History is messy. If you ask a casual fan about the LA Lakers first game, they might start talking about Magic Johnson’s baby skyhook or maybe Kobe Bryant’s airballs against Utah. They’re wrong. To really get why this team acts the way it does—the glitz, the winning-at-all-costs vibe, the sheer "Lakers-ness" of it all—you have to go back way before Los Angeles was even on the radar. You have to look at a cold November night in 1948 in a city that couldn't be further from the palm trees of Santa Monica.
Minneapolis. That’s where it started.
On November 4, 1948, the team we now know as the global powerhouse of basketball played its first official game as part of the Basketball Association of America (BAA), which was basically the precursor to the NBA we watch today. They weren't playing the Celtics. They weren't playing the Knicks. They were in a gym in Indiana, facing off against the Fort Wayne Pistons.
They won. 84-72.
It wasn't just a win; it was a statement. The Lakers already had George Mikan, the first true "big man" superstar. Imagine a guy who was so much better than everyone else that they literally had to change the rules of the game just to give other people a chance. That was Mikan. He scored 15 points that night, which sounds like a bad quarter for LeBron James today, but in 1948? That was elite production.
The Identity Crisis that Created a Dynasty
The Lakers didn't start in Los Angeles, and they didn't even start as the "Lakers" in the way we think of them. They were born from the ashes of a disbanded team called the Detroit Gems. Imagine buying a franchise for $15,000—which is what Ben Berger and Max Winter did in 1947—and moving it to Minnesota. They chose the name "Lakers" because Minnesota is the "Land of 10,000 Lakes." It makes sense there. It makes zero sense in Southern California, but by the time they moved in 1960, the brand was too big to kill.
People forget how close this team came to never existing. If the Gems hadn't been the absolute worst team in their previous league, the Lakers wouldn't have had the top draft pick to land George Mikan. No Mikan, no titles. No titles, no move to LA. No move to LA, and maybe Jerry West is just a guy who played in the Midwest and never became the "Logo."
That first game against the Pistons set a tone. The Lakers weren't just participating; they were dominating. They went on to win the championship that first year. Think about that. Most expansion-style teams spend a decade in the basement. The Lakers just showed up and took the trophy. That arrogance—or confidence, depending on who you ask—started on day one.
What Actually Happened in Indiana?
Let's get into the weeds of that 1948 opener. The game was played at the Fort Wayne North Side High School Gym. Yes, a high school gym. This wasn't the Crypto.com Arena with celebrity row and $20 beers. It was smoky, loud, and probably smelled like floor wax and wool jerseys.
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The Pistons were a tough out. They had guys like Curly Armstrong and Frankie Brian. But the Lakers had Jim Pollard, the "Kangaroo Kid," who could reportedly jump so high he could touch the top of the backboard. Pollard had 15 points, matching Mikan. It was a two-headed monster before that was a common basketball term.
One thing people get wrong is thinking this was a slow, boring game. While there was no shot clock yet—that didn't come until 1954—the Lakers played with a sort of proto-Showtime energy. They wanted to run. They wanted to use Mikan’s gravity to open up cuts for Pollard and Herm Schaefer.
- Final Score: Lakers 84, Pistons 72
- Leading Scorers: Pollard (15), Mikan (15), Schaefer (15)
- The Date: November 4, 1948
- The Venue: North Side High School Gym (Fort Wayne)
Honestly, looking at the box score is weird. It’s balanced. Usually, you’d expect Mikan to have 40, but in the LA Lakers first game context, it was a team effort. This is a nuance often lost in the "Mikan did everything" narrative.
The California Shift: 1960 and the "New" First Game
We have to talk about the second "first game." For 99% of fans, the Lakers started in 1960. That's when the team packed up the powder blue and white jerseys and headed West.
October 19, 1960. The Lakers are now the Los Angeles Lakers. They’re playing the Cincinnati Royals.
This game was different. The league was faster. The stars were brighter. The Lakers had a rookie named Jerry West. They had Elgin Baylor, arguably the most underrated player in the history of the sport. Baylor was doing things in 1960 that looked like they were from 2026. He was hanging in the air, double-clutching, and rebounding like a madman.
They lost. 140-123.
It’s a bit of a reality check. The Minneapolis Lakers started with a win and a title. The Los Angeles Lakers started with a loss and a few years of struggle before they figured out how to win in the West. Oscar Robertson—the "Big O"—debuted for the Royals that night and put up a triple-double. It was a baptism by fire for the LA era.
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Why the 1948 Win Still Matters
You might wonder why we should care about a game from nearly 80 years ago. It’s because the Lakers are the only franchise that has successfully maintained an "elite" status across almost every decade of the NBA's existence.
The Celtics had the 60s. The Bulls had the 90s. The Warriors had the 2010s.
The Lakers? They had the 50s (Minneapolis), the 80s (Showtime), the 2000s (Shaq and Kobe), and the 2010/2020s (Kobe and LeBron). That DNA of immediate success started with that 1948 win in Fort Wayne. If they had lost that game, if they had started as a "small market" loser, the entire trajectory of the NBA might be different.
The league needed the Lakers to be the villain. Or the hero. They just needed them to be big.
Modern Context: Opening Night Expectations
Fast forward to today. Every time the Lakers have a "first game" of the season, the pressure is suffocating. If they lose the opener, the media spends three days discussing whether they should trade Anthony Davis or if the coach is on the hot seat.
This culture of "win now or the sky is falling" isn't a modern invention. It’s a legacy issue. When you win your first game in franchise history and then immediately win five titles in six years (which they did in the Mikan era), you set a standard that is basically impossible to maintain. But they try anyway.
Look at the stats. The Lakers have one of the highest winning percentages on opening nights in NBA history. They treat the first game like a coronation.
Common Misconceptions About the First Game
- The Lakers were always in LA: Nope. They spent 13 seasons in Minnesota. They won 5 rings there. If you don't count the Minneapolis titles, you aren't counting the full history.
- The first game was against the Celtics: Everyone wants the rivalry to be the origin story. It wasn't. The Celtics were actually pretty bad in the late 40s. The Lakers-Celtics rivalry didn't truly ignite until the 1960s.
- Magic Johnson played in the first LA game: Magic didn't arrive until 1979. The LA era was already nearly 20 years old by the time he flashed that grin at the Forum.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Historians
If you're a die-hard fan or a sports bettor looking at Lakers openers, there are a few things to keep in mind about how this team handles "firsts."
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Check the Venue Dynamics
The Lakers historically struggle more in "new" environments than on opening nights themselves. When they moved from the Sports Arena to the Forum, and then from the Forum to Staples Center (now Crypto.com), there was always a weird adjustment period.
Follow the "Star Debut" Trend
The Lakers almost always give their new superstars heavy minutes in the first game. Whether it was Mikan in '48, Kareem in '75, or LeBron in 2018, the "first game" is always designed to showcase the new centerpiece. If you're watching a season opener, expect the offensive sets to be 80% focused on the "new guy."
Don't Panic Over an LA Opener Loss
Remember that the 1960 LA debut was a loss. Some of their best championship seasons started with a stumble in October. The Lakers are a "marathon" team, even if the fans treat every game like a sprint.
Final Thoughts on the Legacy of 1948
The LA Lakers first game wasn't just a box score entry. It was the birth of a basketball philosophy. From the North Side High School Gym to the neon lights of Hollywood, the thread remains the same: find a giant, surround him with shooters, and expect to win.
Most teams are happy to be in the league. The Lakers, since that 12-point win over the Pistons in 1948, have acted like the league belongs to them. And for a huge chunk of history, they’ve been right.
If you want to understand the Lakers, stop looking at the highlights of last night’s game. Go look at a grainy photo of George Mikan in a Minneapolis jersey. That’s where the hunger started. That’s why a loss in October 2025 or 2026 feels like a national tragedy to Lakers fans. They’ve been winning since the beginning, and they don’t plan on stopping.
Next Steps for Deep Dives:
To truly grasp the scale of the Lakers' beginnings, research the "Mikan Rules." These were specific changes to the lane width and goaltending rules specifically designed to stop the Lakers from winning so much after their 1948 debut. Also, look into the 1960 plane crash incident involving the Lakers—it’s a harrowing story that happened right before the team moved to LA, and it almost wiped out the entire roster. Understanding that near-tragedy makes their subsequent success in California feel even more miraculous.