1953 NBA playoffs
Tournament details
Dates March 17 – April 10, 1953
Teams 8
Final positions
Champions Minneapolis Lakers (4th title)←1952 1954 →
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 not make the playoffs, but the Baltimore Bullets did. They would be swept by the Eastern Division champion New York Knicks in 2 games.
The Indianapolis Olympians played their last game, a Game 2 loss to the Lakers in the first round. They folded at the end of the season, and major professional basketball did not return to Indianapolis, Indiana until the Indiana Pacers were founded for the inaugural 1967–68 season of the American Basketball Association .
The Boston Celtics earned their first playoff series victory with a two-game sweep of the Syracuse Nationals .
The 1952–53 Baltimore Bullets hold the distinction of having the worst regular-season record of any playoff qualifier in league history, at 16–54.
Bracket Division Semifinals Division Finals NBA Finals E1 New York 2 E4 Baltimore 0 E1 New York *3 Eastern Division E3 Boston 1 E3 Boston 2 E2 Syracuse 0 E1 New York* 1 W1 Minneapolis 4 W1 Minneapolis 2 W4 Indianapolis 0 W1 Minneapolis *3 Western Division W3 Fort Wayne 2 W3 Fort Wayne 2 W2 Rochester 1
* Division winner Bold Series winnerItalic Team with home-court advantage in NBA FinalsDivision Semifinals Eastern Division Semifinals (1) New York Knicks vs. (4) Baltimore Bullets Baltimore Bullets 62, New York Knicks 80 Scoring by quarter: 13 –12, 19–21 , 11–20 , 19–27 Pts :Jim Baechtold 17Pts: Connie Simmons 25New York leads series, 1–0
New York Knicks 90 , Baltimore Bullets 81Scoring by quarter: 20 –14, 23–24 , 21–24 , 26 –19Pts :Vince Boryla 20Pts: Baechtold , Miller 21 eachNew York wins series, 2–0
This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team splitting the first two meetings.
(2) Syracuse Nationals vs. (3) Boston Celtics Boston Celtics 87 , Syracuse Nationals 81Scoring by quarter: 16–19 , 19 –14, 18 –16, 34 –32Pts :Bob Cousy 20Pts: Paul Seymour 18Boston leads series, 1–0
Syracuse Nationals 105, Boston Celtics 111 (4OT)Scoring by quarter: 22 –21, 20 –19, 17–22 , 18 –15,Overtime: 9–9, 4–4, 9–9, 6–12 Pts :Red Rocha 19 Asts :George King 4Pts: Bob Cousy 50 Asts: Macauley , Sharman 5 eachBoston wins series, 2–0
Al Cervi ’s final NBA game.This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams. This series featured the last quadruple overtime game until 2019.
Western Division Semifinals (1) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (4) Indianapolis Olympians Indianapolis Olympians 69, Minneapolis Lakers 85 Scoring by quarter: 14–21 , 17–21 , 25 –21, 13–22 Pts :Joe Graboski 22Pts: Vern Mikkelsen 18Minneapolis leads series, 1–0
Minneapolis Lakers 81 , Indianapolis Olympians 79Scoring by quarter: 24 –19, 10–13 , 25 –17, 22–30 Pts :Pollard , Mikkelsen 16 eachPts: Paul Walther 17Minneapolis wins series, 2–0
This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning the first two meetings.
(2) Rochester Royals vs. (3) Fort Wayne Pistons Fort Wayne Pistons 84 , Rochester Royals 77Scoring by quarter: 14–16 , 23 –21, 21 –20, 26 –20Pts :Fred Schaus 20Pts: Arnie Risen 17Fort Wayne leads series, 1–0
Rochester Royals 83 , Fort Wayne Pistons 71Scoring by quarter: 21 –19, 19–19, 17 –13, 26 –20Pts :Bobby Wanzer 19Pts: Larry Foust 24Series tied, 1–1
Fort Wayne Pistons 67 , Rochester Royals 65Scoring by quarter: 23 –18, 13–13, 15–18 , 16–16Pts :Larry Foust 18Pts: Bobby Wanzer 17Fort Wayne wins series, 2–1
This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Royals winning two of the first three meetings.
Division Finals Eastern Division Finals (1) New York Knicks vs. (3) Boston Celtics Boston Celtics 91, New York Knicks 95 Scoring by quarter: 27 –26, 15–16 , 18–27 , 31 –26Pts :Bob Cousy 28 Asts :Chuck Cooper 6Pts: Connie Simmons 18 Asts: Dick McGuire 8New York leads series, 1–0
New York Knicks 70, Boston Celtics 86 Scoring by quarter: 10–23 , 19 –13, 15–21 , 26–29 Pts :Harry Gallatin 17 Asts :Carl Braun 7Pts: Macauley , Cousy 21 each Asts: Bob Cousy 13Series tied, 1–1
Boston Celtics 82, New York Knicks 101 Scoring by quarter: 22 –20, 15–23 , 18–32 , 27 –26Pts :Bob Cousy 18 Asts :Ed Macauley 5Pts: Harry Gallatin 23 Asts: Dick McGuire 11New York leads series, 2–1
New York Knicks 82 , Boston Celtics 75Scoring by quarter: 17–26 , 14–19 , 22 –11, 29 –19Pts :Carl Braun 18 Asts :Nat Clifton 9Pts: Ed Macauley 25 Asts: Bob Cousy 8New York wins series, 3–1
Boston Garden , Boston , Massachusetts Referees: Phil Fox, Charles Eckman
This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Knicks winning the first two meetings.
Western Division Finals (1) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (3) Fort Wayne Pistons Fort Wayne Pistons 73, Minneapolis Lakers 83 Scoring by quarter: 16–24 , 14–19 , 12–13 , 31 –27Pts :Larry Foust 16Pts: George Mikan 21Minneapolis leads series, 1–0
Fort Wayne Pistons 75, Minneapolis Lakers 82 Scoring by quarter: 18 –16, 17–23 , 18 –17, 22–26 Pts :Larry Foust 21Pts: George Mikan 20Minneapolis leads series, 2–0
Minneapolis Lakers 95, Fort Wayne Pistons 98 Scoring by quarter: 16–29 , 28 –18, 17–24 , 34 –27Pts :George Mikan 23Pts: Fred Scolari 27Minneapolis leads series, 2–1
Minneapolis Lakers 82, Fort Wayne Pistons 85 Scoring by quarter: 20–25 , 18–22 , 23 –11, 21–27 Pts :George Mikan 25Pts: Larry Foust 20Series tied, 2–2
Fort Wayne Pistons 58, Minneapolis Lakers 74 Scoring by quarter: 9–23 , 16 –11, 12–19 , 21–21Pts :Larry Foust 16Pts: Mikan , Martin 18 eachMinneapolis wins series, 3–2
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning the first meeting.
NBA Finals: (W1) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (E1) New York Knicks New York Knicks 96 , Minneapolis Lakers 88Scoring by quarter: 19 –18, 24–29 , 23 –20, 30 –21Pts :Carl Braun 21Pts: George Mikan 25New York leads series, 1–0
Minneapolis Auditorium , Minneapolis , Minnesota Attendance: 5,000 Referees: Sid Borgia, Arnie Heft
New York Knicks 71, Minneapolis Lakers 73 Scoring by quarter: 16–26 , 14–21 , 24 –11, 17 –15Pts :Connie Simmons 17Pts: George Mikan 18Series tied, 1–1
Minneapolis Auditorium , Minneapolis , Minnesota Attendance: 4,848 Referees: Sid Borgia, Arnie Heft
Minneapolis Lakers 90 , New York Knicks 75Scoring by quarter: 21 –14, 18–24 , 26 –22, 25 –15Pts :George Mikan 20Pts: Connie Simmons 18Minneapolis leads series, 2–1
Minneapolis Lakers 71 , New York Knicks 69Scoring by quarter: 21 –16, 20 –18, 13–16 , 17–19 Pts :George Mikan 27Pts: Connie Simmons 17Minneapolis leads series, 3–1
Minneapolis Lakers 91 , New York Knicks 84Scoring by quarter: 19 –18, 25 –17, 25–25, 22–24 Pts :Jim Pollard 17 Asts :Vern Mikkelsen 6Pts: Carl Braun 19 Asts: Ernie Vandeweghe 4Minneapolis wins series, 4–1
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning the first meeting.
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