Evening star., 1949-04-10
.Lakers Beaten
.83.71; 5th Tilt
Here Tomorrow
Nichols Leeds Locals
With II Points; 4,470
Watch First Victory
By Bill Fuchs

George Mikan. Minneapolis hot
scoring artist, injured his right
wrist in a fall during the first
period of last nights fourth play
off game of the Basketball AS
sociation of Americas champion
ship round and the Caps went on
to win, 1911.
1t was the first victory fol-
Washington in the best four-of-
seven series and carries the play
offs over to tomorrow night a,
Uline Arena.
Mikan, the Lakers' 6-foot 10
inch wizard, fell on his wrist and
spine in collision with the Caps
Kleggie Hermsen under the Min
neapolis basket and the bespecta-
cled giant was never the same
again.
Caps Trailed at the Time.
At the time Of the mishap, the
Caps were trailing, 1877, and Big
George had contributed 10 points
all on field goals. He ended with
a total of 81.
Mikan had trouble turning his
wrist and the Lakers experienced
f1eld-goal famine which lasted
until the second period was three
minutes old. The Lakers scored
only two field goals that period
and three in the third.
Seeing the opposition get jinxed
seemed to set the Caps off. Big
Jack Nichols began throwing the
ball in from all angles and re-
tired with 27 points. Jack hit for
II of 20 field goal attempts and
sank all of five free throws for
his total.
Mikan scored three field goals
in the final quarter to bring his
total to nine and dumped in nine
of 10 fouls.
Caps a Different Team.
1t won't be known until today
whether Mikan will be seriously
handicapped for the rest of the
series. Even so, a good many OF
the 4,470 fans who saw the game
went away believing the Caps
would have won-Mikan or no
Mikan.
1t was an entirely different ball
club from the one which has been
wearing the Washington uniform
so far In this series.
Missing shot after shot and
foul after foul. the Caps took a
20-point drubbing Friday night
right on the heels of two awful
pastings In Minneapolis.
Even in the opening minutes
when the Lakers were laying it
on. the Caps looked as though
they were going to make game
of it. o.
Mikan's shot from the side put
the Lakers in front, 20, but
Hermsen pushed one up to tie it.
Mikan then tapped one in and
followed with another. Nichols,
fouled by Mikan. sank his free
one to make 1t 6-3. Herman
Schaefer then potted in two shots.
Arnie Ferrin added one and Mikan
put in another. The Caps, mean
while. scored only two baskets
a pushup by Hermsen and a
hook shot by Nichols.
Fighting for the Ball.
But even with this one-sided
state of affairs, the Washington
club looked as though it had had
several transfusions. The Caps
were fighting for the ball and
looking very much alive in con-
trast to their half dead exhibition
Friday night.
Hermsen crashed into Mikan
with his shoulder and the former
DePaul ace slammed to the floor
with a terrific impact. Time was
called and his wrist was taped
but it was a different ball game
after that.
Mikan came back into the game
and sank two foul shots to stretch
the LakerS' lead to 1879; but then,
the Caps got hot.
They sank nine of 10 free
throws and three field goals and
when the session ended the LAX
ers had a mere 1922 lead.
Caps Lead At Half, 45-35.
Nichols was the one who made
the big difference. The rookie
sensation began pouring them in
when the Caps trailed, 1890, mid
way in the second period. He
scored three successive field goals
followed Hermsen's lay-up with q
foul shot and Dick OKeefe's tap
in with a push-up. The halt
ended with the Caps leading, As
IS.
Mikan's injury forced him tt
shoot with a stiff wrist and the
(See CAPS. Page B-30