1949 BAA playoffs

1949 BAA playoffs
Tournament details
DatesMarch 22 – April 13, 1949
Season1948–49
Teams8
Final positions
ChampionsMinneapolis Lakers (1st title)
Runners-upWashington Capitols
Semifinalists

The 1949 BAA playoffs was the postseason tournament following the Basketball Association of America 1948–49 season, its third and last. Later that year the BAA and National Basketball League merged to create the National Basketball Association or NBA. The tournament concluded with the Western Division champion Minneapolis Lakers defeating the Eastern Division champion Washington Capitols 4 games to 2 in the BAA Finals.

The eight qualified teams began tournament play on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 22 and 23, and the Finals concluded on Wednesday, April 13. Minneapolis and Washington played 10 and 11 games in a span of 22 days; their six final games in ten days. Prior to their final series, however, Minneapolis had been idle for five days, Washington for only one day.[1]

Playoff seeds

Eastern Division

  1. Washington Capitols
  2. New York Knicks
  3. Baltimore Bullets
  4. Philadelphia Warriors

Western Division

  1. Rochester Royals
  2. Minneapolis Lakers
  3. Chicago Stags
  4. St. Louis Bombers

Playoff bracket

Division SemifinalsDivision FinalsBAA Finals
         
E1Washington*2
E4Philadelphia0
E1Washington*2
Eastern Division
E2New York1
E2New York2
E3Baltimore1
E1Washington*2
W2Minneapolis4
W1Rochester*2
W4St. Louis0
W1Rochester*0
Western Division
W2Minneapolis2
W2Minneapolis2
W3Chicago0
  • * Division winner
  • Bold Series winner

Division Semifinals

Eastern Division Semifinals

(1) Washington Capitols vs. (4) Philadelphia Warriors

March 23
Boxscore
Washington Capitols 92, Philadelphia Warriors 70
Scoring by quarter: 15–17, 25–17, 24–13, 28–23
Pts: Kleggie Hermsen 20
Asts: Sonny Hertzberg 3		Pts: Jake Bornheimer 13
Asts: Howie Dallmar 3
Washington leads series, 1–0
March 24
Boxscore
Philadelphia Warriors 78, Washington Capitols 80
Scoring by quarter: 20–22, 13–17, 16–20, 29–21
Pts: Chink Crossin 22
Asts: Jerry Fleishman 3		Pts: Bones McKinney 19
Asts: Jack Nichols 5
Washington wins series, 2–0

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.

(2) New York Knicks vs. (3) Baltimore Bullets

March 23
Boxscore
New York Knicks 81, Baltimore Bullets 82
Scoring by half: 39–36, 42–46
Pts: Carl Braun 21Pts: Jake Pelkington 21
Baltimore leads series, 1–0
March 24
Boxscore
Baltimore Bullets 74, New York Knicks 84
Scoring by half: 35–39, 39–45
Pts: Jake Pelkington 14Pts: Carl Braun 20
Series tied, 1–1
March 26
Boxscore
Baltimore Bullets 99, New York Knicks 103 (OT)
Scoring by quarter: 26–25, 25–26, 16–17, 22–21, Overtime: 10–14
Pts: Connie Simmons 22Pts: Harry Gallatin 21
New York wins series, 2–1

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Bullets winning the first meeting.

Western Division Semifinals

(1) Rochester Royals vs. (4) St. Louis Bombers

March 22
Boxscore
St. Louis Bombers 64, Rochester Royals 93
Scoring by half: 27–50, 37–43
Pts: Bill Roberts 16Pts: Bob Davies 23
Rochester leads series, 1–0
March 23
Boxscore
Rochester Royals 66, St. Louis Bombers 64
Scoring by half: 29–26, 37–38
Pts: Bobby Wanzer 17Pts: Red Rocha 27
Rochester wins series, 2–0

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.

(2) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (3) Chicago Stags

March 23
Boxscore
Chicago Stags 77, Minneapolis Lakers 84
Scoring by half: 35–33, 42–51
Pts: Max Zaslofsky 22Pts: George Mikan 37
Minneapolis leads series, 1–0
March 24
Boxscore
Minneapolis Lakers 101, Chicago Stags 85
Scoring by half: 56–42, 45–43
Pts: George Mikan 38Pts: Max Zaslofsky 22
Minneapolis wins series, 2–0

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.

Division Finals

Eastern Division Finals

(1) Washington Capitols vs. (2) New York Knicks

March 29
Boxscore
New York Knicks 71, Washington Capitols 77
Scoring by quarter: 17–21, 18–17, 17–18, 19–21
Pts: Harry Gallatin 17Pts: Johnny Norlander 16
Washington leads series, 1–0
April 2
Boxscore
New York Knicks 76, Washington Capitols 84
Scoring by quarter: 15–24, 23–24, 17–12, 21–24
Pts: Braun, Gallatin 15 eachPts: Sonny Hertzberg 24
Washington wins series, 2–1

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.

Western Division Finals

(1) Rochester Royals vs. (2) Minneapolis Lakers

March 27
Boxscore
Minneapolis Lakers 80, Rochester Royals 79
Scoring by half: 46–34, 34–45
Pts: George Mikan 32Pts: Arnie Risen 17
Minneapolis leads series, 1–0
March 29
Boxscore
Rochester Royals 55, Minneapolis Lakers 67
Scoring by half: 32–34, 23–34
Pts: Arnie Risen 21Pts: George Mikan 31
Minneapolis wins series, 2–0

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.[2]

BAA Finals: (W2) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (E1) Washington Capitols

April 4
Boxscore
Washington Capitols 84, Minneapolis Lakers 88
Scoring by quarter: 13–23, 27–25, 21–19, 23–21
Pts: Fred Scolari 20Pts: George Mikan 42
Minneapolis leads series, 1–0
April 6
Boxscore
Washington Capitols 62, Minneapolis Lakers 76
Scoring by quarter: 13–20, 19–27, 13–11, 17–18
Pts: Sonny Hertzberg 13Pts: Don Carlson 16
Minneapolis leads series, 2–0
Minneapolis Auditorium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Attendance: 10,212
Referees: Pat Kennedy, Phil Fox
April 8
Boxscore
Minneapolis Lakers 94, Washington Capitols 74
Scoring by quarter: 26–14, 17–15, 28–24, 23–21
Pts: George Mikan 35Pts: Nichols, Zunic 12 each
Minneapolis leads series, 3–0
Uline Arena, Washington, D.C.
Attendance: 4,919
April 9
Boxscore
Minneapolis Lakers 71, Washington Capitols 83
Scoring by quarter: 23–22, 12–23, 16–20, 20–18
Pts: George Mikan 27Pts: Jack Nichols 27
Minneapolis leads series, 3–1
Uline Arena, Washington, D.C.
Attendance: 4,471
April 11
Boxscore
Minneapolis Lakers 65, Washington Capitols 74
Scoring by quarter: 12–22, 18–19, 22–15, 13–18
Pts: George Mikan 22Pts: Hermsen, Nichols 13 each
Minneapolis leads series, 3–2
Uline Arena, Washington, D.C.
Attendance: 3,840
April 13
Boxscore
Washington Capitols 56, Minneapolis Lakers 77
Scoring by quarter: 12–19, 12–21, 17–22, 15–15
Pts: Kleggie Hermsen 12Pts: George Mikan 29
Minneapolis wins series, 4–2

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.

See also

References

  1. ^ "1948–49 BAA Season Summary". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2015-03-02.
      Select "Next Season" from the heading for 1949–50, and so on. Select "Finals" from League Playoffs for the daily schedule of the final series, and so on.
  2. ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Los Angeles Lakers versus Sacramento Kings (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  • 1949 Playoff Results at NBA.com
  • 1949 BAA Playoffs at Basketball-Reference.com
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