1973-74 Kentucky Colonels season

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1973-74 Kentucky Colonels season
Head Coach Babe McCarthy
Arena Freedom Hall
Results
Record 53–31
(.631)
Place Division: 2nd (Eastern)
Conference: 2nd
Playoff Finish Lost in the Eastern Division Finals

The 1973-74 American Basketball Association season saw the Kentucky Colonels finish in second place in the ABA's Eastern Division, defeat the Carolina Cougars 4 games to 0 in the Eastern Division Semifinals, and lose to the Eastern Division regular season champion New York Nets 4 games to 0 in the Eastern Division Finals.

Contents

[edit] Offseason

[edit] Special circumstances draft

Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
1 3 Ernie DiGregorio United States Providence College

[edit] Senior draft picks

Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
1 3 Steve Rowell University of Rhode Island
2 3 James Garvin Boston University
3 3 Chuck Witt Western Kentucky University
4 2 Fran Costello Providence College
5 2 Ed Childress Austin Peay
6 2 Jerry Clark Skagit Valley

[edit] Undergraduate and supplemental draft

Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
1 4 Don Smith University of Dayton
3 4 Louis Nelson University of Washington
4 4 Derrek Dickey University of Cincinnati
4 2 Fran Costello Providence College
5 3 M. L. Carr Guilford
6 4 Ron Behagen University of Minnesota
7 3 William Harris North Carolina State University
8 4 Mike Boylan Assumption
9 4 Les Taylor Murray State University
10 4 James Greene Kentucky Wesleyan College
11 4 John Johnson Denver University
12 4 Mike Macaluso Canisius University

[edit] Preseason transactions

On July 31, 1973 the Kentucky Colonels were bought by future Governor of Kentucky John Y. Brown, Jr. and other investors. Famed college coach Adolph Rupp was hired as Vice President of the Board. General Manager Mike Storen resigned and was replaced by Gene Rhodes. Head coach Joe Mullaney left the team in order to become head coach of the Utah Stars and Babe McCarthy was hired as Mullaney's replacement.

[edit] Preseason exhibition games

Like most ABA teams, the Colonels played several preseason exhibition games against NBA opponents. The first for the 1973-74 preseason came on September 21, 1973 on the Colonels' home court at Freedom Hall in Louisville against the Houston Rockets. Rudy Tomjanovich scored 32 points for the Bulls. Center Artis Gilmore had 22 points and 18 rebounds for the Colonels; his teammate, forward Dan Issel, scored 20. The Colonels won, 110-102.

The next night the Colonels hosted the Kansas City-Omaha Kings. Rick Mount scored 21 points for the Kings; his teammate Nate Archibald scored 19. Guard Louie Dampier led the Colonels with 22 points and Kentucky won 110-99.

[edit] Regular season

[edit] Roster

  • 2 Walt Simon
  • 3 Joe Hamilton
  • 10 Louie Dampier
  • 22 Collis Jones
  • 25 Jim Bradley
  • 44 Dan Issel
  • 8 Ron Thomas
  • 9 Red Robbins
  • 11 John Roche
  • 15 Chuck Williams
  • 53 Artis Gilmore

[edit] 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

[1]

[edit] Game Log

1973-74 Game Log
November
December
January
February
March
April
1973–74 Schedule

[edit] Month by Month

[edit] October 1973

The Colonels opened their season on October 12, 1973 away from their usual home court at Freedom Hall in Louisville, playing instead in Lexington, Kentucky, where stars Dan Issel and Louie Dampier had played college basketball at the University of Kentucky. In front of 8,727 fans Issel scored 27 points to lead the Colonels to a 111-100 victory over the Denver Rockets. The next night in Louisville the Colonels hosted the Utah Stars and won 103-101 in front of 10,476 fans as Issel scored 36. Issel put in 33 points on October 17 as the Colonels won in front of 5,943 home fans against the Virginia Squires 116-106. October 19 brought a road win against the Carolina Cougars, 121-109 as Issel scored 30. The following night saw a rematch of the two teams in front of 7,026 fans in Louisville with the Cougars prevailing 105-102 despite Issel's 29 points. October 24 brought a 100-98 home win against the New York Nets. On October 26 the Colonels won on the road against the Virginia Squires; Louie Dampier's 21 points led Kentucky to a 104-99 victory. The next night in Louisville, Issel's 31 led the Colonels to a 90-87 win against the Denver Rockets in front of 7,223 fans. The Colonels closed out the month with a runaway win at home against the San Diego Conquistadors, 146-105; 7,412 saw Dan Issel lead all scorers with 25. The Colonels closed the first month of the season with 8 wins and 1 loss.

[edit] November 1973

[edit] December 1973

[edit] January 1974

[edit] February 1974

[edit] March 1974

[edit] Playoffs

[edit] Player statistics

[edit] Legend

[edit] Season

Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG

[edit] Playoffs

[edit] Awards and records

[edit] Awards

  • Louie Dampier, ABA All Star Game
  • Dan Issel, ABA All Star Game
  • Artis Gilmore, ABA All Star Game
  • Babe McCarthy, ABA All Star Game (head coach, East Team)
  • Artis Gilmore, Most Valuable Player, ABA All Star Game
  • Artis Gilmore, First Team All-ABA
  • Artis Gilmore, ABA All-Defensive Team
  • Dan Issel, All-ABA Second Team
  • Louie Dampier, All-ABA Second Team
  • Babe McCarthy, ABA Coach of the Year (with Utah Stars' Joe Mullaney)

[edit] Records

  • Louie Dampier, highest 3 point field goal percentage (.387), 1973-74 season
  • Artis Gilmore, most minutes played (3502), 1973-74 season
  • Artis Gilmore, most rebounds per game (18.3), 1973-74 season
  • Artis Gilmore, most blocked shots per game (3.42), 1973-74 season
  • Artis Gilmore: February 3, 1974: most rebounds in one game (40) in ABA history:
  • Artis Gilmore: February 3, 1974: most defensive rebounds in one game (34) in ABA history
  • April 5, 1974: most errors (turnovers) in an ABA playoff game: 37 (Kentucky (99), at Carolina Cougars (96))

[edit] Transactions

[edit] Draft and preseason signings

The Colonels drafted Ernie DiGregorio in the special circumstance draft but he signed with the NBA's Buffalo Braves. The Colonels also drafted M.L. Carr and Ron Behagen but Carr stayed in college and Behagen signed with the NBA's Kansas City-Omaha Kings. Prior to the season head coach Joe Mullaney left to coach the Utah Stars and was replaced by Babe McCarthy; at the end of the season McCarthy, despite being named ABA Coach of the Year, was fired and eventually replaced by Hubie Brown who went on to win the 1975 ABA Finals in his first season.

[edit] Trades

  • January 1974: the Colonels traded Jim O'Brien and a first round draft pick to the San Diego Conquistadors for Red Robbins and Chuck Williams
  • January 1974: the Colonels traded Rick Mount to the Utah Stars for a draft choice and cash
  • January 24, 1974: the Colonels traded Mike Gale and Wendell Ladner to the New York Nets for John Roche

[edit] References

  1. ^ 1973-74 ABA Season Summary - Basketball-Reference.com

[edit] External links

1973-74 ABA season by team

Eastern: Carolina • Kentucky • Memphis • New York • Virginia
Western: Denver • Indiana • San Antonio • San Diego • Utah

See also: 1973 ABA Draft • 1974 ABA Finals