The 1950–51 Minneapolis Lakers season was the franchise's third season in the National Basketball Association (NBA).[1] In 1950–51, the NBA reduced the number of teams to 11. The two-time defending champion Lakers continued to dominate by winning the Western Division with a 44–24 record. In the playoffs, the Lakers needed three games to eliminate the Indianapolis Olympians in the first round. In the Western Finals, the Lakers took Game 1, but were ultimately defeated for the championship by the Rochester Royals, who came back to win the next three games.[2]
See main article: article and 1950 NBA draft.
| 1950-51 NBA Records | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=100 | Team | BAL | BOS | FWP | IND | MIN | NYK | PHI | ROC | SYR | TCB | WAS |
| — | 3–6 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 2–5 | 3–6 | 1–5 | 3–5 | 3–3 | 1–2 | ||
| 6–3 | — | 5–1 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 4–4 | 4–4 | 2–4 | 2–5 | 4–2 | 4–3 | ||
| 2–4 | 1–5 | — | 5–3 | 5–3 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 3–5 | 3–3 | 5–5 | 3–1 | ||
| 4–2 | 1–4 | 3–5 | — | 3–7 | 5–1 | 1–5 | 5–4 | 3–3 | 4–4 | 2–2 | ||
| Minneapolis | 4–2 | 3–3 | 3–5 | 7–3 | — | 3–3 | 4–2 | 4–4 | 4–2 | 10–0 | 2–0 | |
| 5–2 | 4–4 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 3–3 | — | 5–3 | 3–3 | 5–5 | 4–2 | 2–1 | ||
| 6–3 | 4–4 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 2–4 | 3–5 | — | 4–2 | 6–2 | 4–2 | 3–0 | ||
| 5–3 | 5–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 5–5 | 2–6 | — | 4–2 | 5–3 | 5–0 | ||
| 5–3 | 5–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 5–5 | 2–6 | 2–4 | — | 3–3 | 2–0 | ||
| 3–3 | 2–4 | 5–5 | 4–4 | 0–10 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 3–5 | 3–3 | — | 1–1 | ||
| 2–1 | 3–4 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | — | ||
| Date | Opponent | Score | High points | Record | ||
| 1 | November 1 | 71–81 | George Mikan (34) | 0–1 | ||
| 2 | November 4 | 91–85 | George Mikan (27) | 1–1 | ||
| 3 | November 5 | 87–90 | George Mikan (29) | 1–2 | ||
| 4 | November 9 | 71–76 | George Mikan (24) | 1–3 | ||
| 5 | November 12 | 70–83 | George Mikan (25) | 2–3 | ||
| 6 | November 15 | 71–72 (OT) | George Mikan (28) | 3–3 | ||
| 7 | November 16 | 69–71 | George Mikan (27) | 3–4 | ||
| 8 | November 18 | 86–77 (2OT) | George Mikan (47) | 4–4 | ||
| 9 | November 19 | Rochester | 77–90 | George Mikan (23) | 5–4 | |
| 10 | November 22 | 18–19 | George Mikan (15) | 5–5 | ||
| 11 | November 23 | at Fort Wayne | 63–73 | George Mikan (32) | 5–6 | |
| 12 | November 26 | Baltimore | 71–85 | George Mikan (23) | 6–6 | |
| 13 | November 29 | 66–85 | Slater Martin (19) | 7–6 | ||
| 14 | December 1 | 65–66 | George Mikan (22) | 7–7 | ||
| 15 | December 3 | Philadelphia | 83–95 | George Mikan (38) | 8–7 | |
| 16 | December 6 | New York | 62–84 | Jim Pollard (17) | 9–7 | |
| 17 | December 9 | at Tri-Cities | 88–79 | George Mikan (37) | 10–7 | |
| 18 | December 10 | Tri-Cities | 101–114 | George Mikan (29) | 11–7 | |
| 19 | December 13 | Rochester | 82–72 | George Mikan (43) | 11–8 | |
| 20 | December 15 | at Indianapolis | 82–71 | George Mikan (32) | 12–8 | |
| 21 | December 16 | at Tri-Cities | 86–71 | George Mikan (21) | 13–8 | |
| 22 | December 17 | Indianapolis | 60–79 | George Mikan (29) | 14–8 | |
| 23 | December 19 | at Philadelphia | 67–71 | George Mikan (25) | 14–9 | |
| 24 | December 20 | at Baltimore | 84–91 | George Mikan (39) | 14–10 | |
| 25 | December 23 | at Boston | 81–87 | George Mikan (31) | 14–11 | |
| 26 | December 25 | Washington | 79–93 | George Mikan (35) | 15–11 | |
| 27 | December 27 | Baltimore | 63–81 | George Mikan (19) | 16–11 | |
| 28 | December 28 | at Rochester | 67–75 | George Mikan (41) | 16–12 | |
| 29 | December 31 | Philadelphia | 73–83 | George Mikan (24) | 17–12 | |
| 30 | January 1 | at Fort Wayne | 70–83 | Vern Mikkelsen (20) | 17–13 | |
| 31 | January 3 | Fort Wayne | 64–86 | Vern Mikkelsen (23) | 18–13 | |
| 32 | January 4 | at Syracuse | 80–77 | George Mikan (27) | 19–13 | |
| 33 | January 5 | Boston | 54–69 | Vern Mikkelsen (17) | 20–13 | |
| 34 | January 7 | Rochester | 57–69 | Vern Mikkelsen (26) | 21–13 | |
| 35 | January 10 | New York | 65–70 | George Mikan (21) | 22–13 | |
| 36 | January 11 | at Tri-Cities | 113–109 | George Mikan (34) | 23–13 | |
| 37 | January 14 | Indianapolis | 84–86 (OT) | George Mikan (28) | 24–13 | |
| 38 | January 16 | at Indianapolis | 68–82 | George Mikan (21) | 24–14 | |
| 39 | January 18 | at New York | 78–95 | George Mikan (27) | 24–15 | |
| 40 | January 20 | N Fort Wayne | 89–70 | George Mikan (27) | 25–15 | |
| 41 | January 21 | Tri-Cities | 82–89 | George Mikan (31) | 26–15 | |
| 42 | January 23 | N Baltimore | 89–79 | Vern Mikkelsen (20) | 27–15 | |
| 43 | January 25 | at Philadelphia | 90–71 | George Mikan (24) | 28–15 | |
| 44 | January 28 | Indianapolis | 75–101 | George Mikan (34) | 29–15 | |
| 45 | January 31 | Tri-Cities | 78–106 | George Mikan (35) | 30–15 | |
| 46 | February 3 | at Indianapolis | 89–84 | George Mikan (29) | 31–15 | |
| 47 | February 4 | Boston | 84–98 | George Mikan (29) | 32–15 | |
| 48 | February 7 | at Fort Wayne | 86–96 | George Mikan (20) | 32–16 | |
| 49 | February 8 | Rochester | 58–69 | George Mikan (37) | 33–16 | |
| 50 | February 11 | Indianapolis | 78–91 | George Mikan (27) | 34–16 | |
| 51 | February 14 | Baltimore | 71–99 | George Mikan (28) | 35–16 | |
| 52 | February 16 | at Indianapolis | 76–71 | George Mikan (32) | 36–16 | |
| 53 | February 17 | at Rochester | 82–87 | George Mikan (30) | 36–17 | |
| 54 | February 18 | at Syracuse | 80–91 | George Mikan (25) | 36–18 | |
| 55 | February 21 | Syracuse | 76–82 | George Mikan (36) | 37–18 | |
| 56 | February 24 | Fort Wayne | 78–95 | George Mikan (32) | 38–18 | |
| 57 | February 25 | Indianapolis | 75–73 | Mikan, Pollard (20) | 38–19 | |
| 58 | February 27 | N Tri-Cities | 77–83 | George Mikan (33) | 39–19 | |
| 59 | February 28 | at Fort Wayne | 73–77 | George Mikan (39) | 39–20 | |
| 60 | March 1 | at Philadelphia | 77–97 | Jim Pollard (26) | 39–21 | |
| 61 | March 4 | at Boston | 86–92 | George Mikan (44) | 39–22 | |
| 62 | March 6 | at Rochester | 79–90 | George Mikan (18) | 39–23 | |
| 63 | March 8 | at New York | 94–97 (OT) | George Mikan (40) | 39–24 | |
| 64 | March 10 | at Tri-Cities | 99–88 | George Mikan (46) | 40–24 | |
| 65 | March 11 | Boston | 96–98 (2OT) | George Mikan (40) | 41–24 | |
| 66 | March 14 | Syracuse | 76–100 | George Mikan (40) | 42–24 | |
| 67 | March 17 | at Tri-Cities | 92–91 (OT) | George Mikan (38) | 43–24 | |
| 68 | March 18 | New York | 68–86 | Vern Mikkelsen (19) | 44–24 |
Note: GP= Games played; REB= Rebounds; AST= Assists; STL = Steals; BLK = Blocks; PTS = Points; AVG = Average
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 1| March 21| Indianapolis| W 95–81| George Mikan (41)| Minneapolis Auditorium| 1–0|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 2| March 23| @ Indianapolis| L 88–108| Vern Mikkelsen (30)| Butler Fieldhouse| 1–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 3| March 25| Indianapolis| W 85–80| George Mikan (30)| Minneapolis Auditorium| 2–1|-|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 1| March 29| Rochester| W 76–73| Vern Mikkelsen (23)| Minneapolis Auditorium| 1–0|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 2| March 31| Rochester| L 66–70| Jim Pollard (20)| Minneapolis Auditorium| 1–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 3| April 1| @ Rochester| L 70–83| George Mikan (23)| Edgerton Park Arena| 1–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 4| April 3| @ Rochester| L 75–80| George Mikan (32)| Edgerton Park Arena| 1–3|-