1968 ABA Playoffs

The 1968 ABA Playoffs was the postseason tournament following the American Basketball Association's inaugural 1967-1968 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Pittsburgh Pipers defeating the Western Division champion New Orleans Buccaneers, four games to three in the ABA Finals.

3RoundBracket-Byes | RD1= Division Semifinals
RD2= Division Finals
RD3= ABA Finals
group1=Western Division
group2=Eastern Division

RD1-seed1=1
RD1-team1=New Orleans Bucs
RD1-score1=3
RD1-seed2=3
RD1-team2=Denver Rockets
RD1-score2=2

RD1-seed3=4
RD1-team3=Houston Mavericks
RD1-score3=0
RD1-seed4=2
RD1-team4=Dallas Chaparrals
RD1-score4=3

RD1-seed5=1
RD1-team5=Pittsburgh Pipers
RD1-score5=3
RD1-seed6=3
RD1-team6=Indiana Pacers
RD1-score6=0

RD1-seed7=4
RD1-team7=Kentucky Colonels
RD1-score7=2
RD1-seed8=2
RD1-team8=Minnesota Muskies
RD1-score8=3

RD2-seed1=1
RD2-team1=New Orleans Bucs
RD2-score1=4
RD2-seed2=2
RD2-team2=Dallas Chaparrals
RD2-score2=1

RD2-seed3=1
RD2-team3=Pittsburgh Pipers
RD2-score3=4
RD2-seed4=2
RD2-team4=Minnesota Muskies
RD2-score4=1

RD3-seed1=W1
RD3-team1=New Orleans Bucs
RD3-score1=3
RD3-seed2=E1
RD3-team2=Pittsburgh Pipers
RD3-score2=4

Notable events

This was the first ABA championship.

The Pittsburgh Pipers won the ABA championship in the playoffs after posting the league's best record during the regular season (54-24, .692). The Minnesota Muskies had the league's second best record, but they played in the Eastern Division with the Pipers.

None of the four teams that made it to the Division finals (and ABA finals) remained as they were during this season throughout the league's entire existence. The Pittsburgh Pipers spent the following season as the Minnesota Pipers, returned to play as the Pittsburgh Pipers the year after that, and then played two seasons as the Pittsburgh Condors before folding in 1972. After three seasons the New Orleans Buccaneers left town and became the Memphis Pros in 1970. The Minnesota Muskies spent the next two seasons as the Miami Floridians and then spent two seasons after that as The Floridians before folding in 1972. The Dallas Chaparrals eventually became the San Antonio Spurs, continuing to this day in the NBA.

The Kentucky Colonels won the last Eastern Division playoff berth in a one game playoff over the New Jersey Americans by forfeit when the venue chosen by the Americans, Commack Arena, had an unplayable floor.

Connie Hawkins of the Pittsburgh Pipers was the Most Valuable Player of the ABA plyaoffs.

External links

* [http://www.remembertheaba.com/PlayoffPages/1968Playoffs.html RememberTheABA.com page on 1968 ABA playoffs]
* [http://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/ABA_1968.html Basketball-Reference.com's 1968 ABA Playoffs page]