1952-53 NBA Season Standings
The Eastern Division produced a tight three-team race, with the New York Knicks edging Syracuse by half a game and Boston by 1.5 games for the division title, while out West George Mikan's Minneapolis Lakers again dominated, running away with the division at 48-22. Minneapolis went on to rout the Knicks 4 games to 1 in the Finals for their fourth NBA championship in five years, cementing the Lakers as the league's first true dynasty. Neil Johnston of Philadelphia led the league in scoring, and Fort Wayne's Don Meineke won the NBA's first-ever Rookie of the Year award. The league's have-not franchises were laid bare this season: the Baltimore Bullets and Philadelphia Warriors both finished with dismal sub-.230 winning percentages, with Baltimore folding partway into the following season (1954-55) due to financial collapse.
Sourcing caveat: This original Baltimore Bullets franchise (BAA charter-era lineage via the 1947 ABL transfer) is distinct from the later 1963-founded Baltimore Bullets (relocated Chicago Zephyrs) that eventually became the Washington Wizards; this original franchise folded in November 1954, partway through the following season.
Eastern Conference
| Seed | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NYKNew York Knicks | 47 | 23 | .671 | - |
| 2 | SNSyracuse Nationals | 47 | 24 | .662 | 0.5 |
| 3 | BCBoston Celtics | 46 | 25 | .648 | 1.5 |
| 4 | BBBaltimore Bullets | 16 | 54 | .229 | 31 |
| 5 | PWPhiladelphia Warriors | 12 | 57 | .174 | 34.5 |
Western Conference
| Seed | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MLMinneapolis Lakers | 48 | 22 | .686 | - |
| 2 | RRRochester Royals | 44 | 26 | .629 | 4 |
| 3 | FWPFort Wayne Pistons | 36 | 33 | .522 | 11.5 |
| 4 | IOIndianapolis Olympians | 28 | 43 | .394 | 20.5 |
| 5 | MHMilwaukee Hawks | 27 | 44 | .380 | 21.5 |
Sources
Data last verified: 11 August 2026.
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