NBA Champions ·
1949 Minneapolis Lakers
Minneapolis won the 1949 BAA title in its first season in the league, with George Mikan leading the way at 28.3 points a game. The Lakers beat Red Auerbach's Washington Capitols four games to two in the Finals. They had already won the rival NBL championship the year before, so this was a title in a second league in as many seasons.
The Lakers went 44-16 in 1948-49 after moving from the National Basketball League to the BAA. John Kundla coached. Minneapolis scored and defended better than anyone, leading the league in both points scored and points allowed.
Mikan was the center of everything. He averaged 28.3 points, far ahead of the field, working from either hand near the basket. Jim Pollard, the leaping forward known as the Kangaroo Kid, added 14.8. Herm Schaefer ran the guard line at 10.4, with Don Carlson and Arnie Ferrin scoring off the wing.
Minneapolis swept the Chicago Stags and the Rochester Royals to reach the Finals, then beat Washington four games to two. Auerbach coached the Capitols here, years before he built Boston. Mikan averaged better than 30 across the playoffs.
This was the first BAA title for a team that had just dominated a different league. Within a year the BAA and NBL merged into the NBA, and the Lakers carried their edge straight into the new league.
Championship roster
Featured in Ring Holders Club
| Player | Role | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| George Mikan | C | 95 |
| Jim Pollard | SF | 88 |
| Slater Martin | PG | 82 |
| Vern Mikkelsen | PF | 84 |
| Herm Schaefer | SG | 74 |
| Jim Krebs | 6th man | 72 |
| John Kundla | Coach | 86 |
Ratings are year-specific curated estimates for Ring Holders Club, not official NBA stats.
Rest of the roster
| Player | Pos | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Don Carlson | G/F | 9.2 points a game |
| Arnie Ferrin | G/F | |
| Tony Jaros | G/F | |
| Jack Dwan | G/F | |
| Donnie Forman | G |