1950–51 NBA season

Notable occurrences

• The NBA began recording rebounds.
• The NBA contracted itself, losing six teams (the Anderson Packers, original Denver Nuggets, Sheboygan Red Skins and Waterloo Hawks jumped to the short-lived National Professional Basketball League, while the Chicago Stags and St. Louis Bombers just folded operations before the season began) and shrank from 17 teams to 11 before the season started. Chicago would not have a new NBA team again until the 1960s, while Denver wouldn't have a new team called the Nuggets until a new, modern iteration of the squad that has no relationship to the original Nuggets team joined the NBA in 1976 following the ABA-NBA merger that year. Midway through the season, the Washington Capitols folded operations as well, bringing the number of teams in the league down to ten by the end of the season. Washington, D.C. would not have another professional basketball team until the American Basketball Association’s Oakland Oaks American Basketball Association squad relocated there for one season in 1969–70. Washington’s next NBA team would not be established until a future, reformed version of the Baltimore Bullets (who aren't related to the Baltimore Bullets that exist during this season) relocated there in 1973.
• Earl Lloyd became the NBA's first Black player when (in the opening game of the season in Rochester) the Washington Capitols put him in the game after halftime. He went on to score six points and grab a game-high 10 rebounds, but the breaking of the color barrier merited barely a mention in news reports of the time. Chuck Cooper of the Boston Celtics and Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton of the New York Knicks also played in their teams' openers within a few days.
• The lowest scoring game in NBA history occurred on November 22, 1950, where the Fort Wayne Pistons would defeat the Minneapolis Lakers by the final score of 19–18. It would be a catalyst for the NBA to implement the shot clock a few seasons later.
• The longest game in NBA history (by playing time) took place on January 6, 1951, between the Indianapolis Olympians and the Rochester Royals. The game, held in Rochester at Edgerton Park Arena, ended 75–73 after 78 minutes, including six overtimes. The overtimes saw only 18 points scored between the two teams, so this game also became a factor in the introduction of the shot clock.
• During the month of January 1951, it was discovered by New York District Attorney Frank Hogan that Sol Levy, a referee that has been a part of the NBA for three seasons, had arranged to fix the outcomes of six different NBA games under an accomplice of his. Levy would later be suspended, arrested, and subsequently permanently banned from the NBA for his role in fixing NBA games, becoming the first official to be banned in such a case. Baltimore Bullets rookie Norm Mager would subsequently be the first official NBA player to be permanently banned afterward when it was discovered he was involved in the CCNY point-shaving scandal back when he was a senior there.
• The first annual NBA All-Star Game, a showcase of the league's top players, was played in Boston, Massachusetts, with the East beating the West 111–94. Ed Macauley of the Boston Celtics received the first NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award.

Teams

• Note: Team logos were not necessarily used by the teams on their jerseys.
• Any logo displaying offensive or racist images are only represented here for historical accuracy.

Final standings

Eastern Division

Western Division

:x – Clinched playoff spot †: folded operations during season

Playoffs

Main article: 1951 NBA playoffs

Statistics leaders

Note: Prior to the 1969–70 season, league leaders in points, rebounds, and assists were determined by totals rather than averages.

NBA awards

• All-NBA First Team:
  • Alex Groza, Indianapolis Olympians
  • Ralph Beard, Indianapolis Olympians
  • Bob Davies, Rochester Royals
  • George Mikan, Minneapolis Lakers
  • Ed Macauley, Boston Celtics
• All-NBA Second Team:
  • Frank Brian, Tri-Cities Blackhawks
  • Joe Fulks, Philadelphia Warriors
  • Dick McGuire, New York Knicks
  • Vern Mikkelsen, Minneapolis Lakers
  • Dolph Schayes, Syracuse Nationals

References

References

1. "Remembering the Royals". USA Today Network.
2. "Longest NBA basketball game".
3. "ESPN Classic - Explosion: 1951 scandals threaten college hoops".
4. (2007-07-24). "When an NBA Referee Was Convicted of Shaving Points".