1967–68 Denver Rockets season

1967–68 Denver Rockets season
Head coachBob Bass
ArenaDenver Auditorium Arena
Results
Record45–33 (.577)
PlaceDivision: 3rd (Western)
Playoff finishWestern Division semifinals
(lost to Buccaneers 2–3)
1968–69 >

The 1967–68 ABA season marked the inaugural season of both the American Basketball Association and the Denver Rockets. This was the first professional basketball played in Denver since the original Denver Nuggets disbanded in 1950. They finished 45–33, which was good enough to qualify for a playoff spot, as the third team out of four. They lost in the first round. This was their first of three consecutive playoff appearances, and first of ten appearances in the franchise's first twelve years.

Roster

No. Player Position Height Weight Birth Date Experience (years) College
40 Byron Beck C 6-9 225 January 25, 1945 R University of Denver
50 Tommie Bowens PF 6-8 220 July 7, 1940 R Grambling State University
14-23 Jeffrey Congdon PG 6-1 180 October 17, 1943 R Brigham Young University
12 Chuck Gardner PF 6-8 205 September 30, 1944 R University of Colorado
22 Julian Hammond SF 6-5 205 May 27, 1943 R University of Tulsa
54 Wayne Hightower PF 6-8 192 January 14, 1940 5 University of Kansas
24 Tom Hoover C 6-9 230 January 23, 1941 3 Villanova University
30 Ron Horn SF 6-7 220 May 24, 1938 2 Indiana University
32 Larry Jones PG 6-2 180 September 22, 1942 1 University of Toledo
30 R.B. Lynam G 6-1 190 R Oklahoma Baptist University
30 Richard Moore SG 6-2 190 R Hiram Scott College
14 John Morrison G 6-2 190 May 2, 1945 R Canisius College
44 Willie Murrell SF 6-6 225 September 13, 1941 R Kansas State University
10 Grant Simmons PG 6-3 190 March 7, 1943 R University of Nebraska
20 Willis Thomas SG 6-2 185 R Tennessee State University
42 Lonnie Wright SG 6-2 205 January 23, 1944 R Colorado State University

Season standings

Eastern Division

Team Wins Loses Pct.
Pittsburgh Pipers 54 24 .692
Minnesota Muskies 50 28 .641
Indiana Pacers 38 40 .487
Kentucky Colonels 36 42 .462
New Jersey Americans 36 42 .462

Western Division

Team Wins Loses Pct.
New Orleans Buccaneers 48 30 .615
Dallas Chaparrals 46 32 .590
Denver Rockets 45 33 .577
Houston Mavericks 29 49 .372
Anaheim Amigos 25 53 .321
Oakland Oaks 22 56 .282[1]

Record vs. opponents

1967-68 ABA Records
Team ANA DAL DEN HOU IND KEN MIN NJA NOB OAK PIT
Anaheim — 2–8 3–7 6–3 2–4 0–6 1–5 2–4 2–7 6–4 1–5
Dallas 8–2 — 4–5 8–2 3–3 5–1 2–4 3–3 4–6 7–2 2–4
Denver 7–3 5–4 — 6–3 4–2 2–4 2–4 5–1 5–5 7–3 2–4
Houston 3–6 2–8 3–6 — 3–3 3–3 3–3 3–3 0–10 7–3 2–4
Indiana 4–2 3–3 2–4 3–3 — 6–5 3–8 6–4 3–3 4–2 4–6
Kentucky 6–0 1–5 4–2 3–3 5–6 — 5–5 4–7 2–4 3–3 3–7
Minnesota 5–1 4–2 4–2 3–3 8–3 5–5 — 7–3 5–1 5–1 4–7
New Jersey 4–2 3–3 1–5 3–3 4–6 7–4 3–7 — 3–3 5–1 3–8
New Orleans 7–2 6–4 5–5 10–0 3–3 4–2 1–5 3–3 — 6–3 3–3
Oakland 4–6 2–7 3–7 3–7 2–4 3–3 1–5 1–5 3–6 — 0–6
Pittsburgh 5–1 4–2 4–2 4–2 6–4 7–3 7–4 8–3 3–3 6–0 —

Playoffs

Western Division semifinals[2]

Game Date Location Score Record Attendance
1 March 26 New Orleans 104-130 0-1 3,111
2 March 27 New Orleans 93-105 0-2 3,622
3 March 30 Denver 105-98 1-2 3,678
4 March 31 Denver 108-100 2–2 3,485
5 April 3 New Orleans 97-102 2-3 4500

Rockets lose 3-2

Game log

Statistics

Num Name University Pos GP Reb Asts Pts RPG APG PPG
10 Grant Simmons Nebraska G 78 240 182 793 3.1 2.3 10.2
12 Charles Gardner Colorado F 42 136 13 197 3.2 0.3 4.7
14 Jeff Congdon Brigham Young G 41 34 59 159 0.8 1.4 3.9
14 John Morrison Canisius G 9 9 7 27 1.0 0.8 3.0
20 Willis Thomas Tennessee State G 24 58 25 294 2.4 1.0 12.3
22 Julian Hammond Tulsa C/F 74 327 62 591 4.4 0.8 8.0
24 Tom Hoover Villanova C 70 491 64 454 7.0 0.9 6.5
30 R. B. Lynam Oklahoma Baptist G 7 5 0 17 0.7 0.0 2.4
30 Ron Horn Indiana F 1 1 0 2 1.0 0.0 2.0
30 Richard Moore Hiram Scott 18 19 8 69 1.1 0.4 3.8 6.4
32 Larry Jones Toledo G 76 599 270 1742 7.9 3.6 22.9
40 Byron Beck Denver C/F 71 559 38 669 7.9 0.5 9.4
42 Lonnie Wright Colorado State G 38 96 68 373 2.5 1.8 9.8
44 Willie Murrell Kansas State F 71 637 164 1165 9.0 0.9 16.4
50 Tom Bowens Grambling F/C 67 374 41 410 5.6 0.6 6.1
54 Wayne Hightower Kansas F 74 536 143 1282 7.2 1.9 17.3[3]

Awards and records

Transactions

References

  1. ^ Rockets on Basketball Reference
  2. ^ "Remember the ABA: 1967-68 Regular Season Standings and Playoff Results". Archived from the original on November 29, 2010. Retrieved May 20, 2008.
  3. ^ ABA Denver Rockets-Nuggets Rosters
  4. ^ Remember the ABA: Year-to-Year Postseason Awards Archived December 24, 2010, at the Wayback Machine