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 coachJim Harding (20–13)
Vern Mikkelsen (6–6)
Verl Young (10–23)
ArenaMet Center
Results
Record36–42 (.462)
PlaceDivision: 4th (Eastern)
Playoff finishLost in the Eastern Division Semifinals

Roster

Final standings

Eastern Division
TeamWLPCT.GB
Indiana Pacers4434.564-
Miami Floridians4335.5511
Kentucky Colonels4236.5382
Minnesota Pipers3642.4628
New York Nets1761.21827

Playoffs

Eastern Division Semifinals vs. Miami Floridians[1]

GameDateLocationScoreRecordAttendance
1April 7Miami110–1190–14,103
2April 9Miami106–991–11,688
3April 10Minnesota109–932–11,520
4April 12Minnesota109–1162–22,532
5April 13Miami107–1222–34,206
6April 15Minnesota105–1003–31,345
7April 19Miami128–1373–45,702

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
  1. "1968-69 ABA Regular Season Standings". Remembertheaba.com. Archived from the original on 2007-10-17. Retrieved 2016-07-11.
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