Index
ABA Finals

1975

BOXSCORE Kentucky Colonels Indiana Pacers
GAME1 4 1
GAME2
GAME3 ABA FINALS STATS ABA FINALS STATS
GAME4  
GAME5
GAME6
GAME7

Game #1 5/13/75 @Louisville

The Colonels prevailed in Game 1 as they blew it open late. They held the lead throughout the 1st half, but Indiana rallied behind George McGinnis’ 18 3rd quarter points. The Colones score 38 points off the fastbreak & 28 2nd chance points. They got a big lift off the bench from Marv Roberts who came in for Wil Jones after Jones got into foul trouble trying to guard McGinnis. Artis Gilmore picked up his 6th personal foul & Kentucky coach Hubie Brown elected to remove Gilmore from the game. The score was 89-84 with under 9 minutes to play. In the next 90 seconds, Kentucky got 2 free throws from Dan Issel and layups from Ted McClain, Louie Dampier & Ron Thomas to make it a 97-84 Colonels lead. Kentucky got runouts on 2 of the 3 layups as the Pacers did not get back on defense much to Coach Bob Leaonard’s dismay. In the last 8 ½ minutes, Kentucky outscored Indiana 31-10 with Gilmore on the bench. The fans got a free burger for a local fast food franchise for holding the Pacers under 100 points.

INDIANA MN FG-FGA FT-FTA OR DR RB AS TO PF PTS
Knight 45  7-18   4-4    2  6  8  3  2  2  18
McGinnis 41 13-25   8-12   5  7 12  9  7  5  35
Hillman 26  2-8    2-6    6  5 11  0  1  5   6
Buse 22  0-1    0-0    0  2  2  3  1  0   0
Joyce 40  6-20   5-6    0  3  3  3  4  3  20
Elmore 29  1-6    4-4    1  7  8  0  3  3   6
Keller 34  3-10   0-0    0  1  1  2  0  2   7
Edge 3  1-2    0-0    1  0  1  0  2  2   2
TOTALS     240 34-89  23-32  15 31 46 20 20 22  94
3-PT: McGinnis 1-4, Keller 1-2, Buse 0-1, Joyce 0-1
BL: Elmore 5, Hillman 2
ST: Knight 1, Joyce 1
KENTUCKY MN FG-FGA FT-FTA OR DR RB AS TO PF PTS
Jones 21  3-4    0-0    1  2  3  6  0  5   6
Issel 44  6-18   6-6    7 12 19  4  3  2  18
Gilmore 36 11-19   4-7    3 10 13  0  4  6  26
Dampier 39 10-17   2-2    1  1  2  5  1  1  22
McClain 30  2-9    0-0    1  3  4  6  3  6   4
Roberts 25  6-10   7-7    4  3  7  4  2  4  19
Averritt 24  7-17   0-0    0  2  2  1  0  4  15
Thomas 18  3-6    4-5    5  4  9  3  0  2  10
Littles 3  0-2    0-0    1  0  1  0  0  0   0
TOTALS     240 48-102 23-27  23 37 60 29 13 30 120
3-PT: Averitt 1-1
BL: McClain 2, Gilmore 1, Iseel 1, Jones 1, Dampier 1
ST: Thomas 2, Issel 2, Gilmore 2, Dampier 1, McClain 1
Indiana 21 24 28 21   94
Kentucky 27 29 27 37  120
Att- 14,368

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Game #2 5/15/75 @Louisville

The Colones were in control again, 43-35, late in the 2nd quarter when Pacers coach Leonard inserted veteran Roger Brown into the line-up. This sparked a 15-2 Pacers run to close the half. McGinnis picked up his 4th foul early in the 3rd period and sat on the bench. Dampier sparked Kentucky with 6 straight points to put the Colonels back on top 65-64. The teams fought back and forth all the way down to the wire. Marv Roberts hit 2 free throws that gave Kentucky a 93-89 lead with 1:54 to play. Brown answered with a lay-up to cut it to 93-81 with 1:32 left. Indiana then tied the game at 96, when McGinnis scored on a drive at the 46 seconds mark, despite being guarded by Roberts & Thomas. After Kentucky missed a couple of chances, Indiana got the ball back. McGinnis tried to drive again but lost the ball out of bounds under pressure by Roberts with 0:10 left. Don Buse blanketed Dampier & McGinnis had Issel covered so Kentucky had to go elsewhere on their final possession. Gilmore converted a 4-foot hook with 0:02 on the clock. Out of timeouts, Darnell Hillman inbounded the ball to Billy Keller. Keller then spun around Dampier, took 2 dribbles and launched a 40-foot shot that went in for an apparent game-winning 3-point shot. However, officials Norm Drucker & Ed Rush disallowed the basket saying that it had come after the buzzer. Indiana immediately lodged an official protest with the league.

INDIANA MN FG-FGA FT-FTA OR DR RB AS TO PF PTS
Knight 27  5-13   2-2    1  2  3  1  1  4  12
McGinnis 32 10-19   8-11   3 13 16  5  5  4  29
Hillman 32  4-11   0-0    1  7  8  0  3  4   8
Buse 39  3-5    1-2    0  5  5  7  0  2   7
Joyce 41  7-12   2-2    0  1  1  2  4  4  16
Brown 18  5-7    2-2    0  4  4  2  1  1  12
Elmore 25  2-7    2-2    1  2  3  0  1  1   6
Keller 16  1-5    0-0    1  0  1  2  0  1   2
TOTALS     240 37-79  18-21   7 34 41 19 15 21  93
3-PT: McGinnis 1-2, Keller 0-3, Buse 0-1, Knight 0-1
BL: Hillman 1, Elmore 1
ST: Buse 3, McGinnis 3, Brown 2, Knight 1
KENTUCKY MN FG-FGA FT-FTA OR DR RB AS TO PF PTS
Jones 22  4-8    1-2    2  2  4  4  2  2   9
Issel 42 10-19   2-3    2  6  8  3  3  6  22
Gilmore 47  5-11   2-3    3 12 15  3  2  6  12
Dampier 43  4-14   7-9    0  4  4  4  1  1  15
McClain 37  4-7    2-2    0  6  6  3  3  4  10
Roberts 24  6-10   4-4    2  2  4  4  0  4  16
Averitt 16  2-11   2-2    1  3  4  1  2  0   4
Thomas 9  2-3    1-3    3  1  4  1  1  1   5
TOTALS     240 37-83  21-27  13 36 49 23 14 24  95
3-PT: none
BL: Jones 1
ST: McClain 2, Jones 1, Issel 1, Roberts 1
Indiana 19 31 18 25   93
Kentucky 27 18 26 24   95
Att- 13,212

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Game #3 5/17/75 Indianapolis

Whie still awaiting the ruling on Indiana’s protest, the teams took the court for a pivotal game 3. The Pacers suffered a blow when McGinnis sprained his ankle in a 2nd quarter collision with Issel. He also was saddled with severe foul troubke throughout the game. Kentucky seemed to be in control with a 64-59 lead in the 3rd period & McGinnis sitting on the bench. However, led by Hillman & rookies Billy Knight and Len Elmore, the Pacers went on a 20-5 run that gave them a 79-69 lead late in the 3rd quarter. Hubie Brown then switched to a pressing defense led by Dampier & Ted “Hound Dog” McClain. Kentucky rallied in the 4th behind the scoring of Gilmore and Issel who had 11 and 10 points in the final quarter. Still, Indiana led 97-94 with under 5 minutes to play. A driving layup by Dampier drew a foul on Elmore. The free throw tied the game at 97 with 4:21 to play. Gilmore scored 7 of Kentucky’s next 8 points as they led 105-99 after an 11-2 run. Gilmore would score 8 of Kentucky’s last 12 points. His 41 points also equaled his career high.

KENTUCKY MN FG-FGA FT-FTA OR DR RB AS TO PF PTS
Jones 17  0-2    0-0    1  1  2  3  2  4   0
Issel 43  9-18   8-10   7  5 12  4  0  5  26
Gilmore 47 17-28   7-8   11 17 28  1  6  4  41
Dampier 41  6-13   1-1    0  1  1  3  2  1  13
McClain 37  3-10   4-4    0  4  4  7  4  2  10
Averitt 18  3-12   0-0    0  0  0  4  2  1   6
Roberts 31  6-14   1-1    4  2  6  5  0  4  13
Thomas 6  0-0    0-0    0  1  1  0  1  1   0
TOTALS     240 44-97  21-24  23 31 54 27 17 22 109
3-PT: Dampier 0-3, Averitt 0-1
BL: Gilmore 1
ST: McClain 4, Issel 1, Dampier 1
INDIANA MN FG-FGA FT-FTA OR DR RB AS TO PF PTS
Knight 44  13-15  2-3    3  9 12  5  3  2  28
McGinnis 26   7-16  5-7    4  6 10  3  6  6  19
Hillman 34   7-12  4-6    4  4  8  2  2  5  18
Buse 37   4-11  0-0    2  0  2  5  1  1   9
Joyce 35   5-9   2-2    0  2  2  2  2  4  12
Keller 24   2-11  0-0    0  0  0  3  1  1   4
Elmore 31   4-9   1-1    1  7  8  4  2  4   9
Brown 9   0-2   2-2    1  0  1  2  1  3   2
TOTALS     240  42-82 18-21  15 28 43 26 18 25 101
3-PT: Buse 1-1, McGinnis 0-5, Keller 0-5
BL: McGinnis 1, Elmore 1, Hillman 1, Joyce 1
ST: Buse 2, Joyce 1, Hillman 1, Brown 1
Kentucky 31 25 17 36  109
Indiana 30 21 30 20  101
Att- 17,388

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Game #4 5/19/75 @Indianapolis

The day after Game 3, the protest was head at the offices of WTTV in Indianapolis where league officials reviewed tapes of Game 2. The league denied the Pacers protest & left Kentucky 1 win from their 1st ABA title. The Colonels led by 3 at the half, but had missed a great opportunity to blow the game open. Kentucky shot only 37% from the floor, made 17 turnovers and was outrebounded by 6 in the opening half. The two teams fought to a standoff in the 3rd period & Kentucky still led by 1, 72-71, early in the 4th. The Pacers then scored on an Elmore jumper, two hoops by Knight & 2 free throws by Elmore to lead 79-72 with 7:30 left in the game. After 2 Colonel hoops closed the gap, Keller hit a 3-ponter and then a side-arm, fall away baseline jumper to make it Indiana 84 Kentucky 76 with 5:18 to play. Leonard had juggled his line-up for Game 4 by starting Keller & Elmore instead of Joyce & Buse. He moved Knight to guard as he had done in the semis vs. Denver. Keller hit a jumper with 1:19 to play that gave Indiana its biggest lead of the series, 92-81.

KENTUCKY MN FG-FGA FT-FTA OR DR RB AS TO PF PTS
Jones 23  2-6    0-0    2  4  6  2  2  5   4
Issel 41 10-22   6-7    3  6  9  1  4  5  26
Gilmore 46  4-15  10-13   4 14 18  2  4  2  18
Dampier 42  3-13   1-1    1  3  4  6  2  5   8
McClain 37  5-11   2-2    1  4  5  2  5  4  12
Roberts 25  6-16   2-2    4  2  6  2  4  0  14
Averitt 17  1-5    2-2    1  2  3  2  1  2   4
Thomas 9  0-0    0-0    0  0  0  1  1  0   0
TOTALS     240 31-88  23-27  16 35 51 18 23 23  86
3-PT: Dampier 1-2, McClain 0-2, Jones 0-1
BL: McClain 2, Issel 2, Gilmore 1, Jones 1
ST: McClain 2, Issel 1, Jones 1, Dampier 1
INDIANA MN FG-FGA FT-FTA OR DR RB AS TO PF PTS
Hillman 28  6-14   2-2    4 14 18  0  1  5  14
McGinnis 42  9-23   4-6    5 16 21  6  5  4  22
Elmore 29  5-8    0-0    0  1  1  0  2  3  10
Knight 45  5-14   6-6    3  6  9  4  3  3  16
Keller 40  8-20   3-3    1  3  4  2  4  1  20
Joyce 32  3-9    4-4    1  1  2  1  2  5  10
Buse 24  1-5    0-0    3  2  5  2  1  3   2
TOTALS     240 37-95  19-21  17 43 60 15 18 23  94
3-PT: Keller 1-3, McGinnis 0-3, Buse 0-2, Joyce 0-1
BL: Hillman 3, Elmore 3, Joyce 2, McGinnis 1
ST: Elmore 4, McGinnis 2, Buse 2, Knight 1, Joyce 1
Kentucky 18 26 25 17   86
Indiana 19 22 26 27   94
Att- 14,589

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Game #5 5/22/75 @Louisville

Kentucky led for most of the game, but Indiana fought tooth & nail throughout. The Pacers only led briefly late in the 1st quarter and early in the 3rd quarter. A 17-foot jumper from Dampier gave Kentucky the lead for good at 60-58 with 8:38 left in the 3rd period. However, the Colonels could not shake their rivals. A Knight shot made it a 3-point game, 100-97 late. Roberts answered with a 12-footer to push the lead back to 5. McClain then claimed his record 15th steal of the series and Gilmore converted a 10-foot hook to give Kentucky a 104-97 lead. Knight again stepped up by hitting a bank shot, but Gilmore found McClain for an 8-footer that made it 106-99. A Roberts 10-footer seemed to seal the deal at 108-99 with 0:57 left. McGinnis would score to cut the lead to 7, but it seemed to late. Dampier missed a free throw line jumper with 0:23 left & Indiana converted it into points when Knight sank 2 free throws. After forcing a turnover, Knight hit a 13-foot shot to suddenly make it a 108-105 game with 0:14 left. Gilmore would hit 2 clutch free throws to seal if after Indiana was forced to foul.

INDIANA MN FG-FGA FT-FTA OR DR RB AS TO PF PTS
Hillman 33  0-4    2-3    0 10 10  1  2  3   2
McGinnis 43 10-20   8-11   1 10 11  9  6  5  31
Elmore 44  4-13   2-3    5  6 11  1  1  5  10
Knight 47 18-29   4-5    4  4  8  4  3  1  40
Joyce 39  7-14   1-2    0  0  0  2  2  2  16
Keller 17  0-6    4-4    0  1  1  2  2  2   4
Buse 9  0-0    0-0    1  2  3  0  0  0   0
Brown 6  1-1    0-0    0  0  0  0  1  1   2
Edge 2  0-0    0-0    0  0  0  0  0  0   0
TOTALS     240 40-87  21-28  11 33 44 19 17 19 105
3-PT: McGinnis 3-5, Joyce 1-1, Keller 0-4
BL: Hillman 2, Elmore 1, Joyce 1, Buse 1
ST: Knight 2, McGinnis 1, Elmore 1
KENTUCKY MN FG-FGA FT-FTA OR DR RB AS TO PF PTS
Jones 24  4-16   2-2    4  2  6  3  2  3  10
Issel 44  7-15   2-2    4  8 12  2  2  4  16
Gilmore 47 11-20   6-8    8 23 31  5  1  5  28
Dampier 40  6-9    0-0    0  1  1 12  3  4  12
McClain 39  8-21   3-3    4  2  6  7  3  5  19
Roberts 24  7-11   0-2    1  1  2  0  1  0  14
Averitt 17  5-12   1-2    2  1  3  2  0  2  11
Thomas 5  0-1    0-0    0  0  0  0  0  3   0
TOTALS     240 48-105 14-19  23 38 61 31 12 25 110
3-PT: Dampier 0-1
BL: Gilmore 3, Dampier 1, Issel 1
ST: McClain 6, Dampier 1, Jones 1, Roberts 1, Issel 1, Gilmore 1
Indiana 29 19 28 29  105
Kentucky 29 25 26 30  110
Att- 16,622

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COMPOSITE BOX SCORE
KENTUCKY G MIN FG-FGA FT-FTA OR DR REB AS TO PF BL ST PTS
Gilmore 5 223 48-93  29-39  29 76 105 11 17 23  6  3 125
Issel 5 214 42-92  24-28  23 37  60 14 12 22  4  6 108
Dampier 5 205 29-66  11-13   2 10  12 30  9 12  2  4  70
McClain 5 180 22-58  11-11   6 19  25 25 18 20  4 15  55
Roberts 5 139 31-61  14-16  16 10  26 15  7 12  0  1  62
Jones 5 107 13-36   3-4   10 11  21 18  8 19  3  3  29
Averitt 5  92 18-57   5-6    4  8  12 10  5  9  0  0  36
Thomas 5  47  5-10   5-8    8  6  14  5  3  7  0  2  15
Littles 1   3  0-2    0-0    1  0   1  0  0  0  0  0   0
3-PT: Dampier 1-6, Averrit 1-2, McClain 0-2, Jones 0-1
INDIANA G MIN FG-FGA FT-FTA OR DR REB AS TO PF BL ST PTS
Knight 5 208 48-89  18-20  13 27  40 17 12 13  0  5 114
Joyce 5 187 28-64  14-16   1  7   8 10 14 18  4  3  74
McGinnis 5 184 49-103 33-47  18 52  70 32 29 24  2  6 136
Elmore 5 158 16-43   9-10   8 23  31  5  9 16 11  5  41
Hillman 5 153 19-49  10-17  15 40  55  3  9 22  9  1  48
Buse 5 131  8-22   1-2    7 11  18 17  3  6  1  7  18
Keller 5 131 14-52   7-7    2  5   7 11  7  7  0  0  33
Brown 3  33  6-10   4-4    1  4   5  4  3  5  0  3  14
Edge 2   5  1-2    0-0    1  0   1  0  2  2  0  0   2
3-PT: McGinnis 5-19, Keller 2-17, Buse 1-5, Joyce 1-3, Knight 0-1

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