1974–75 Kentucky Colonels season

The 1974–75 American Basketball Association season saw the Kentucky Colonels, led by Dan Issel, Artis Gilmore, Louie Dampier and coach Hubie Brown, win the 1975 ABA Championship.November 9 saw the Colonels at home against the New York Nets; 16,029 packed Freedom Hall and Julius Erving had a game-high 28 points but Kentucky won 103–97.On November 17 the Colonels bounced back with a 116–103 win against the Indiana Pacers in Lexington; Artis Gilmore scored 32 points and 7,381 attended.The Colonels finally broke their three-game losing streak on December 17 as an unusually small Freedom Hall crowd of 3,630 turned out to see Artis Gilmore's 35 points lead Kentucky to a 121–98 win over the San Antonio Spurs.The next night Kentucky ended its three-game road losing streak with a win against the Spirits of St. Louis; Artis Gilmore scored 36 as the Colonels prevailed 110–94.The next night Kentucky won another home game, this time against the Indiana Pacers 118–110 despite George McGinnis' 35 points in front of 7,606 fans.On December 26 the Colonels faced the Pacers again, and this time Kentucky lost on the road 122–111 as Billy Keller had 33 points before 10,064 fans.The next night the Colonels closed out the month and the calendar year by winning on the road, defeating the Virginia Squires 104–85 behind Artis Gilmore's 26 points.The next night at home Kentucky defeated the San Antonio Spurs 123–111; 10,268 fans saw Dan Issel lead all scorers with 36.St. Louis' Marvin Barnes led all scorers with 29, but Kentucky's Artis Gilmore had 28 points, 20 rebounds and 8 blocked shots.January 19 saw Kentucky win at home against the Denver Nuggets 114–101; Artis Gilmore led all scorers with 34 points in front of 7,712 fans.On January 22 the Colonels won before a home crowd of 7,971; Artis Gilmore led the way with 23 as Kentucky beat the Memphis Sounds 114–91.[8] On January 28 Louie Dampier, Dan Issel and Artis Gilmore represented Kentucky in the ABA All-Star Game in San Antonio.[9] Kentucky closed out the month on January 31 with a 134–104 home win against the Spirits of St. Louis; 9,884 fans saw Artis Gilmore lead all scorers with 37 points as he went 15 of 17 from the floor and 7 of 7 from the free throw line.On February 12 the Colonels won on the road, defeating the San Antonio Spurs 112–100 as George Gervin led all scorers with 31 before 7,739 fans.With Kentucky's next road game their six-game win streak came to an end with a loss on February 15 as the Denver Nuggets won 109–107 as a crowd of 7,494 saw Artis Gilmore score 37.The next night in San Diego the Colonels fell in overtime to the Conquistadors 133–128; Bo Lamar led all scorers with 40 points before 2,759 fans.February 18 saw Kentucky win on the road against the Virginia Squires 121–104; Artis Gilmore and Red Robbins led all scorers with 29 points each.On February 21 the Colonels lost at home to the San Diego Conquistadors 110–108; 8,411 fans saw Bo Lamar and Wil Jones lead all scorers with 21 each.The next night Kentucky dropped another road game, this time 109–107 before 7,429 Denver Nuggets fans despite Artis Gilmore's 27 points.After a one-day break Kentucky returned to action on February 26 with a 101–99 home win against the Indiana Pacers; 9,884 fans saw the Colonels overcome George McGinnis' 43 points.The next night in Louisville the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Colonels 103–98 despite Artis Gilmore's 35 points and a home crowd of 9,463 fans.The next night in Lexington the Colonels defeated the San Antonio Spurs 103–88 as Artis Gilmore put in 36 points before 4,487 fans.Kentucky took a 3–0 margin into Game 4 in Memphis on April 11 but the Sounds stayed alive with a 107–93 win in front of 4,771 fans despite Dan Issel's 26 points.Billy Knight scored 40 points for the Pacers in front of 16,622 fans; the effort was not enough as the Colonels won 110–105 to claim the 1975 ABA Championship.Brown was a coach with the 1973–74 Milwaukee Bucks, which made the 1974 NBA Finals with future Hall of Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson and lost in seven games to a legendary Boston Celtics championship team.
1974–75Kentucky ColonelsHubie BrownFreedom HallEastern1975 ABA Championship< 1973–74 1975–76 >American Basketball AssociationDan IsselArtis GilmoreLouie Dampier1973–74 Kentucky Colonels seasonBabe McCarthyMilwaukee BucksLincoln, NebraskaKansas City–Omaha KingsWashington BulletsPasadena, TexasHouston RocketsLouisvilleDetroit PistonsChicago BullsBird AverittWil JonesGene LittlesTed McClainJim BradleyMarv RobertsRon ThomasNew York NetsSpirits of St. LouisMemphis SoundsVirginia SquiresDenver NuggetsSan Antonio SpursIndiana PacersUtah StarsSan Diego ConquistadorsGeorge GervinMarvin BarnesCaldwell JonesLexingtonHampton RoadsBowling Green, KentuckyDarnell HillmanMaurice LucasLexington, KentuckyJulius ErvingNorfolk1973 FinalsGeorge McGinnisBilly KnightField goal3-point field goalFree throwReboundsAssistsStealsBlocksCarolina CougarsAl EberhardRed RobbinsJohn RocheKareem Abdul-JabbarOscar RobertsonBoston CelticsAtlanta HawksNew York KnicksPatrick EwingMemphis GrizzliesJohn Y. Brown, Jr.Golden State WarriorsWayback MachineLouisville, KentuckyFranchisePlayersExecutivesLouisville GardensJohn GivensGene RhodesAlex GrozaFrank RamseyJoe Mullaney1971 ABA Runner Up1973 ABA Runner UpPenny Ann EarlyABA–NBA mergerDarel Carrier1967–681968–691969–701970–711971–721972–731973–741975–761974–75 ABA championsDampierAverittLittlesMcClainBradleyRobertsThomasGilmorePlayoffs MVPAlbeckPlayoffs1974–75 ABA seasonAll-Star GamePittsburgh PipersOakland Oaks