On today in 1950, the Fort Wayne Pistons and the Minneapolis Lakers mixed to muster simply 37 factors.
In 1950, the Minneapolis Lakers have been the NBA’s freshest class, and nobody was extra conscious of it than Murray Mendenhall.
His Fort Wayne Pistons had too usually been on the shedding aspect in opposition to gamers like George Mikan and Vern Mikkelsen.
So after they entered the Minneapolis Auditorium — whose subject was 4 ft narrower than the league common — they’d a singular sport plan.
Since this was just a few days earlier than the shot clock, there was no restrict to how lengthy a staff might maintain the ball.
Mendenhall informed his Pistons to sit down there with possession till a Laker got here alongside to hassle them.
When the mud settled, the technique had labored. Fort Wayne walked away with a victory – by a rating of 19-18.
The fury from followers and house owners was virtually fast.
“The commissioner of the Nationwide Basketball Affiliation simply put his foot down and mentioned you’ll be able to’t do that,” mentioned Stew Thornley, an professional on all issues Minnesota sports activities, particularly basketball.
“Whether or not the principles enable it or not, you’ll kill our sport.”
Many consider this sport was the direct catalyst towards the establishment of the 24-second shot clock, nevertheless it was really this warning from commissioner Maurice Podoloff that prevented groups from reaching these lows over the following few years . The shot clock would arrive on the sector in 1954.
Thus far, no sport has come near this chore. These groups totaled 37 factors – the bottom mixed sport rating being 83.
