The NBA game with the fewest total points scored occurred on November 22, 1950, between the Fort Wayne Pistons and the Minneapolis Lakers. The final score was a mere 19-18 in favor of the Pistons. This contest stands as an outlier in the league’s history, representing a stark contrast to the high-scoring affairs often associated with professional basketball.
This historical game is significant as it highlights a period when offensive strategies and the pace of play were vastly different. The extremely low score reflects deliberate stalling tactics employed by the Pistons to maintain their lead and limit scoring opportunities for the Lakers. This event prompted changes to NBA rules to prevent such slow-paced, defensively-focused games, ultimately aiming for a more entertaining product for fans.