The 1968 ABA Playoffs was the postseason tournament following the American Basketball Association's inaugural 1967-1968 season. 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. For the league that began in 1999, see American Basketball Association (2000-). The American Basketball Association (ABA) was a professional basketball league founded in 1967, and eventually merged, in part, with the National Basketball Association (NBA). ... The Pittsburgh Pipers were a professional basketball team in the original American Basketball Association. ... The New Orleans Buccaneers were a charter franchise in the American Basketball Association, originally based in New Orleans, Louisiana. ...

Trivia

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 Pittsburgh Pipers were a professional basketball team in the original American Basketball Association. ... The Pittsburgh Pipers were a professional basketball team in the original American Basketball Association. ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... The Memphis Pros was the name of a franchise in the American Basketball Association. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... Miami Floridians, later in their history known simply as The Floridians, were a professional basketball franchise in the original, now-defunct American Basketball Association. ... Miami Floridians, later in their history known simply as The Floridians, were a professional basketball franchise in the original, now-defunct American Basketball Association. ... It has been suggested that San Antonio Gunslingers (ABA) be merged into this article or section. ... The National Basketball Association of the United States and Canada, commonly known as the NBA, is the premier professional basketball league in North America. ...

Connie Hawkins of the Pittsburgh Pipers was the Most Valuable Player of the ABA finals. Hawkins dazzled crowds from playgrounds to arenas with his highflying acrobatic moves. ...

External Links

• Basketball-Reference.com's 1968 ABA Playoffs page