1973–74 New York Nets season

The 1973–74 New York Nets season was the seventh season in the ABA basketball New York Nets franchise. The Nets won their first ABA Championship against the Utah Stars.

1973–74 New York Nets season
Division champions
Head coach	Kevin Loughery
Arena	Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Results
Record	55–29 (.655)
Place	Division: 1st (Eastern (ABA))
Playoff finish	ABA champions (Defeated Stars 4–1)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television	WOR
Radio	WHN

ABA Draft

Main article: 1973 ABA Draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	School/Club Team

Exhibition games

On September 18, 1973, the Nets opened the ABA vs. NBA exhibition season against the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers. Playing in Binghamton, New York, the Nets beat the 76ers 94–88. On September 28 the Nets again faced the 76ers, this time in Trenton, New Jersey. The Nets also won this matchup, 118–100.

On September 29, in White Plains, New York, the Nets faced the Washington Bullets. Julius Erving scored a game-high 42 points as the Nets won 127–121.

On October 2, 17,226 fans showed up at Madison Square Garden to watch the Nets play the New York Knicks. Erving scored 27 points, 12 of them in the third quarter, as the Nets won 97–87.

On October 7 the Nets took their 4–0 streak against NBA teams into a contest with the Boston Celtics in Uniondale, New York. Erving scored 23 points, but John Havlicek scored 37 for Boston as the Celtics won, 121–102.

Roster

1973–74 New York Nets roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From SF 32 Erving, Julius 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1950-02-22 UMass PG 12 Gale, Mike 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1950-07-18 Elizabeth City State SF 44 Gregor, Gary 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1945-08-13 South Carolina PF 35 Kenon, Larry 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1952-12-13 Memphis SG 30 Lackey, Bob 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1949-04-04 Marquette SF 4 Ladner, Wendell 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1948-10-06 Southern Miss PG 25 Melchionni, Bill 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 165 lb (75 kg) 1944-10-19 Villanova SF 44 O'Brien, Jim 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1951-11-07 Maryland C 5 Paultz, Billy 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1948-07-30 St. John's SG 22 Rinaldi, Rich 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1949-08-03 Saint Peter's SG 13 Roche, John 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1949-09-26 South Carolina SF 15 Schaeffer, Billy 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1951-12-11 St. John's C 40 Sojourner, Willie 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1948-09-10 Weber State PG 14 Taylor, Brian 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1951-06-09 Princeton SG 22 Taylor, Ollie 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 194 lb (88 kg) 1947-03-07 Houston SG 23 Williamson, John 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1951-11-10 New Mexico State

Head coach Kevin Loughery Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured Roster

Regular season

Season standings

Eastern Division

Team	W	L	PCT	GB
New York Nets	55	29	.655	–
Kentucky Colonels	53	31	.631	2
Carolina Cougars	47	37	.560	8
Virginia Squires	28	56	.333	27
Memphis Tams	21	63	.250	34

Schedule

Game	Date	Opponent	Result	Nets points	Opponents	Record	Streak	Notes
1	October 10	Indiana Pacers	Loss	99	118	0–1	Lost 1
2	October 12	Virginia Squires	Win	116	105	1–1	Won 1

Player stats

Note: GP= Games played; MIN= Minutes; STL= Steals; REB = Rebounds; ASST = Assists; BLK = Blocks; PTS = Points

Player	GP	MIN	STL	REB	ASST	BLK	PTS
Julius Erving	84	3398	190	899	434	204	2299
Larry Kenon	84	2908	79	962	112	19	1334
Billy Paultz	77	2596	60	782	167	147	1260
John Williamson	77	2264	86	213	243	27	1116
Brian Taylor	75	2505	154	214	341	22	834
John Roche	50	1254	41	59	208	6	570
Willard Sojourner	82	1316	24	335	54	88	458
Billy Schaeffer	59	871	24	141	37	9	385
Bill Melchionni	56	1146	51	77	207	5	296
Mike Gale	32	904	60	152	124	34	257
Wendell Ladner	30	637	46	161	65	3	203
Gary Gregor	25	313	4	71	15	1	91
Jim O'Brien	11	54	3	17	6	3	39
Oliver Taylor	8	76	3	14	10	0	28
Rich Rinaldi	5	28	2	5	1	0	12
Bob Lackey	3	15	1	4	1	0	6

Playoffs

Eastern Division Semifinals vs. Virginia Squires

Game	Date	Location	Score	Record	Attendance
1	April 29	New York	108–96	1–0	9,784
2	April 1	New York	129–110	2–0	10,747
3	April 4	Hampton (Virginia)	115–116	2–1	2,544
4	April 7	Norfolk (Virginia)	116–88	3–1	4,220
5	April 8	New York	108–96	4–1	1,1903

Eastern Division Finals vs Kentucky Colonels

Game	Date	Location	Score	Record	Attendance
1	April 13	New York	119–96	1–0	12,817
2	April 15	New York	99–80	2–0	13,726
3	April 17	Kentucky	89–87	3–0	13,797
4	April 20	Kentucky	103–90	4–0	7,800

ABA Finals vs. Utah Stars

Game	Date	Location	Score	Record	Attendance
1	April 30	New York	89–85	1–0	13,740
2	May 4	New York	118–94	2–0	15,934
3	May 6	Utah	103–100	3–0	10,743
4	May 8	Utah	89–97	3–1	10,254
5	May 10	New York	111–100	4–1	15,934

Transactions

Draft and other non-trade signings

• Special circumstance draft pick Jim Brewer signs with Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA
• Undergraduate draft pick Campy Russell stays in college
• Head coach Lou Carnesecca returns to St. John's University
• Kevin Loughery becomes head coach
• Draft pick Doug Collins signs with Philadelphia 76ers of the NBA
• Draft pick Kermit Washington signs with Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA
• William M. Skehan is named Executive Vice President

Trades

• August 1, 1973: George Carter and ABA rights to Kermit Washington and $750,000 traded to the Virginia Squires for Julius Erving and Willie Sojourner
• September 20, 1973: Jim Ard and John Baum traded to the Memphis Tams for the rights to Larry Kenon
• January 24, 1974: John Roche traded to the Kentucky Colonels for Mike Gale and Wendell Ladner

Awards, Records and Honors

• Julius Erving, ABA MVP
• Julius Erving, Finals MVP
• Julius Erving, All-Star Team, East Division
• Larry Kenon, All-Star Team, East Division
• Billy Paultz, All-Star Team, East Division (missed game due to injury)
• Julius Erving, All-ABA Team, 1st Team
• Larry Kenon, ABA All-Rookie Team
• John Williamson, ABA All-Rookie Team
• Mike Gale, ABA All-Defensive Team

External links

• New York Nets on Basketball Reference