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1950–51 Indianapolis Olympians season

NBA professional basketball team season From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 1950–51 Indianapolis Olympians season was the Olympians' 2nd season in the NBA.[1] One lesser known aspect regarding this season involves how an NBA referee named Sol Levy would successfully rig a game involving the Olympians on November 12, 1950, to have them lose their match to the Boston Celtics instead, which later led to him being caught in the act and arrested as an eventual accomplice in the CCNY point-shaving scandal of 1951.[2][3] Despite finishing this season with a worse 31–37 record in a newly realigned Western Division, the Olympians would qualify for the NBA playoffs once again for the revised formatting for the 1951 NBA playoffs due to their record being much better than that of the Tri-Cities Blackhawks (who would later move to Milwaukee to become the Milwaukee Hawks for the following season of play), though they would lose in the Western Division Semifinals in a close 2–1 series defeat to the three-time defending NBL/BAA/NBA champion Minneapolis Lakers, who later on lost to the eventual new champions of the NBA this season in the Rochester Royals.

Head coachCliff Barker (24–32)
Wally Jones (7–5)
ArenaButler Fieldhouse
Record31–37 (.456)
PlaceDivision: 4th (Western)
Quick facts Indianapolis Olympians season, Head coach ...
1950–51 Indianapolis Olympians season
Head coachCliff Barker (24–32)
Wally Jones (7–5)
ArenaButler Fieldhouse
Results
Record31–37 (.456)
PlaceDivision: 4th (Western)
Playoff finishWest Division Semifinals
(eliminated 1–2)
Stats at Basketball Reference
RadioWXLW
< 1949–50 1951–52 >
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NBA draft

Main article: 1950 NBA draft
More information Round, Pick ...
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
18Bob LavoyF/C United StatesWestern Kentucky
220Paul UnruhF United StatesBradley
332Chuck MrazovichF United StatesEastern Kentucky
668Ralph O'BrienG United StatesButler
780Leon BlevinsG United StatesArizona
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Roster

More information Players, Coaches ...
1950–51 Indianapolis Olympians roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Player Height Weight DOB From
SG 10 Cliff Barker 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Kentucky
SF 20 Leo Barnhorst 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Notre Dame
G 12 Ralph Beard 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Kentucky
G 9 Leon Blevins 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 160 lb (73 kg) Arizona
C 15 Alex Groza 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 218 lb (99 kg) Kentucky
G/F 7 Bruce Hale 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 170 lb (77 kg) Santa Clara
SF 14 Joe Holland 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Kentucky
PF 17 Wallace Jones 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Kentucky
PF 8 Bob Lavoy 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Western Kentucky
F/C 18 Don Lofgran 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 200 lb (91 kg) San Francisco
C 19 John Mahnken 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Georgetown
F/C 16 Mal McMullen 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Xavier
F 19 Chuck Mrazovich 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Eastern Kentucky
G/F 18 Carl Shaeffer 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Alabama
SG 5 Paul Walther 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 160 lb (73 kg) Tennessee
Head coach
Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured
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Regular season

Season standings

More information W, L ...
Western Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Neutral Div
x-Minneapolis Lakers4424.647–29–312–213–024–12
x-Rochester Royals4127.603329–512–22–18–15
x-Fort Wayne Pistons3236.4711227–75–270–218–6
x-Indianapolis Olympians3137.4561319–1210–242–115–20
Tri-Cities Blackhawks2543.3681922–132–281–212–24
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Game log

1950–51 Game log
#DateOpponentScoreHigh pointsLocationRecord
1 November 1 @ Washington L 84–100 Alex Groza (23) 0–1
2 November 4 @ Baltimore L 86–102 Alex Groza (26) 0–2
3 November 5 @ Fort Wayne L 63–68 Alex Groza (31) 0–3
4 November 7 New York W 86–73 Alex Groza (18) 1–3
5 November 9 @ New York W 85–73 Bob Lavoy (23) 2–3
6 November 12 @ Boston L 75–78 Ralph Beard (22) 2–4
7 November 14 Syracuse W 108–78 Bob Lavoy (21) 3–4
8 November 16 @ Philadelphia L 67–85 Alex Groza (23) 3–5
9 November 18 Tri-Cities W 74–67 Alex Groza (17) 4–5
10 November 19 @ Tri-Cities L 81–104 Alex Groza (16) 4–6
11 November 21 Rochester W 91–79 Alex Groza (32) 5–6
12 November 23 @ Syracuse W 92–85 Ralph Beard (25) 6–6
13 November 25 Baltimore W 92–81 Alex Groza (23) 7–6
14 November 26 @ Fort Wayne L 70–79 Alex Groza (21) 7–7
15 November 28 Fort Wayne W 90–66 Alex Groza (25) 8–7
16 December 1 Minneapolis W 66–65 Ralph Beard (18) 9–7
17 December 2 @ Rochester L 72–94 Bob Lavoy (15) 9–8
18 December 3 @ Syracuse L 81–84 Alex Groza (18) 9–9
19 December 5 New York W 95–89 Ralph Beard (20) 10–9
20 December 6 @ Washington W 101–79 Wallace Jones (34) 11–9
21 December 7 @ Philadelphia L 73–102 Alex Groza (18) 11–10
22 December 10 @ New York L 84–106 Alex Groza (33) 11–11
23 December 12 Tri-Cities W 75–74 Ralph Beard (21) 12–11
24 December 15 Minneapolis L 71–82 Alex Groza (19) 12–12
25 December 17 @ Minneapolis L 60–79 Alex Groza (20) 12–13
26 December 19 Fort Wayne L 92–93 Alex Groza (34) 12–14
27 December 23 @ Washington W 87–79 (OT) Paul Walther (17) 13–14
28 December 26 Washington L 81–88 Alex Groza (27) 13–15
29 December 29 Tri-Cities W 112–81 Ralph Beard (28) 14–15
30 January 2 Philadelphia L 86–87 (OT) Beard, Groza (19) 14–16
31 January 4 @ Fort Wayne W 94–83 Ralph Beard (28) 15–16
32 January 6 @ Rochester W 75–73 (6OT) Beard, Groza (17) 16–16
33 January 7 @ Tri-Cities L 79–83 Alex Groza (20) 16–17
34 January 9 Rochester L 59–77 Alex Groza (19) 16–18
35 January 12 Fort Wayne L 81–89 Bob Lavoy (18) 16–19
36 January 14 @ Minneapolis L 84–86 (OT) Ralph Beard (22) 16–20
37 January 16 Minneapolis W 82–68 Alex Groza (19) 17–20
38 January 18 @ Philadelphia L 80–114 Alex Groza (24) 17–21
39 January 20 @ Baltimore L 63–102 Alex Groza (24) 17–22
40 January 23 Boston L 79–83 (OT) Ralph Beard (27) 17–23
41 January 26 Philadelphia W 78–75 Alex Groza (27) 18–23
42 January 28 @ Minneapolis L 75–101 Alex Groza (24) 18–24
43 January 29 Tri-Cities W 87–85 Alex Groza (30) 19–24
44 January 31 Rochester W 68–63 Alex Groza (28) 20–24
45 February 3 Minneapolis L 84–89 Alex Groza (21) 20–25
46 February 4 @ New York W 105–83 Ralph Beard (31) 21–25
47 February 5 vs. Boston L 57–70 Ralph Beard (24) 21–26
48 February 6 Rochester W 78–76 Ralph Beard (24) 22–26
49 February 10 Philadelphia L 78–88 Alex Groza (25) 22–27
50 February 11 @ Minneapolis L 78–91 Alex Groza (21) 22–28
51 February 13 Fort Wayne W 80–78 Beard, Groza (21) 23–28
52 February 14 @ Tri-Cities L 91–98 Alex Groza (24) 23–29
53 February 15 vs. Baltimore W 69–60 Alex Groza (24) 24–29
54 February 16 Minneapolis L 71–76 Ralph Beard (24) 24–30
55 February 18 @ Boston L 75–78 Beard, Groza (17) 24–31
56 February 20 Syracuse L 79–81 Alex Groza (29) 24–32
57 February 25 @ Minneapolis W 75–73 Alex Groza (19) 25–32
58 February 27 Baltimore W 96–74 Ralph Beard (32) 26–32
59 March 4 @ Tri-Cities L 72–87 Ralph Beard (20) 26–33
60 March 6 Boston W 75–73 Alex Groza (20) 27–33
61 March 8 @ Syracuse L 97–121 Alex Groza (27) 27–34
62 March 9 Rochester L 84–91 Alex Groza (23) 27–35
63 March 11 @ Rochester W 95–88 Ralph Beard (35) 28–35
64 March 13 Syracuse W 98–93 Alex Groza (28) 29–35
65 March 14 @ Fort Wayne L 109–115 Alex Groza (35) 29–36
66 March 15 New York W 74–70 Alex Groza (26) 30–36
67 March 17 @ Baltimore W 92–91 Alex Groza (37) 31–36
68 March 18 @ Rochester L 79–91 Ralph Beard (22) 31–37

Playoffs

West Division Semifinals

(1) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (4) Indianapolis Olympians: Lakers win series 2-1

  • Game 1 @ Minneapolis: Minneapolis 95, Indianapolis 81
  • Game 2 @ Indianapolis: Indianapolis 108, Minneapolis 88
  • Game 3 @ Minneapolis: Minneapolis 85, Indianapolis 80

Awards and records

References

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