1953 Minneapolis Lakers

The Lakers went 48-22 and finished first in the Western Division. Kundla's team again leaned on the biggest frontcourt in basketball and the best defense in the league.

Mikan scored 20.6 and grabbed 14.4 rebounds a game. Mikkelsen added 15.0, Pollard 13.0, and Slater Martin, now an All-Star, ran the offense at 10.6. Pep Saul and Bob Harrison took the bulk of the guard minutes.

Minneapolis survived a tough five-game series with Fort Wayne in the Western finals, then handled the Knicks four games to one for the title.

New York lost in the Finals in 1951, 1952, and 1953, the Lakers handing them the last two. The Knicks would not reach the Finals again until 1970.

Looking back, minneapolis won the 1953 NBA title by beating the New York Knicks four games to one, the second of three straight championships. George Mikan led the team at 20.6 points and pulled down more than 14 rebounds a game. The Knicks reached the Finals three years running in this stretch and lost every time, the last two to the Lakers.

The starting five was George Mikan, Jim Pollard, Slater Martin, Vern Mikkelsen, and Dick Sobers. John Kundla coached the group with Whitey Skoog as the primary bench scorer.

This was title number 3 in a Minneapolis Lakers run that stretched across consecutive or near-consecutive seasons. Repeat winners carried continuity from one year to the next.

The 1953 playoffs ran through divisional rounds before the Finals. The Minneapolis Lakers still needed four series wins in many years, but the league had fewer teams than the 30-franchise map used today.

The Minneapolis Lakers share a lineage with other banners from 1949, 1950, 1952, 1954, 1972, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010, 2020. Compare those seasons on the franchise hub to see how the roster and style changed between title runs.

Looking back, minneapolis won the 1953 NBA title by beating the New York Knicks four games to one, the second of three straight championships. George Mikan led the team at 20.6 points and pulled down more than 14 rebounds a game. The Knicks reached the Finals three years running in this stretch and lost every time, the last two to the Lakers.

For the full roster beyond the featured starters, see the table on this page. For other Minneapolis Lakers titles, use the franchise hub linked below.