1973 ABA Playoffs

The 1973 ABA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the American Basketball Association's 1972-1973 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Division champion Indiana Pacers defeating the Eastern Division champion Kentucky Colonels, 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=Utah Stars
RD1-score1=4
RD1-seed2=4
RD1-team2=San Diego Q's
RD1-score2=0

RD1-seed3=3
RD1-team3=Denver Rockets
RD1-score3=1
RD1-seed4=2
RD1-team4=Indiana Pacers
RD1-score4=4

RD1-seed5=1
RD1-team5=Carolina Cougars
RD1-score5=4
RD1-seed6=4
RD1-team6=New York Nets
RD1-score6=1

RD1-seed7=3
RD1-team7=Virginia Squires
RD1-score7=1
RD1-seed8=2
RD1-team8=Kentucky Colonels
RD1-score8=4

RD2-seed1=1
RD2-team1=Utah Stars
RD2-score1=2
RD2-seed2=2
RD2-team2=Indiana Pacers
RD2-score2=4

RD2-seed3=1
RD2-team3=Carolina Cougars
RD2-score3=3
RD2-seed4=2
RD2-team4=Kentucky Colonels
RD2-score4=4

RD3-seed1=W2
RD3-team1=Indiana Pacers
RD3-score1=4
RD3-seed2=E2
RD3-team2=Kentucky Colonels
RD3-score2=3

Notable events

The teams with the three best records in the ABA that year failed to win the championship. The Carolina Cougars had the league's best record at 57-27 (.679), one game ahead of the Kentucky Colonels (56-28, .667) in the Eastern Division. The Utah Stars won the Western Division with a record of 55-29 (.655), four games ahead of the Indiana Pacers, who won the league championship after posting a regular season record of 51-33 (.607). [ [http://www.remembertheaba.com/PlayoffPages/1973Playoffs.html Remember the ABA: 1972-73 Regular Season Standings and Playoff Results ] ]

The Pacers became the first team to win a third ABA championship.

The Colonels became the first team to lose two separate ABA championship series. The series also marked the second time in three years that the Colonels lost the ABA finals 4 games to 3; the same happened at the end of the 1971 ABA Playoffs against the Utah Stars.

Two years after the 1973 finals the Colonels and Pacers would meet again at the end of the 1975 ABA Playoffs with the Colonels winning the championship series.

The Pacers' George McGinnis was the Most Valuable Player of the ABA playoffs.

References

External links

* [http://www.remembertheaba.com/PlayoffPages/1973Playoffs.html RememberTheABA.com page on 1973 ABA playoffs]
* [http://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/ABA_1973.html Basketball-Reference.com's 1973 ABA Playoffs page]