1973–74 New York Nets season
Encyclopedia
The 1973-74 New York Nets season was the 7th season in the ABA
basketball
in New York City
. The Nets won their first ABA Championship.
{| class="wikitable sortable sortable"
! style="background:#C41E3A;color:#14345B;" width="7%"| Round
! style="background:#C41E3A;color:#14345B;" width="7%"| Pick
! style="background:#C41E3A;color:#14345B;" width="20%"| Player
! style="background:#C41E3A;color:#14345B;" width="15%"| Position
! style="background:#C41E3A;color:#14345B;" width="20%"| School/Club Team
|-
|}
. Playing in Binghamton, New York
, the Nets beat the 76ers 94-88. On September 28 the Nets again faced the 76ers, this time in Trenton, New Jersey
. The Nets also won this matchup, 118-100.
On September 29 in White Plains, New York
the Nets faced the Washington Bullets. Julius Erving
scored a game-high 42 points as the Nets prevailed 127-121.
On October 2, 17,226 fans showed up at Madison Square Garden
to watch the Nets play the New York Knicks
. Erving scored 27 points, 12 of them in the third quarter, as the Nets won 97-87.
On October 7 the Nets took their 4-0 streak against NBA teams into a contest with the Boston Celtics
in Uniondale, New York
. Erving scored 23 points, but John Havlicek
scored 37 for Boston as the Celtics won, 121-102.
|+ Eastern Division
! Team !! W !! L !! PCT !! GB
|-
| align="left" | New York Nets || 55 || 29 || .655|| -
|-
| align="left" | Kentucky Colonels
|| 53 || 31 || .631|| 2
|-
| align="left" | Carolina Cougars
|| 47 || 37 || .560|| 8
|-
| align="left" | Virginia Squires
|| 28 || 56 || .333|| 27
|-
| align="left" | Memphis Tams
|| 21 || 63 || .250|| 34
|-
|}
|- align="center" style="background:#C41E3A;color:#14345B;"
| Game || Date || Opponent || Result || Nets points || Opponents || Record || Streak || Notes
|- align="center" bgcolor=""
| 1 ||October 10 ||Indiana Pacers || Loss ||99 ||118 ||0-1 ||Lost 1 ||
|- align="center" bgcolor=""
| 2 ||October 12 ||Virginia Squires || Win ||116 ||105 ||1-1 ||Won 1 ||
|- align="center" bgcolor=""
|}
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="16%" | Player
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | GP
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | MIN
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | STL
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | REB
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | ASST
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | BLK
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | PTS
|- align="center"
|-
|Julius Erving
|84
|3398
|190
|899
|434
|204
|2299
|-
|Larry Kenon
|84
|2908
|79
|962
|112
|19
|1334
|-
|}
American Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The Nets won their first ABA Championship.
ABA Draft
{| class="wikitable sortable sortable"{| class="wikitable sortable sortable"
! style="background:#C41E3A;color:#14345B;" width="7%"| Round
! style="background:#C41E3A;color:#14345B;" width="7%"| Pick
! style="background:#C41E3A;color:#14345B;" width="20%"| Player
! style="background:#C41E3A;color:#14345B;" width="15%"| Position
! style="background:#C41E3A;color:#14345B;" width="20%"| School/Club Team
|-
|}
Exhibition games
On September 18, 1973 the Nets opened the ABA vs. NBA exhibition season against the NBA's Philadelphia 76ersPhiladelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
. Playing in Binghamton, New York
Binghamton, New York
Binghamton is a city in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. It is near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers...
, the Nets beat the 76ers 94-88. On September 28 the Nets again faced the 76ers, this time in Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
. The Nets also won this matchup, 118-100.
On September 29 in White Plains, New York
White Plains, New York
White Plains is a city and the county seat of Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located in south-central Westchester, about east of the Hudson River and northwest of Long Island Sound...
the Nets faced the Washington Bullets. Julius Erving
Julius Erving
Julius Winfield Erving II , commonly known by the nickname Dr. J, is a retired American basketball player who helped launch a modern style of play that emphasizes leaping and play above the rim....
scored a game-high 42 points as the Nets prevailed 127-121.
On October 2, 17,226 fans showed up at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
to watch the Nets play the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
. Erving scored 27 points, 12 of them in the third quarter, as the Nets won 97-87.
On October 7 the Nets took their 4-0 streak against NBA teams into a contest with the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
in Uniondale, New York
Uniondale, New York
Uniondale is a hamlet as well as a suburb of New York City in Nassau County, New York, United States, on Long Island, in the Town of Hempstead. The population was 24,759 at the 2010 United States Census.-Geography:...
. Erving scored 23 points, but John Havlicek
John Havlicek
John J. "Hondo" Havlicek is a retired American professional basketball player who competed for 16 seasons with the Boston Celtics, winning eight NBA titles, half of them coming in his first four seasons....
scored 37 for Boston as the Celtics won, 121-102.
Season standings
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"|+ Eastern Division
! Team !! W !! L !! PCT !! GB
|-
| align="left" | New York Nets || 55 || 29 || .655|| -
|-
| align="left" | Kentucky Colonels
Kentucky Colonels
The Kentucky Colonels were a member of the American Basketball Association for all of the league's nine years. The name is derived from the historic Kentucky colonels. The Colonels won the most games and had the highest winning percentage of any franchise in the league's history, but the team did...
|| 53 || 31 || .631|| 2
|-
| align="left" | Carolina Cougars
Carolina Cougars
Carolina Cougars was a basketball franchise in the former American Basketball Association that existed from late 1969 through 1974. The Cougars were originally a charter member of the ABA as the Houston Mavericks in 1967. The Mavericks moved to North Carolina in late 1969 after two unsuccessful...
|| 47 || 37 || .560|| 8
|-
| align="left" | Virginia Squires
Virginia Squires
The Virginia Squires were a basketball franchise in the former American Basketball Association from 1970 until just before the ABA-NBA merger in 1976.-In Oakland :...
|| 28 || 56 || .333|| 27
|-
| align="left" | Memphis Tams
Memphis Tams
The Memphis Tams were an American Basketball Association team during the 1972-1973 and 1973-1974 seasons. The team had previously been the New Orleans Buccaneers for three seasons before moving to Memphis, Tennessee where it became the Memphis Pros from 1970 through 1972. The team later became...
|| 21 || 63 || .250|| 34
|-
|}
Schedule
{|class="wikitable" width="80%"|- align="center" style="background:#C41E3A;color:#14345B;"
| Game || Date || Opponent || Result || Nets points || Opponents || Record || Streak || Notes
|- align="center" bgcolor=""
| 1 ||October 10 ||Indiana Pacers || Loss ||99 ||118 ||0-1 ||Lost 1 ||
|- align="center" bgcolor=""
| 2 ||October 12 ||Virginia Squires || Win ||116 ||105 ||1-1 ||Won 1 ||
|- align="center" bgcolor=""
|}
Player stats
Note: GP= Games played; MIN= Minutes; STL= Steals; REB = Rebounds; ASST = Assists; BLK = Blocks; PTS = Points{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="16%" | Player
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | GP
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | MIN
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | STL
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | REB
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | ASST
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | BLK
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="9%" | PTS
|- align="center"
|-
|Julius Erving
|84
|3398
|190
|899
|434
|204
|2299
|-
|Larry Kenon
|84
|2908
|79
|962
|112
|19
|1334
|-
|}
Playoffs
- Won ABA Finals (4-1) versus Utah StarsUtah StarsThe Utah Stars was an American Basketball Association team based in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.Under head coach Bill Sharman the Stars were the first major professional basketball team to use a pre-game shootaround.-History:...
- Won ABA Eastern Division Finals (4-0) versus Kentucky ColonelsKentucky ColonelsThe Kentucky Colonels were a member of the American Basketball Association for all of the league's nine years. The name is derived from the historic Kentucky colonels. The Colonels won the most games and had the highest winning percentage of any franchise in the league's history, but the team did...
- Won ABA Eastern Division Semifinals (4-1) versus Virginia SquiresVirginia SquiresThe Virginia Squires were a basketball franchise in the former American Basketball Association from 1970 until just before the ABA-NBA merger in 1976.-In Oakland :...
Draft and other non-trade signings
- Special circumstance draft pick Jim Brewer signs with Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA
- Undergraduate draft pick Campy Russell stays in college
- Head coach Lou Carnesecca returns to St. John's University
- Kevin Loughery becomes head coach
- Draft pick Doug Collins signs with Philadelphia 76ers of the NBA
- Draft pick Kermit Washington signs with Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA
- William M. Skehan is named Executive Vice President
Trades
- August 1, 1973: George Carter and ABA rights to Kermit Washington and $750,000 traded to the Virginia Squires for Julius Erving and Willie Sojourner
- September 20, 1973: Jim Ard and John Baum traded to the Memphis Tams for the rights to Larry Kenon
- January 24, 1974: John Roche traded to the Kentucky Colonels for Mike Gale and Wendell Ladner
Awards, Records and Honors
- Julius Erving, ABA MVP
- Julius Erving, Finals MVP
- Julius Erving, All-Star Team, East Division
- Larry Kenon, All-Star Team, East Division
- Billy Paultz, All-Star Team, East Division (missed game due to injury)
- Julius Erving, All-ABA Team, 1st Team
- Larry Kenon, ABA All-Rookie Team
- John Williamson, ABA All-Rookie Team
- Mike Gale, ABA All-Defensive Team