The 1951-52 season marked a pivotal chapter for the Los Angeles Lakers, then based in Minneapolis. Under the leadership of head coach John Kundla, the team showcased a dominant performance throughout the season, finishing with an impressive 40-26 record. This strong showing secured them first place in the Western Division, setting the stage for a deep playoff run.
The roster was spearheaded by the legendary George Mikan, who continued to be a formidable presence on the court. Mikan’s scoring prowess and rebounding ability were crucial to the team’s success, as he consistently delivered high-impact performances. The supporting cast, including standout players like Jim Pollard and Vern Mikkelsen, provided essential contributions both offensively and defensively.
In the playoffs, the Lakers demonstrated their championship pedigree. They faced the Indianapolis Olympians in the Western Division Semifinals and emerged victorious, sweeping the series 2-0. The Western Division Finals saw the Lakers battle the Rochester Royals, where they secured a 3-1 series win to advance to the NBA Finals.
The NBA Finals pitted the Lakers against the New York Knicks. Maintaining their momentum, the Lakers clinched the championship in a hard-fought seven-game series. This victory marked their third NBA title, solidifying their status as a dominant force in early professional basketball.
- Regular Season Record: 40-26
- Playoff Result: Division Semifinals: 2-0, Division Finals: 3-1, NBA Finals: 4-3
Los Angeles Lakers Roster and Stats for 1951-52 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| George Mikan | 64 | 23.8 | 3.1 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 13 | 23.6 | 9.4 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Jim Pollard | 65 | 15.5 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 11 | 16.2 | 2.9 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Vern Mikkelsen | 66 | 15.3 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 13 | 13.2 | 4.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Slater Martin | 66 | 9.3 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 13 | 9.0 | 1.7 | 2.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Pep Saul | 25 | 8.6 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 13 | 11.3 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Whitey Skoog | 35 | 6.7 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Bob Harrison | 66 | 6.1 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 12 | 6.2 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Howie Schultz | 66 | 4.1 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 12 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Lew Hitch | 62 | 3.5 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 13 | 1.9 | 2.6 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Joe Hutton | 60 | 2.6 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 12 | 2.8 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| John Pilch | 9 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
Los Angeles Lakers in the 1952 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs Second Round vs. Minneapolis Lakers
In the 1952 NBA Playoffs, the Minneapolis Lakers, who later became the Los Angeles Lakers, faced the Rochester Royals in the Western Division Finals. Despite losing the first two games, the Lakers showcased their resilience by winning the next three games to take the series 3-2. This comeback highlighted the strength and determination of the Lakers' roster, led by stars like George Mikan, as they advanced to eventually win the NBA Championship.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 23, 1952 | vs. Indianapolis Olympians | L 78-70 | |
| Mar 25, 1952 | @ Indianapolis Olympians | W 94-87 |
1952 Conference Championship vs. Rochester Royals
In the 1952 NBA Playoffs, the Minneapolis Lakers, who later became the Los Angeles Lakers, showcased their dominance in the Western Conference Finals by defeating the Rochester Royals in a thrilling five-game series. Led by the legendary George Mikan, the Lakers capitalized on their strong defense and Mikan's scoring prowess to secure their spot in the NBA Finals. This victory was a key moment in the Lakers' journey to eventually clinch the NBA Championship that year, further solidifying their early legacy in professional basketball.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 29, 1952 | @ Rochester Royals | L 88-78 | |
| Mar 30, 1952 | @ Rochester Royals | W 83-78 | |
| Apr 05, 1952 | vs. Rochester Royals | L 77-67 | |
| Apr 06, 1952 | vs. Rochester Royals | L 82-80 |
1952 NBA Finals vs. Minneapolis Lakers
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 12, 1952 | vs. New York Knicks | L 83-79 | |
| Apr 13, 1952 | vs. New York Knicks | W 80-72 | |
| Apr 16, 1952 | @ New York Knicks | W 82-77 | |
| Apr 18, 1952 | @ New York Knicks | L 90-89 | |
| Apr 20, 1952 | vs. New York Knicks | L 102-89 | |
| Apr 23, 1952 | @ New York Knicks | L 76-68 | |
| Apr 25, 1952 | vs. New York Knicks | L 82-65 |
Los Angeles Lakers 1951-52 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1951-52 season for the Los Angeles Lakers.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 03, 1951 | @ Rochester Royals | W 93-74 | |
| Nov 04, 1951 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 98-67 | |
| Nov 09, 1951 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 98-86 | |
| Nov 10, 1951 | @ New York Knicks | W 89-73 | |
| Nov 11, 1951 | @ Boston Celtics | L 77-72 | |
| Nov 12, 1951 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 90-80 | |
| Nov 13, 1951 | @ Indianapolis Olympians | W 77-71 | |
| Nov 17, 1951 | vs. Fort Wayne Pistons | L 68-64 | |
| Nov 22, 1951 | vs. Rochester Royals | L 70-65 | |
| Nov 24, 1951 | @ Milwaukee Hawks | W 72-59 | |
| Nov 25, 1951 | vs. Indianapolis Olympians | L 82-73 | |
| Nov 28, 1951 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 90-76 | |
| Dec 01, 1951 | vs. Fort Wayne Pistons | L 89-69 | |
| Dec 02, 1951 | @ Fort Wayne Pistons | L 63-61 | |
| Dec 05, 1951 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 83-81 | |
| Dec 08, 1951 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 85-64 | |
| Dec 09, 1951 | vs. Indianapolis Olympians | W 85-78 | |
| Dec 11, 1951 | @ Indianapolis Olympians | L 85-69 | |
| Dec 12, 1951 | vs. Baltimore Bullets | L 99-79 | |
| Dec 16, 1951 | vs. Milwaukee Hawks | L 99-52 | |
| Dec 18, 1951 | @ New York Knicks | L 69-67 | |
| Dec 21, 1951 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 105-103 | |
| Dec 22, 1951 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 96-90 | |
| Dec 23, 1951 | @ Fort Wayne Pistons | L 81-79 | |
| Dec 25, 1951 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 100-93 | |
| Dec 30, 1951 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | L 93-64 | |
| Jan 01, 1952 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | L 82-80 | |
| Jan 04, 1952 | @ Fort Wayne Pistons | W 79-64 | |
| Jan 05, 1952 | @ Indianapolis Olympians | W 86-65 | |
| Jan 06, 1952 | vs. New York Knicks | L 107-92 | |
| Jan 08, 1952 | @ Indianapolis Olympians | L 82-75 | |
| Jan 09, 1952 | vs. Indianapolis Olympians | L 91-74 | |
| Jan 11, 1952 | @ Milwaukee Hawks | W 75-63 | |
| Jan 12, 1952 | @ Milwaukee Hawks | W 96-84 | |
| Jan 13, 1952 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 88-81 | |
| Jan 16, 1952 | @ Boston Celtics | W 108-94 | |
| Jan 17, 1952 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 110-105 | |
| Jan 19, 1952 | @ Rochester Royals | L 96-85 | |
| Jan 20, 1952 | vs. Rochester Royals | L 91-81 | |
| Jan 23, 1952 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 99-97 | |
| Jan 26, 1952 | @ Milwaukee Hawks | W 57-56 | |
| Jan 27, 1952 | vs. Milwaukee Hawks | L 91-62 | |
| Jan 30, 1952 | vs. New York Knicks | L 77-65 | |
| Jan 31, 1952 | @ Fort Wayne Pistons | W 85-78 | |
| Feb 01, 1952 | @ Indianapolis Olympians | L 85-77 | |
| Feb 03, 1952 | vs. Rochester Royals | L 77-75 | |
| Feb 07, 1952 | vs. Rochester Royals | L 86-75 | |
| Feb 09, 1952 | vs. Fort Wayne Pistons | W 70-67 | |
| Feb 10, 1952 | @ Milwaukee Hawks | L 70-69 | |
| Feb 14, 1952 | @ Milwaukee Hawks | W 109-74 | |
| Feb 16, 1952 | @ Boston Celtics | L 77-75 | |
| Feb 17, 1952 | @ Fort Wayne Pistons | L 99-87 | |
| Feb 19, 1952 | @ New York Knicks | L 98-96 | |
| Feb 20, 1952 | @ Baltimore Bullets | W 93-78 | |
| Feb 21, 1952 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 88-80 | |
| Feb 23, 1952 | @ Rochester Royals | W 83-73 | |
| Feb 24, 1952 | @ Fort Wayne Pistons | L 83-70 | |
| Feb 25, 1952 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | L 108-95 | |
| Mar 01, 1952 | @ Indianapolis Olympians | W 98-88 | |
| Mar 02, 1952 | @ Milwaukee Hawks | W 96-85 | |
| Mar 04, 1952 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 83-81 | |
| Mar 05, 1952 | @ Boston Celtics | L 82-74 | |
| Mar 08, 1952 | @ Rochester Royals | L 94-92 | |
| Mar 09, 1952 | vs. Rochester Royals | L 96-90 | |
| Mar 12, 1952 | vs. New York Knicks | L 85-83 | |
| Mar 16, 1952 | vs. Baltimore Bullets | L 126-82 |