query: when did the minneapolis lakers move to la

pos: History of the Los Angeles Lakers and quickly became a huge financial success. Short did not fail to notice this. After considering moves to Chicago and San Francisco, he decided to move the franchise to Los Angeles prior to the 1961 season, making the Lakers the NBA's first West Coast team. The Lakers did not change their name after this second move, despite the general scarcity of natural lakes in southern California. Minneapolis, meanwhile, would remain without an NBA franchise until the debut of the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1989. Besides the relocation to Los Angeles, a second big change to the team was the addition of

neg: Professional sports in the Western United States the two teams faced in the first regular season game since their relocation. The Giants won the game 8-0. The Los Angeles Lakers became the first NBA franchise to play in the West after they relocated from Minneapolis in 1960. The Lakers had some success on the court in Minneapolis, but attendance at home games had decreased significantly in the mid-to-late 1950s. Encouraged by the financial success of the Los Angeles Dodgers since their move from Brooklyn in 1958, Lakers owner Bob Short decided to relocate the team before the 1960–1961 season. The Lakers have gone on to be one

neg: Abe Saperstein from San Francisco. Started in 1939 with six players, the Hong Wah Kues became known for their speed and quick passing. They played the Harlem Globetrotters once, and lost. He had ambitions of owning a team in the National Basketball Association and hoped to start a team in California. That hope was dashed when the NBA approved the move of the Lakers from Minneapolis to L.A. The NBA also did not award the Warriors to Saperstein when the team moved from Philadelphia to San Francisco. Instead of sitting on the sidelines, Saperstein started the American Basketball League in 1961 and

neg: Celtics–Lakers rivalry would emerge behind early NBA star Bob Cousy by winning the 1957 NBA Finals and losing in 1958. The first NBA Finals match-up between the two teams was in 1959 when on April 9, the Boston Celtics swept the Minneapolis Lakers 4-0 for the first sweep in the history of the NBA Finals. This would mark the first Finals loss for the previously dominant Lakers, and the first of eight straight titles for Boston. The Lakers relocated to Los Angeles in 1960. It was after this move, and during this decade, that the rivalry would truly escalate. The two teams

neg: Leroy Edwards a rough move that he made. Cooper responded by quipping 'who do you think I learned it from?' Hall of Fame center George Mikan of the Chicago Gears and the Minneapolis Lakers, who stood , was named the best basketball player from 1900 to 1950 by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). Mikan, however, did not get the opportunity to play against Edwards when Edwards was in his prime. They played against each other when Edwards was older and having chronic knee problems. Still, whenever they met on the court Edwards usually had the upper hand. Mikan later wrote

neg: Sports in Los Angeles Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers. Both share the Staples Center. The Lakers are one of the most valuable franchises in the NBA and have gained a considerable fanbase over the years. They have the most titles of all Los Angeles franchises, having gained 11 titles in LA and 16 overall. Their title count is second only to the Boston Celtics, who have 17 titles. The LA Lakers were founded as the Minneapolis Lakers, having moved to Southern California in 1960. The LA Clippers were founded as the Buffalo Braves in 1970; in 1978, the team moved to San

neg: 1951–52 Minneapolis Lakers season = Average" (2) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (3) Indianapolis Olympians: "Lakers win series 2–0" (1) Rochester Royals vs. (2) Minneapolis Lakers: "Lakers win series 3–1" (W2) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (E3) New York Knicks: "Lakers win series 4–3" 1951–52 Minneapolis Lakers season The 1951–52 Minneapolis Lakers season was the fourth season for the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The NBA widened the foul lane before the 1951–52 season in an attempt to slow down George Mikan. Despite the change, it had little effect on Mikan. He still averaged 23.8 points per game, although he lost the scoring title to Paul

neg: 1959 NBA Playoffs for the title in 1985 and again in 1987, with Boston topping the Lakers again in 2008. This was the only Celtics/Lakers NBA Finals series that took place while the Lakers were based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They remained in Minneapolis one more year before moving to their current home of Los Angeles, California. Champion: Minneapolis Lakers Division Semifinals (1) St. Louis Hawks have division semifinals bye. (2) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (3) Detroit Pistons: "Lakers win series 2-1" Last Playoff Meeting: 1957 NBA Western Division Semifinals (Minneapolis won 2-0) Division Finals (1) St. Louis Hawks vs. (2) Minneapolis Lakers: "Lakers win

neg: 1948–49 Minneapolis Lakers season (W2) Minneapolis Lakers: "Lakers win series 4-2" Last Playoff Meeting: This is the first meeting between the Capitols and Lakers. 1948–49 Minneapolis Lakers season The 1948–49 BAA season was the Lakers' first season in the BAA (which later became the NBA after the conclusion of this season). This season saw the Lakers winning their first BAA championship, defeating the Washington Capitols in six games in the BAA Finals. (2) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (3) Chicago Stags: "Lakers win series 2-0" Last Playoff Meeting: This is the first meeting between the Lakers and Stags. (1) Rochester Royals vs. (2) Minneapolis Lakers: "Lakers

neg: 1959–60 Minneapolis Lakers season from St. Louis. The team's DC-3 had electrical problems and made an emergency landing in a cornfield near Carroll, Iowa. Following the season, the franchise moved to Southern California and became the Los Angeles Lakers for the 1960–61 season. (2) Detroit Pistons vs. (3) Minneapolis Lakers: "Lakers win series 2-0" (1) St. Louis Hawks vs. (2) Minneapolis Lakers: "Hawks win series 4-3" 1959–60 Minneapolis Lakers season The 1959–60 Minneapolis Lakers season was the 12th season for the franchise in the NBA and final season in Minneapolis. The Lakers finished in third-place in the NBA Western Division with a record of

neg: 1952–53 Minneapolis Lakers season Lakers vanquished the New York Knickerbockers for their 2nd straight Championship, and 4th Championship overall in the franchise's first five seasons in the NBA. "Note: GP= Games played; REB= Rebounds; AST= Assists; STL = Steals; BLK = Blocks; PTS = Points; AVG = Average" (1) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (4) Indianapolis Olympians: "Lakers win series 2–0" Last Playoff Meeting: 1952 Western Division Semifinals (Minneapolis won 2–0) (1) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (3) Fort Wayne Pistons: "Lakers win series 3–2" Last Playoff Meeting: 1950 Central Division Finals (Minneapolis won 2–0) (W1) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (E1) New York Knicks: "Lakers win series 4–1" Last

neg: 1952–53 Minneapolis Lakers season Playoff Meeting: 1952 NBA Finals (Minneapolis won 4–3) 1952–53 Minneapolis Lakers season The 1952-53 Minneapolis Lakers season was the fifth season for the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Lakers continued to be the dominant force in the league as they won the Western Division with a 48–22 record. In the playoffs, the Lakers would sweep the Indianapolis Olympians in 2 straight. In the Western Finals, the Lakers would win the first 2 games at home. Against the Fort Wayne Pistons, the Lakers were pushed to a 5th game. The series returned to Minneapolis, where the Lakers won

neg: 1953–54 Minneapolis Lakers season Minneapolis Lakers vs. (E1) Syracuse Nationals: "Lakers win series 4–3" 1953–54 Minneapolis Lakers season The 1953–54 Minneapolis Lakers season was the sixth season for the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Lakers won the Western Division with a 46–26 record. George Mikan was hampered by knee troubles as he averaged only 18.1 points per game. The Lakers signed a promising rookie named Clyde Lovellette, who was able to alleviate the pressure on Mikan. In the first round, the Lakers won 3 straight to face the Rochester Royals in the Western Finals. The Lakers would beat the Royals to

neg: 1952–53 Minneapolis Lakers season 1952–53 Minneapolis Lakers season The 1952-53 Minneapolis Lakers season was the fifth season for the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Lakers continued to be the dominant force in the league as they won the Western Division with a 48–22 record. In the playoffs, the Lakers would sweep the Indianapolis Olympians in 2 straight. In the Western Finals, the Lakers would win the first 2 games at home. Against the Fort Wayne Pistons, the Lakers were pushed to a 5th game. The series returned to Minneapolis, where the Lakers won the 5th game 74–58. In the Finals, the

neg: 1950–51 Minneapolis Lakers season AVG = Average" (1) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (4) Indianapolis Olympians: "Lakers win series 2-1" (1) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (2) Rochester Royals: "Royals win series 3-1" 1950–51 Minneapolis Lakers season The 1950-51 NBA season was the franchise's third season in the NBA. In 1950–51, the NBA reduced the number of teams to 11. The Lakers continued to dominate by winning the Western Division with a 44–24 record. In the playoffs, the Lakers needed 3 games to eliminate the Indianapolis Olympians in the first round. In the Western Finals, the Lakers took Game 1, but were defeated by the Rochester Royals, who

neg: 1948–49 Minneapolis Lakers season 1948–49 Minneapolis Lakers season The 1948–49 BAA season was the Lakers' first season in the BAA (which later became the NBA after the conclusion of this season). This season saw the Lakers winning their first BAA championship, defeating the Washington Capitols in six games in the BAA Finals. (2) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (3) Chicago Stags: "Lakers win series 2-0" Last Playoff Meeting: This is the first meeting between the Lakers and Stags. (1) Rochester Royals vs. (2) Minneapolis Lakers: "Lakers win series 2-0" Last Playoff Meeting: This is the first meeting between the Royals and Lakers. (E1) Washington Capitols vs.

neg: American Basketball League (1961–63) return for his years of supporting the NBA with doubleheader games featuring his Harlem Globetrotters. When Minneapolis Lakers owner Bob Short was permitted to move the Lakers to Los Angeles, Saperstein reacted by convincing National Alliance of Basketball Leagues (NABL) team owner Paul Cohen (Tuck Tapers) and Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) National Champion Cleveland Pipers owner George Steinbrenner to take the top NABL and AAU teams and players and form a rival league. Saperstein was secretly planning the new league since 1959 but it is unclear whether he would have abandoned these plans were he granted the NBA franchise. In

neg: 1959–60 Minneapolis Lakers season 1959–60 Minneapolis Lakers season The 1959–60 Minneapolis Lakers season was the 12th season for the franchise in the NBA and final season in Minneapolis. The Lakers finished in third-place in the NBA Western Division with a record of 25–50, 21 games behind the St. Louis Hawks. In their final season in the Twin Cities, the Lakers made the playoffs and defeated the Detroit Pistons two games to none in the Western Division Semifinals, before losing the West Finals to the Hawks, four games to three. On January 18, the team had a harrowing flight in a snowstorm, returning to Minneapolis

neg: Mychal Thompson relocated back to Los Angeles in 2003 when he was offered a job as a color commentator for the Lakers. Mychal is currently employed as the Lakers radio color commentator. He first worked with Joel Meyers, then Spero Dedes, and is currently paired with John Ireland. He was a co-host on the "Loose Cannons" radio show on KLAC AM570 in Los Angeles but was let go, due to the move of Lakers broadcasts from AM570 to KSPN AM710 for the 2009–10 season. With the move to KSPN AM710, he joined Andrew Siciliano as co-hosts on the "LA Sports Live" radio

neg: 1952 NBA Playoffs their third NBA title in the last 4 years and what would become their first of 3 straight titles. If not for their division finals loss to the Rochester Royals the previous season, Minneapolis would have won 6 straight titles. Champion: Minneapolis Lakers Division Semifinals (1) Rochester Royals vs. (4) Fort Wayne Pistons: "Royals win series 2–0" Last Playoff Meeting: 1951 NBA Western Division Semifinals (Rochester won 2–1) (2) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (3) Indianapolis Olympians: "Lakers win series 2–0" Last Playoff Meeting: 1951 NBA Western Division Semifinals (Minneapolis won 2–1) Division Finals (1) Rochester Royals vs. (2) Minneapolis Lakers: "Lakers

neg: 1953–54 Minneapolis Lakers season 1953–54 Minneapolis Lakers season The 1953–54 Minneapolis Lakers season was the sixth season for the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Lakers won the Western Division with a 46–26 record. George Mikan was hampered by knee troubles as he averaged only 18.1 points per game. The Lakers signed a promising rookie named Clyde Lovellette, who was able to alleviate the pressure on Mikan. In the first round, the Lakers won 3 straight to face the Rochester Royals in the Western Finals. The Lakers would beat the Royals to qualify for the NBA Finals. In the finals, the Lakers

neg: 1953 NBA Playoffs of having the worst regular season record heading in playoff history. The team's record was 16–54. Champion: Minneapolis Lakers Division Semifinals (1) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (4) Indianapolis Olympians: "Lakers win series 2–0" Last Playoff Meeting: 1952 Western Division Semifinals (Minneapolis won 2–0) (2) Rochester Royals vs. (3) Fort Wayne Pistons: "Pistons win series 2–1" Last Playoff Meeting: 1952 Western Division Semifinals (Rochester won 2–0) Division Finals (1) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (3) Fort Wayne Pistons: "Lakers win series 3–2" Last Playoff Meeting: 1950 Central Division Finals (Minneapolis won 2–0) Champion: New York Knicks Division Semifinals (1) New York Knicks vs. (4)

neg: Lakers–Clippers rivalry move the Clippers to Anaheim on a permanent basis was declined by the team in 1996, leading to the eventual decision to have the Clippers join the Lakers at the Staples Center when it opened in 1999. The Clippers did not finish ahead of the Lakers again until 2004–05. Lakers star Kobe Bryant almost joined the Clippers that season as a free agent before re-signing with the Lakers. The Clippers in 2005–06 won 47 games and finished two games ahead of the Lakers. During the season, Bryant said that "rivalries are made in the playoffs, not in the regular season".

neg: 1954 NBA Playoffs not been determined. Both teams had won 42 season games and Boston had won by coin flip the edge in case of a tie in the round-robin stage. Five games, Tuesday to Sunday, March 16–21 Six games, Tuesday to Monday, March 16–22 Champion: Minneapolis Lakers Division Finals (1) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (2) Rochester Royals: "Lakers win series 2–1" Last Playoff Meeting: 1952 NBA Western Division Finals (Minneapolis won 2–1) Champion: Syracuse Nationals Division Finals (1) Syracuse Nationals vs. (2) Boston Celtics: "Nationals win series 2–0" Last Playoff Meeting: 1953 NBA Eastern Division Semifinals (Boston won 2–0) (1) Minneapolis Lakers vs.

neg: 1955 NBA draft from Duquesne University was selected first overall by the Milwaukee Hawks. Second pick of the draft, Maurice Stokes from Saint Francis University won the Rookie of the Year Award. Dick Garmaker and Tom Gola were selected before the draft as Minneapolis Lakers' and Philadelphia Warriors' territorial picks respectively. Three players from this draft, Maurice Stokes, Tom Gola, and Jack Twyman, have been inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame. K. C. Jones, who was selected by the Minneapolis Lakers in the later rounds, has also been inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame, although he did not enter the league

neg: 1951–52 Minneapolis Lakers season 1951–52 Minneapolis Lakers season The 1951–52 Minneapolis Lakers season was the fourth season for the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The NBA widened the foul lane before the 1951–52 season in an attempt to slow down George Mikan. Despite the change, it had little effect on Mikan. He still averaged 23.8 points per game, although he lost the scoring title to Paul Arizin, from the Philadelphia Warriors. The Lakers went into the campaign with essentially the same lineup. Rochester took first place in the Western Division by a game, but the Lakers ousted the Royals in four games

neg: 1956 NBA Playoffs win the title in 1967. This was the Pistons' second straight trip to the NBA Finals, but they would not make another appearance until 1988 as the Detroit Pistons. No team from Indiana would return to the NBA Finals until the Indiana Pacers did so in 2000. St. Louis Hawks vs. Minneapolis Lakers: "Lakers win series 1-0" Minneapolis defeats St. Louis for #2 seed in West. St. Louis gets #3. Syracuse Nationals vs. New York Knicks: "Nationals win series 1-0" Syracuse defeats New York for #3 seed in East. Champion: Fort Wayne Pistons Division Semifinals (1) Fort Wayne Pistons have

neg: Town Team Baseball and unlimited budgets bankrupted many teams and forced others to move to a lower class, this form of Townball disappeared in Minnesota by 1960, its leagues all victims of their own excesses. Legendary football coach Bud Grant played Class AA townball in Minnesota and Wisconsin and remarked, "I made more money playing [town team] baseball than I did playing for the Minneapolis Lakers...And we won an NBA title while I was playing for them." Another perspective came from a former official from Bird Island, Fabian Sheehan: "We priced ourselves out of the business, but we sure had a good time

neg: History of the Los Angeles Lakers Baylor, Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, Gail Goodrich, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jamaal Wilkes, James Worthy, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, and Kobe Bryant. The Lakers franchise began in 1947 when Ben Berger and Morris Chalfen of Minnesota purchased the recently disbanded Detroit Gems franchise of the National Basketball League (NBL) for $15,000 from Gems founder/owner C. King Boring, and business partner Maury Winston. They hired John Kundla as their first head coach. Berger and Chalfen relocated the team to Minneapolis, with home games being played at both the Minneapolis Auditorium and the Minneapolis Armory. The "team" that Berger and Chalfen had actually purchased

neg: 2013–14 Los Angeles Lakers season they were still playing in Minneapolis. Lakers players in 2013–14 missed 319 games due to injury, which led the NBA, and the team used 35 different starting lineups. In the final months of the season, the team often dressed just 10 or fewer healthy players, refusing to replace injured players for a few extra wins in a lost season. Following the season, Pau Gasol signed as a free agent with the Chicago Bulls. Kobe Bryant (Did not participate due to injury) 2013–14 Los Angeles Lakers season The 2013–14 Los Angeles Lakers season was the 66th season of the franchise, its

neg: Los Angeles Lakers all-time roster marks the 16th NBA championship in Lakers franchise history. The list is composed of players who played at least one game for the Lakers franchise. Los Angeles Lakers all-time roster The 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 (NBA). The Lakers' franchise was founded in 1947 in Detroit, Michigan before moving to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where the team got its official title from the state's nickname, "Land of 10,000 Lakes". The Minneapolis Lakers won five NBA Finals before relocating

neg: Los Angeles Lakers all-time roster Los Angeles Lakers all-time roster The 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 (NBA). The Lakers' franchise was founded in 1947 in Detroit, Michigan before moving to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where the team got its official title from the state's nickname, "Land of 10,000 Lakes". The Minneapolis Lakers won five NBA Finals before relocating to Los Angeles in the 1960–61 NBA season, becoming the first West Coast team in league history. In the 1960s, the Lakers reached the NBA

neg: 1953–54 Minneapolis Lakers season and Syracuse Nationals alternated wins. In the end, the Lakers emerged with their 3rd straight title, and 5th overall in the franchise's first six seasons in the NBA. They became the first NBA team to win three consecutive NBA championships. In the seventh and final game, the Lakers won by a score of 87–80, for the franchise's final NBA title before their relocation to Los Angeles in 1960. Following the season, Mikan would announce his retirement. The Lakers would not win another NBA championship until 1972. Western Division (1) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (2) Rochester Royals: "Lakers win series 2–1" (W1)

neg: 1957 NBA Playoffs Fort Wayne Pistons: "Hawks win series 1-0" St. Louis defeats Fort Wayne & Minneapolis for #1 seed in West. Minneapolis gets #2 seed, Fort Wayne #3. Champion: St. Louis Hawks Division Semifinals (1) St. Louis Hawks have division semifinals bye. (2) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (3) Fort Wayne Pistons: "Lakers win series 2-0" Last Playoff Meeting: 1955 NBA Western Division Finals (Fort Wayne won 3-1) Division Finals (1) St. Louis Hawks vs. (2) Minneapolis Lakers: "Hawks win series 3-0" Last Playoff Meeting: 1956 NBA Western Division Semifinals (St. Louis won 2-1) Champion: Boston Celtics Division Semifinals (1) Boston Celtics have division

neg: Minneapolis Auditorium Minneapolis Auditorium Minneapolis Auditorium was an indoor arena in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It hosted the NBA's Minneapolis Lakers from 1947 until they moved to the Minneapolis Armory in 1959. The arena held 10,000 people and was built in 1927. The building fell into obscurity after the opening of the Met Center in suburban Bloomington. It was demolished in 1989 to make way for the Minneapolis Convention Center. According to the "Minneapolis" magazine, when opened it opened on June 4, 1927, the Auditorium had a seating capacity of 5,687 on its balcony, 4,160 on its floor, and 698 on the stage, for

neg: 2010 NBA Finals only the fourth since the NBA Finals returned to a 2–3–2 format in . Los Angeles added its eleventh title in that city to go with its five in Minneapolis to move a step closer to the Celtics' league-leading seventeen championships and gain revenge for their defeat in 2008. The Lakers had won the previous season’s NBA Finals against the Orlando Magic for the franchise's 15th championship. The Celtics won their previous NBA Finals appearance against the Lakers in 2008. This was the 12th Finals played between the two rival teams. The Celtics won nine of their previous 11 Finals

neg: 1950–51 Minneapolis Lakers season 1950–51 Minneapolis Lakers season The 1950-51 NBA season was the franchise's third season in the NBA. In 1950–51, the NBA reduced the number of teams to 11. The Lakers continued to dominate by winning the Western Division with a 44–24 record. In the playoffs, the Lakers needed 3 games to eliminate the Indianapolis Olympians in the first round. In the Western Finals, the Lakers took Game 1, but were defeated by the Rochester Royals, who came back to win the next 3 games. "Note: GP= Games played; REB= Rebounds; AST= Assists; STL = Steals; BLK = Blocks; PTS = Points;

neg: Los Angeles Lakers the Lakers on "financial probation", notifying them that if they did not meet certain ticket sales numbers they could be bought out by the league and relocated. Short was forced to move the team to Los Angeles in 1960; the club had lost $60,000 in the first half of the 1959–60 season alone. The NBA's owners originally voted 7–1 against the move. When Short indicated that he might take the team to new rival league that was developing however, the owners held another vote that same day and allowed the relocation (8–0). Aided by Baylor's drawing power, and the new

neg: 1953 NBA Finals Friday. Meanwhile, two mid-week games were played in New York City. The entire postseason tournament spanned 25 days in which Minneapolis played 12 games, New York 11. "Lakers win series 4–1" 1953 NBA Finals The 1953 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1953 NBA Playoffs, which concluded the National Basketball Association 1952–53 season. The Western Division champion Minneapolis Lakers faced the Eastern Division champion New York Knicks in a best-of-seven series with Minneapolis having home-court advantage. By winning four games to one, the Lakers won their fifth title in six years dating from 1948, the club's

neg: 1953 NBA Playoffs 1953 NBA Playoffs The 1953 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1952–53 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Minneapolis Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals. The Lakers won their fourth championship in the last five years, and defeated the Knicks in the Finals for the second straight season to complete their run. Not only did the four Western Division teams meet for the third straight year, but the Eastern Division teams this year, had a slight change. The Philadelphia Warriors did

neg: 1955 NBA Playoffs experimenting with a round robin playoff format in 1954, the NBA moved to a system in which the top team in each conference earned a first-round bye, giving them the right to start out in the division finals. It remained in place until 1967, when it changed to an eight-team format in which all teams played the first round. Champion: Fort Wayne Pistons Division Semifinals (1) Fort Wayne Pistons have division semifinals bye. (2) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (3) Rochester Royals: "Lakers win series 2-1" Last Playoff Meeting: 1954 NBA Western Division Finals (Minneapolis won 2-1) Division Finals (1) Fort Wayne

neg: National Basketball Association and smaller gymnasiums and armories. In 1950, the NBA consolidated to eleven franchises, a process that continued until 1953–54, when the league reached its smallest size of eight franchises: the New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, Philadelphia Warriors, Minneapolis Lakers, Rochester Royals, Fort Wayne Pistons, Tri-Cities Blackhawks, and Syracuse Nationals, all of which remain in the league today. The process of contraction saw the league's smaller-city franchises move to larger cities. The Hawks shifted from the Tri-Cities to Milwaukee in 1951, and then to St. Louis in 1955. The Rochester Royals moved from Rochester, New York, to Cincinnati in 1957 and

neg: John Ramsey (announcer) 1967 and 1980 Major League Baseball All-Star Games, ten NBA Finals, the 1963 and 1972 NBA All-Star Games. Ramsey, a native of Berlin, New Hampshire, served in the United States Navy during World War II. When the war ended Ramsey moved to Los Angeles, attending El Camino College and then the University of Southern California, from where he graduated in 1954 and later obtained a master's degree in Business. Upon the Dodgers' move to Los Angeles in 1958, Ramsey was hired by the team to be their PA announcer. Two years later, the Lakers moved from Minneapolis and Ramsey became

neg: Los Angeles Lakers and coaches who were instrumental to the franchise's success during its days in Minneapolis were named Honored Minneapolis Lakers, although their numbers are not retired by the franchise: Chick Hearn was the team's broadcaster for 41 years until his death in 2002. He broadcast 3,338 consecutive games between November 21, 1965, and December 16, 2001. Hearn came up with West's "Mr. Clutch" nickname. He was a part of the team's "inner sanctum" when Cooke was owner, and was consulted on basketball decisions. Paul Sunderland, who had filled in for a couple of games while Hearn recuperated in 2001–02, was named

neg: 1954 NBA Finals 1954 NBA Finals The 1954 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1954 NBA Playoffs, which concluded the National Basketball Association 1953–54 season. The Western Division champion Minneapolis Lakers faced the Eastern Division champion Syracuse Nationals in a best-of-seven series with Minneapolis having home-court advantage. The Lakers won their third consecutive NBA championship and their sixth title in seven years dating from 1948, the club's final season as a member of the National Basketball League. Minneapolis won game one and the teams thereafter alternated victories, with the Lakers winning the decisive game by a seven-point margin at

neg: 1960 NBA Playoffs Lakers: "Lakers win series 2-0" Last Playoff Meeting: 1959 NBA Western Division Semifinals (Minneapolis won 2-1) Division Finals (1) St. Louis Hawks vs. (3) Minneapolis Lakers: "Hawks win series 4-3" Last Playoff Meeting: 1959 NBA Western Division Finals (Minneapolis won 4-2) Champion: Boston Celtics Division Semifinals (1) Boston Celtics have division semifinals bye. (2) Philadelphia Warriors vs. (3) Syracuse Nationals: "Warriors win series 2-1" Last Playoff Meeting: 1958 NBA Eastern Division Semifinals (Philadelphia won 2-1) Division Finals (1) Boston Celtics vs. (2) Philadelphia Warriors: "Celtics win series 4-2" Last Playoff Meeting: 1959 NBA Eastern Division Finals (Boston won 4-0) (1)

neg: 1952 NBA Finals seven on the following Saturday and Friday. Meanwhile, three Wednesday or Friday games were played in New York City. The entire postseason tournament spanned 39 days in which Minneapolis played 13 games and New York 14. "Lakers win series 4–3" 1952 NBA Finals The 1952 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1952 NBA Playoffs, which concluded the National Basketball Association 1951–52 season. The Western Division champion Minneapolis Lakers faced the Eastern Division champion New York Knicks in a best-of-seven series with Minneapolis having home-court advantage. Minneapolis won game one and the teams thereafter alternated victories, Minneapolis

neg: Los Angeles Lakers accomplishments and records All-Defensive First Team NBA All-Defensive Second Team All-Star All-Star Most Valuable Player Slam Dunk champion All-Star Rookie/Sophomore Challenge Game Honored Minneapolis Lakers: Next to their retired numbers, the Lakers have hung a banner with the names of six Hall-of-Famers who were instrumental to the franchise's success during its days in Minneapolis: Baylor's no. 22 jersey was retired by the Lakers; 34 was retired for Shaquille O'Neal on April 2013; 17 was previously worn by Andrew Bynum and Rick Fox, and neither 19 nor 99 is currently being worn. Unless otherwise stated, statistics/records are accurate as at the end of the

neg: Celtics–Lakers rivalry Rajon Rondo also signed with the Lakers in 2018, a day after LeBron’s signing. During the first decade of the NBA in the 1950s, the Minneapolis Lakers had the first NBA dynasty. Minneapolis would win the first ever Championship Series of the newly formed NBA in 1950 (three BAA Finals were played between 1947–1949 and retroactively counted as NBA Championships, one of which was won by the Lakers in 1949). Under Hall of Fame head coach John Kundla, and with the NBA's first superstar in George Mikan, they would win three more titles in 1952, 1953, and 1954. The Celtics

neg: Abe Saperstein the Midwest in his unheated Ford Model T. From early on, the Globetrotters blended basketball with showmanship and ball-handling wizardry. But they were also extremely talented basketball players, winning most of their games. In 1940, the Globetrotters beat the legendary black basketball team, the New York Renaissance. An even bigger achievement came a few years later in the 1948 Globetrotters-Lakers game, when the Globetrotters defeated the Minneapolis Lakers, the best team in the all-white NBA, a league that had been formed two years earlier. The star of the Lakers was six-foot-ten George Mikan, nicknamed “Mr. Basketball.” Despite the Lakers’ significant

neg: Los Angeles Lakers decade. The Lakers hold the record for NBA's longest winning streak, 33 straight games, set during the 1971–72 season. 21 Hall of Famers have played for Los Angeles, while four have coached the team. Four Lakers—Abdul-Jabbar, Johnson, O'Neal, and Bryant—have won the NBA MVP Award for a total of eight awards. The Lakers' franchise began in 1947 when Ben Berger and Morris Chalfen of Minnesota purchased the recently disbanded Detroit Gems of the National Basketball League (NBL) for $15,000 from Gems owner Maury Winston. Minneapolis sportswriter Sid Hartman played a key behind the scenes role in helping put together the

neg: Morris Chalfen Morris Chalfen Morris Chalfen (June 3, 1907 – November 4, 1979) was an international impresario and sports entertainment executive. He founded the Holiday On Ice show, and later purchased and relocated a near-extinct National Basketball League (NBL) franchise which became the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers began in 1947 when Ben Berger and Morris Chalfen bought the Detroit Gems of the National Basketball League for $15,000 and relocated it to Minneapolis and renamed it the Lakers. They hired a general manager, Max Winter, and a coach, John Kundla, then began the hunt for players. As the Gems had by far

neg: 1951–52 Minneapolis Lakers season in the division finals. The NBA Finals would have the Lakers oppose the New York Knickerbockers. Games 3 and 4 of the Finals were played at the 69th Regiment Armory instead of at Madison Square Garden. This was because the circus was in town. The teams split those games, and Games 5 and 6 as well. Game 7 was dominated by Minneapolis. The Lakers pounded out an 82–65 win, at home, to claim their third NBA crown in their first four seasons. "Note: GP= Games played; REB= Rebounds; AST= Assists; STL = Steals; BLK = Blocks; PTS = Points; AVG

neg: 1954 NBA Playoffs 1954 NBA Playoffs The 1954 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1953–54 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Minneapolis Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Syracuse Nationals 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals. For the Lakers, it was their third straight NBA title, and fifth in the last six years. With the folding of the Indianapolis Olympians after the previous year's playoffs, leaving the NBA with nine teams, they resorted to a round-robin playoff format in 1954 for the only time in league history. Although the Minneapolis Lakers, Fort Wayne

neg: 1954 NBA Playoffs (1) Syracuse Nationals: "Lakers win series 4–3" Last Playoff Meeting: 1950 NBA Finals (Minneapolis won 4–2) 1954 NBA Playoffs The 1954 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1953–54 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Minneapolis Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Syracuse Nationals 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals. For the Lakers, it was their third straight NBA title, and fifth in the last six years. With the folding of the Indianapolis Olympians after the previous year's playoffs, leaving the NBA with nine teams, they resorted to a round-robin playoff

neg: 1952–53 New York Knicks season the Finals, the Knicks lost to the Minneapolis Lakers, four games to one. "Note:" This is not an extensive list; it only covers the first and second rounds, and any other players picked by the franchise that played at least one game in the league. (1) New York Knicks vs. (4) Baltimore Bullets: "Knicks win series 2–0" Last Playoff Meeting: 1949 Eastern Division Semifinals (New York won 2–1) (1) New York Knicks vs. (3) Boston Celtics: "Knicks win series 3–1" Last Playoff Meeting: 1952 Eastern Division Semifinals (New York won 2–1) (W1) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (E1) New York Knicks: "Lakers

neg: Los Angeles Lakers was fired in January when the team was 9–30, and Kundla was rehired. The Lakers earned the top pick in the 1958 NBA draft and used it to select Elgin Baylor. Baylor, who was named NBA Rookie of the Year and co-MVP of the 1959 NBA All-Star Game, averaged 24.9 ppg and 15.0 rpg helping the Lakers improve to second in their division despite a 33–39 record. After upsetting the Hawks in six games in the division finals, they returned to the NBA Finals, but were swept by the Celtics, beginning their long rivalry. In their last year in Minneapolis,

neg: 1983–84 Los Angeles Lakers season shot down the Lakers, and the C's won game 7 111–102, a Laker heartbreaker, and still, arguably, the most memorable Finals of the 1980s. (1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (8) Kansas City Kings: "Lakers win series 3–0" Last Playoff Meeting: 1955 Western Division Semifinals (Lakers won 2–1; Lakers were in Minneapolis, Kings were in Rochester, New York as the Royals) (1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (4) Dallas Mavericks: "Lakers win series 4–1" Last Playoff Meeting: This is the first meeting between the Lakers and Mavericks. (1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Phoenix Suns: "Lakers win series 4–2" Last Playoff Meeting:

neg: Los Angeles Lakers the Boston Celtics. The franchise began with the 1947 purchase of a disbanded team, the Detroit Gems of the National Basketball League (NBL). The new team began playing in Minneapolis, calling themselves the Minneapolis Lakers. Initially a member of the NBL, the Lakers won the 1948 NBL championship before joining the rival Basketball Association of America, where they would win five of the next six championships, led by star George Mikan. After struggling financially in the late 1950s following Mikan's retirement, they relocated to Los Angeles before the 1960–61 season. Led by Hall of Famers Elgin Baylor and Jerry West,

neg: 1951–52 New York Knicks season the Knicks lost to the Minneapolis Lakers in seven games. "Note:" This is not an extensive list; it only covers the first and second rounds, and any other players picked by the franchise that played at least one game in the league. (2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) New York Knicks: "Knicks win series 2–1" (1) Syracuse Nationals vs. (3) New York Knicks: "Knicks win series 3–1" (W2) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (E3) New York Knicks: "Lakers win series 4–3" 1951–52 New York Knicks season The 1951–52 New York Knicks season was the sixth season for the team in the National Basketball

neg: Celtics–Lakers rivalry president and Luke Walton as the head coach, drafting young players such as Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, Josh Hart, and Moritz Wagner, as well as signing Cavaliers’ superstar LeBron James, as well as vets like former Celtic star point guard Rajon Rondo along with Lance Stephenson, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, JaVale McGee, and Michael Beasley. This was the first NBA Finals series between the Lakers and the Celtics, and the only such meeting to occur while the Lakers were still in Minneapolis. Minneapolis hadn't made an appearance in the Finals since winning four of the first five NBA Championships between

neg: Tony Jaros Tony Jaros Anthony Joseph Jaros (February 22, 1920 – April 22, 1995) was an American professional basketball player. A 6'3" (1.90 m) forward/guard from the University of Minnesota, Jaros played four seasons (1946–1947; 1948–1951) in the Basketball Association of America/National Basketball Association as a member of the Chicago Stags and Minneapolis Lakers. He averaged 5.4 points per game in his BAA/NBA career and won two league championships with the Lakers. He also spent one season in the National Basketball League with the Lakers (1947–1948), winning the NBL title that season. Jaros went to Edison High School in Northeast Minneapolis, and

neg: Johnny Orr (basketball, born 1927) College as athletic director, head basketball and football coach. Orr was initially drafted in 1948 BAA draft by the Minneapolis Lakers of the Basketball Association of America, the precursor to the NBA. Orr did not play for the Lakers, and was again drafted the next year in the 2nd round by the St. Louis Bombers. In 1950, Orr played 21 games for the Bombers before moving to the Waterloo Hawks for 13 more games. In 1951, Orr was named as head coach at Dubuque Senior High School in Dubuque, Iowa, holding the position until 1959. In 1959, Orr joined the

neg: George Mikan and storming through the playoffs, Mikan's team played the 1950 NBA Finals against the Syracuse Nationals. In Game 1, the Lakers beat Syracuse on their home court when Lakers reserve guard Bob Harrison hit a 40-foot buzzer beater to give Minneapolis a two-point win. The team split the next four games, and in Game 6, the Lakers won 110–95 and won the first-ever NBA championship. Mikan scored 31.3 points per game in the playoffs. In the 1950–51 NBA season, Mikan was dominant again, scoring a career-best 28.4 points per game in the regular season, again taking the scoring crown, and

neg: Minnesota Timberwolves draft history along with three other players from the Timberwolves for the draft rights to Kevin Love along with three other players from the Grizzlies. Minnesota Timberwolves draft history The Minnesota Timberwolves first participated in the National Basketball Association (NBA) Draft on June 27, 1989, about five months before their inaugural NBA season. The Timberwolves are currently the second NBA team to be based in Minneapolis since the Minneapolis Lakers were there from to . Before each draft, an NBA draft lottery determines the first round selection order for the teams that did not make the playoffs during the prior season. Teams

neg: Minnesota Timberwolves draft history Minnesota Timberwolves draft history The Minnesota Timberwolves first participated in the National Basketball Association (NBA) Draft on June 27, 1989, about five months before their inaugural NBA season. The Timberwolves are currently the second NBA team to be based in Minneapolis since the Minneapolis Lakers were there from to . Before each draft, an NBA draft lottery determines the first round selection order for the teams that did not make the playoffs during the prior season. Teams can also trade their picks, which means that a team could have more than or less than two picks in one draft. As

neg: Celtics–Lakers rivalry 1950–1954, while Boston was making its third straight Finals appearance after winning in 1957 and losing in 1958. Minneapolis, led by rookie sensation Elgin Baylor, made the Finals by defeating the defending World Champion St. Louis Hawks. Boston would face a tough seven-game series against the Syracuse Nationals but would eventually emerge victorious, leading Celtic star Bob Cousy to predict that Boston would sweep Minneapolis. Cousy would prove his prediction correct, leading his team with 51 total assists (still a record for a four-game NBA Finals series) to defeat the Minneapolis Lakers in the first 4–0 sweep ever in the

neg: 1955–56 St. Louis Hawks season Minneapolis Lakers: "Lakers win series 1-0" (2) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (3) St. Louis Hawks: "Hawks win series 2-1" (1) Fort Wayne Pistons vs. (3) St. Louis Hawks: "Pistons win series 3-2" 1955–56 St. Louis Hawks season The 1955–56 St. Louis Hawks season was the tenth season for the franchise. After 4 last-place seasons in Milwaukee, the Hawks relocated to St. Louis. The city had once been home to the St. Louis Bombers, an early BAA franchise that folded in 1950. The Hawks were on the verge of becoming one of the top teams in the NBA. Led by 2nd year

neg: Major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada The first west coast major-league franchise was the NFL's Los Angeles Rams, who moved from Cleveland in 1946. The same year, the All-America Football Conference began play, with teams in Los Angeles and San Francisco, and the Miami Seahawks. Baseball extended west in 1958 in the move of the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants. The NBA followed in 1960 with the move of the Minneapolis Lakers to Los Angeles, while the NHL would not have a west coast presence until it expanded in 1967. Almost all of the NHL's initial franchises in the Southern and Western United States were

neg: 1953 NBA Finals 1953 NBA Finals The 1953 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1953 NBA Playoffs, which concluded the National Basketball Association 1952–53 season. The Western Division champion Minneapolis Lakers faced the Eastern Division champion New York Knicks in a best-of-seven series with Minneapolis having home-court advantage. By winning four games to one, the Lakers won their fifth title in six years dating from 1948, the club's final season in the National Basketball League. The five games were played in seven days, beginning Saturday and Sunday, April 4 and 5, in Minneapolis and concluding there on the following

neg: 1958–59 St. Louis Hawks season game. In the Western Division Finals, the Hawks were defeated by the Minneapolis Lakers in 6 games. The Hawks had a division semifinals bye. (1) St. Louis Hawks vs. (2) Minneapolis Lakers: "Lakers win series 4-2" 1958–59 St. Louis Hawks season The 1958–59 St. Louis Hawks season was the franchise's 13th season in the NBA. Despite winning the NBA Championship, Alex Hannum was replaced as coach of the Hawks in 1958–59. The new coach was Andy Phillip, and he lasted 10 games before being replaced by Ed Macauley. The Hawks made player changes. Clyde Lovellette was brought in from the

neg: Max Winter 620 Hennepin Avenue in downtown Minneapolis, the restaurant specialized in turkey and by the late 1950s was selling more of it than any other eatery in the United States. The club closed in 1971. In 1947, Winter became part owner with Ben Berger, Sid Hartman, and Morris Chalfen and assumed the general manager duties of the new Minneapolis Lakers in the National Basketball League. By the mid-1950s, Winter was interested in attracting a pro football team to Minneapolis. He attempted to get an expansion team in the National Football League; when that failed Winter and his partners joined with the

neg: 1950 NBA Finals 1950 NBA Finals The 1950 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the inaugural National Basketball Association 1949–50 season. The Central Division champion Minneapolis Lakers faced the Eastern Division champion Syracuse Nationals in a best-of-seven series with Syracuse having home-court advantage. The NBA recognizes three preceding Basketball Association of America (BAA) seasons as part of its own history, and thus presents the 1950 Finals as its fourth championship series. Minneapolis had won the 1949 BAA Finals and its 1950 win over Syracuse is officially the Lakers second of five titles in Minneapolis. In the event, six games were

neg: National Basketball Association the Pistons relocated from Fort Wayne, Indiana, to Detroit in 1957. Japanese-American Wataru Misaka broke the NBA color barrier in the 1947–48 season when he played for the New York Knicks. He remained the only non-white player in league history prior to the first African-American, Harold Hunter, signing with the Washington Capitols in 1950. Hunter was cut from the team during training camp, but several African-American players did play in the league later that year, including Chuck Cooper with the Celtics, Nathaniel "Sweetwater" Clifton with the Knicks, and Earl Lloyd with the Washington Capitols. During this period, the Minneapolis Lakers,

neg: Harlem Globetrotters the country, the Minneapolis Lakers (now the Los Angeles Lakers). Once one of the most famous teams in the country, the Globetrotters were eventually eclipsed by the rise of the National Basketball Association, particularly when NBA teams began fielding African-American players in the 1950s. In 1950, Harlem Globetrotter Chuck Cooper became the first black player to be drafted in the NBA by Boston and teammate Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton became the first African-American player to sign an NBA contract when the New York Knicks purchased his contract from the Globetrotters. The Globetrotters gradually worked comic routines into their act—a direction the

neg: Minnesota Lakers Lacrosse Club earned the Lakers their second league championship in club history. 2013: A perfect 6-0 record during the 2013 season, the Lakers were the top-seed in the two-day MCLC Playoff Tournament. On opening day the Lakers took an easy 13-8 victory over Chitown LC in the quarterfinals. The semifinals had the Lakers against their division-rival Minneapolis LC, who they defeated 9-8 on a goal with just :02 remaining. Minnesota came up just short of their second-straight league title, losing 5-4 in overtime to Cleveland LC. Minnesota Lakers Lacrosse Club The Minnesota Lakers Lacrosse Club was formed in 1976, originally known as

neg: 1948 Globetrotters–Lakers game season. Chicago Stadium, the venue of the first Globetrotter-Lakers game, was demolished in 1995. The impact of that game, however, was felt for many years to come. "Those Lakers-Trotters games definitely contributed to the integration of the league", basketball historian Claude Johnson told ESPN. 1948 Globetrotters–Lakers game The 1948 Globetrotters–Lakers game was a dramatic match-up between the Harlem Globetrotters and the Minneapolis Lakers. Played in Chicago Stadium, the game took place two years before professional basketball was desegregated. The Globetrotters' 61–59 victory – by two points at the buzzer – challenged prevailing racial stereotypes about the abilities of black athletes.

neg: Lakers–Clippers rivalry Lakers–Clippers rivalry The Lakers–Clippers rivalry is a National Basketball Association (NBA) rivalry between the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers. The two Pacific Division teams both play their home games at Staples Center in Los Angeles, inspiring their matchups to sometimes be called the "Hallway Series". The Lakers relocated from Minneapolis in 1960, while the Clippers moved from San Diego in 1984. While Los Angeles fans have historically favored the Lakers, the Clippers have sold out every home game at Staples Center since Feb. 2011 and entered the 2016–17 season with the sixth-longest active sellout streak in the NBA.

neg: Derek Fisher Miller noted that "[i]t did look funny" that Fisher signed with the Lakers, but he did not believe Fisher or Lakers owner Jerry Buss would do anything underhanded. Jazz fans have taunted him, suspecting that he simply wanted to return to the Lakers. When the 2007–08 season began, Fisher resumed his role as the Lakers' starting point guard. He contributed a solid season, shooting 40% from the three point range and 88% from the free throw line, the highest percentage of his career. He made a controversial defensive play in Game 4 of the Lakers-Spurs Western Conference Finals, when late

neg: Celtics–Lakers rivalry two times in 2008 and 2010. The two teams have won the two highest numbers of championships in the NBA: the Celtics have won 17, and the Lakers have won 16 (11 as the L.A. Lakers and 5 as the Minneapolis Lakers). Together, they account for 33 of the 72 championships in NBA history. As of 2018, the Celtics and Lakers have a .590 and .596 all-time winning records respectively. As of the end of the 2017–18 season, Boston is the only team with a winning overall record against the Lakers. The rivalry had been less intense since the retirements

neg: 1984 NBA Playoffs the NBA Finals between the Celtics and Lakers at Boston Garden reached temperatures as high as 100°, as the Garden lacked air-conditioning, coupled with the sweltering outdoors conditions in Boston. Champion: Los Angeles Lakers (1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (8) Kansas City Kings: "Lakers win series 3-0" This was the seventh playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning five of the first six meetings. All previous series took place while the Lakers franchise were in Minneapolis and the Royals/Kings franchise in Rochester. (2) Utah Jazz vs. (7) Denver Nuggets: "Jazz win series 3-2" This was the first

neg: Minnesota Lakers Lacrosse Club Minnesota Lakers Lacrosse Club The Minnesota Lakers Lacrosse Club was formed in 1976, originally known as Twin Cities Lacrosse Club. A member of the Midwest Cities Lacrosse Conference (MCLC), the Lakers are one of 13 clubs who compete in the Senior/post-collegiate lacrosse league. Minnesota Lakers compete in the Western Division of MCLC with: Chicago Lacrosse Club, Chitown Lacrosse Club, Lincoln Park Lacrosse Club, Minneapolis Lacrosse Club, Minnesota Premium Lacrosse Club and Sr. Gophers Lacrosse Club. The Lakers home field is Benilde-St. Margaret's Stadium in St. Louis Park. 2011: Just 3-3 during the regular season, Minnesota would defeat Motor City LC

neg: 1972 NBA Playoffs the Minneapolis Lakers. The Lakers won their first NBA Finals in their last nine appearances without superstar Elgin Baylor, who had played in each of the preceding eight losses. He retired nine games into the season because of ongoing knee problems. Champion: Los Angeles Lakers Conference Semifinals (P1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (M2) Chicago Bulls: "Lakers win series 4-0" Last playoff meeting: 1971 Western Conference Semifinals (Los Angeles won 4-3) (M1) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (P2) Golden State Warriors: "Bucks win series 4-1" Last playoff meeting: 1971 Western Conference Semifinals (Milwaukee won 4-1) Conference Finals (P1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (M1)

neg: Minneapolis their league at the time and contributed fifteen players to the Baseball Hall of Fame. During the 1920s, Minneapolis was home to the NFL team the Minneapolis Marines, later known as the Minneapolis Red Jackets. During the 1940s and 1950s the Minneapolis Lakers basketball team, the city's first in the major leagues in any sport, won six basketball championships (1948, 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953 and 1954) in three leagues to become the NBA's first dynasty before moving to Los Angeles. The American Wrestling Association, formerly the NWA Minneapolis Boxing & Wrestling Club, operated in Minneapolis from 1960 until the 1990s.

neg: Sacramento Kings and simply became the Kansas City Kings. The team again failed to find success in its market and moved to Sacramento in . The Royals defected to the NBL's rival, the Basketball Association of America, in 1948. In 1949, as a result of that year's absorption of the NBL by the BAA, the Royals became members of the newly formed NBA along with the Fort Wayne Pistons, Minneapolis Lakers, and Indianapolis (Kautskys) Jets. A year later, the BAA absorbed the remaining NBL teams to become the National Basketball Association. The move to the BAA took away Rochester's profitable exhibition schedule,

neg: Eddie Gottlieb of the ownership while Franklin Mieuli put together a group of almost 40 Bay Area investors to purchase the remainder of the team. The move to San Francisco followed the Minneapolis Lakers' migration to Los Angeles two seasons earlier, and helped open the west to professional basketball. Gottlieb remained involved with the team in San Francisco before "retiring" in 1964. However, he retained his leadership position with the NBA. His role was crucial: the job of planning the league schedule had become solely his. "They joked that Eddie Gottlieb carried the NBA around in his briefcase", Lupica wrote. In any

neg: Bobby Leonard playing career with the Lakers (four years in Minneapolis, and one year following the team's move to Los Angeles), followed by two years with the Chicago Packers/Zephyrs). In his final season as a player, he also coached the Zephyrs. The next year, the team moved to Baltimore; Leonard coached them for one more year. Five years after coaching the Bullets, Leonard became the coach of the American Basketball Association's Indiana Pacers, a position he held for nearly 12 years – the last four after the franchise moved to the NBA. For a time, he also served as general manager. Leonard

neg: Laguna Lakers Laguna Lakers The Laguna Lakers (or the FedEx-Laguna Lakers) were a professional basketball team in the now-defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association from 1998 to 2001. The team was owned by Bert Lina, owner of the Federal Express franchise in the Philippines. The team moniker was taken as a reference for the province's proximity to Laguna de Baý, a similar action taken by the then-Minneapolis Lakers of the National Basketball Association. The team played its home games at the San Luis Sports Complex. In 1998, the Metropolitan Basketball Association was formed as a regional-based professional league which also challenged the commercial Philippine

neg: Ray Felix Felix spent nine seasons in the league, and played for the Bullets, New York Knicks, Minneapolis Lakers, and Los Angeles Lakers. Felix had an incident with future hall of famer Bill Russell in Russell's rookie season, when after Russell felt Felix had been trying to intimidate him, he knocked Felix unconscious with a punch to the head. Toward the end of his career, after having several of his shots blocked by Russell, Felix took the ball the flung it off the side of the backboard, saying to Russell, smiling, "You didn't get that one!" Felix averaged 10.9 points and 8.9

neg: Lefty Driesell University, where he played center on the basketball team under head coach Harold Bradley. Driesell graduated with a bachelor's degree in education in 1954. After college in 1954, Driesell took an office job with Ford Motor Company. Driesell also found time to renew his playing career by joining the Virginia semi-pro ranks, where he once scored 59 points in a single game and earned a tryout with the then Minneapolis Lakers (later Los Angeles Lakers) of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was also given a chance to enter the coaching profession when his prep alma mater offered him its

neg: Hot Rod Hundley and also would hang off the rim waiting for a lob pass from a teammate. In January 2010, WVU retired his number 33, making Hundley and West the only players in school history to be awarded the honor. On February 20, 2016 a bronze statue of him was unveiled outside the blue gate of the WVU Coliseum, joining the statue of West. In 1957, the Cincinnati Royals made Hundley the first pick of the NBA Draft and immediately traded his rights to the Minneapolis Lakers. Hundley played for the Lakers in Minneapolis and Los Angeles from 1957 until 1963, averaging

neg: Rod Trongard Rod Trongard Rodney Douglas "Rod" Trongard (February 16, 1933 – July 16, 2005) was a Minnesota-based sports broadcaster on both radio and television in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area for more than fifty years. Trongard's career began in 1953 at KXRA Alexandria, followed by positions at KSDN Aberdeen, South Dakota, and KDIO Ortonville. He moved to the Twin Cities in 1959 as news director at WLOL. It was there than Trongard began his sports broadcasting career, calling basketball for the Minnesota Muskies as well as the Minneapolis Lakers (preceding Chick Hearn until the Lakers moved to Los Angeles). Trongard also called

neg: Rod Trongard Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2003. Rod Trongard Rodney Douglas "Rod" Trongard (February 16, 1933 – July 16, 2005) was a Minnesota-based sports broadcaster on both radio and television in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area for more than fifty years. Trongard's career began in 1953 at KXRA Alexandria, followed by positions at KSDN Aberdeen, South Dakota, and KDIO Ortonville. He moved to the Twin Cities in 1959 as news director at WLOL. It was there than Trongard began his sports broadcasting career, calling basketball for the Minnesota Muskies as well as the Minneapolis Lakers (preceding Chick Hearn until the Lakers moved

neg: Minneapolis Auditorium a total of 10,545. The auditorium took two years to construct, cost $3 million (in 1927 dollars), covered an area of 230 by 540 feet (approximately two city blocks), had a stage 50 x 186 feet in area, and 80 foot tall ceiling. Construction of the building took 3,250,000 bricks, 15,000 yards of concrete, and 5,000 tone of steel. Minneapolis Auditorium Minneapolis Auditorium was an indoor arena in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It hosted the NBA's Minneapolis Lakers from 1947 until they moved to the Minneapolis Armory in 1959. The arena held 10,000 people and was built in 1927. The building fell

neg: Los Angeles Lakers While the team played in Minneapolis, the team played their home games at the Minneapolis Auditorium, from 1947 to 1960. The Lakers hold the draft rights to the following unsigned draft picks who have been playing outside the NBA. A drafted player, either an international draftee or a college draftee who is not signed by the team that drafted him, is allowed to sign with any non-NBA teams. In this case, the team retains the player's draft rights in the NBA until one year after the player's contract with the non-NBA team ends. This list includes draft rights that were

neg: National Basketball League (United States) venture quickly failed, and Mikan was signed by the NBL's Minneapolis Lakers, where he teamed with the versatile Jim Pollard to win the 1948 championship. After the 1947–48 season, Mikan's Lakers quit the League to join the Basketball Association of America (BAA), along with three other NBL clubs: Rochester, Fort Wayne, and Indianapolis. The NBL added an all-black team in December of its final season, when one of its replacement clubs folded, the Detroit Vagabond Kings. That franchise was awarded to a famous barnstorming team, the New York Rens, composed entirely of African Americans, to play out the season in

neg: 1953 NBA All-Star Game Billy Gabor, Mel Hutchins, Neil Johnston, Slater Martin, Paul Seymour and Bill Sharman, were selected for the first time. Barksdale, one of the first African American players in the NBA, became the first African American to play in an All-Star Game. The Boston Celtics were represented by four players in the roster while three other teams, the Minneapolis Lakers, the New York Knickerbockers, and the Rochester Royals, were represented by three players each on the roster. The starters were chosen by each team's head coach. Minneapolis Lakers head coach John Kundla returned to coach the Western All-Stars for the third

neg: 1959–60 St. Louis Hawks season 1959–60 St. Louis Hawks season The 1959–60 St. Louis Hawks season was the 14th season for the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Hawks claimed their 4th straight division title. They won the division by 16 games with a 46–29 record. Bob Pettit, Cliff Hagan, and Clyde Lovellette all averaged more than 20 points per game. In the Western Finals, the Hawks faced the Minneapolis Lakers and needed a win in Game 6 to stay alive. Game 6 was played in Minneapolis and the Hawks dominated the Lakers, as they won the match by 21 points to force

neg: Venues of the 1984 Summer Olympics 1960 Democratic National Convention. Following the 1959-60 NBA season, the National Basketball Association (NBA) Lakers franchise would move from Minneapolis to Los Angeles, where they would use the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena from the 1960-61 to the 1966-67 season before they moved to The Forum in Inglewood, a Los Angeles suburb, for the 1967-68 season. From 1959 to 1964, the Sports Arena served as home for the UCLA Bruins men's basketball team until the Bruins moved to Pauley Pavilion on the UCLA campus. The USC Trojans men's basketball team also used the Sports Arena as home. Lake Casitas was

neg: 1948 Globetrotters–Lakers game 1948 Globetrotters–Lakers game The 1948 Globetrotters–Lakers game was a dramatic match-up between the Harlem Globetrotters and the Minneapolis Lakers. Played in Chicago Stadium, the game took place two years before professional basketball was desegregated. The Globetrotters' 61–59 victory – by two points at the buzzer – challenged prevailing racial stereotypes about the abilities of black athletes. The idea for the game, which was held on Feb. 19, 1948, was hatched by Globetrotters owner and coach Abe Saperstein and Lakers general manager Max Winter, two friends who both believed they had the best basketball team in the country. Each had good