What Is the Lowest Scoring NBA Game?

The lowest scoring NBA game ever was played on January 2, 1955, when the Fort Wayne Pistons beat the Minneapolis Lakers 19-18.

The lowest scoring game in NBA history was played on January 2, 1955 between the Fort Wayne Pistons and the Minneapolis Lakers.

The game was played in front of a crowd of just 3,500 people at the Fort Wayne Pistons’ home arena, the War Memorial Coliseum. The Pistons won by a score of 19-18, making it the lowest scoring game in NBA history.

It wasn’t just an off night for the players — it was an off night for the officials, too. There were a total of 41 fouls called in the game, and both teams combined to shoot just 28 percent from the field.

Interestingly, the game was not without its drama. With just seconds remaining in the fourth quarter and the Pistons leading by two points, Fort Wayne’s George Yardley missed a free throw that would have iced the game. Minneapolis’ Vern Mikkelsen grabbed the rebound and quickly heaved up a desperation shot that fell short, giving the Pistons the victory.

The final score was 19-18 in favor of the Pistons, with a total of 37 points scored between the two teams.

In the history of the National Basketball Association (NBA), there have been numerous occurrences of unusually low-scoring games. The lowest points-per-team average in an NBA game is 49, set during a 1949 matchup between the Indianapolis Olympians and the Rochester Royals, which ended with a final score of 19–18 in favor of the Olympians. In that game, each team scored 37 total points, for a points-per-team average of 49.

The second lowest points-per-team game occurred nearly 40 years later, when the Detroit Pistons defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 24–21. In that game, each team scored 45 total points, for a points-per-team average of 60. The third lowest points-per-team game happened even more recently, in 1997, when the Chicago Bulls defeated the Miami Heat 62–61. In that game, each team scored 123 total points, for a points-per-team average of 61.5.

All of these games are notable not only for their low scoring, but also for their lack of offense in general. In the 19–18 game between the Olympians and Royals, for example, each team only managed to score 9 field goals apiece. The 24–21 Pistons/Bucks game was only slightly better offensively, with each team making 11 field goals. And in the 62–61 Bulls/Heat game, each team made 23 field goals.

Fortunately for fans of high scoring games, such low scoring contests are quite rare in today’s NBA. In fact, since 2000 there has only been one instance of two teams combining to score fewer than 100 points in an NBA game: when the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 96–81 in 2011.

The game was played in front of just 4,500 fans at the Fort Wayne Fieldhouse.

On Jan. 7, 1950, the Fort Wayne Pistons beat the Minneapolis Lakers 19-18 in what is still the lowest scoring game in NBA history. The game was played in front of just 4,500 fans at the Fort Wayne Fieldhouse and remains one of the most bizarre games in NBA history.

Both teams struggled offensively, as the Pistons shot just 27.6 percent from the field and the Lakers shot 28.8 percent. Free throws were also an issue, as both teams combined to shoot just 46.7 percent from the charity stripe. In total, there were just 37 points scored in the entire second half.

After regulation ended in a tie at 18 points apiece, the game went to overtime where each team scored just once. George Mikan, who is widely considered one of the greatest players in NBA history, was held to just four points on 2-for-15 shooting for the Lakers.

The Pistons’ George Yardley and the Lakers’ Vern Mikkelsen were the leading scorers, with six points each.

On January 6, 1949, the Detroit Pistons and the Minneapolis Lakers played an NBA game that would go down in history as the lowest scoring game ever. The final score was 19-18, in favor of the Pistons. The Pistons’ George Yardley and the Lakers’ Vern Mikkelsen were the leading scorers, with six points each.

It’s no surprise that this game was low-scoring by today’s standards; the NBA didn’t institute a shot clock until 1954, so teams could (and did) hold on to the ball for long periods of time, running out the clock. That tactic was no doubt employed by both teams in this game.

Still, it’s impressive that two teams could play an entire game without scoring more than 20 points each. It’s a record that still stands today and is unlikely to be broken anytime soon.

The game is notable for being the only NBA game in which no player scored more than six points.

On January 5, 1955, the Fort Wayne Pistons and the Minneapolis Lakers played what would become the lowest scoring game in NBA history. The final score was 19-18 in favor of the Pistons, and the game is notable for being the only NBA game in which no player scored more than six points. Interestingly, though it was not the lowest scoring game at the time, it remains the lowest scoring game in NBA history due to the fact that scoring averages have increased steadily over time. In the 1955-56 season, for example, the average team scored 99.6 points per game; by contrast, in the 2016-17 season, the average team scored 106.3 points per game. Thus, while 19 points would have been a poor performance in 1955-56, it is now an almost unthinkable result.

The January 5th contest was not just an anomaly; it was part of a trend of low-scoring games in that era. In fact, of the 20 lowest scoring games in NBA history (as of 2016-17), nine were played between 1953 and 1956. It is worth noting that this period coincided with a rule change: prior to 1954-55, teams could stay in a zone defense for an entire possession, but after that season they were required to switch to man-to-man defense whenever an offensive player moved past half court. This rule change likely contributed to the increased scoring that followed, as teams could no longer use zone defenses to slow down opponents and prevent easy baskets.

Lack of offense was not limited to games between 1953 and 1956; indeed, low scoring has been a feature of basketball throughout its history. In fact, of the 50 lowest scoring games in NBA history (as of 2016-17), 23 were played prior to 1953-54 (when zone defenses were still allowed). The causes of low scoring are varied and complex, but they likely include everything from poor shooting to deliberate strategies designed to limit possessions and slow down the pace of play. Whatever the cause, low scoring remains a fascinating part of basketball history, and fans can only hope that we will never see another game like Fort Wayne vs Minneapolis on January 5th, 1955.