1949-50 NBA season
Encyclopedia
The 1949–50 NBA season was officially the 4th season of the National Basketball Association
. However, it is the first season that the league is officially called the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Minneapolis Lakers winning the NBA Championship, beating the Syracuse Nationals
4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals
.
Note: Prior to the 1969-70 season, league leaders in points and assists were determined by totals rather than averages.
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
. However, it is the first season that the league is officially called the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Minneapolis Lakers winning the NBA Championship, beating the Syracuse Nationals
Syracuse Nationals
The Syracuse Nationals were an American professional basketball team that existed from 1946 to 1963 as part of the National Basketball League and National Basketball Association . They are currently known as the Philadelphia 76ers, and are the NBA's oldest continued franchise.The team began in...
4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals
1950 NBA Finals
The 1950 NBA Finals was the championship round of the National Basketball Association's first season, the 1949–50 season.6'8" Dolph Schayes of Syracuse led his team out to the finals after a 16.8 ppg average during the regular season. George Mikan, however, averaged 27.4 ppg and led the league...
.
Notable occurrences
- The Indianapolis Jets and Providence Steamrollers folded after the 1948–49 season.
- Six established teams (Anderson, Denver, Sheboygan, Syracuse, Tri-Cities and Waterloo) from the National Basketball League were absorbed into the Basketball Association of America. The Indianapolis Olympians, an expansion team scheduled to begin play in the NBL in 1949-50, were also added. As a result, the BAA is renamed the National Basketball Association.
- The league realigned itself into three divisions.
Central Division
- To define first and third place, the Lakers played against the Royals, and the Stags against the Pistons.
Statistics leaders
| Category | Player | Team | Stat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Points | George Mikan George Mikan George Lawrence Mikan, Jr. , nicknamed Mr. Basketball, was an American professional basketball player for the Chicago American Gears of the National Basketball League and the Minneapolis Lakers of the NBL, the Basketball Association of America and the National Basketball Association... |
Minneapolis Lakers | 1,865 |
| Assists | Dick McGuire Dick McGuire Richard Joseph "Dick" McGuire was an American professional basketball player and coach.One of the premier guards of the 1950s, McGuire spent eleven seasons in the NBA , eight with the New York Knicks and three with the Detroit Pistons... |
New York Knicks New York Knicks The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association... |
386 |
| FG% | Alex Groza Alex Groza Alex John Groza was an American professional basketball player from Martins Ferry, Ohio who was banned from the NBA for life in 1951 for point shaving... |
Indianapolis Olympians Indianapolis Olympians The Indianapolis Olympians were a National Basketball Association team based in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. They were founded in 1949 and folded in 1953. Their home arena was the Hinkle Fieldhouse.-Franchise history:... |
47.8 |
| FT% | Max Zaslofsky Max Zaslofsky Max "Slats" Zaslofsky was an American professional basketball player and coach.-Biography:Zaslofsky attended Thomas Jefferson High School in Brooklyn, and St. John's University. He was Jewish.... |
Chicago Stags | 84.3 |
Note: Prior to the 1969-70 season, league leaders in points and assists were determined by totals rather than averages.
NBA awards
- All-NBA First TeamAll-NBA TeamThe All-NBA Team is an annual National Basketball Association honor bestowed on the best players in the league following every NBA season. The voting is conducted by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. The team has been selected in every season of the...
:- Max ZaslofskyMax ZaslofskyMax "Slats" Zaslofsky was an American professional basketball player and coach.-Biography:Zaslofsky attended Thomas Jefferson High School in Brooklyn, and St. John's University. He was Jewish....
, Chicago StagsChicago StagsThe Chicago Stags were a National Basketball Association team based in Chicago, Illinois, U.S..- Franchise history :The Chicago Stags were founded in 1946 and folded in 1950. Despite their short history, they were able to acquire the draft rights to a young Bob Cousy in a trade with the Tri-Cities... - Bob Davies, Rochester RoyalsSacramento KingsThe Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
- Alex GrozaAlex GrozaAlex John Groza was an American professional basketball player from Martins Ferry, Ohio who was banned from the NBA for life in 1951 for point shaving...
, Indianapolis OlympiansIndianapolis OlympiansThe Indianapolis Olympians were a National Basketball Association team based in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. They were founded in 1949 and folded in 1953. Their home arena was the Hinkle Fieldhouse.-Franchise history:... - George MikanGeorge MikanGeorge Lawrence Mikan, Jr. , nicknamed Mr. Basketball, was an American professional basketball player for the Chicago American Gears of the National Basketball League and the Minneapolis Lakers of the NBL, the Basketball Association of America and the National Basketball Association...
, Minneapolis LakersLos Angeles LakersThe Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association... - Jim Pollard, Minneapolis Lakers
- Max Zaslofsky
- All-NBA Second Team:
- Ralph BeardRalph BeardRalph Milton Beard Jr. was an American collegiate and professional basketball player. He was born in Hardinsburg, Kentucky. Beard was a member of Adolph Rupp's "Fabulous Five" University of Kentucky basketball team...
, Indianapolis Olympians - Frank BrianFrank BrianFrank Sands Brian is a former professional basketball player.A 6’1” guard from Louisiana State University, Brian signed with the Anderson Packers of the National Basketball League in 1947. In 1949 the NBL and BAA merged to form the NBA...
, Anderson PackersAnderson PackersThe Anderson Packers also known as the Anderson Duffy Packers was a professional basketball team based in Anderson, Indiana, in the 1940s and 1950s.... - Al CerviAl CerviAlfred Nicholas Cervi was an American professional basketball player and coach in the National Basketball League and National Basketball Association . One of the strongest backcourt players of the 1940s and 1950s, he was always assigned to defend against the opposing team's best scoring threat...
, Syracuse NationalsSyracuse NationalsThe Syracuse Nationals were an American professional basketball team that existed from 1946 to 1963 as part of the National Basketball League and National Basketball Association . They are currently known as the Philadelphia 76ers, and are the NBA's oldest continued franchise.The team began in... - Fred SchausFred SchausFrederick Appleton Schaus was an American basketball player, head coach and athletic director for the West Virginia University Mountaineers, player for the NBA's Fort Wayne Pistons and New York Knicks, general manager and head coach for the Los Angeles Lakers, head coach of Purdue University...
, Fort Wayne PistonsDetroit PistonsThe Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where... - Dolph SchayesDolph SchayesAdolph "Dolph" Schayes is a retired American professional basketball player and coach in the NBA. A top scorer and rebounder, he was a member of the 1955 NBA champion Syracuse Nationals and a 12-time All-Star....
, Syracuse Nationals
- Ralph Beard
See also
- 1950 NBA Playoffs1950 NBA PlayoffsThe 1950 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1949-1950 season. The tournament concluded with the Central Division champion Minneapolis Lakers defeating the Eastern Division champion Syracuse Nationals, four games to two in the NBA Finals...
- 1950 NBA Finals1950 NBA FinalsThe 1950 NBA Finals was the championship round of the National Basketball Association's first season, the 1949–50 season.6'8" Dolph Schayes of Syracuse led his team out to the finals after a 16.8 ppg average during the regular season. George Mikan, however, averaged 27.4 ppg and led the league...
- 1949 BAA Draft1949 BAA DraftThe 1949 BAA Draft was the third annual draft of the Basketball Association of America , which later became the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on March 21, 1949 before the 1949–50 season. In this draft, eleven remaining BAA teams along with the Indianapolis Olympians who...