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This week we’re going to take a break from the trade rumors and do something that’s our privilege as fans of the most successful franchise in NBA history.
We’re going to look back.
It’s May of 1971 and the ABA Finals are underway.
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The league’s sprawling western division is represented by the Utah Stars, a team that finished second in the league with a 57-27 record. The best record in the league belonged to the Indiana Pacers, which finished 58-26.
The Eastern division was clearly the weaker of the two. The Virginia Squires took the top seed, 55-29, but second place belonged to the Kentucky Colonels which finished the season at 44-40.
The Colonels are on their third coach of the season.
The first 15 games were coached by Gene Rhodes, who led the team to a 10-5 record. This was not good enough for team owner John Y. Brown, who fired him, with Alex Groza coaching the team for the next two games (both wins), before being replaced by Celtic legend Frank Ramsey. Ramsey took the job on the condition that he be allowed to fly to games from his home in Madisonville, Kentucky, 150 miles away. Brown agreed to this and Ramsey took over the Colonels.
(Original Caption) Ballet at Boston Garden…Celtics’ Frank Ramsey, left, fingertips ball in ballet movement as Philadelphia Warriors’ York Larese, right, springs high in air during 3rd quarter action, Boston Garden (1/28). Celtics lost game, 133-129, their 4th straight loss.
His record as a regular season coach was nothing to write home about. The team went 32-35 with him on the bench. He was noted for being something of a micromanager, insisting on taping players’ ankles himself.
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However, the Colonels caught a bit of lightning in the playoffs. In the first round, they faced off against the Floridians. The Colonels won the series 4-2, in part due to their reliance on the three point shot. During the regular season, the Colonels were mid-pack when it came to three point attempts per game, with the league’s second best success rate from beyond the arc, while the Floridians avoided the shot like the plague. The Colonels’ use of the shot…
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Publish date : 2026-06-21 06:53:00
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