The 1968 Basketball Season

A look back at the 1968 Basketball season and some of the Key Players and teams that made it so special.

The 1968 basketball season A Look Back

The 1968 Basketball Season was one of the most eventful and controversial in history. It was the first season of the newly created American Basketball Association, which began play in February. The ABA was a direct competitor of the established National Basketball Association and offered a more wide-open style of play that emphasized scoring and excitement over defense and strategy. This style quickly gained popularity, but it also created tension between the two leagues.

The 1968 season was also marked by several major upsets. In the NCAA tournament unranked Drake defeated UCLA, which was then the defending National Champion In the NBA playoffs the New York Knicks who were not even considered a good team at the beginning of the season, won their division and then proceeded to beat the more talented Baltimore Bullets in the Eastern Division Finals.

The most memorable moment of the 1968 season came in the NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers. The Celtics had won eight championships in a row and were considered heavy favorites to win again in 1968. However, in one of the most thrilling come-from-behind victories in NBA history the Lakers won Game seven by four points to take the title.

The 1968 Basketball season was a turning point for both the NBA and ABA. The popularity of the ABA caused many of its star players to be signed by NBA teams which led to an increase in competition between the two leagues. The season also featured some of greatest upsets and most exciting moments in Basketball History making it one of the most memorable seasons ever.

The 1968 Basketball season The Standouts

It was a year of great change in the world of basketball. In 1968, the season saw the debut of the ABA, an alternative to the existing NBA that would eventually force a merger between the two leagues. The season also marked the end of an era, as legendary Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach retired after leading his team to nine championships in ten years.

Nonetheless, 1968 was a banner year for individual players. In the NBA, Bob Pettit won his third MVP Award averaging 24.8 points and 15.9 rebounds per game Willis Reed continued his emergence as one of the league’s Top Players averaging 21.7 points and 13.9 rebounds per game for the New York Knicks

In the ABA, Connie Hawkins established himself as one of the league’s premier players, averaging 34 points per game for the Pittsburgh Pipers. George Gervin also had a breakout year, averaging 28 points per game for the Virginia Squires.

The 1968 Basketball season The Controversies

The 1968 Basketball season was marred by several controversies. The most prominent of these was the so-called ‘Game of the Century’ between Lew Alcindor’s UCLA Bruins and Elvin Hayes’ Houston Cougars The game, which was played on January 20, 1968, is considered one of the most important college basketball games ever played. It featured two of the greatest players in college basketball history and was broadcast on national television.

However, the game was also controversial because it was clear that the officials favored UCLA. This led to allegations of bias and calls for an investigation. The investigation ultimately found that the officials had indeed favored UCLA, but no action was taken against them.

Another controversy arose during the NCAA Tournament when black players from Kentucky and Syracuse boycotted their games to protest racism. This led to a number of rule changes designed to make the tournament more inclusive for black players

Finally, there was also controversy surrounding the hiring of John Calipari as Head Coach at Memphis State Some people felt that he had only been hired because he was white, while others felt he was the best man for the job.

The 1968 basketball season The Legacy

The 1968 Basketball Season was one of the most momentous and consequential in the history of the sport. It was a season defined by Great players great teams, and great drama. It also marked a turning point in the way the game was played and has been remembered ever since.

The 1968 season saw the emergence of two true powerhouses: the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics These two teams would dominate the league for the next decade, winning a combined eight championships. But it was not just their on-court success that set them apart; it was their style of play.

The Lakers were led by two of the greatest players ever to don a uniform: Jerry West and Elgin Baylor. They were a fast-paced, high-scoring team that thrilled crowds with their uptempo style. The Celtics, on the other hand, were a gritty, defense-oriented squad that relied on fundamental play and clutch shooting to win games.

The two teams met in the Finals that year, with the Lakers winning in seven games. The series was immensely entertaining and is widely considered one of the best ever played. It also cemented the legacy of both teams and set the stage for their future dominance of the league.

In subsequent years, the game of basketball would continue to evolve and change. But for many fans, the 1968 season remains the standard by which all others are measured.

The 1968 basketball season The Game-Changers

The 1968 Basketball season was one for the ages. It was a season of change, as teams began to introduce new playing styles and strategies that would change the game forever. Here are some of the most notable changes that occurred during the 1968 Basketball season

-The ABA (American basketball Association) was founded. This new professional league would go on to challenge the NBA for supremacy in the world of Professional Basketball
-The first African American head coach in NCAA Division I history was hired. Fred Snowden took over at UCLA, and would lead the Bruins to an undefeated season and a National Championship
-The concept of Zone defense was introduced. Teams had always employed some form of zone defense but it was during the 1968 season that it really began to take hold as a viable strategy.
-The Three-Point Shot was introduced. This would change the game forever, as teams could now score from farther away than ever before.

These are just some of the ways in which the 1968 basketball season changed the game forever. If you’re a fan of basketball, this is definitely a season worth studying!

The 1968 Basketball season The Influencers

The 1968 Basketball Season was one of the most controversial and unpredictable seasons in the history of the sport. A new generation of athletes was beginning to assert itself, and the old guard was not ready to give up its power without a fight. The most important games of the season were played between two teams that were evenly matched in terms of skill and experience: the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics

The Lakers were led by a young player named Kareem Abdul-Jabbar who had just been drafted out of college. Abdul-Jabbar was a gifted athlete with immense potential, but he was also raw and inexperienced. The Celtics were led by two veterans: Bill Russell and John Havlicek. Russell was one of the greatest players in the history of the sport, but at age 34, he was nearing the end of his career. Havlicek was a very good player but he was not as talented as Abdul-Jabbar.

The 1968 season was a battle between these two teams for supremacy in the NBA. The Lakers won 58 games and lost 24, while the Celtics won 56 games and lost 26. In the playoffs, the two teams met in the Finals for the third time in four years. The Lakers won in six games, giving them their first championship since moving to Los Angeles

The 1968 season was important because it signaled a changing of the guard in professional basketball Kareem Abdul-Jabbar emerged as one of the game’s great players while Bill Russell and John Havlicek began to fade into retirement. The season also showcased some of the greatest players in NBA history Jerry West Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson

The 1968 basketball season The Unforgettable Moments

The 1968 Basketball Season was full of unforgettable moments. From the buzzer-beaters to the game-winning shots, the season had it all. Here are some of the most memorable moments from the 1968 basketball season

1. On January 15th, 1968, Duke University’s Men’s basketball team beat Davidson College in a triple-overtime thriller. The game went down to the wire, with Duke winning by a score of 103-102.

2. On February 7th, 1968, the University of Kentucky’s Men’s Basketball team defeated Florida State University in an overtime thriller. Kentucky won by a score of 92-90.

3. On March 9th, 1968, UCLA’s Men’s basketball team defeated Purdue University in the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship Game. UCLA won by a score of 78-55.

4. On April 5th, 1968, the Boston Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals The Celtics won by a score of 108-106.

The 1968 basketball season The Record-Breakers

In 1968, the Boston Celtics set the record for the most wins in a season with 69. The previous record had been held by the 1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers, who won 68 games. The 1968 season was also the first time that two teams won at least 67 games; the second-place Los Angeles Lakers won 67 games.

The 1968 season was also notable for several individual achievements. Wilt Chamberlain of the Lakers became the first player to score 3,000 points in a season, averaging 34.7 points per game He also set a single-game record by scoring 78 points against the Atlanta Hawks on February 2. Bob Dandridge of the Milwaukee Bucks was the leading rookie scorer, averaging 24.8 points per game

The 1968 basketball season The Rookies

The 1968 basketball season was special for many reasons. It was the first season of the newly formed American Basketball Association which featured a number of talented rookies who would go on to have long and successful careers in the NBA. Among these rookies were future Hall of Famers Julius Erving and Connie Hawkins.

The 1968 Basketball season The Comebacks

The 1968 basketball season was one characterized by comebacks. In the span of just a few months, two of the most prominent basketball teams in the country staged remarkable turnarounds to win championships.

The first of these comebacks occurred in March, when the Los Angeles Lakers mounted a furious rally to win the NBA Championship The Lakers had been trailing the Boston Celtics by as many as 15 points in Game 7 of the Finals, but they managed to claw their way back and pull out a 108-106 victory. It was one of the most improbable comebacks in NBA history and it cemented the Lakers’ reputation as a team that never gave up.

The other big comeback took place in College Basketball In late February, the University of North Carolina was trailing Duke by 32 points in what looked like it would be an easy Duke victory. But UNC staged an incredible comeback, outscoring Duke 41-27 in the second half to win 93-83. The game is widely considered one of the greatest comebacks in College Basketball history.

So what made 1968 such a special year for comebacks? It’s difficult to say for sure, but one thing is certain: it was a year that will never be forgotten by fans of basketball.