1949–50 Indianapolis Olympians season

1949–50 Indianapolis Olympians season
Division champions
Head coachCliff Barker
ArenaHinkle Fieldhouse
Results
Record39–25 (.609)
PlaceDivision: 1st (Western)
Playoff finishDivision finals
(eliminated 1-2)
Stats at Basketball Reference
RadioWXLW

The 1949–50 NBA season was the first season for the Indianapolis Olympians in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Despite them being an expansion franchise, the Olympians would end up being the champions of the Central Division, though they would be eliminated from the playoffs by the Anderson Packers. By the end of the season, the Olympians would join the Tri-Cities Blackhawks as the only other Central Division team to play in the NBA beyond this current season, as the other four Central Division teams would defect from the NBA to create a short-lived rivaling professional basketball league to compete against the NBA called the National Professional Basketball League.

NBA draft

Main article: 1949 BAA draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality School/Club Team
1 2 Alex Groza C  United States Kentucky
2 – Leo Barnhorst F/G  United States Notre Dame
3 – Mac Otten F/C  United States Bowling Green
4 – Bob Evans G  United States Butler
6 – Don Boven F/G  United States Western Michigan

Roster

Indianapolis Olympians 1949–50 roster
Players Coaches
Pos. # Name Ht. Wt. From
G 10 Cliff Barker 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Kentucky
G 12 Ralph Beard 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Kentucky
G 9 Bob Evans 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Butler
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
F 19 Marshall Hawkins 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Tennessee
F 14 Joe Holland 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Kentucky
F 17 Wallace Jones 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Kentucky
F/C 16 Mal McMullen 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Xavier
G 5 Jack Parkinson 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 174 lb (79 kg) Kentucky
G/F Carl Shaeffer 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Alabama
F/C 20 Floyd Volker 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Wyoming
G/F 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

Regular season

Season standings

Western Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Neutral Div
x- 39 25 .609 – 24–7 12–16 3–2 26–9
x-Anderson Packers 37 27 .578 2 22–9 12–18 3–0 25–12
x-Tri-Cities Blackhawks 29 35 .453 10 20–13 6–20 3–2 20–17
x-Sheboygan Red Skins 22 40 .355 17 17–14 5–22 0–4 15–20
Waterloo Hawks 19 43 .306 20 16–15 2–22 1–6 13–22
Denver Nuggets 11 51 .177 28 9–16 1–25 1–10 8–27

Record vs. opponents

1949–50 NBA records
Team AND BAL BOS CHI DEN FWP IND MIN NYK PHI ROC SHE STL SYR TCB WAS WAT
Anderson — 1–1 0–2 1–1 4–3 1–1 2–5 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–2 5–2 2–0 3–4 7–2 1–1 7–0
Baltimore 1–1 — 2–4 1–5 1–1 3–3 1–1 1–5 1–5 3–3 3–3 2–0 3–3 0–2 0–2 2–4 1–1
Boston 2–0 4–2 — 0–6 1–1 2–4 1–1 1–5 1–5 3–3 0–6 1–1 2–4 0–2 0–2 3–3 1–1
Chicago 1–1 5–1 6–0 — 2–0 2–4 1–1 2–4 2–4 4–2 2–4 2–0 5–1 0–2 1–1 3–3 2–0
Denver 3–4 1–1 1–1 0–2 — 0–2 0–7 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–2 3–4 0–2 1–6 0–7 0–2 2–5
Fort Wayne 1–1 3–3 4–2 4–2 2–0 — 1–1 2–4 4–2 4–2 3–3 2–0 5–1 0–2 2–0 2–4 1–1
Indianapolis 5–2 1–1 1–1 1–1 7–0 1–1 — 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 5–2 1–1 2–7 4–3 1–1 5–2
Minneapolis 1–1 5–1 5–1 4–2 2–0 4–2 1–1 — 5–1 4–2 3–3 1–1 5–1 1–1 2–0 6–0 2–0
New York 1–1 5–1 5–1 4–2 2–0 2–4 1–1 1–5 — 1–5 1–5 1–1 4–2 0–2 1–1 5–1 2–0
Philadelphia 1–1 3–3 3–3 2–4 2–0 2–4 0–2 2–4 1–5 — 1–5 2–0 2–4 0–2 1–1 2–4 2–0
Rochester 2–0 3–3 6–0 4–2 2–0 3–3 1–1 3–3 5–1 5–1 — 1–1 5–1 1–1 2–0 6–0 2–0
Sheboygan 2–5 0–2 1–1 0–2 4–3 0–2 2–5 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 — 0–2 1–6 3–4 2–0 4–3
St. Louis 0–2 3–3 4–2 1–5 2–0 1–5 1–1 1–5 2–4 4–2 1–5 2–0 — 1–1 2–0 0–6 1–1
Syracuse 4–3 2–0 2–0 2–0 6–1 2–0 7–2 1–1 2–0 2–0 1–1 6–1 1–1 — 6–1 1–1 6–1
Tri-Cities 2–7 2–0 2–0 1–1 7–0 0–2 3–4 0–2 1–1 1–1 0–2 4–3 0–2 1–6 — 1–1 4–3
Washington 1–1 4–2 3–3 3–3 2–0 4–2 1–1 0–6 1–5 4–2 0–6 0–2 6–0 1–1 1–1 — 1–1
Waterloo 0–7 1–1 1–1 0–2 5–2 1–1 2–5 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–2 3–4 1–1 1–6 3–4 1–1 —

Game log

1949–50 game log
# Date Opponent Score High points Record
1 November 1 Denver 71–64 Alex Groza (19) 1–0
2 November 8 New York 64–79 Alex Groza (18) 1–1
3 November 9 at Syracuse 73–103 Alex Groza (24) 1–2
4 November 10 at New York 83–79 Alex Groza (41) 2–2
5 November 11 at Philadelphia 91–84 Ralph Beard (20) 3–2
6 November 12 St. Louis 94–71 Alex Groza (26) 4–2
7 November 13 at Sheboygan 101–104 Alex Groza (30) 4–3
8 November 15 Anderson 72–83 Alex Groza (22) 4–4
9 November 17 at Boston 68–90 Alex Groza (21) 4–5
10 November 19 Waterloo 106–74 Ralph Beard (27) 5–5
11 November 20 at Minneapolis 95–121 Ralph Beard (24) 5–6
12 November 22 Rochester 80–74 Alex Groza (43) 6–6
13 November 23 at Chicago 72–92 Wallace Jones (22) 6–7
14 November 26 Sheboygan 85–59 Alex Groza (20) 7–7
15 November 27 at Tri-Cities 88–104 Alex Groza (21) 7–8
16 November 29 Tri-Cities 92–76 Alex Groza (28) 8–8
17 December 1 Minneapolis 86–68 Alex Groza (38) 9–8
18 December 3 at Rochester 77–99 Alex Groza (21) 9–9
19 December 4 at Syracuse 61–67 Alex Groza (26) 9–10
20 December 6 Boston 93–82 Alex Groza (22) 10–10
21 December 8 at Anderson 72–69 Alex Groza (30) 11–10
22 December 9 Denver 78–75 Alex Groza (18) 12–10
23 December 11 at Fort Wayne 74–90 Alex Groza (22) 12–11
24 December 13 Tri-Cities 84–63 Alex Groza (21) 13–11
25 December 16 at Denver 81–79 Alex Groza (29) 14–11
26 December 18 at Denver 83–79 Alex Groza (22) 15–11
27 December 20 Baltimore 79–88 Alex Groza (27) 15–12
28 December 22 Chicago 104–92 Alex Groza (42) 16–12
29 December 25 at Waterloo 93–97 Alex Groza (28) 16–13
30 December 27 Anderson 89–82 Bruce Hale (17) 17–13
31 January 1 at Sheboygan 89–75 Alex Groza (27) 18–13
32 January 3 Tri-Cities 78–76 Wallace Jones (24) 19–13
33 January 7 at Baltimore 85–61 Alex Groza (22) 20–13
34 January 10 Sheboygan 107–77 Alex Groza (25) 21–13
35 January 13 Waterloo 80–64 Alex Groza (28) 22–13
36 January 15 at Syracuse 69–82 Alex Groza (24) 22–14
37 January 17 Denver 101–81 Bruce Hale (23) 23–14
38 January 19 vs Waterloo 104–87 Alex Groza (30) 24–14
39 January 21 Fort Wayne 112–94 Ralph Beard (31) 25–14
40 January 24 Waterloo 107–69 Alex Groza (28) 26–14
41 January 27 at Anderson 91–78 Groza, Jones (23) 27–14
42 January 28 at Tri-Cities 81–97 Alex Groza (20) 27–15
43 January 30 vs Syracuse 75–91 Alex Groza (19) 27–16
44 February 2 Syracuse 67–73 Alex Groza (20) 27–17
45 February 5 at St. Louis 64–76 Wallace Jones (18) 27–18
46 February 7 Washington 88–81 Wallace Jones (18) 28–18
47 February 10 Anderson 76–107 Alex Groza (25) 28–19
48 February 12 at Tri-Cities 95–89 Alex Groza (25) 29–19
49 February 14 Philadelphia 86–67 Alex Groza (22) 30–19
50 February 15 at Waterloo 74–76 Ralph Beard (21) 30–20
51 February 18 at Washington 79–81 Alex Groza (26) 30–21
52 February 19 at Syracuse 78–82 Alex Groza (22) 30–22
53 February 21 Sheboygan 78–83 Groza, Jones (17) 30–23
54 February 24 vs Syracuse 67–72 Ralph Beard (18) 30–24
55 February 26 at Sheboygan 107–86 Ralph Beard (34) 31–24
56 February 28 Syracuse 110–72 Alex Groza (29) 32–24
57 March 3 Tri-Cities 83–96 Wallace Jones (32) 32–25
58 March 5 at Sheboygan 92–87 Alex Groza (31) 33–25
59 March 7 Anderson 107–93 Ralph Beard (30) 34–25
60 March 9 at Anderson 97–90 Barker, Groza (19) 35–25
61 March 12 Waterloo 90–89 Alex Groza (29) 36–25
62 March 14 Syracuse 68–65 Alex Groza (28) 37–25
63 March 16 vs Denver 111–99 Alex Groza (36) 38–25
64 March 18 vs Denver 110–73 Ralph Beard (23) 39–25

Playoffs

West Division Semifinals

(1) Indianapolis Olympians vs. (4) Sheboygan Red Skins: Olympians win series 2-1

  • Game 1 @ Indianapolis (March 21): Indianapolis 86, Sheboygan 85
  • Game 2 @ Sheboygan (March 23): Sheboygan 95, Indianapolis 85
  • Game 3 @ Indianapolis (March 25): Indianapolis 91, Sheboygan 84

This was the first and only playoff meeting between the Olympians and Red Skins.

West Division Finals

(1) Indianapolis Olympians vs. (2) Anderson Packers: Packers win series 2-1

  • Game 1 @ Indianapolis (March 28): Indianapolis 77, Anderson 74
  • Game 2 @ Anderson (March 30): Anderson 84, Indianapolis 67
  • Game 3 @ Indianapolis (April 1): Anderson 67, Indianapolis 65

This was the first and only playoff meeting between the Olympians and Packers.

References

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