1967–68 Denver Rockets season

The 1967-68 ABA season was the inaugural season of 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.

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)

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 —2–83–76–32–40–61–52–42–76–41–5
Dallas 8–2—4–58–23–35–12–43–34–67–22–4
Denver 7–35–4—6–34–22–42–45–15–57–32–4
Houston 3–62–83–6—3–33–33–33–30–107–32–4
Indiana 4–23–32–43–3—6–53–86–43–34–24–6
Kentucky 6–01–54–23–35–6—5–54–72–43–33–7
Minnesota 5–14–24–23–38–35–5—7–35–15–14–7
New Jersey 4–23–31–53–34–67–43–7—3–35–13–8
New Orleans 7–26–45–510–03–34–21–53–3—6–33–3
Oakland 4–62–73–73–72–43–31–51–53–6—0–6
Pittsburgh 5–14–24–24–26–47–37–48–33–36–0—

Playoffs

Western Division Semifinals[2]

GameDateLocationScoreRecordAttendance
1March 26New Orleans104-1300-13,111
2March 27New Orleans93-1050-23,622
3March 30Denver105-981-23,678
4March 31Denver108-1002–23,485
5April 3New Orleans97-1022-34500

Rockets lose 3-2

Game log

Statistics
NumNameUniversityPosGPRebAstsPtsRPGAPGPPG
10Grant SimmonsNebraskaG782401827933.12.310.2
12Charles GardnerColoradoF42136131973.20.34.7
14Jeff CongdonBrigham YoungG4134591590.81.43.9
14John MorrisonCanisiusG997271.00.83.0
20Willis ThomasTennessee StateG2458252942.41.012.3
22Julian HammondTulsaC/F74327625914.40.88.0
24Tom HooverVillanovaC70491644547.00.96.5
30R. B. LynamOklahoma BaptistG750170.70.02.4
30Ron HornIndianaF11021.00.02.0
30Richard MooreHiram Scott18198691.10.43.86.4
32Larry JonesToledoG7659927017427.93.622.9
40Byron BeckDenverC/F71559386697.90.59.4
42Lonnie WrightColorado StateG3896683732.51.89.8
44Willie MurrellKansas StateF7163716411659.00.916.4
50Tom BowensGramblingF/C67374414105.60.66.1
54Wayne HightowerKansasF7453614312827.21.917.3[3]

Awards and records

Transactions
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References
  1. Rockets on Basketball Reference
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-11-29. Retrieved 2008-05-20.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ABA Denver Rockets-Nuggets Rosters
  4. Remember the ABA: Year-to-Year Postseason Awards Archived December 24, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
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