1969–70 Denver Rockets season

1969–70 Denver Rockets season
Division champions
Head coach	John McLendon Joe Belmont
Arena	Denver Auditorium Arena
Results
Record	51–33 (.607)
Place	Division: 1st (Western)
Playoff finish	ABA Western Division finals (lost to Stars 1–4)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

The 1969–70 ABA season was the Rockets' third season. They ended up with a 51–33 record. Out of the 11 teams that played in the ABA that season the Rockets had the highest rating in simple rating system and offensive rating. This was their first playoff series win. They would not win another playoff series until 1975.

Roster

No.	Player	Position	Height	Weight	Birth Date	Experience (years)	College
14	Cliff Anderson	SG	6-2	200	September 7, 1944	2	Saint Joseph's University
40	Byron Beck	C	6-9	225	January 25, 1945	2	University of Denver
23	Jeffrey Congdon	PG	6-1	180	October 17, 1943	2	Brigham Young University
22	Julian Hammond	SF	6-5	205	May 27, 1943	2	University of Tulsa
24	Spencer Haywood	PF	6-8	225	April 22, 1949	R	University of Detroit Mercy
32	Larry Jones	SG	6-2	180	September 22, 1942	3	University of Toledo
52	Julius Keye	C	6-10	200	September 5, 1946	R	Alcorn State University
19	Lonnie Lynn	SF	6-7	215	May 24, 1943	R	Wilberforce University
34	Walter Piatkowski	PF	6-8	220	June 11, 1945	1	Bowling Green State University
11	Floyd Theard	PG	6-1	170	September 5, 1944	R	Kentucky State University
50	Dwight Waller	F	6-6	220	October 5, 1945	1	Tennessee State University
44	Ben Warley	SF	6-5	200	September 4, 1936	7	Tennessee State University
54	Greg Wittman	PF	6-8	210	May 10, 1947	R	Western Carolina University
42	Lonnie Wright	SG	6-2	205	January 23, 1944	2	Colorado State University

Season standings

Eastern Division

Eastern Division	W	L	PCT	GB
Indiana Pacers *	59	25	.702	-
Kentucky Colonels *	45	39	.536	14.0
Carolina Cougars *	42	42	.500	17.0
New York Nets *	39	45	.464	20.0
Pittsburgh Pipers	29	55	.345	30.0
Miami Floridians	23	61	.274	36.0

Western Division

Western Division	W	L	PCT	GB
Denver Rockets *	51	33	.607	-
Dallas Chaparrals *	45	39	.536	6.0
Washington Capitols *	44	40	.524	7.0
Los Angeles Stars *	43	41	.512	8.0
New Orleans Buccaneers	42	42	.500	9.0

Asterisk Denotes playoff team

Game log

• 1969-70 Denver Rockets Schedule and Results | Basketball-Reference.com

Statistics

Rk	Player	Age	G	MP	FG	FGA	FG%	3P	3PA	3P%	2P	2PA	2P%	FT	FTA	FT%	ORB	DRB	TRB	AST	TOV	PF	PTS
1	Spencer Haywood	20	84	45.3	11.7	23.8	.493	0.0	0.1	.000	11.7	23.7	.496	6.5	8.4	.776	6.3	13.1	19.5	2.3	3.0	2.6	30.0
2	Larry Jones	27	75	40.4	8.3	19.2	.434	0.5	2.2	.248	7.8	17.0	.458	7.7	9.8	.791	1.9	3.3	5.2	5.7	3.2	3.0	24.9
3	Byron Beck	25	79	31.1	5.6	10.6	.523	0.0	0.0	.000	5.6	10.6	.524	1.7	2.2	.787	3.2	6.5	9.7	1.4	1.7	3.7	12.9
4	Jeffrey Congdon	26	83	29.7	3.6	9.3	.386	0.8	2.1	.354	2.8	7.2	.395	1.8	2.3	.786	0.6	2.2	2.8	5.4	2.5	2.5	9.8
5	Lonnie Wright	26	79	28.3	5.0	12.1	.413	0.7	2.4	.280	4.3	9.6	.447	1.5	2.2	.691	0.6	2.1	2.7	1.9	1.2	3.5	12.2
6	Julian Hammond	26	69	26.8	4.8	9.6	.498	0.0	0.0	.000	4.8	9.6	.499	2.4	3.5	.695	3.0	3.9	6.8	1.6	2.3	2.7	12.0
7	Julius Keye	23	77	21.3	3.2	8.0	.396	0.0	0.1	.000	3.2	7.9	.401	1.5	2.5	.601	2.4	4.4	6.9	0.6	1.3	2.7	7.9
8	Walter Piatkowski	24	74	17.6	2.9	7.2	.402	0.1	0.7	.220	2.8	6.6	.421	1.0	1.3	.768	1.4	2.0	3.4	0.6	1.0	2.4	7.0
9	Floyd Theard	25	25	16.2	1.6	4.5	.345	0.0	0.0	.000	1.6	4.5	.348	0.7	1.1	.643	0.3	1.7	2.0	1.8	1.8	2.0	3.8
10	Dwight Waller	24	7	12.4	1.4	3.4	.417	0.0	0.1	.000	1.4	3.3	.435	1.3	2.7	.474	2.3	3.1	5.4	0.6	2.3	1.7	4.1
11	Lonnie Lynn	26	12	11.7	1.7	3.8	.435	0.0	0.0		1.7	3.8	.435	0.7	1.0	.667	1.3	2.9	4.2	0.3	0.6	1.5	4.0
12	Ben Warley	33	42	11.3	1.4	4.0	.353	0.4	1.4	.259	1.1	2.7	.402	1.4	1.8	.763	0.6	2.0	2.6	0.7	0.9	2.3	4.6
13	Greg Wittman	22	50	9.1	1.6	4.1	.392	0.1	0.3	.235	1.5	3.7	.406	0.6	1.2	.542	0.6	1.4	2.0	0.3	0.7	1.7	3.9
14	Cliff Anderson	25	3	7.3	0.7	1.3	.500	0.0	0.0		0.7	1.3	.500	0.7	2.0	.333	0.3	1.0	1.3	1.3	1.0	1.0	2.0

Playoffs

Western Division semifinals vs. Washington Capitals

Game	Date	Location	Score	Record	Attendance
1	April 17	Denver	130–111	1–0	9,822
2	April 18	Denver	143–133	2–0	9,889
3	April 19	Washington	120–125	2–1	1,748
4	April 22	Washington	114–131	2–2	5,497
5	April 23	Denver	132–110	3–2	7,141
6	April 25	Washington	111–116	3–3	3,186
7	April 28	Denver	143–119	4–3	9,893

Rockets win series, 4–3

Division finals

Game	Date	Location	Score	Record	Attendance
1	April 30	Denver	123–113 (OT)	1–0	7,071
2	May 1	Denver	105–114	1–1	7,187
3	May 4	Los Angeles	113–119	1–2	4,468
4	May 5	Los Angeles	110–114	1–3	3,432
5	May 9	Denver	107–109	1–4	6,401

Rockets lose series, 4–1

Awards and records

• ABA All-Star: Larry Jones, Spencer Haywood
• ABA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player: Spencer Haywood
• ABA Most Valuable Player: Spencer Haywood
• ABA Coach of the Year Award: Joe Belmont
• ABA All-League Team: Spencer Haywood, Larry Jones
• Spencer Haywood: 986 field goals (Nuggets single-season franchise record)