1976 ABA Playoffs
Encyclopedia
The 1976 ABA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the American Basketball Association
's 1975-1976 season. The tournament concluded with the New York Nets defeating the Denver Nuggets
four games to two in the ABA Finals.
This was the final year of the ABA. The ABA-NBA merger
took place on June 17, 1976. Thus the final game in ABA history was played on May 13, 1976 when the New York Nets defeated the Denver Nuggets 112-106 at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York
.
of the New York Nets was the Most Valuable Player of the ABA playoffs. He won that distinction previously in 1974 and became the only player in ABA history to repeat as the MVP of the league playoffs.
On April 28, 1976 the Kentucky Colonels
lost the seventh game of their series with the Denver Nuggets. The loss marked the final game for the Colonels and the final game for any ABA team that did not proceed into the NBA with the ABA-NBA merger
.
The Nuggets and the Nets met in the championship series after posting the two best regular season records in the league.
With their 4-3 loss in their opening round matchup with the New York Nets, the San Antonio Spurs
concluded their ABA tenure without ever winning a single ABA playoff series. After joining the NBA, the Spurs won 4 NBA championships, the only ABA team that has done so.
(4) Kentucky Colonels
vs. (5) Indiana Pacers
:
Colonels win series 2-1
vs. (4) Kentucky Colonels
:
Nuggets win series 4-3
(2) New York Nets vs. (3) San Antonio Spurs
:
Nets win series 4-3
vs. (2) New York Nets:
Nets win series 4-2
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 1975-1976 season. The tournament concluded with the New York Nets defeating the Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
four games to two in the ABA Finals.
This was the final year of the ABA. 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 :...
took place on June 17, 1976. Thus the final game in ABA history was played on May 13, 1976 when the New York Nets defeated the Denver Nuggets 112-106 at Nassau Coliseum 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:...
.
Notable events
Julius ErvingJulius 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 previously in 1974 and became the only player in ABA history to repeat as the MVP of the league playoffs.
On April 28, 1976 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...
lost the seventh game of their series with the Denver Nuggets. The loss marked the final game for the Colonels and the final game for any ABA team that did not proceed into the NBA with 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 :...
.
The Nuggets and the Nets met in the championship series after posting the two best regular season records in the league.
With their 4-3 loss in their opening round matchup with the New York Nets, the 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 ....
concluded their ABA tenure without ever winning a single ABA playoff series. After joining the NBA, the Spurs won 4 NBA championships, the only ABA team that has done so.
Quarterfinals
(1) Denver Nuggets, (2) New York Nets, (3) San Antonio Spurs have division Quarterfinals byes.(4) 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. (5) 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...
:
Colonels win series 2-1
- Game 1 @ Kentucky: Kentucky 120, Indiana 109
- Game 2 @ Indiana: Indiana 109, Memphis 95
- Game 3 @ Kentucky: Kentucky 100, Indiana 99
Semifinals
(1) Denver NuggetsDenver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
vs. (4) 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...
:
Nuggets win series 4-3
- Game 1 @ Denver: Denver 110, Kentucky 107
- Game 2 @ Denver: Kentucky 138, Denver 110
- Game 3 @ Kentucky: Kentucky 126, Denver 114
- Game 4 @ Kentucky: Denver 108, Kentucky 106
- Game 5 @ Denver: Denver 127, Kentucky 117
- Game 6 @ Kentucky: Kentucky 119, Denver 115
- Game 7 @ Denver: Denver 133, Kentucky 110
(2) New York Nets 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 ....
:
Nets win series 4-3
- Game 1 @ New York: New York 116, San Antonio 101
- Game 2 @ New York: San Antonio 105, New York 79
- Game 3 @ San Antonio: San Antonio 111, New York 103
- Game 4 @ San Antonio: New York 110, San Antonio 108
- Game 5 @ New York: New York 110, San Antonio 108
- Game 6 @ San Antonio: San Antonio 110, New York 115
- Game 7 @ New York: New York 121, San Antonio 114
Finals
(1) Denver NuggetsDenver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
vs. (2) New York Nets:
Nets win series 4-2
- Game 1 @ Denver: New York 120, Denver 118
- Game 2 @ Denver: Denver 127, New York 121
- Game 3 @ New York: New York 117, Denver 111
- Game 4 @ New York: New York 121, Denver 112
- Game 5 @ Denver: Denver 118, New York 110
- Game 6 @ New York: New York 112, Denver 106