More New Jersey Nets Information

The team was founded in 1967 as an ABA franchise called the New Jersey Americans. Team owner Arthur Brown originally wanted the team to play in New York City, but after failing to secure a city arena, the team spent the 1967-68 season playing in Teaneck, New Jersey. The next season Brown renamed the squad the Nets and moved it to Long Island, New York, and in 1969 he sold the Nets to businessman Roy Boe. The Nets qualified for the playoffs for the first time in 1969-70. Before the next season the team signed high-scoring forward Rick Barry, and in 1972 the Nets advanced to the ABA Finals, where they lost to the Indiana Pacers four games to two.

Before the 1972-73 season Barry left the Nets, and the team won only 30 games that year. In 1973, however, the club replaced Barry with an acrobatic forward named Julius Erving. Known as "Dr. J," Erving boosted the team's popularity and improved its play. The Nets recorded a 55-29 regular-season mark in 1973-74 and claimed the ABA title. Erving topped the league in scoring with 27.4 points per game and won the league's most valuable player (MVP) award.