1949-50 – Powerful Lakers win again
The summer of 1949 solidified the new professional basketball league. The six
surviving NBL teams decided to join the BAA , which gave a rise to the creation
of a new organization called the National Basketball Association.The league was
divided into three divisions: Eastern, Central and Western . Syracuse won the
first one behind the play of Dolph Schayes (averaged 16.8 per game), the second
Indianapolis led by Alex Groza (averaged 23.4), and the third division title
went to the Lakers with George Mikan ( 27.4 per game and the scoring title).
With three divisions the Playoffs were like a mess. For Minneapolis to get to
the Finals meant to beat Chicago, Fort Wayne and Anderson, but Syracuse had to
defeat only Boston and New York to qualify. Syracuse having talented players
like Schayes, Al Cervi and Paul Seymour couldn't handle the dominance of Mikan
assisted by Jim Pollard, Slater Martin, Bob Harrison and Vern Mikkelsen. The
Finals score: 4-2 for Lakers.
The Lakers had talent, and also the advantage of their own arena , whose
dimensions were shorter by a few feet, which made Mikan and his teammates even
more effective in the defense. An anegdote says that when Mikan, Mikkelsen and
Pollard stretched their arms, nobody could get through. It was extremely
difficult anywhere else for that matter.
See also:
