1950-51 NBA
Pre-Shot Clock
Rochester Royals won the title.
- Teams
- 11
- Games per team
- 69
- Pace (poss. per 48 min)
- 97.4
- Points per team game
- 84.1
- League true shooting
- .428
- Share of shots from three
- No line
Award winners
- Rookie of the YearPaul Arizin
Standings and postseason
East
| Team | W | L | SRS | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia Warriors | 40 | 26 | 3.40 | Lost conf. finals |
| Boston Celtics | 39 | 30 | -0.41 | Lost 2nd round |
| New York Knicks | 36 | 30 | 0.49 | Lost Finals |
| Syracuse Nationals | 32 | 34 | 0.62 | Lost conf. finals |
| Baltimore Bullets | 24 | 42 | -1.94 | Missed playoffs |
| Washington Capitols | 10 | 25 | -4.63 | Missed playoffs |
West
| Team | W | L | SRS | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis Lakers | 44 | 24 | 4.79 | Lost conf. finals |
| Rochester Royals | 41 | 27 | 2.54 | Won title |
| Fort Wayne Pistons | 32 | 36 | -1.81 | Lost 2nd round |
| Indianapolis Olympians | 31 | 37 | -2.00 | Lost conf. finals |
| Tri-Cities Blackhawks | 25 | 43 | -3.22 | Missed playoffs |
Rules in force
| Free-throw lane width | 6 ft |
|---|---|
| Three-point line | none |
| Arm bar / forearm contact | allowed (source pending) |
| Hand-checking | allowed |
| Zone defense | not permitted (source pending) |
| Backcourt count | 10 seconds (source pending) |
| Shot clock | none |
See how each rule changed over time on the rules timeline.
What changed this season
NBA integrates
Chuck Cooper, Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton, and Earl Lloyd become the first Black players in the NBA in 1950-51. Earlier seasons drew from a restricted talent pool.