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The 1973 ABA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the American Basketball Association's 1972-1973 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Division champion Indiana Pacers defeating the Eastern Division champion Kentucky Colonels, four games to three in the ABA Finals.
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Notable events
The teams with the three best records in the ABA that year failed to win the championship. The Carolina Cougars had the league's best record at 57-27 (.679), one game ahead of the Kentucky Colonels (56-28, .667) in the Eastern Division. The Utah Stars won the Western Division with a record of 55-29 (.655), four games ahead of the Indiana Pacers, who won the league championship after posting a regular season record of 51-33 (.607).
The Pacers became the first team to win a third ABA championship.
The Colonels became the first team to lose two separate ABA championship series. The series also marked the second time in three years that the Colonels lost the ABA finals 4 games to 3; the same happened at the end of the 1971 ABA Playoffs against the Utah Stars.
Two years after the 1973 finals the Colonels and Pacers would meet again at the end of the 1975 ABA Playoffs with the Colonels winning the championship series.
The Pacers' George McGinnis was the Most Valuable Player of the ABA playoffs.
Western Division
Champion: Indiana Pacers
Division Semifinals
(1) Utah Stars vs. (4) San Diego Conquistadors: Stars win series 4-0
(2) Indiana Pacers vs. (3) Denver Rockets: Pacers win series 4-1
Division Finals
(1) Utah Stars vs. (2) Indiana Pacers: Pacers win series 4-2
Eastern Division
Champion: Kentucky Colonels
Division Semifinals
(1) Carolina Cougars vs. (4) New York Nets: Cougars win series 4-1
(2) Kentucky Colonels vs. (3) Virginia Squires: Colonels win series 4-1
Division Finals
(1) Carolina Cougars vs. (2) Kentucky Colonels: Colonels win series 4-3
ABA Finals
(2) Kentucky Colonels VS. (2) Indiana Pacers: Pacers win series 4-3