1949 BAA playoffs

The 1949 BAA playoffs was the postseason tournament following the Basketball Association of America 1948–49 season, its third and last. Later that year the BAA and National Basketball League merged to create the National Basketball Association or NBA. The tournament concluded with the Western Division champion Minneapolis Lakers defeating the Eastern Division champion Washington Capitols 4 games to 2 in the BAA Finals.

The eight qualified teams began tournament play on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 22 and 23, and the Finals concluded on Wednesday, April 13. Minneapolis and Washington played 10 and 11 games in a span of 22 days; their six final games in ten days. Prior to their final series, however, Minneapolis had been idle for five days, Washington for only one day.

This season would also be the final season where the BAA's playoffs would be in direct competition with the rivaling NBL's playoffs, with the 1949 NBL playoffs occurring from April 1–19, 1949, with the NBL being late against the BAA this time around. The final BAA playoffs would see the NBL-born Minneapolis Lakers take on the final championship from the BAA's name, meaning the BAA's championships would be earned by a team from three different professional basketball leagues upon their births (the Philadelphia Warriors with the inaugural BAA championship representing the BAA properly, the Baltimore Bullets getting the 1948 championship while previously being from the American Basketball League, and the Minneapolis Lakers acquiring the 1949 BAA championship while previously being from the rivaling National Basketball League).

Playoff seeds

Eastern Division Washington Capitols New York Knicks Baltimore Bullets Philadelphia Warriors

Western Division Rochester Royals Minneapolis Lakers Chicago Stags St. Louis Bombers

Playoff bracket

Division Semifinals

Eastern Division Semifinals

(1) Washington Capitols vs. (4) Philadelphia Warriors