<< 1952-53 Minneapolis Lakers | 1954-55 Minneapolis Lakers >>
The 1953-54 NBA season saw yet another team removed, with only nine remaining in the league. In the previous two seasons, eight of the 10 teams made the playoffs with four in each division. Because of the lost team in the Western Division, the playoff format was changed completely.
The Minneapolis Lakers, with George Mikan at the helm again, finished 46-26 for the best record in the league. Instead of a quarterfinal round, the NBA went with a round robin comprised of the three best teams in each division. The top two in the round robin would go to the divisional finals.
The Lakers faced the Rochester Royals in the west finals, beating them 2-1. Finally, they played a battle of a seven-game series vs. the Syracuse Nationals to win their third consecutive championship, the first three-peat in NBA history. This also gave them five championships in six years.
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NBA playoffs schedule and results
