

February 19@ Providence94–80George Mikan (29)34–12
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 47

February 22@ New York101–74George Mikan (48)35–12
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 48

February 24Fort Wayne77–73George Mikan (31)36–12
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 49

February 26@ Baltimore115–114 (2OT)George Mikan (53)37–12
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 50

February 27@ Fort Wayne50–74George Mikan (14)37–13
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 51

March 3@ Indianapolis82–79George Mikan (24)38–13
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 52

March 6Providence68–59George Mikan (21)39–13
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 53

March 9Boston74–67George Mikan (22)40–13
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 54

March 10@ St. Louis71–88George Mikan (26)40–14
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 55

March 12vs Indianapolis97–69Arnie Ferrin (22)41–14
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 56

March 13New York100–90George Mikan (51)42–14
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 57

March 16@ Washington72–85George Mikan (24)42–15
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 58

March 17@ Baltimore67–101Jim Pollard (22)42–16
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 59

March 19@ Rochester99–85George Mikan (46)43–16
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 60

March 20Philadelphia91–78George Mikan (28)44–16

Playoffs

{{NBA game log start|Minneapolis Lakers|playoffs=yes|end_year=1949}}

{{NBA game log section|Minneapolis Lakers|Division Semifinals|first=yes|playoffs=yes|show=no

| home_wins = 1

| home_losses = 0

| road_wins = 1

| road_losses = 0

| hide_rebounds = yes

| hide_assists = yes

| hide_attendance = yes

}}

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"

| 1

| March 23

| Chicago

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/194903230MNL.html W 84–77]

| George Mikan (37)

| Minneapolis Auditorium

| 1–0

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"

| 2

| March 24

| @ Chicago

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/194903240CHS.html W 101–85]

| George Mikan (38)

| Chicago Stadium

| 2–0

|-

{{NBA game log section|Minneapolis Lakers|Division Finals|playoffs=yes|show=no

| home_wins = 1

| home_losses = 0

| road_wins = 1

| road_losses = 0

| hide_rebounds = yes

| hide_assists = yes

| hide_attendance = yes

}}

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"

| 1

| March 27

| @ Rochester

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/194903270ROC.html W 80–79]

| George Mikan (32)

| Edgerton Park Arena

| 1–0

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"

| 2

| March 29

| Rochester

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/194903290MNL.html W 67–55]

| George Mikan (31)

| St. Paul Auditorium

| 2–0

|-

{{NBA game log section|Minneapolis Lakers|BAA Finals|playoffs=yes|show=no

| home_wins = 3

| home_losses = 0

| road_wins = 1

| road_losses = 2

| hide_rebounds = yes

| hide_assists = yes

}}

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"

| 1

| April 4

| Washington

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/194904040MNL.html W 88–84]

| George Mikan (42)

| Minneapolis Auditorium
8,210

| 1–0

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"

| 2

| April 6

| Washington

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/194904060MNL.html W 76–62]

| Don Carlson (16)

| Minneapolis Auditorium
10,212

| 2–0

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"

| 3

| April 8

| @ Washington

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/194904080WSC.html W 94–74]

| George Mikan (35)

| Uline Arena
4,919

| 3–0

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"

| 4

| April 9

| @ Washington

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/194904090WSC.html L 71–83]

| George Mikan (27)

| Uline Arena
4,471

| 3–1

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"

| 5

| April 11

| @ Washington

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/194904110WSC.html L 65–74]

| George Mikan (22)

| Uline Arena
3,840

| 3–2

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"

| 6

| April 13

| Washington

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/194904130MNL.html W 77–56]

| George Mikan (29)

| St. Paul Auditorium
10,482

| 4–2

|-

{{NBA game log end|bbr_team=MNL|playoffs=yes|end_year=1949}}

Awards and records

References

{{reflist}}

{{1948–49 BAA season by team}}

{{Los Angeles Lakers seasons}}

{{Minneapolis Lakers 1948–49 BAA champions}}

{{NBA Champions}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1948-49 Minneapolis Lakers Season}}

Category:Los Angeles Lakers seasons

Minneapolis

Category:NBA championship seasons

Minnesota Lakers

Minnesota Lakers