The 1952–53 Minneapolis Lakers season was the fifth season for the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA).[1] 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.[2] HoopsHype later ranked this squad as the team with the fourth-easiest path to an NBA Finals championship, noting them as the team who had the easiest path while facing off against opponents who held mostly above-average records that season, with the only outlier being their first round opponent of the Indianapolis Olympians under their final season of existence.[3]
See main article: article and 1952 NBA draft.
| 1952-53 NBA Records | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=100 | Team | BAL | BOS | 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 | — | |
| Date | Opponent | Score | High points | Record | ||
| 1 | November 1 | 91–94 | Vern Mikkelsen (17) | 1–0 | ||
| 2 | November 2 | 81–69 | Jim Pollard (18) | 2–0 | ||
| 3 | November 5 | 97–75 | Slater Martin (21) | 3–0 | ||
| 4 | November 8 | 93–71 | George Mikan (18) | 4–0 | ||
| 5 | November 9 | 89–96 | George Mikan (25) | 4–1 | ||
| 6 | November 11 | @ Boston | 101–92 | Slater Martin (20) | 5–1 | |
| 7 | November 13 | 91–100 | George Mikan (32) | 5–2 | ||
| 8 | November 15 | 89–97 | George Mikan (29) | 5–3 | ||
| 9 | November 16 | 51–87 | George Mikan (14) | 6–3 | ||
| 10 | November 20 | @ Fort Wayne | 89–81 | George Mikan (32) | 7–3 | |
| 11 | November 22 | Fort Wayne | 89–96 | George Mikan (35) | 8–3 | |
| 12 | November 23 | @ Milwaukee | 62–46 | George Mikan (17) | 9–3 | |
| 13 | November 27 | 69–90 | Vern Mikkelsen (19) | 10–3 | ||
| 14 | November 28 | @ Indianapolis | 97–82 | Slater Martin (22) | 11–3 | |
| 15 | November 29 | @ Rochester | 71–83 | Jim Pollard (17) | 11–4 | |
| 16 | November 30 | Philadelphia | 66–91 | George Mikan (23) | 12–4 | |
| 17 | December 1 | N Baltimore | 67–89 | Mikan, Mikkelsen (17) | 13–4 | |
| 18 | December 3 | @ Boston | 106–102 (OT) | Jim Pollard (29) | 14–4 | |
| 19 | December 4 | @ New York | 81–71 | Vern Mikkelsen (24) | 15–4 | |
| 20 | December 6 | New York | 78–85 (OT) | George Mikan (27) | 16–4 | |
| 21 | December 8 | N Indianapolis | 76–81 | George Mikan (25) | 16–5 | |
| 22 | December 11 | Syracuse | 79–82 | Vern Mikkelsen (31) | 17–5 | |
| 23 | December 14 | Rochester | 77–95 | Slater Martin (17) | 18–5 | |
| 24 | December 19 | @ Indianapolis | 87–69 | Slater Martin (22) | 19–5 | |
| 25 | December 20 | @ Milwaukee | 75–86 | Vern Mikkelsen (28) | 19–6 | |
| 26 | December 25 | Indianapolis | 73–90 | George Mikan (20) | 20–6 | |
| 27 | December 27 | Boston | 71–94 | Jim Pollard (20) | 21–6 | |
| 28 | December 28 | Milwaukee | 77–86 | Harrison, Mikkelsen (17) | 22–6 | |
| 29 | December 30 | @ Indianapolis | 69–74 | George Mikan (16) | 22–7 | |
| 30 | December 31 | Baltimore | 56–82 | George Mikan (19) | 23–7 | |
| 31 | January 2 | N Milwaukee | 74–66 | Vern Mikkelsen (22) | 24–7 | |
| 32 | January 3 | N Milwaukee | 79–75 | Slater Martin (22) | 25–7 | |
| 33 | January 4 | Rochester | 80–83 (OT) | George Mikan (23) | 26–7 | |
| 34 | January 6 | N Rochester | 85–69 | George Mikan (26) | 26–8 | |
| 35 | January 8 | @ Syracuse | 67–75 | George Mikan (16) | 26–9 | |
| 36 | January 10 | N Fort Wayne | 79–84 | George Mikan (29) | 27–9 | |
| 37 | January 11 | New York | 79–85 | George Mikan (22) | 28–9 | |
| 38 | January 14 | @ Baltimore | 112–104 (2OT) | George Mikan (46) | 29–9 | |
| 39 | January 17 | @ Rochester | 101–109 | George Mikan (41) | 29–10 | |
| 40 | January 18 | Milwaukee | 83–70 | George Mikan (22) | 29–11 | |
| 41 | January 23 | N Milwaukee | 65–67 | George Mikan (22) | 29–12 | |
| 42 | January 25 | Boston | 82–87 | George Mikan (30) | 30–12 | |
| 43 | January 27 | N Fort Wayne | 96–76 | Jim Pollard (23) | 31–12 | |
| 44 | January 29 | Syracuse | 83–65 | George Mikan (13) | 31–13 | |
| 45 | January 31 | Fort Wayne | 80–87 | George Mikan (23) | 32–13 | |
| 46 | February 1 | @ Fort Wayne | 92–76 | Slater Martin (19) | 33–13 | |
| 47 | February 3 | @ Indianapolis | 93–96 (3OT) | George Mikan (29) | 33–14 | |
| 48 | February 5 | New York | 73–81 | George Mikan (36) | 34–14 | |
| 49 | February 7 | @ Rochester | 72–87 | George Mikan (25) | 34–15 | |
| 50 | February 8 | Indianapolis | 67–71 | George Mikan (24) | 35–15 | |
| 51 | February 12 | Syracuse | 81–91 | George Mikan (36) | 36–15 | |
| 52 | February 14 | Philadelphia | 84–92 | George Mikan (19) | 37–15 | |
| 53 | February 15 | @ Milwaukee | 80–71 | George Mikan (23) | 38–15 | |
| 54 | February 17 | N Baltimore | 74–70 | Vern Mikkelsen (19) | 38–16 | |
| 55 | February 19 | Rochester | 87–107 | Mikan, Pollard (17) | 39–16 | |
| 56 | February 21 | Fort Wayne | 75–85 | Jim Pollard (17) | 40–16 | |
| 57 | February 22 | @ Fort Wayne | 78–90 | George Mikan (26) | 40–17 | |
| 58 | February 24 | @ New York | 63–79 | Jim Pollard (12) | 40–18 | |
| 59 | February 25 | @ Baltimore | 85–72 | George Mikan (20) | 41–18 | |
| 60 | February 26 | @ Philadelphia | 85–73 | George Mikan (25) | 42–18 | |
| 61 | February 27 | N Philadelphia | 75–98 | George Mikan (22) | 43–18 | |
| 62 | March 1 | N Philadelphia | 80–102 | George Mikan (33) | 44–18 | |
| 63 | March 3 | N Fort Wayne | 86–68 | Vern Mikkelsen (23) | 45–18 | |
| 64 | March 5 | @ Syracuse | 91–94 | Vern Mikkelsen (23) | 45–19 | |
| 65 | March 6 | @ Boston | 85–100 | Vern Mikkelsen (21) | 45–20 | |
| 66 | March 7 | @ Rochester | 82–84 | Vern Mikkelsen (17) | 45–21 | |
| 67 | March 8 | Milwaukee | 73–100 | George Mikan (18) | 46–21 | |
| 68 | March 9 | N Indianapolis | 83–95 | Vern Mikkelsen (22) | 46–22 | |
| 69 | March 12 | Rochester | 77–89 | George Mikan (28) | 47–22 | |
| 70 | March 17 | @ Indianapolis | 73–71 | Pollard, Skoog (14) | 48–22 |
Note: GP= Games played; REB= Rebounds; AST= Assists; STL = Steals; BLK = Blocks; PTS = Points; AVG = Average
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 1| March 22| Indianapolis| W 85–69| Vern Mikkelsen (18)| Minneapolis Auditorium| 1–0|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 2| March 23| @ Indianapolis| W 81–79| Pollard, Mikkelsen (16)| Butler Fieldhouse| 2–0|-|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 1| March 26| Fort Wayne| W 83–73| George Mikan (21)| Minneapolis Auditorium| 1–0|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 2| March 28| Fort Wayne| W 82–75| George Mikan (20)| Minneapolis Auditorium| 2–0|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 3| March 30| @ Fort Wayne| L 95–98| George Mikan (23)| War Memorial Coliseum| 2–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 4| April 1| @ Fort Wayne| L 82–85| George Mikan (25)| War Memorial Coliseum| 2–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 5| April 2| Fort Wayne| W 74–58| Mikan, Martin (18)| Minneapolis Auditorium| 3–2|-|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 1| April 4| New York| L 88–96| George Mikan (25)| —| Minneapolis Auditorium
5,000| 0–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 2| April 5| New York| W 73–71| George Mikan (18)| —| Minneapolis Auditorium
4,848| 1–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 3| April 7| @ New York| W 90–75| George Mikan (20)| —| 69th Regiment Armory
5,100| 2–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 4| April 8| @ New York| W 71–69| George Mikan (27)| —| 69th Regiment Armory
5,200| 3–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 5| April 10| @ New York| W 91–84| Jim Pollard (17)| Vern Mikkelsen (6)| 69th Regiment Armory
5,200| 4–1|-