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 coach	Bob Bass
Arena	Denver Auditorium Arena
Results
Record	45–33 (.577)
Place	Division: 3rd (Western)
Playoff finish	Western 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

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

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

• 1967-68 Denver Rockets Schedule and Results | Basketball-Reference.com

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

Awards and records

• ABA All-Star: Larry Jones
• ABA All-League Team