The Denver Nuggets are an American professional basketball team based in Denver. The Nuggets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference. The team was founded as the Denver Larks in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association (ABA) but changed their name to the Rockets before the first season. The Rockets then changed their name again to the Nuggets in 1974. After the name change, the Nuggets played for the final ABA Championship title in 1976, losing to the New York Nets.
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference. The team plays its home games at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio.
The Dallas Chaparrals were a charter member of the American Basketball Association (ABA). The team moved to San Antonio, Texas, for the 1973–74 season and were renamed the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs joined the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the 1976–77 NBA season as a result of being one of four chosen ABA teams to be absorbed by the elder league following the completion of the ABA–NBA merger.
The Virginia Squires were a basketball team based in Norfolk, Virginia, and playing in several other Virginia cities. They were members of the American Basketball Association from 1970 to 1976.
George Gervin, nicknamed "the Iceman", is an American former professional basketball player who played in both the American Basketball Association (ABA) and National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Virginia Squires, San Antonio Spurs, and Chicago Bulls. Gervin averaged at least 14 points per game in all 14 of his ABA and NBA seasons, and finished with an NBA career average of 26.2 points per game. Widely regarded as one of the greatest shooting guards in NBA history, in 1996 Gervin was named as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, and in 2021, Gervin was named as one of the 75 greatest players in NBA history.
Artis Gilmore Sr. is an American former professional basketball player who played in the American Basketball Association (ABA) and National Basketball Association (NBA). Gilmore was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on August 12, 2011.
The American Basketball Association (ABA) is an American semi-professional men's basketball minor league that was founded in 1999.
John Brian Moore is an American former professional basketball player. Moore played college basketball for The University of Texas at Austin under head coaches Leon Black and Abe Lemons from 1975 to 1979. He spent his entire NBA career playing point guard for the San Antonio Spurs, save one game for the New Jersey Nets. A rare illness caused Moore to have his career put on hold in early 1986.
The 1997–98 NBA season was the 52nd season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Chicago Bulls winning their third straight championship and sixth in the last eight years, beating the Utah Jazz 4 games to 2 in the 1998 NBA Finals. It also marked the departure of Michael Jordan and the end of the dynasty for the Chicago Bulls.
The 1994–95 NBA season was the 49th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Houston Rockets defeating the Orlando Magic 4-0 in the NBA Finals to be crowned champions.
Louis Dampier is an American retired professional basketball player.
James Edward Silas is a retired American professional basketball player, who played the point guard position. Born in Tallulah, Louisiana, Silas played the majority of his career with the Dallas Chaparrals/San Antonio Spurs of the ABA/NBA. His nicknames include "the Snake", "Captain Late" and "the Late Mr. Silas", the latter two referring to the fact that Silas seemed to play his best late in games.
William R. Knight is an American former professional basketball player and executive. Playing with the Indiana Pacers in both the American Basketball Association (ABA) and later the National Basketball Association (NBA), he was both an ABA and NBA All-Star. He played college basketball with the Pittsburgh Panthers, who retired his No. 34.
The ABA All-Time Team were chosen in 1997 on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the founding of the American Basketball Association (ABA). It comprised the 30 best and most influential players of the ABA during its ten years and nine full regular seasons of operation, with respect not only to performance at the professional level but in consideration of sportsmanship, team leadership, and contributions to the growth of the league basketball, and irrespective of positions played. Only players to have played at least a portion of their careers in the ABA were eligible for selection, although performance in other leagues, most notably the National Basketball Association was ostensibly considered. Selected and announced beside the all-time team were a most valuable player and top head coach.
The 2002–03 NBA season was the 36th season of the franchise, 30th in San Antonio, and 27th in the National Basketball Association. This was also the Spurs' first season playing at the SBC Center. During the off-season, the team signed free agents Kevin Willis, acquired second-year guard Speedy Claxton from the Philadelphia 76ers, and re-acquired former Spurs guard and three-point specialist Steve Kerr from the Portland Trail Blazers. Argentinian future star Manu Ginóbili, who was drafted by the team in 1999, would make his debut for his first NBA season. This would also be the fourteenth and final season for former All-Star center, and long-time Spurs star David Robinson. The Spurs played strong basketball, posting a nine-game winning streak at midseason, holding a 33–16 record at the All-Star break, then winning eleven straight games near the end of the season. The Spurs would win 60 games for only the second time in franchise history, finishing with a league-best 60–22 record.
The 1976 ABA All Star Game was the ninth and final American Basketball Association All-Star Game, played at McNichols Arena in Denver, Colorado, on January 27, 1976. This time, the league abandoned the usual East vs. West format it used from the 1967–68 season onward and instead had the league's first-place team at the All Star break face off against a team of ABA All Stars. The change was decided given the league's reduction from ten to seven teams and from two divisions to only one. At the All-Star break, the Denver Nuggets were in first place, which was convenient as the Nuggets had also been selected to host the game in McNichols Arena. Kevin Loughery of the New York Nets coached the All-Stars while Larry Brown led the Denver Nuggets. This was the second year in a row that Loughery and Brown coached against each other in the ABA All-Star Game.
Spurs Sports & Entertainment L.L.C. (SS&E) is an American sports and entertainment organization based in San Antonio, Texas. The company owns and operates several sporting franchises including the National Basketball Association (NBA) San Antonio Spurs, NBA G League Austin Spurs, and the USL Championship club San Antonio FC. SS&E also operates the Bexar County-owned multi-purpose facility, the Frost Bank Center.
The 1971–72 Dallas Chaparrals season was the fifth season of the Chaparrals in the American Basketball Association. For the third straight season, the Chaps lost to the Stars in the Semifinals. This was the final playoff appearance for the team in Dallas before the move to San Antonio in 1974.
The 1972–73 Memphis Tams season was the 1st season of the Tams and 3rd overall season of American Basketball Association basketball in Memphis. After two seasons as the Memphis Pros with middling profits, Charles O. Finley bought the team on June 13, 1972. He proceeded to rebrand the team like his other teams that he had owned, changing the colors of the team to Kelly Green, California Gold, and Polar Bear White. The team's name was picked from an array of 20,000 postcards sent by fans, with the winner being given a $2,500 prize, which turned out to be Tams. Tams was meant to stand for the fans that resided in Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi, with a tam-o-shanter hat being the main logo. In fact during the first ever game on October 12, 1972, the entire team came out wearing the hats. Finley also had a hand in the combinations of uniform colors worn, in part due to there every top and trunk being either green, gold, or white, with one notable combo being yellow tops with white trunks. For all of the flair the team had with uniforms, it did not translate into success on the court nor for attendance. By December, Finley tried to have negotiations to move the team to St. Paul, Minnesota, and Ron Franz was cut before Christmas. The Tams were 6th in points scored at 111.5 per game but were dead last in points allowed at 118.1 per game. They had two instances of 10 game losing streaks, with the Tams going a month between wins, losing 15 straight games from February 25 to March 24. By the time the streak ended, they had been eliminated from making the playoffs. They were the first team to lose 60 games since the Miami Floridians in 1969.
