1968 ABA playoffs
Tournament details
DatesMarch 23–May 4, 1968
Season1967–68
Teams8
Final positions
ChampionsPittsburgh Pipers (1st title)
Runner-upNew Orleans Buccaneers
Semifinalists
1969 →

The 1968 ABA Playoffs was the postseason tournament following the American Basketball Association's inaugural 1967-1968 season, starting on March 23 and ending on May 4. 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.

Division Semifinals Division Finals ABA Finals
         
1 New Orleans Bucs* 3
3 Denver Rockets 2
1 New Orleans Bucs* 4
Western Division
2 Dallas Chaparrals 1
4 Houston Mavericks 0
2 Dallas Chaparrals 3
W1 New Orleans Bucs* 3
E1 Pittsburgh Pipers* 4
1 Pittsburgh Pipers* 3
3 Indiana Pacers 0
1 Pittsburgh Pipers* 4
Eastern Division
2 Minnesota Muskies 1
4 Kentucky Colonels 2
2 Minnesota Muskies 3

* Division winner
Bold Series winner
Italic Team with home-court advantage

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 playoffs.

Division Semifinals

Eastern Division Semifinals

(1) Pittsburgh Pipers vs. (3) Indiana Pacers

March 25
Indiana Pacers 127, Pittsburgh Pipers 146
Pts: Roger Brown 32
Rebs: Roger Brown 12		 Pts: Connie Hawkins 38
Rebs: Trooper Washington 20
Pittsburgh leads series, 1–0
March 26
Indiana Pacers 108, Pittsburgh Pipers 121
Pts: Freddie Lewis 21
Rebs: Ollie Darden 16		 Pts: Art Heyman 32
Rebs: Trooper Washington 15
Pittsburgh leads series, 2–0
March 27
Pittsburgh Pipers 133, Indiana Pacers 114
Pts: Charlie Williams 34
Rebs: Connie Hawkins 15		 Pts: Freddie Lewis 32
Rebs: George Peeples 20
Pittsburgh wins series, 3–0

This was the first playoff meeting between the Pipers and the Pacers.

(2) Minnesota Muskies vs. (4) Kentucky Colonels

March 24
Kentucky Colonels 102, Minnesota Muskies 115
Pts: Darel Carrier 29
Rebs: Carrier, Ligon, Rhine 8 each		 Pts: Mel Daniels 44
Rebs: Mel Daniels 15
Minnesota leads series, 1–0
March 26
Kentucky Colonels 100, Minnesota Muskies 95
Pts: Louie Dampier 24
Rebs: Jim Caldwell 21		 Pts: Donnie Freeman 30
Rebs: Daniels, Freeman, Hunter, Smith 8 each
Series tied, 1–1
March 27
Minnesota Muskies 116, Kentucky Colonels 107
Pts: Les Hunter 38
Rebs: Les Hunter 21		 Pts: Louie Dampier 32
Rebs: Jim Caldwell 9
Minnesota leads series, 2–1
March 29
Minnesota Muskies 86, Kentucky Colonels 94
Pts: Daniels, Smith 22 each
Rebs: Mel Daniels 22		 Pts: Darel Carrier 29
Rebs: Jim Ligon 21
Series tied, 2–2
March 30
Kentucky Colonels 108, Minnesota Muskies 114
Pts: Louie Dampier 33
Rebs: Jim Caldwell 11		 Pts: Ervin Inniger 33
Rebs: Mel Daniels 19
Minnesota wins series, 3–2

This was the first playoff meeting between the Muskies and the Colonels.

Western Division Semifinals

(1) New Orleans Buccaneers vs. (3) Denver Rockets

March 26
Denver Rockets 104, New Orleans Buccaneers 130
Pts: Larry Jones 29 Pts: Larry Brown 31
New Orleans leads series, 1–0
March 27
Denver Rockets 93, New Orleans Buccaneers 105
Pts: Willie Murrell 21 Pts: Jimmy Jones 22
New Orleans leads series, 2–0
March 30
New Orleans Buccaneers 98, Denver Rockets 105
Pts: Doug Moe 22 Pts: Wayne Hightower 28
New Orleans leads series, 2–1
March 31
New Orleans Buccaneers 100, Denver Rockets 108
Pts: Doug Moe 27 Pts: Willie Murrell 28
Series tied, 2–2
April 3
Denver Rockets 97, New Orleans Buccaneers 102
Pts: Willie Murrell 26 Pts: Larry Brown 24
New Orleans wins series, 3–2

This was the first playoff meeting between the Buccaneers and the Rockets.

(2) Dallas Chaparrals vs. (4) Houston Mavericks

March 23
Houston Mavericks 110, Dallas Chaparrals 111
Pts: Willie Somerset 42 Pts: John Beasley 28
Dallas leads series, 1–0
March 25
Houston Mavericks 97, Dallas Chaparrals 115
Pts: Willie Somerset 40 Pts: Charlie Beasley 27
Dallas leads series, 2–0
March 26
Dallas Chaparrals 116, Houston Mavericks 103
Pts: John Beasley 31 Pts: Art Becker 26
Dallas wins series, 3–0

This was the first playoff meeting between the Chaparrals and the Mavericks.

Division Finals

Eastern Division Finals

(1) Pittsburgh Pipers vs. (2) Minnesota Muskies

April 4
Minnesota Muskies 117, Pittsburgh Pipers 125
Pts: Mel Daniels 28
Rebs: Mel Daniels 18		 Pts: Art Heyman 34
Rebs: Connie Hawkins 15
Pittsburgh leads series, 1–0
April 6
Minnesota Muskies 137, Pittsburgh Pipers 123
Pts: Hunter, Daniels 38 each
Rebs: Mel Daniels 27		 Pts: Williams, Hawkins 27 each
Rebs: Trooper Washington 35
Series tied, 1–1
April 10
Pittsburgh Pipers 107, Minnesota Muskies 99
Pts: Connie Hawkins 32 Pts: Les Hunter 27
Pittsburgh leads series, 2–1
April 13
Pittsburgh Pipers 117, Minnesota Muskies 108
Pts: Connie Hawkins 38 Pts: Skip Thoren 22
Pittsburgh leads series, 3–1
April 14
Minnesota Muskies 105, Pittsburgh Pipers 114
Pts: Donnie Freeman 23
Rebs: Skip Thoren 13
Asts: Donnie Freeman 11		 Pts: Connie Hawkins 24
Rebs: Leroy Wright 17
Pittsburgh wins series, 4–1

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.

Western Division Finals

(1) New Orleans Buccaneers vs. (2) Dallas Chaparrals

April 5
Dallas Chaparrals 99, New Orleans Buccaneers 104
Pts: John Beasley 27 Pts: Doug Moe 28
New Orleans leads series, 1–0
April 9
Dallas Chaparrals 112, New Orleans Buccaneers 109
Pts: Charlie Beasley 31 Pts: Doug Moe 30
Series tied, 1–1
April 10
New Orleans Buccaneers 110, Dallas Chaparrals 107
Pts: Larry Brown 25 Pts: Cincy Powell 33
New Orleans leads series, 2–1
April 11
New Orleans Buccaneers 119, Dallas Chaparrals 103
Pts: Jesse Branson 26 Pts: Maurice McHartley 26
New Orleans leads series, 3–1
April 13
Dallas Chaparrals 107, New Orleans Buccaneers 108
Pts: Cincy Powell 27 Pts: Larry Brown 27
New Orleans wins series, 4–1

This was the first playoff meeting between the Buccaneers and the Chaparrals.

ABA Finals: (W1) New Orleans Buccaneers vs. (E1) Pittsburgh Pipers

Series summary

Game Date Away team Result Home team
Game 1 April 18 New Orleans Buccaneers 112–120 (0–1) Pittsburgh Pipers
Game 2 April 20 New Orleans Buccaneers 109–100 (1–1) Pittsburgh Pipers
Game 3 April 24 Pittsburgh Pipers 101–109 (1–2) New Orleans Buccaneers
Game 4 April 25 Pittsburgh Pipers 106–105 (OT) (2–2) New Orleans Buccaneers
Game 5 April 27 New Orleans Buccaneers 111–108 (3–2) Pittsburgh Pipers
Game 6 May 1 Pittsburgh Pipers 118–112 (3–3) New Orleans Buccaneers
Game 7 May 4 New Orleans Buccaneers 113–122 (3–4) Pittsburgh Pipers

Series results

April 18
New Orleans Buccaneers 112, Pittsburgh Pipers 120
Pts: Red Robbins 41
Rebs: Red Robbins 23		 Pts: Connie Hawkins 39
Rebs: Washington, Wright 11 each
Pittsburgh leads series, 1–0
April 20
New Orleans Buccaneers 109, Pittsburgh Pipers 100
Pts: Larry Brown 28
Rebs: Red Robbins 23		 Pts: Chico Vaughn 27
Rebs: Trooper Washington 17
Series tied, 1–1
April 24
Pittsburgh Pipers 101, New Orleans Buccaneers 109
Pts: Chico Vaughn 27
Rebs: Trooper Washington 14		 Pts: Red Robbins 30
Rebs: Red Robbins 22
New Orleans leads series, 2–1
April 25
Pittsburgh Pipers 106, New Orleans Buccaneers 105 (OT)
Pts: Connie Hawkins 47
Rebs: Trooper Washington 25		 Pts: Jimmy Jones 23
Rebs: Red Robbins 10
Series tied, 2–2
April 27
New Orleans Buccaneers 111, Pittsburgh Pipers 108
Pts: Doug Moe 31 Pts: Williams, Hawkins 29 each
New Orleans leads series, 3–2
May 1
Pittsburgh Pipers 118, New Orleans Buccaneers 112
Pts: Connie Hawkins 41
Rebs: Trooper Washington 16		 Pts: Doug Moe 25
Rebs: Red Robbins 11
Series tied, 3–3
May 4
New Orleans Buccaneers 113, Pittsburgh Pipers 122
Pts: Doug Moe 28
Rebs: Red Robbins 13		 Pts: Williams, Hawkins 35 each
Rebs: Trooper Washington 14
Pittsburgh wins series, 4–3

This was the first playoff meeting between the Pipers and the Buccaneers.

External links

American Basketball Association seasons
Pittsburgh Pipers 1967–68 ABA champions
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