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This Day In Sports…February 14, 1975, 50 years ago today:
High-flying, unstoppable future World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame inductee Julius Erving scores a personal-high 63 points, but the New York Nets lose to the San Diego Conquistadors, 176-166, in four overtimes. At three hours and 10 minutes, the game would go down as the longest in the history of the old American Basketball Association. It was one of the signature nights of Erving’s 16-year pro career.
The ABA and its red, while and blue ball would only last three more months and was down to seven teams when it waved the white flag. It did have some star power, though, led by Erving, and the NBA absorbed four of its teams: the Nets, Indiana Pacers, Denver Nuggets and San Antonio Spurs. The NBA, however, demanded $4.3 million from the Nets to protect the territorial rights of the New York Knicks, forcing the Nets to move to New Jersey and sell Erving’s contract to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Erving’s “Dr. J” nickname came not from his NBA days, nor from the ABA or even his college career at UMass. He picked it up in high school, but it sure fit with the 76ers, as he surgically dissected defenses throughout the NBA. Erving was famed for his dunks, especially the “Rock The Baby.” He first showcased it in a 1983 game against the L.A. Lakers, taking off from just inside the three-point line and rocking the ball back and forth. While skying past the Lakers’ Michael Cooper, Erving then whirled the ball behind his head and threw it down. His crossover dribble would handcuff opponents, and his no-look passes would bewilder them.
The only NBA championship Erving won with Philly was in 1983 (although he did win two ABA titles). But he was an 11-time NBA All-Star, and in his 16 seasons as a pro, his teams never missed the playoffs. Dr. J was only player ever to be voted Most Valuable Player in both the ABA and the NBA. In 1993, he inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, and a year later, Erving was tabbed as one of the 40 most important athletes of all time by Sports Illustrated. He turns 75 years old a week from Saturday.
(Tom Scott hosts the Scott Slant segment during the football season on KTVB’s Sunday Sports Extra. He also anchors four sports segments each weekday on 95.3 FM KTIK and one on News/Talk KBOI. His Scott Slant column runs every Wednesday.)
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