1968–69 Minnesota Pipers season
The 1968–69 Minnesota Pipers season was the only season of the Pipers in Minnesota and second overall season in the American Basketball Association. The previous season, the Pipers had won the ABA Finals, but moved the team from Pittsburgh to Minnesota (which had just lost the Muskies) after the season. But the Pipers were not any more successful in Minnesota, and they moved back to Pittsburgh before next season. The team went through three coaches: Harding, who was fired after attacking the Pipers Chairman Gabe Rubin at the banquet of the All-Star Game. Mikkelsen (the general manager) took over for a while before Verl Young took the job permanently. Hawkins, Williams, Vaughn, and Heyman were nagged by injuries due to long practices, which affected the team, which fell in the Semifinals to the Miami Floridians. Minnesota would not have a pro basketball team again until 1989 with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
| 1968–69 Minnesota Pipers season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Jim Harding (20–13) Vern Mikkelsen (6–6) Verl Young (10–23) |
| Arena | Met Center |
| Results | |
| Record | 36–42 (.462) |
| Place | Division: 4th (Eastern) |
| Playoff finish | Lost in the Eastern Division Semifinals |
Roster
- 25 Dan Anderson - Center
- 35 Frank Card - Small forward
- 30 Steve Chubin - Shooting guard
- 42 Connie Hawkins - Power forward
- 12 Art Heyman - Small forward
- 41 Tom Hoover - Center
- 45 Tony Jackson - Forward / Guard
- 20 Jim Jarvis - Point guard
- 14 Arvesta Kelly - Shooting guard
- 13 Jim Kissane - Forward
- 23/41 Tom Kondla - Center
- 24 Mike Lewis - Center
- 30 Willie Porter - Power forward
- 15 George Sutor - Center
- 22 Steve Vacendak - Point guard
- 10 Chico Vaughn - Shooting guard
- 32 Trooper Washington - Center
- 12 Ken Wilburn - Small forward
- 44 Charlie Williams - Point guard
- 13/24 Leroy Wright - Power forward
Final standings
Eastern Division
| Team | W | L | PCT. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana Pacers | 44 | 34 | .564 | - |
| Miami Floridians | 43 | 35 | .551 | 1 |
| Kentucky Colonels | 42 | 36 | .538 | 2 |
| Minnesota Pipers | 36 | 42 | .462 | 8 |
| New York Nets | 17 | 61 | .218 | 27 |
Playoffs
Eastern Division Semifinals vs. Miami Floridians[1]
| Game | Date | Location | Score | Record | Attendance |
| 1 | April 7 | Miami | 110–119 | 0–1 | 4,103 |
| 2 | April 9 | Miami | 106–99 | 1–1 | 1,688 |
| 3 | April 10 | Minnesota | 109–93 | 2–1 | 1,520 |
| 4 | April 12 | Minnesota | 109–116 | 2–2 | 2,532 |
| 5 | April 13 | Miami | 107–122 | 2–3 | 4,206 |
| 6 | April 15 | Minnesota | 105–100 | 3–3 | 1,345 |
| 7 | April 19 | Miami | 128–137 | 3–4 | 5,702 |
Pipers lose series, 4–3
Awards and honors
1969 ABA All-Star Game selections (game played on January 28, 1969)
Hawkins had been selected, but he was injured. Harding was selected to coach the team, but Rhodes replaced him after his firing.
References
- "1968-69 ABA Regular Season Standings". Remembertheaba.com. Archived from the original on 2007-10-17. Retrieved 2016-07-11.