ABA's 35th Anniversary of its Last Game 5/13/76 Nets vs. Nuggets

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ABA's 35th Anniversary of its Last Game 5/13/76 Nets vs. Nuggets

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The ABA (American Basketball Association) played its last game in league history on May 13, 1976 at Nassau Veteran Coliseum in Long Island, NY the when the New York Nets led by Julius "Dr. J" Erving defeated the Denver Nuggets 112-106 to win the 1976 ABA Championship 4-2.

Dr. J would average 37.7 points and 14.2 rebounds for the Nets in the 6-game series and was named the ABA Finals MVP. David Thompson scored 42 points in defeat for the Nuggets.

The Nets ABA Championship was the last for the league who would end its 9-year existence that featured the colorful red, white, and blue ball, the 3-point shot, and the man that would modernize basketball with his highlight dunks Julius Erving.

The ABA began as an 11-team league in 1967.

The New York Nets 55-29, and the Denver Nuggets 60-24 compiled impressive records for the 1975-76 regular-season. Both teams would have been playoff and championship contenders in the NBA based on the talent of their rosters.

Thirty-five days later on June 17, 1976 the NBA and ABA announced to the public that there would be a merger of both leagues and the NBA would grow from 18 teams to 22.

The Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, New York (New Jersey) Nets, and San Antonio Spurs became NBA franchises after the merger.

June 17, 2011 is exactly 35-days from the day of the last played ABA game on May 13th. June 17th will be the 35th Anniversary (6/17/76) date of when the NBA/ABA merger was announced.

5 of the 10 starters, and 10 of the 24 players selected to play in the 1977 NBA All-Star Game were former ABA players. Dr. J was named the All-Star Game MVP.

The Portland Trailblazers won the 1977 NBA Finals by beating the Philadelphia 76ers 4-2 with former ABA players Maurice Lucas and Dave Twardzik. The Philadelphia 76ers were led by former ABA players Dr. J, George McGinnis, and Caldwell Jones.

The starting front-court for the 1983 NBA Champion Philadelphia 76ers of Dr. J, Moses Malone, and Bobby Jones were all former ABA players.

From 1979-83 four of the five NBA MVP awards went to former ABA players Moses Malone-3 (1979, 82, and 83), and Julius "Dr. J" Erving-1 (1981). Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won the MVP award in 1980. Jabbar is the only player to be named NBA MVP six-times.

Moses Malone was the last of the former ABA players who played in the NBA. He retired in 1995. The last team he played for were the San Antonio Spurs a former ABA franchise.

Artis Gilmore the former star of the ABA Kentucky Colonels was voted into the Hall of Fame this past April. Gilmore scored more than 24,000 combined NBA/ABA points. Artis played for the San Antonio Spurs for 5-seasons teaming with George "Iceman" Gervin. Gervin was a former ABA star who also was a team-mate of Dr. J when the two were on the Virginia Squires.

The ABA has left foot-prints in the NBA that are still visible today. Ray Allen of the Boston Celtics earlier this season became the NBA's all-time leader in 3-point shots made passing Reggie Miller who played 18-years for the Indiana Pacers a former ABA franchise.