1971–72 ABA season
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox sports season
| title = 1971–72 ABA season
| league = American Basketball Association
| sport = Basketball
| duration = October 13, 1971 – May 20, 1972
| no_of_games = 84
| no_of_teams = 11
| TV =
| draft =
| draft_link =
| top_pick_link =
| top_pick =
| picked_by =
| season = Regular season
| top_seed = Kentucky Colonels
| MVP = Artis Gilmore (Kentucky)
| MVP_link = ABA MVP
| top_scorer = Dan Issel (Kentucky)
| playoffs =
| playoffs_link =
| conf1 =
| conf1_link =
| conf1_champ =
| conf1_runner-up =
| conf2 =
| conf2_link =
| conf2_champ =
| conf2_runner-up =
| finals = Finals
| finals_link = 1972 ABA Playoffs
| finals_champ = Indiana Pacers
| finals_runner-up = New York Nets
| seasonslist = List of ABA seasons
| seasonslistnames = ABA
| prevseason_link = 1970–71 ABA season
| prevseason_year = 1970–71
| nextseason_link = 1972–73 ABA season
| nextseason_year = 1972–73
}}
The 1971–72 ABA season was the fifth season of the American Basketball Association. The Indiana Pacers won the championship, defeating the New York Nets, 4 games to 2, in the ABA Finals.
With the signing of players suh as Artis Gilmore and Jim McDaniels in the offseason, the league looked to shift perceptions that it was a "guard league" without much height.https://www.nytimes.com/1971/10/03/archives/aba-clubs-standing-much-taller.html For the first time in the league's history, no franchise moved to a different state from the previous season. The only name change involved the Dallas Chaparrals, who were able to secure a lease in Dallas for the season and were renamed from the previous season's Texas Chaparrals.
Teams
=Map of teams=
{{CSS crop
|Location=left
|Description=10px Eastern Division 10px Western Division
|bSize=680
|cWidth=650
|cHeight=425
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|oTop=0
|Content=
{{Location map+ | United States
| width = 700
| caption =
| places =
{{Location map~ | United States
| lat_deg = 36.06
| lon_deg = -79.83
| mark = Red pog.svg
| label_size = 80
| position = top
| label = Carolina
| background=#ffe}}
{{Location map~ | United States
| lat_deg = 38.20
| lon_deg = -85.74
| mark = Red pog.svg
| label_size = 80
| position = bottom
| label = Kentucky
| background=#ffe}}
{{Location map~ | United States
| lat_deg = 40.72
| lon_deg = -73.59
| mark = Red pog.svg
| label_size = 80
| position = top
| label = New York
| background=#ffe}}
{{Location map~ | United States
| lat_deg = 40.44
| lon_deg = -79.99
| mark = Red pog.svg
| label_size = 80
| position = top
| label = Pittsburgh
| background=#ffe}}
{{Location map~ | United States
| lat_deg = 25.79
| lon_deg = -80.13
| mark = Red pog.svg
| label_size = 80
| position = top
| label = Floridians
| background=#ffe}}
{{Location map~ | United States
| lat_deg = 36.88
| lon_deg = -76.31
| mark = Red pog.svg
| label_size = 80
| position = top
| label = Virginia
| background=#ffe}}
{{Location map~ | United States
| lat_deg = 32.77
| lon_deg = -96.80
| mark = Blue pog.svg
| label_size = 80
| position = top
| label = Dallas
| background=#ffe}}
{{Location map~ | United States
| lat_deg = 39.74
| lon_deg = -105.00
| mark = Blue pog.svg
| label_size = 80
| position = top
| label = Denver
| background=#ffe}}
{{Location map~ | United States
| lat_deg = 39.83
| lon_deg = -86.14
| mark = Blue pog.svg
| label_size = 80
| position = top
| label = Indiana
| background=#ffe}}
{{Location map~ | United States
| lat_deg = 35.12
| lon_deg = -89.98
| mark = Blue pog.svg
| label_size = 80
| position = top
| label = Memphis
| background=#ffe}}
{{Location map~ | United States
| lat_deg = 40.77
| lon_deg = -111.90
| mark = Blue pog.svg
| label_size = 80
| position = top
| label = Utah
| background=#ffe}}
}}
}}
{{Clear}}
Final standings
=Eastern Division=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+ ! Team !! W !! L !! PCT. !! GB | ||||
| align="left" | Kentucky Colonels * | 68 | 16 | .810 | — |
| align="left" | Virginia Squires * | 45 | 39 | .536 | 23 |
| align="left" | New York Nets * | 44 | 40 | .524 | 24 |
| align="left" | The Floridians * | 36 | 48 | .429 | 32 |
| align="left" | Carolina Cougars | 35 | 49 | .417 | 33 |
| align="left" | Pittsburgh Condors | 25 | 59 | .298 | 43 |
=Western Division=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+ ! Team !! W !! L !! PCT. !! GB | ||||
| align="left" | Utah Stars * | 60 | 24 | .714 | — |
| align="left" | Indiana Pacers * | 47 | 37 | .560 | 13 |
| align="left" | Dallas Chaparrals * | 42 | 42 | .500 | 18 |
| align="left" | Denver Rockets * | 34 | 50 | .405 | 26 |
| align="left" | Memphis Pros | 26 | 58 | .310 | 34 |
Asterisk (*) denotes playoff team
Bold – ABA champions
Playoffs
{{see also|1972 ABA playoffs}}
Awards and honors
File:Artis Gilmore 1977.jpeg (Kentucky) was named ABA MVP and ROTY]]
- ABA Most Valuable Player Award: Artis Gilmore, Kentucky Colonels
- Rookie of the Year: Artis Gilmore, Kentucky Colonels
- Coach of the Year: Tom Nissalke, Dallas Chaparrals
- Playoffs MVP: Freddie Lewis, Indiana Pacers
- All-Star Game MVP: Dan Issel, Kentucky Colonels
- All-ABA First Team
- Dan Issel, Kentucky Colonels (1st First Team selection, 2nd overall selection)
- Rick Barry, New York Nets (4th selection)
- Artis Gilmore, Kentucky Colonels
- Donnie Freeman, Dallas Chaparrals (1st First Team selection, 4th overall selection)
- Bill Melchionni, New York Nets
- All-ABA Second Team
- Willie Wise, Utah Stars
- Julius Erving, Virginia Squires
- Zelmo Beaty, Utah Stars (2nd selection)
- Ralph Simpson, Denver Rockets
- Charlie Scott, Virginia Squires
- All-ABA Rookie Team
- Julius Erving, Virginia Squires
- Artis Gilmore, Kentucky Colonels
- George McGinnis, Indiana Pacers
- Johnny Neumann, Memphis Pros
- John Roche, New York Nets
References
{{Portal|Sports}}
{{Reflist}}
[https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/ABA_1972.html Season summary on Basketball Reference]
{{ABA seasons}}
{{1971-72 ABA season by team}}
{{Indiana Pacers 1971–72 ABA Champions}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:1971-72 ABA season}}