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Pipers Team Formation
The Pipers were one of the ABA’s inaugural franchises in 1967. The team had great success on the court, posting the league’s best record during the regular season (54-24, .692) and winning the league’s first ABA Championship. The Pipers were led by their star player, ABA MVP and future Hall-of-Famer Connie Hawkins, who led the ABA in scoring at 26.8 ppg.
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First ABA Championship
This was the first ABA championship.
The Pittsburgh Pipers won the ABA championship in the playoffs after posting the league’s best record during the regular season (54-24, .692). The Minnesota Muskies had the league’s second best record, but they played in the Eastern Division with the Pipers.
Connie Hawkins of the Pittsburgh Pipers was the Most Valuable Player of the ABA playoffs.
None of the four teams that made it to the Division finals (and ABA finals) remained as they were during this season throughout the league’s entire existence. The Pittsburgh Pipers spent the following season as the Minnesota Pipers, returned to play as the Pittsburgh Pipers the year after that, and then played two seasons as the Pittsburgh Condors before folding in 1972. After three seasons the New Orleans Buccaneers left town and became the Memphis Pros in 1970. The Minnesota Muskies spent the next two seasons as the Miami Floridians and then spent two seasons after that as The Floridians before folding in 1972. The Dallas Chaparrals eventually became the San Antonio Spurs, continuing to this day in the NBA.
The Pipers were one of the ABA’s inaugural franchises in 1967. The team had great success on the court, posting the league’s best record during the regular season (54-24, .692) and winning the league’s first ABA Championship. The Pipers were led by their star player, ABA MVP and future Hall-of-Famer Connie Hawkins, who led the ABA in scoring at 26.8 ppg. The Pipers swept through the 1968 ABA Playoffs and defeated the New Orleans Buccaneers 4 games to 3 to take the title, with Hawkins earning Finals MVP honors. The ABA title remains Pittsburgh’s only pro basketball championship.
Established
1967
City
Pittsburgh – Minneapolis – Pittsburgh
League History
1967 – 1972 / American Basketball Association
Team History
1970 – 1972 / Pittsburgh Condors
1969 – 1970 / Pittsburgh Pipers
1968 – 1969 / Minnesota Pipers
1967 – 1968 / Pittsburgh Pipers
Nickname
Pipers – Unknown Nickname Origin.
Championship
ABA Championships 1
1967
Arena
*Pittsburgh*
1967 – 1968, 1969 – 1973 / Pittsburgh Civic Arena
*Minnesota*
1968 – 1969 / Bloomington’s Met Center
Owner
1970 – 1972 / Metro Sports Haven Industries
1967 – 1969 / Gabe Rubin
Coaches
1971 – 1972 / Jack McMahon and Mark Binstein
1970 – 1971 / Jack McMahon
1969 – 1970 / John Clark and Buddy Jeanette
1968 – 1969 / Jim Harding and Vern Mikkelsen
1967 – 1968 / Vince Cazzetta
*Blue is this team’s history