The 1951–52 Minneapolis Lakers season was the fourth season for the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA).[1] The NBA widened the foul lane before the 1951–52 season in an attempt to slow down George Mikan. Despite the change, it had little effect on Mikan. He still averaged 23.8 points per game, although he lost the scoring title to Paul Arizin, from the Philadelphia Warriors.[2] The Lakers went into the campaign with essentially the same lineup. Rochester took first place in the Western Division by a game, but the Lakers ousted the Royals in four games in the division finals. The NBA Finals would have the Lakers oppose the New York Knickerbockers.Games 3 and 4 of the Finals were played at the 69th Regiment Armory instead of at Madison Square Garden. This was because of a famous circus being in town at the time. The teams split those games, as well as Games 5 and 6. Game 7 was dominated by Minneapolis. The Lakers pounded out an 82–65 win, at home, to claim their third NBA crown in their first four seasons. HoopsHype later ranked this squad as the team with the 14th easiest route to the NBA Finals championship.[3]
See main article: article and 1951 NBA draft.
| 1951-52 NBA Records | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=100 | Team | BAL | BOS | FWP | IND | MIL | MIN | NYK | PHI | ROC | SYR |
| Baltimore | – | 1–8 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 0–6 | 2–7 | 4–5 | 2–4 | 3–6 | |
| Boston | 8–1 | – | 3–3 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 4–5 | 6–3 | 3–3 | 4–5 | |
| Fort Wayne | 4–2 | 3–3 | – | 5–4 | 4–5 | 5–4 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 3–6 | 0–6 | |
| Indianapolis | 4–2 | 3–3 | 4–5 | – | 7–2 | 4–5 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 3–6 | 4–2 | |
| Milwaukee | 2–4 | 1–5 | 5–4 | 2–7 | – | 1–8 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 1–8 | 2–4 | |
| Minneapolis | 6–0 | 3–3 | 4–5 | 5–4 | 8–1 | – | 4–2 | 2–4 | 7–2 | 1–5 | |
| New York | 7–2 | 5–4 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 2–4 | – | 6–3 | 2–4 | 5–4 | |
| Philadelphia | 5–4 | 3–6 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 3–6 | – | 2–4 | 3–6 | |
| Rochester | 4–2 | 3–3 | 6–3 | 6–3 | 8–1 | 2–7 | 4–2 | 4–2 | – | 4–2 | |
| Syracuse | 6–3 | 5–4 | 6–0 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 4–5 | 6–3 | 2–4 | — | |
| Date | Opponent | Score | High points | Record | ||
| 1 | November 3 | 93–74 | Vern Mikkelsen (25) | 1–0 | ||
| 2 | November 4 | 67–98 | George Mikan (27) | 1–1 | ||
| 3 | November 9 | 86–98 | George Mikan (41) | 1–2 | ||
| 4 | November 10 | 89–73 | George Mikan (31) | 2–2 | ||
| 5 | November 11 | 72–77 | Jim Pollard (17) | 2–3 | ||
| 6 | November 12 | 90–80 | George Mikan (31) | 3–3 | ||
| 7 | November 13 | 77–71 | George Mikan (22) | 4–3 | ||
| 8 | November 17 | 64–68 (OT) | George Mikan (32) | 5–3 | ||
| 9 | November 22 | Rochester | 65–70 (2OT) | Vern Mikkelsen (21) | 6–3 | |
| 10 | November 24 | 72–59 | George Mikan (19) | 7–3 | ||
| 11 | November 25 | Indianapolis | 73–82 | George Mikan (31) | 8–3 | |
| 12 | November 28 | Boston | 76–90 | George Mikan (34) | 9–3 | |
| 13 | December 1 | Fort Wayne | 69–89 | George Mikan (24) | 10–3 | |
| 14 | December 2 | @ Fort Wayne | 61–63 | George Mikan (22) | 10–4 | |
| 15 | December 5 | Syracuse | 83–81 (OT) | Vern Mikkelsen (23) | 10–5 | |
| 16 | December 8 | N Baltimore | 85–64 | Mikan, Pollard (22) | 11–5 | |
| 17 | December 9 | Indianapolis | 85–78 | Vern Mikkelsen (25) | 11–6 | |
| 18 | December 11 | @ Indianapolis | 69–85 | Mikan, Mikkelsen (16) | 11–7 | |
| 19 | December 12 | Baltimore | 79–99 | George Mikan (25) | 12–7 | |
| 20 | December 16 | Milwaukee | 52–99 | George Mikan (24) | 13–7 | |
| 21 | December 18 | @ New York | 67–69 | George Mikan (19) | 13–8 | |
| 22 | December 21 | @ Philadelphia | 103–105 (3OT) | George Mikan (36) | 13–9 | |
| 23 | December 22 | @ Baltimore | 96–90 (3OT) | George Mikan (39) | 14–9 | |
| 24 | December 23 | @ Fort Wayne | 79–81 | George Mikan (33) | 14–10 | |
| 25 | December 25 | Boston | 93–100 | Jim Pollard (25) | 15–10 | |
| 26 | December 30 | Philadelphia | 64–93 | George Mikan (22) | 16–10 | |
| 27 | January 1 | Syracuse | 80–82 | George Mikan (37) | 17–10 | |
| 28 | January 4 | N Fort Wayne | 79–64 | Mikan, Pollard (21) | 18–10 | |
| 29 | January 5 | N Indianapolis | 86–65 | George Mikan (20) | 19–10 | |
| 30 | January 6 | New York | 92–107 | Jim Pollard (32) | 20–10 | |
| 31 | January 8 | @ Indianapolis | 75–82 | George Mikan (27) | 20–11 | |
| 32 | January 9 | Indianapolis | 74–91 | George Mikan (29) | 21–11 | |
| 33 | January 11 | @ Milwaukee | 75–63 | George Mikan (18) | 22–11 | |
| 34 | January 12 | N Milwaukee | 96–84 | Jim Pollard (24) | 23–11 | |
| 35 | January 13 | Philadelphia | 88–81 | George Mikan (33) | 23–12 | |
| 36 | January 16 | @ Boston | 108–94 | Vern Mikkelsen (36) | 24–12 | |
| 37 | January 17 | @ Syracuse | 105–110 (3OT) | Martin, Mikkelsen (19) | 24–13 | |
| 38 | January 19 | @ Rochester | 85–96 | Slater Martin (20) | 24–14 | |
| 39 | January 20 | Rochester | 81–91 (2OT) | George Mikan (61) | 25–14 | |
| 40 | January 23 | Syracuse | 99–97 (OT) | George Mikan (28) | 25–15 | |
| 41 | January 26 | @ Milwaukee | 57–56 | Jim Pollard (18) | 26–15 | |
| 42 | January 27 | Milwaukee | 62–91 | Vern Mikkelsen (19) | 27–15 | |
| 43 | January 30 | New York | 65–77 | Martin, Pollard (14) | 28–15 | |
| 44 | January 31 | @ Fort Wayne | 85–78 | Mikan, Pollard (23) | 29–15 | |
| 45 | February 1 | @ Indianapolis | 77–85 | George Mikan (25) | 29–16 | |
| 46 | February 3 | Rochester | 75–77 | George Mikan (25) | 30–16 | |
| 47 | February 7 | Rochester | 75–86 | George Mikan (27) | 31–16 | |
| 48 | February 9 | Fort Wayne | 70–67 | George Mikan (29) | 31–17 | |
| 49 | February 10 | @ Milwaukee | 69–70 (2OT) | Frank Saul (14) | 31–18 | |
| 50 | February 14 | N Milwaukee | 109–74 | Jim Pollard (25) | 32–18 | |
| 51 | February 16 | N Boston | 75–77 | Slater Martin (17) | 32–19 | |
| 52 | February 17 | @ Fort Wayne | 87–99 | Howie Schultz (19) | 32–20 | |
| 53 | February 19 | @ New York | 96–98 | George Mikan (26) | 32–21 | |
| 54 | February 20 | @ Baltimore | 93–78 | Vern Mikkelsen (28) | 33–21 | |
| 55 | February 21 | @ Syracuse | 80–88 | George Mikan (25) | 33–22 | |
| 56 | February 23 | @ Rochester | 83–73 | George Mikan (26) | 34–22 | |
| 57 | February 24 | @ Fort Wayne | 70–83 | Jim Pollard (19) | 34–23 | |
| 58 | February 25 | Philadelphia | 95–108 | George Mikan (28) | 35–23 | |
| 59 | March 1 | N Indianapolis | 98–88 | George Mikan (26) | 36–23 | |
| 60 | March 2 | @ Milwaukee | 96–85 | Jim Pollard (26) | 37–23 | |
| 61 | March 4 | @ Philadelphia | 81–83 | George Mikan (41) | 37–24 | |
| 62 | March 5 | @ Boston | 74–82 | Slater Martin (20) | 37–25 | |
| 63 | March 8 | @ Rochester | 92–94 (OT) | Mikan, Pollard (21) | 37–26 | |
| 64 | March 9 | Rochester | 90–96 | Jim Pollard (32) | 38–26 | |
| 65 | March 12 | New York | 83–85 | Jim Pollard (22) | 39–26 | |
| 66 | March 16 | Baltimore | 82–126 | Vern Mikkelsen (23) | 40–26 |
Note: GP= Games played; REB= Rebounds; AST= Assists; STL = Steals; BLK = Blocks; PTS = Points; AVG = Average
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 1| March 23| Indianapolis| W 78–70| George Mikan (24)| Minneapolis Auditorium| 1–0|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 2| March 25| @ Indianapolis| W 94–87| George Mikan (36)| Butler Fieldhouse| 2–0|-|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 1| March 29| @ Rochester| L 78–88| George Mikan (47)| Edgerton Park Arena| 0–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 2| March 30| @ Rochester| W 83–78 (OT)| Vern Mikkelsen (19)| Edgerton Park Arena| 1–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 3| April 5| Rochester| W 77–67| Jim Pollard (22)| Minneapolis Auditorium| 2–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 4| April 6| Rochester| W 82–80| Saul, Mikkelsen (18)| Minneapolis Auditorium| 3–1|-|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 1| April 12| New York| W 83–79 (OT)| Jim Pollard (34)| George Mikan (16)| Pollard, Mikan (4)| St. Paul Auditorium
8,722| 1–0|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 2| April 13| New York| L 72–80| George Mikan (18)| George Mikan (21)| Slater Martin (4)| St. Paul Auditorium| 1–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 3| April 16| @ New York| W 82–77| George Mikan (26)| George Mikan (17)| Pep Saul (8)| 69th Regiment Armory
4,500| 2–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 4| April 18| @ New York| L 89–90 (OT)| Slater Martin (32)| George Mikan (17)| Pep Saul (5)| 69th Regiment Armory
5,200| 2–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 5| April 20| New York| W 102–89| Mikkelsen, Mikan (32)| George Mikan (17)| Pep Saul (5)| St. Paul Auditorium
7,244| 3–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 6| April 23| @ New York| L 68–76| George Mikan (28)| George Mikan (15)| Slater Martin (9)| 69th Regiment Armory
3,000| 3–3|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 7| April 25| New York| W 82–65| George Mikan (22)| George Mikan (19)| Slater Martin (6)| Minneapolis Auditorium
8,612| 4–3|-