| 1968–69 ABA season | |
|---|---|
| League | American Basketball Association |
| Sport | Basketball |
| Duration | October 18, 1968 – May 7, 1969 |
| Games | 78 |
| Teams | 11 |
| Regular season | |
| Top seed | Oakland Oaks |
| SeasonMVP | Mel Daniels (Indiana) |
| Top scorer | Larry Jones (Denver) |
| Finals | |
| Champions | Oakland Oaks |
| Runners-up | Indiana Pacers |
| ABA seasons | |
The1968–69 ABA season was the second season for theAmerican Basketball Association. Two teams relocated:Minnesota Muskies became the Miami Floridians, while thePittsburgh Pipers moved to Minnesota and became the Minnesota Pipers. Two others relocated within their territory, with theAnaheim Amigos becoming the Los Angeles Stars and theNew Jersey Americans became the New York Nets. These moves to perceived better locations, alongside the arrival ofRick Barry to play with theOakland Oaks, led the league having optimism for its second season.[1] The season ended with theOakland Oaks capturing the first ABA championship. Months later, the Oaks elected to relocate toWashington, D.C. with the purchase of the team byEarl Foreman.
| 1968-69 American Basketball Association | ||||
| Division | Team | City | Arena | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern | Indiana Pacers | Indianapolis,Indiana | Indiana State Fair Coliseum | 10,000 |
| Kentucky Colonels | Louisville,Kentucky | Louisville Convention Center | 6,000 | |
| Miami Floridians | Miami Beach,Florida | Miami Beach Convention Center | 15,000 | |
| Minnesota Pipers | Bloomington,Minnesota | Metropolitan Sports Center | 15,000 | |
| New York Nets | Commack,New York | Long Island Arena | 6,000 | |
| Western | Dallas Chaparrals | University Park,Texas Dallas,Texas | Moody Coliseum Dallas Memorial Auditorium | 8,998 9,815 |
| Denver Rockets | Denver,Colorado | Denver Auditorium Arena | 6,841 | |
| Houston Mavericks | Houston,Texas | Sam Houston Coliseum | 9,200 | |
| Los Angeles Stars | Los Angeles, California | Los Angeles Sports Arena | 14,795 | |
| New Orleans Buccaneers | New Orleans,Louisiana | Loyola Field House | 6,500 | |
| Oakland Oaks | Oakland,California | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena | 13,502 | |
On April 5, 1969, prior to the ABA Playoffs,Mel Daniels was named ABA Most Valuable Player, with the margin being reported as being two votes overConnie Hawkins (others to receive votes were Larry Jones, James Jones, Rick Barry, Don Freeman, Warren Armstrong, Louie Dampier, Roger Brown, and Doug Moe).[2]
| Team | W | L | PCT. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana Pacers * | 44 | 34 | .564 | — |
| Miami Floridians * | 43 | 35 | .551 | 1 |
| Kentucky Colonels * | 42 | 36 | .538 | 2 |
| Minnesota Pipers * | 36 | 42 | .462 | 8 |
| New York Nets | 17 | 61 | .218 | 27 |
| Team | W | L | PCT. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oakland Oaks * | 60 | 18 | .769 | — |
| New Orleans Buccaneers * | 46 | 32 | .590 | 14 |
| Denver Rockets * | 44 | 34 | .564 | 16 |
| Dallas Chaparrals * | 41 | 37 | .526 | 19 |
| Los Angeles Stars | 33 | 45 | .423 | 27 |
| Houston Mavericks | 23 | 55 | .295 | 37 |
Asterisk (*) denotes playoff team
Bold – ABA champions
The Oakland Oaks beat the Indiana Pacers 4-1 to win the ABA Championship.
