The 1968–69 ABA season was the second season for the American Basketball Association. Two teams relocated: Minnesota Muskies became the Miami Floridians. The Pittsburgh Pipers moved to Minnesota and became the Minnesota Pipers. Two others relocated within their territory. The Anaheim Amigos became the Los Angeles Stars. The New Jersey Americans became the New York Nets. The season ended with the Oakland Oaks capturing their first ABA championship.
| 1968–69 ABA season | |
|---|---|
| League | American Basketball Association |
| Sport | Basketball |
| Duration | October 18, 1968 – May 7, 1969 |
| Number of games | 78 |
| Number of teams | 11 |
| Regular season | |
| Top seed | Oakland Oaks |
| Season MVP | Mel Daniels (Indiana) |
| Top scorer | Larry Jones (Denver) |
| Finals | |
| Champions | Oakland Oaks |
| Runners-up | Indiana Pacers |
Teams
edit| 1968-69 American Basketball Association | ||||
| Division | Team | City | Arena | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern | Indiana Pacers | Indianapolis, Indiana | Indiana State Fair Coliseum | 10,000 |
| Kentucky Colonels | Louisville, Kentucky | Louisville Convention Center | 6,000 | |
| Miami Floridians | Miami Beach, Florida | Miami Beach Convention Center | 15,000 | |
| Minnesota Pipers | Bloomington, Minnesota | Metropolitan Sports Center | 15,000 | |
| New York Nets | Commack, New York | Long Island Arena | 6,000 | |
| Western | Dallas Chaparrals | University Park, Texas Dallas, Texas |
Moody Coliseum Dallas Memorial Auditorium |
8,998 9,815 |
| Denver Rockets | Denver, Colorado | Denver Auditorium Arena | 6,841 | |
| Houston Mavericks | Houston, Texas | Sam Houston Coliseum | 9,200 | |
| Los Angeles Stars | Los Angeles, California | Los Angeles Sports Arena | 14,795 | |
| New Orleans Buccaneers | New Orleans, Louisiana | Loyola Field House | 6,500 | |
| Oakland Oaks | Oakland, California | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena | 13,502 | |
Map of teams
edit
Final standings
editEastern Division
edit| Team | W | L | PCT. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana Pacers * | 44 | 34 | .564 | — |
| Miami Floridians * | 43 | 35 | .551 | 1 |
| Kentucky Colonels * | 42 | 36 | .538 | 2 |
| Minnesota Pipers * | 36 | 42 | .462 | 8 |
| New York Nets | 17 | 61 | .218 | 27 |
Western Division
edit| Team | W | L | PCT. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oakland Oaks * | 60 | 18 | .769 | — |
| New Orleans Buccaneers * | 46 | 32 | .590 | 14 |
| Denver Rockets * | 44 | 34 | .564 | 16 |
| Dallas Chaparrals * | 41 | 37 | .526 | 19 |
| Los Angeles Stars | 33 | 45 | .423 | 27 |
| Houston Mavericks | 23 | 55 | .295 | 37 |
Asterisk (*) denotes playoff team
Bold – ABA champions
Awards and honors
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- ABA Most Valuable Player Award: Mel Daniels, Indiana Pacers
- Rookie of the Year: Warren Jabali, Oakland Oaks
- Coach of the Year: Alex Hannum, Oakland Oaks
- Playoffs MVP: Warren Jabali, Oakland Oaks
- All-Star Game MVP: John Beasley, Dallas Chaparrals
- All-ABA First Team
- Connie Hawkins, Minnesota Pipers (2nd selection)
- Rick Barry, Oakland Oaks
- Mel Daniels, Indiana Pacers (2nd selection)
- Jimmy Jones, New Orleans Buccaneers
- Larry Jones, Denver Rockets (2nd selection)
- All-ABA Second Team
- John Beasley, Dallas Chaparrals (2nd selection)
- Doug Moe, Oakland Oaks (1st Second Team selection, 2nd overall selection)
- Red Robbins, New Orleans Buccaneers
- Donnie Freeman, Miami Floridians
- Louie Dampier, Kentucky Colonels
- All-Rookie Team
