1974 ABA Playoffs
Encyclopedia
The 1974 ABA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the American Basketball Association
's 1973-1974 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion New York Nets defeating the Western Division champion Utah Stars
, four games to one in the ABA Finals.
and Denver Rockets had both tied for fourth place during the regular season. The game was played on March 29, 1974 with the Conquistadors posting a 131-111 win at Denver.
The Carolina Cougars
played their final game on April 8, 1974, losing at home to the Kentucky Colonels
128-119 in the last game of their Eastern Division semifinal series, which the Colonels swept 4 games to none. The Cougars played in the remaining two seasons of the ABA as the Spirits of St. Louis
and were one of only two teams (the Colonels being the other) remaining during the ABA-NBA merger
to not enter the NBA.
The New York Nets and Utah Stars
won the Eastern Division and Western Division, respectively, in both the regular season and the playoffs.
The New York Nets became the first team since the 1969-1970 Indiana Pacers
to win the ABA championship after posting the league's best regular season record.
Julius Erving
of the New York Nets was the Most Valuable Player of the ABA playoffs. He won that distinction again in 1976 and became the only player in ABA history to repeat as the MVP of the league playoffs.
Division Semifinals
(1) Utah Stars
vs. (4) San Diego Conquistadors
:
Stars win series 4-2
(2) Indiana Pacers
vs. (3) San Antonio Spurs
:
Pacers win series 4-3
Division Finals
(1) Utah Stars
vs. (2) Indiana Pacers
:
Stars win series 4-3
Division Semifinals
(1) New York Nets vs. (4) Virginia Squires
:
Nets win series 4-1
(2) Kentucky Colonels
vs. (3) Carolina Cougars
:
Colonels win series 4-0
Division Finals
(1) New York Nets vs. (2) Kentucky Colonels
:
Nets win series 4-0
:
Nets win series 4-1
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:...
's 1973-1974 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion New York Nets defeating the Western Division champion Utah Stars
Utah Stars
The 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:...
, four games to one in the ABA Finals.
Notable events
A one game playoff was held to determine the fourth place finisher in the Western Division because the San Diego ConquistadorsSan Diego Conquistadors
The San Diego Conquistadors, nicknamed the "Q's", were an American Basketball Association team based in San Diego, California. They were the only expansion team in the history of the ABA. The team played from 1972 to 1975. They were replaced in the ABA by the San Diego Sails.-San Diego...
and Denver Rockets had both tied for fourth place during the regular season. The game was played on March 29, 1974 with the Conquistadors posting a 131-111 win at Denver.
The 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...
played their final game on April 8, 1974, losing at home to the 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...
128-119 in the last game of their Eastern Division semifinal series, which the Colonels swept 4 games to none. The Cougars played in the remaining two seasons of the ABA as the Spirits of St. Louis
Spirits of St. Louis
The Spirits of St. Louis were one of two teams still in existence at the end of the American Basketball Association that did not survive the ABA-NBA merger. They were a member of the ABA in its last two seasons, 1974–75 and 1975–76, while playing their home games at the St...
and were one of only two teams (the Colonels being the other) remaining during the ABA-NBA merger
ABA-NBA merger
The ABA–NBA merger was the merger of the American Basketball Association with the National Basketball Association, which after multiple attempts over several years finally occurred in 1976.- Origins of ABA-NBA competition :...
to not enter the NBA.
The New York Nets and Utah Stars
Utah Stars
The 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 the Eastern Division and Western Division, respectively, in both the regular season and the playoffs.
The New York Nets became the first team since the 1969-1970 Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
to win the ABA championship after posting the league's best regular season record.
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....
of the New York Nets was the Most Valuable Player of the ABA playoffs. He won that distinction again in 1976 and became the only player in ABA history to repeat as the MVP of the league playoffs.
Western Division
Champion: Utah StarsUtah Stars
The 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:...
Division Semifinals
(1) Utah Stars
Utah Stars
The 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:...
vs. (4) San Diego Conquistadors
San Diego Conquistadors
The San Diego Conquistadors, nicknamed the "Q's", were an American Basketball Association team based in San Diego, California. They were the only expansion team in the history of the ABA. The team played from 1972 to 1975. They were replaced in the ABA by the San Diego Sails.-San Diego...
:
Stars win series 4-2
- Game 1 @ Utah: Utah 114, San Diego 99
- Game 2 @ Utah: Utah 119, San Diego 105
- Game 3 @ San Diego: San Diego 97, Utah 96
- Game 4 @ San Diego: San Diego 100, Utah 98
- Game 5 @ Utah: Utah 110, San Diego 93
- Game 6 @ San Diego: Utah 110, San Diego 99
(2) Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
vs. (3) San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
:
Pacers win series 4-3
- Game 1 @ Indiana: San Antonio 113, Indiana 109
- Game 2 @ Indiana: Indiana 128, San Antonio 101
- Game 3 @ San Antonio: San Antonio 115, Indiana 96
- Game 4 @ San Antonio: Indiana 91, San Antonio 89
- Game 5 @ Indiana: Indiana 105, San Antonio 100
- Game 6 @ San Antonio: San Antonio 102, Indiana 86
- Game 7 @ Indiana: Indiana 86, San Antonio 79
Division Finals
(1) Utah Stars
Utah Stars
The 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:...
vs. (2) Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
:
Stars win series 4-3
- Game 1 @ Utah: Utah 105, Indiana 96
- Game 2 @ Utah: Utah 106, Indiana 102
- Game 3 @ Indiana: Utah 99, Indiana 90
- Game 4 @ Indiana: Indiana 118, Utah 107
- Game 5 @ Utah: Indiana 110, Utah 101
- Game 6 @ Indiana: Indiana 91, Utah 89
- Game 7 @ Utah: Utah 109, Indiana 87
Eastern Division
Champion: New York NetsDivision Semifinals
(1) New York Nets vs. (4) 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 :...
:
Nets win series 4-1
- Game 1 @ New York: New York 108, Virginia 96
- Game 2 @ New York: New York 129, Virginia 110
- Game 3 @ Virginia: Virginia 116, New York 115
- Game 4 @ Virginia: New York 116, Virginia 88
- Game 5 @ New York: New York 108, Virginia 96
(2) 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...
vs. (3) 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...
:
Colonels win series 4-0
- Game 1 @ Kentucky: Kentucky 118, Carolina 102
- Game 2 @ Kentucky: Kentucky 99, Carolina 96
- Game 3 @ Carolina: Kentucky 120, Carolina 110
- Game 4 @ Carolina: Kentucky 128, Carolina 119
Division Finals
(1) New York Nets vs. (2) 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...
:
Nets win series 4-0
- Game 1 @ New York: New York 119, Kentucky 106
- Game 2 @ New York: New York 99, Kentucky 80
- Game 3 @ Kentucky: New York 89, Kentucky 87
- Game 4 @ Kentucky: New York 103, Kentucky 90
ABA Finals
(1) New York Nets VS. (1) Utah StarsUtah Stars
The 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:...
:
Nets win series 4-1
- Game 1 @ New York: New York 89, Utah 85
- Game 2 @ New York: New York 118, Utah 94
- Game 3 @ Utah: New York 103, Utah 100
- Game 4 @ Utah: Utah 97, New York 89
- Game 5 @ New York: New York 111, Utah 100