1949 BAA playoffs
Tournament details
DatesMarch 22–April 13, 1949
Season1948–49
Teams8
Final positions
ChampionsMinneapolis Lakers (1st title)
Runner-upWashington Capitols
Semifinalists
← 1948
1950 →

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 Semifinals Division Finals BAA Finals
         
E1 Washington* 2
E4 Philadelphia 0
E1 Washington* 2
Eastern Division
E2 New York 1
E2 New York 2
E3 Baltimore 1
E1 Washington* 2
W2 Minneapolis 4
W1 Rochester* 2
W4 St. Louis 0
W1 Rochester* 0
Western Division
W2 Minneapolis 2
W2 Minneapolis 2
W3 Chicago 0

Division Semifinals

Eastern Division Semifinals

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

March 23
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
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
New York Knicks 81, Baltimore Bullets 82
Scoring by half: 39–36, 42–46
Pts: Carl Braun 21 Pts: Jake Pelkington 21
Baltimore leads series, 1–0
March 24
Baltimore Bullets 74, New York Knicks 84
Scoring by half: 35–39, 39–45
Pts: Jake Pelkington 14 Pts: Carl Braun 20
Series tied, 1–1
March 26
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 22 Pts: 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
St. Louis Bombers 64, Rochester Royals 93
Scoring by half: 27–50, 37–43
Pts: Bill Roberts 16 Pts: Bob Davies 23
Rochester leads series, 1–0
March 23
Rochester Royals 66, St. Louis Bombers 64
Scoring by half: 29–26, 37–38
Pts: Bobby Wanzer 17 Pts: 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
Chicago Stags 77, Minneapolis Lakers 84
Scoring by half: 35–33, 42–51
Pts: Max Zaslofsky 22 Pts: George Mikan 37
Minneapolis leads series, 1–0
March 24
Minneapolis Lakers 101, Chicago Stags 85
Scoring by half: 56–42, 45–43
Pts: George Mikan 38 Pts: 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
New York Knicks 71, Washington Capitols 77
Scoring by quarter: 17–21, 18–17, 17–18, 19–21
Pts: Harry Gallatin 17 Pts: Johnny Norlander 16
Washington leads series, 1–0
March 31
Washington Capitols 84, New York Knicks 86 (OT)
Pts: Jack Nichols 25 Pts: Carl Braun 30
Series tied, 1–1
April 2
New York Knicks 76, Washington Capitols 84
Scoring by quarter: 15–24, 23–24, 17–12, 21–24
Pts: Braun, Gallatin 15 each Pts: 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
Minneapolis Lakers 80, Rochester Royals 79
Scoring by half: 46–34, 34–45
Pts: George Mikan 32 Pts: Arnie Risen 17
Minneapolis leads series, 1–0
March 29
Rochester Royals 55, Minneapolis Lakers 67
Scoring by half: 32–34, 23–34
Pts: Arnie Risen 21 Pts: 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

Main article: 1949 BAA Finals
April 4
Washington Capitols 84, Minneapolis Lakers 88
Scoring by quarter: 13–23, 27–25, 21–19, 23–21
Pts: Fred Scolari 20 Pts: George Mikan 42
Minneapolis leads series, 1–0
April 6
Washington Capitols 62, Minneapolis Lakers 76
Scoring by quarter: 13–20, 19–27, 13–11, 17–18
Pts: Sonny Hertzberg 13 Pts: Don Carlson 16
Minneapolis leads series, 2–0
Minneapolis Auditorium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Attendance: 10,212
Referees: Pat Kennedy, Phil Fox
April 8
Minneapolis Lakers 94, Washington Capitols 74
Scoring by quarter: 26–14, 17–15, 28–24, 23–21
Pts: George Mikan 35 Pts: Nichols, Zunic 12 each
Minneapolis leads series, 3–0
Uline Arena, Washington, D.C.
Attendance: 4,919
April 9
Minneapolis Lakers 71, Washington Capitols 83
Scoring by quarter: 23–22, 12–23, 16–20, 20–18
Pts: George Mikan 27 Pts: Jack Nichols 27
Minneapolis leads series, 3–1
Uline Arena, Washington, D.C.
Attendance: 4,471
April 11
Minneapolis Lakers 65, Washington Capitols 74
Scoring by quarter: 12–22, 18–19, 22–15, 13–18
Pts: George Mikan 22 Pts: Hermsen, Nichols 13 each
Minneapolis leads series, 3–2
Uline Arena, Washington, D.C.
Attendance: 3,840
April 13
Washington Capitols 56, Minneapolis Lakers 77
Scoring by quarter: 12–19, 12–21, 17–22, 15–15
Pts: Kleggie Hermsen 12 Pts: 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.

External links

NBA playoffs
1948–49 BAA season by team
Categories