1968 ABA Playoffs
The 1968 ABA Playoffs was the postseason tournament following the American Basketball Association's inaugural 1967-1968 season, starting on March 23 and ending on May 4. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Pittsburgh Pipers defeating the Western Division champion New Orleans Buccaneers, four games to three in the ABA Finals.
| Division Semifinals | Division Finals | ABA Finals | |||||||||||
| 1 | New Orleans Bucs | 3 | |||||||||||
| 3 | Denver Rockets | 2 | |||||||||||
| 1 | New Orleans Bucs | 4 | |||||||||||
| Western Division | |||||||||||||
| 2 | Dallas Chaparrals | 1 | |||||||||||
| 4 | Houston Mavericks | 0 | |||||||||||
| 2 | Dallas Chaparrals | 3 | |||||||||||
| W1 | New Orleans Bucs | 3 | |||||||||||
| E1 | Pittsburgh Pipers | 4 | |||||||||||
| 1 | Pittsburgh Pipers | 3 | |||||||||||
| 3 | Indiana Pacers | 0 | |||||||||||
| 1 | Pittsburgh Pipers | 4 | |||||||||||
| Eastern Division | |||||||||||||
| 2 | Minnesota Muskies | 1 | |||||||||||
| 4 | Kentucky Colonels | 2 | |||||||||||
| 2 | Minnesota Muskies | 3 | |||||||||||
Notable events
This was the first ABA championship.
The Pittsburgh Pipers won the ABA championship in the playoffs after posting the league's best record during the regular season (54-24, .692). The Minnesota Muskies had the league's second best record, but they played in the Eastern Division with the Pipers.
None of the four teams that made it to the Division finals (and ABA finals) remained as they were during this season throughout the league's entire existence. The Pittsburgh Pipers spent the following season as the Minnesota Pipers, returned to play as the Pittsburgh Pipers the year after that, and then played two seasons as the Pittsburgh Condors before folding in 1972. After three seasons the New Orleans Buccaneers left town and became the Memphis Pros in 1970. The Minnesota Muskies spent the next two seasons as the Miami Floridians and then spent two seasons after that as The Floridians before folding in 1972. The Dallas Chaparrals eventually became the San Antonio Spurs, continuing to this day in the NBA.
The Kentucky Colonels won the last Eastern Division playoff berth in a one-game playoff over the New Jersey Americans by forfeit when the venue chosen by the Americans, Commack Arena, had an unplayable floor.
Connie Hawkins of the Pittsburgh Pipers was the Most Valuable Player of the ABA playoffs.
Western Division
Champion: New Orleans Buccaneers
Division Semifinals
(1) New Orleans Buccaneers vs. (3) Denver Rockets: Bucs win series 3-2
- Game 1 @ New Orleans: New Orleans 130, Denver 104
- Game 2 @ New Orleans: New Orleans 105, Denver 93
- Game 3 @ Denver: Denver 105, New Orleans 98
- Game 4 @ Denver: Denver 108, New Orleans 100
- Game 5 @ New Orleans: New Orleans 102, Denver 97
(2) Dallas Chaparrals vs. (4) Houston Mavericks: Chaparrals win series 3-0
- Game 1 @ Dallas: Dallas 111, Houston 110
- Game 2 @ Dallas: Dallas 115, Houston 97
- Game 3 @ Houston: Dallas 116, Houston 103
Division Finals
(1) New Orleans Buccaneers vs. (2) Dallas Chaparrals: Bucs win series 4-1
- Game 1 @ New Orleans: New Orleans 104, Dallas 99
- Game 2 @ New Orleans: Dallas 112, New Orleans 109
- Game 3 @ Dallas: New Orleans 110, Dallas 107
- Game 4 @ Dallas: New Orleans 119, Dallas 103
- Game 5 @ New Orleans: New Orleans 108, Dallas 107
Eastern Division
Champion: Pittsburgh Pipers
Division Semifinals
(1) Pittsburgh Pipers vs. (3) Indiana Pacers: Pipers win series 3-0
- Game 1 @ Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh 146, Indiana 127
- Game 2 @ Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh 121, Indiana 108
- Game 3 @ Indiana: Pittsburgh 133, Indiana 114
(2) Minnesota Muskies vs. (4) Kentucky Colonels: Muskies win series 3-2
- Game 1 @ Minnesota: Minnesota 115, Kentucky 102
- Game 2 @ Minnesota: Kentucky 100, Minnesota 95
- Game 3 @ Kentucky: Minnesota 116, Kentucky 107
- Game 4 @ Kentucky: Kentucky 94, Minnesota 86
- Game 5 @ Minnesota: Minnesota 114, Kentucky 108
Division Finals
(1) Pittsburgh Pipers vs. (2) Minnesota Muskies: Pipers win series 4-1
- Game 1 @ Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh 125, Minnesota 117
- Game 2 @ Pittsburgh: Minnesota 137, Pittsburgh 123
- Game 3 @ Minnesota: Pittsburgh 107, Minnesota 99
- Game 4 @ Minnesota: Pittsburgh 117, Minnesota 108
- Game 5 @ Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh 114, Minnesota 105
ABA Finals
(1) Pittsburgh Pipers VS. (1) New Orleans Buccaneers: Pipers win series 4-3
- Game 1 @ Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh 120, New Orleans 112
- Game 2 @ Pittsburgh: New Orleans 109, Pittsburgh 100
- Game 3 @ New Orleans: New Orleans 109, Pittsburgh 101
- Game 4 @ New Orleans: Pittsburgh 106, New Orleans 105
- Game 5 @ Pittsburgh: New Orleans 111, Pittsburgh 108
- Game 6 @ New Orleans: Pittsburgh 118, New Orleans 112
- Game 7 @ Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh 122, New Orleans 113