You Are Here > Basketball-Reference.com > Leagues > 1952-53 NBA

1952-53 NBA Season Summary

Previous Season / Next Season

Season Summary / Expanded Leaders / Player Statistics / Debuts / Final Season / Game Results

League Standings

Playoff teams are marked with an asterisk (*) / Click column headers to sort
Team W L W-L% GB PS/G PA/G W Pyth L Pyth SRS
Eastern Division         
New York Knickerbockers* 47 23 .671 — 85.5 80.3 50 20 4.39
Syracuse Nationals* 47 24 .662 0.5 85.6 81.3 48 23 3.62
Boston Celtics* 46 25 .648 1.5 88.1 85.8 42 29 1.93
Baltimore Bullets* 16 54 .229 31.0 84.4 90.9 18 52 -5.80
Philadelphia Warriors 12 57 .174 34.5 80.2 87.4 16 53 -7.75
Western Division         
Minneapolis Lakers* 48 22 .686 — 85.3 79.2 52 18 5.53
Rochester Royals* 44 26 .629 4.0 86.3 83.5 43 27 2.62
Fort Wayne Pistons* 36 33 .522 11.5 81.0 81.1 34 35 0.17
Indianapolis Olympians* 28 43 .394 20.5 74.6 77.4 27 44 -2.31
Milwaukee Hawks 27 44 .380 21.5 75.9 77.4 31 40 -2.49

League Playoffs

Finals (4-1): Minneapolis Lakers over New York Knickerbockers
 
Eastern Division Finals (3-1): New York Knickerbockers over Boston Celtics
 
Western Division Finals (3-2): Minneapolis Lakers over Fort Wayne Pistons
 
Eastern Division Semifinals (2-0): Boston Celtics over Syracuse Nationals
Eastern Division Semifinals (2-0): New York Knickerbockers over Baltimore Bullets
 
Western Division Semifinals (2-1): Fort Wayne Pistons over Rochester Royals
Western Division Semifinals (2-0): Minneapolis Lakers over Indianapolis Olympians

Team Statistics

Glossary / Playoff teams are marked with an asterisk (*) / Convert to CSV / Convert to PRE / Click column headers to sort
Rk Team G MP FG FGA FG% 3P 3PA 3P% FT FTA FT% ORB DRB TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF PTS
1 Boston Celtics* 71 2177 5555 .392 1904 2617 .728 3865 1666 1911 6258
2 Syracuse Nationals* 71 1942 5329 .364 2197 2950 .745 3472 1459 2132 6081
3 Rochester Royals* 70 2019 5432 .372 2005 2747 .730 3625 1520 2210 6043
4 New York Knickerbockers* 70 2059 5339 .386 1867 2652 .704 4007 1575 2053 5985
5 Minneapolis Lakers* 70 2166 5559 .390 1641 2221 .739 3406 1351 1917 5973
6 Baltimore Bullets* 70 2083 5615 .371 1745 2542 .686 3727 1514 2141 5911
7 Fort Wayne Pistons* 69 1876 5230 .359 1839 2491 .738 3548 1438 2119 5591
8 Philadelphia Warriors 69 1987 5546 .358 1560 2298 .679 3763 1513 1860 5534
9 Milwaukee Hawks 71 1873 5320 .352 1643 2400 .685 3429 1427 2120 5389
10 Indianapolis Olympians* 71 1829 5204 .351 1637 2277 .719 3326 1281 1765 5295
League Average 70 2001 5413 .370 1804 2520 .716 3617 1474 2023 5806

Opponent Statistics

Glossary / Playoff teams are marked with an asterisk (*) / Convert to CSV / Convert to PRE / Click column headers to sort
Rk Team G MP FG FGA FG% 3P 3PA 3P% FT FTA FT% ORB DRB TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF PTS
1 Indianapolis Olympians* 71 5493
2 Milwaukee Hawks 71 5496
3 Minneapolis Lakers* 70 5544
4 Fort Wayne Pistons* 69 5599
5 New York Knickerbockers* 70 5619
6 Syracuse Nationals* 71 5775
7 Rochester Royals* 70 5847
8 Philadelphia Warriors 69 6031
9 Boston Celtics* 71 6090
10 Baltimore Bullets* 70 6360
League Average 70 5785

League Awards

Rookie of the Year:Monk Meineke

League Leaders

Glossary / Rate statistic requirements

Minutes Played

1.Neil Johnston*-PHW3166
2.Bob Cousy*-BOS2945
3.Ed Macauley*-BOS2902
4.Mel Hutchins-MLH2891
5.Leo Barnhorst-INO2871

Field Goals

1.Neil Johnston*-PHW504
2.George Mikan*-MNL500
3.Bob Cousy*-BOS464
4.Ed Macauley*-BOS451
5.Jack Nichols-MLH425

Field Goal Attempts

1.Bob Cousy*-BOS1320
2.George Mikan*-MNL1252
3.Jack Nichols-MLH1170
4.Neil Johnston*-PHW1114
5.Leo Barnhorst-INO1034

Field Goal Pct

1.Neil Johnston*-PHW.452
 Ed Macauley*-BOS.452
3.Harry Gallatin*-NYK.444
4.Bill Sharman*-BOS.436
5.Vern Mikkelsen*-MNL.435

Free Throws

1.Neil Johnston*-PHW556
2.Dolph Schayes*-SYR512
3.Ed Macauley*-BOS500
4.Bob Cousy*-BOS479
5.George Mikan*-MNL442

Free Throw Attempts

1.Neil Johnston*-PHW794
2.Ed Macauley*-BOS667
3.Dolph Schayes*-SYR619
4.Bob Cousy*-BOS587
5.George Mikan*-MNL567

Free Throw Pct

1.Bill Sharman*-BOS.850
2.Fred Scolari-FTW.844
3.Dolph Schayes*-SYR.827
4.Carl Braun-NYK.825
5.Fred Schaus-FTW.821

Total Rebounds

1.George Mikan*-MNL1007
2.Neil Johnston*-PHW976
3.Dolph Schayes*-SYR920
4.Harry Gallatin*-NYK916
5.Mel Hutchins-MLH793

Assists

1.Bob Cousy*-BOS547
2.Andy Phillip*-TOT397
3.George King-SYR364
4.Dick McGuire*-NYK296
5.Paul Seymour-SYR294

Personal Fouls

1.Monk Meineke-FTW334
2.Joe Fulks*-PHW319
3.Joe Graboski-INO303
4.George Mikan*-MNL290
5.Vern Mikkelsen*-MNL289

Points

1.Neil Johnston*-PHW1564
2.George Mikan*-MNL1442
3.Bob Cousy*-BOS1407
4.Ed Macauley*-BOS1402
5.Dolph Schayes*-SYR1262

Minutes Per Game

1.Neil Johnston*-PHW45.2
2.Ed Macauley*-BOS42.1
3.Bob Cousy*-BOS41.5
4.Mel Hutchins-MLH40.7
5.Leo Barnhorst-INO40.4

Points Per Game

1.Neil Johnston*-PHW22.3
2.George Mikan*-MNL20.6
3.Ed Macauley*-BOS20.3
4.Bob Cousy*-BOS19.8
5.Dolph Schayes*-SYR17.8

Rebounds Per Game

1.George Mikan*-MNL14.4
2.Neil Johnston*-PHW13.9
3.Harry Gallatin*-NYK13.1
4.Dolph Schayes*-SYR13.0
5.Larry Foust-FTW11.5

Assists Per Game

1.Bob Cousy*-BOS7.7
2.Andy Phillip*-TOT5.7
3.George King-SYR5.1
4.Dick McGuire*-NYK4.9
5.Paul Seymour-SYR4.4

Player Efficiency Rating

1.George Mikan*-MNL28.4
2.Neil Johnston*-PHW25.8
3.Dolph Schayes*-SYR25.0
4.Ed Macauley*-BOS24.2
5.Harry Gallatin*-NYK23.2

True Shooting Pct

1.Ed Macauley*-BOS.543
2.Neil Johnston*-PHW.534
3.Harry Gallatin*-NYK.525
4.Bill Sharman*-BOS.521
5.Vern Mikkelsen*-MNL.504
      

All-NBA Teams

1st Team
Bob Cousy
Neil Johnston
Ed Macauley
George Mikan
Dolph Schayes
 2nd Team
Bob Davies
Vern Mikkelsen
Andy Phillip
Bill Sharman
Bobby Wanzer

All-Star Teams

East
Don Barksdale*
Carl Braun*
Bob Cousy*
Bill Gabor*
Harry Gallatin*
Neil Johnston*
Ed Macauley*
Dolph Schayes*
Fred Scolari
Paul Seymour*
Bill Sharman*
 West
Leo Barnhorst*
Bob Davies*
Larry Foust*
Mel Hutchins*
Slater Martin*
George Mikan*
Vern Mikkelsen*
Andy Phillip*
Arnie Risen*
Bobby Wanzer*
Players who played in the game are marked with an asterisk (*).