Brooklyn Nets: Top Five Moments In Franchise History

2. 1974 ABA Title

In the NBA world, nothing trumps a title, and nothing beats the first.

The 1973-74 New York Nets achieved basketball immortality for the first time in team history. Loughery was at the helm of the team and coached them to a 55-29 record that sat them atop the ABA’s Eastern Division standings. Julius Erving’s dominance was in full effect. He captured his second-straight scoring title (27.4) and won his first of three consecutive MVP awards. The rest of the squad was solid, too, and featured three additional guys who averaged more than 14 points a game: John Williamson (14.5), Larry Kenon (15.9), and Billy Paultz (16.4).

In short, the Nets walked their way through the playoffs. The first round against the Virginia Squires–Erving’s former team–ended in five games, with New York posting a point differential of plus-14. Seven guys averaged double-digits that series. Up next were the Kentucky Colonels, and Dan Issel and Artis Gilmore couldn’t save them from a four-game sweep that featured three blowouts. Doc hovered around 30 points per contest, and four others chipped in at least 13 a night.

The Utah Stars were the final team standing between the Nets and a title. Despite losing in five, Utah put up a decent fight. The difference in scoring was just 102-95 by the end of the series. Doc didn’t relent as he neared the trophy. He averaged 28.2 points, and put on a 20-point, 16-rebound show in the final game.

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