1948–49 BAA season
1948–49 BAA season
| 1948–49 BAA season | |
|---|---|
| League | Basketball Association of America |
| Sport | Basketball |
| Duration | November 1, 1948 – March 20, 1949 March 22–April 2, 1949 (Playoffs) April 4–13, 1949 (Finals) |
| Number of games | 60 |
| Number of teams | 12 |
| Draft | |
| Top draft pick | Andy Tonkovich |
| Picked by | Providence Steamrollers |
| Regular season | |
| Top scorer | George Mikan (Minneapolis) |
| Playoffs | |
| Eastern champions | Washington Capitols |
| Eastern runners-up | New York Knicks |
| Western champions | Minneapolis Lakers |
| Western runners-up | Rochester Royals |
| Finals | |
| Champions | Minneapolis Lakers |
| Runners-up | Washington Capitols |
The 1948–49 BAA season was the third and final season of the Basketball Association of America. (Later that year the BAA and National Basketball League merged to create the National Basketball Association or NBA.) The postseason tournament at its conclusion, the 1949 BAA Playoffs, ended with the Minneapolis Lakers winning the BAA Championship, beating the Washington Capitols 4 games to 2 in the BAA Finals.
The NBA recognizes the three BAA seasons as part of its own history, sometimes without comment,[1] so BAA 1948–49 is sometimes considered the third NBA season.
| 1948–49 BAA season | |
|---|---|
| League | Basketball Association of America |
| Sport | Basketball |
| Duration | November 1, 1948 – March 20, 1949 March 22–April 2, 1949 (Playoffs) April 4–13, 1949 (Finals) |
| Number of games | 60 |
| Number of teams | 12 |
| Draft | |
| Top draft pick | Andy Tonkovich |
| Picked by | Providence Steamrollers |
| Regular season | |
| Top scorer | George Mikan (Minneapolis) |
| Playoffs | |
| Eastern champions | Washington Capitols |
| Eastern runners-up | New York Knicks |
| Western champions | Minneapolis Lakers |
| Western runners-up | Rochester Royals |
| Finals | |
| Champions | Minneapolis Lakers |
| Runners-up | Washington Capitols |
Notable occurrences
Four National Basketball League teams (Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, Minneapolis and Rochester) joined the BAA for the 1948–49 season.
| Offseason | ||
|---|---|---|
| Team | 1947–48 coach | 1948–49 coach |
| Boston Celtics | Honey Russell | Doggie Julian |
| Providence Steamrollers | Nat Hickey | Ken Loeffler |
| St. Louis Bombers | Ken Loeffler | Grady Lewis |
| In-season | ||
| Team | Outgoing coach | Incoming coach |
| Chicago Stags | Harold Olsen | Philip Brownstein |
Final standings
Eastern Division
Western Division
Statistics leaders
| Category | Player | Team | Stat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Points | George Mikan | Minneapolis Lakers | 1,698 |
| Assists | Bob Davies | Rochester Royals | 321 |
| FG% | Arnie Risen | Rochester Royals | .423 |
| FT% | Bob Feerick | Washington Capitols | .859 |
Note: Prior to the 1969–70 season, league leaders in points and assists were determined by totals rather than averages.
BAA awards
All-BAA First Team: G Max Zaslofsky, Chicago Stags G/F Bob Davies, Rochester Royals C George Mikan, Minneapolis Lakers F Jim Pollard, Minneapolis Lakers F Joe Fulks, Philadelphia Warriors
All-BAA Second Team C Arnie Risen, Rochester Royals C Bob Feerick, Washington Capitols F/C Bones McKinney, Washington Capitols G Ken Sailors, Providence Steamrollers G John Logan, St. Louis Bombers