1960-61 NBA Season

As originally written by Tony Miller:

Following the lead of the Giants and Dodgers three falls earlier, the Lakers moved to Los Angeles for the 1960-1961 season. Minnesota is the Land of 10,000 Lakes; Los Angeles is a desert. But this is a sports board, not a geography one, so I will not comment further on their decision to keep the “Lakers” moniker. The team found a home in the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena for the NBA’s final season as an eight-team entity.

Curt Gowdy left the NBA on NBC for the AFL on ABC, leaving Lindsey Nelson as the primary announcer. Nelson did 19 of the 37 telecasts around his football schedule, while Glickman continued as a fill-in for ten games, with Bud Palmer making six appearances and Dodgers voice Jerry Doggett appearing twice.

Data from ”The NBA on NBC 1954-55 to 1961-62”, courtesy librarybob and jtgrace1.

OCTOBER

Saturday 10/15:

Hawks-Royals (preseason), 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson

Saturday 10/22:

Knicks-Royals, 1:00, NBC. Bud Palmer

Saturday 10/29:

Knicks-Pistons, 1:00, NBC. Bud Palmer

NOVEMBER

Saturday 11/5:

Nationals-Lakers, 2:00, NBC. Jerry Doggett

Saturday 11/12:

Royals-Pistons, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson

Saturday 11/19:

Pistons-Lakers (at LA State College), 2:00, NBC. Jerry Doggett

Saturday 11/26:

Nationals-Celtics, 2:00, NBC. Bud Palmer

DECEMBER

Saturday 12/3:

Knicks-Nationals, 2:00, NBC. Bud Palmer

Saturday 12/10:

Nationals-Pistons, 2:00, NBC. Bud Palmer

Saturday 12/24:

Pistons-Celtics, 2:00, NBC. Bud Palmer

JANUARY

Sunday 1/8:

Celtics-Hawks, 2:30, NBC. Marty Glickman

Saturday 1/14:

Royals-Lakers, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson

Saturday 1/15:

Warriors-Nationals, 2:30, NBC. Marty Glickman

Saturday 1/21:

Lakers-Warriors, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson

Sunday 1/22:

Hawks-Royals, 2:30, NBC. Marty Glickman

Saturday 1/28:

Knicks-Warriors, 1:30, NBC. Lindsey Nelson

Sunday 1/29:

Warriors-Celtics, 2:30, NBC. Marty Glickman

FEBRUARY

Saturday 2/4:

Hawks-Knicks, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson

Sunday 2/5:

Knicks-Warriors, 1:30, NBC. Lindsey Nelson

Saturday 2/11:

Royals-Hawks, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson

Sunday 2/12:

Lakers-Hawks, 2:30, NBC. Lindsey Nelson

Saturday 2/18:

Lakers-Knicks, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson

Sunday 2/19:

Celtics-Nationals, 2:30. NBC. Marty Glickman

Saturday 2/25:

Warriors-Royals, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson

Sunday 2/26:

Celtics-Pistons, 2:30, NBC. Marty Glickman

(Note: From BD Sullivan on the source thread, “Due to a blizzard that essentially paralyzed New York City, NBC and the NBA agreed to lift the blackout for [the 2/4] game. According to the AP account, ‘only a handful of spectators showed up.’”)

MARCH

Saturday 3/4:

Nationals-Warriors, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson

Sunday 3/5:

Royals-Knicks, 2:30, NBC. Lindsey Nelson

Saturday 3/11:

Royals-Lakers, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson

Sunday 3/12:

Celtics-Nationals, 2:30, NBC. Marty Glickman

Saturday 3/18:

West semis, g4: Lakers-Pistons, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson

Sunday 3/19:

East finals, g1: Nationals-Celtics, 2:30, NBC. Marty Glickman

Saturday 3/25:

East finals, g4: Celtics-Nationals, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson

Saturday 4/1:

West finals, g7: Lakers-Hawks, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson

Sunday 4/2:

NBA Finals, g1: Hawks-Celtics, 2:30, NBC. Marty Glickman

Saturday 4/8:

NBA Finals, g3: Celtics-Hawks, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson

Sunday 4/9:

NBA Finals, g4: Celtics-Hawks, 2:30, NBC. Lindsey Nelson