1953-54 Season The Lakers won an NBA title this season

Record: 46-26, first place in Western Division

Hampered by bad knees most of the season, George Mikan averaged only 18.1 points per game, but the Lakers still finished with the best record in the NBA.

Playoffs: The NBA experimented with a round-robin format in the first round. Minneapolis survived, then defeated Rochester in the Western Division finals to advance to the NBA Finals. Waiting for them there: the Syracuse Nationals, who surprised the Lakers with a two-point win in Game 2, at Minneapolis. The Lakers won two of three in Syracuse to take a 3-2 lead heading back home, but Syracuse won Game 6 before the Lakers won their third title in a row with an 87-80 Game 7 victory.

Playoff Results


Western Division Round-Robin format


  • at Lakers 109, Rochester 88

  • Lakers 90, at Fort Wayne 85

  • at Lakers 78, Fort Wayne 73



Western Division Finals


  • at Lakers 89, Rochester 76

  • at Rochester 74, Lakers 73

  • at Lakers 82, Rochester 72




NBA Finals


  • at Lakers 79, Syracuse 68

  • Syracuse 62, at Lakers 60

  • Lakers 81, at Syracuse 67

  • at Syracuse 80, Lakers 69

  • Lakers 84, at Syracuse 73

  • Syracuse 65, at Lakers 63

  • at Lakers 87, Syracuse 80