# 1967–68 New Jersey Americans season

The 1967–68 New Jersey Americans season was the first season of the franchise in the American Basketball Association (ABA). The Americans finished tied with the Kentucky Colonels for the fourth and final playoff spot. However, due to the Teaneck Armory being booked and the playing surface at Commack Long Island Arena (the future home of the team) being deemed unsuitable, the two teams did not play a one-game playoff, and thus the game was forfeited to the Colonels, giving them the last spot. The team would relocate to Long Island as the New York Nets before the next season started.

## Draft

| Player | School/Club Team |
| Sonny Dove | St. John's |
| Mal Graham | New York University |
| George Stone | Marshall |
| Dick Pruett | Jacksonville |
| Bob Wolf | Marquette |
| Tim Edwards | Amherst |
| Dan Hansard | St. Thomas (MN) |
| Frank Holloendoner | Georgetown |
| Harry Laurie | St. Peters (NJ) |

## Standings

| Team | W | L | PCT. | GB |
| Pittsburgh Pipers * | 54 | 24 | .692 | — |
| Minnesota Muskies * | 50 | 28 | .641 | 4 |
| Indiana Pacers * | 38 | 40 | .487 | 16 |
| Kentucky Colonels * | 36 | 42 | .462 | 18 |
| New Jersey Americans | 36 | 42 | .462 | 18 |

### Record vs. opponents

1967–68 ABA Records :
| Team | ANA | DAL | DEN | HOU | IND | KEN | MIN | NJA | NOB | OAK | PIT |
| Anaheim | — | 2–8 | 3–7 | 6–3 | 2–4 | 0–6 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 2–7 | 6–4 | 1–5 |
| Dallas | 8–2 | — | 4–5 | 8–2 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 4–6 | 7–2 | 2–4 |
| Denver | 7–3 | 5–4 | — | 6–3 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 5–5 | 7–3 | 2–4 |
| Houston | 3–6 | 2–8 | 3–6 | — | 3–3 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 0–10 | 7–3 | 2–4 |
| Indiana | 4–2 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 3–3 | — | 6–5 | 3–8 | 6–4 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 4–6 |
| Kentucky | 6–0 | 1–5 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 5–6 | — | 5–5 | 4–7 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 3–7 |
| Minnesota | 5–1 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 8–3 | 5–5 | — | 7–3 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 4–7 |
| New Jersey | 4–2 | 3–3 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 4–6 | 7–4 | 3–7 | — | 3–3 | 5–1 | 3–8 |
| New Orleans | 7–2 | 6–4 | 5–5 | 10–0 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 3–3 | — | 6–3 | 3–3 |
| Oakland | 4–6 | 2–7 | 3–7 | 3–7 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 1–5 | 1–5 | 3–6 | — | 0–6 |
| Pittsburgh | 5–1 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 6–4 | 7–3 | 7–4 | 8–3 | 3–3 | 6–0 | — |

## Player statistics
### Regular season statistics

As of March 20, 1968
New Jersey Americans statistics :
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Dan Anderson | 78 | — | 33.7 | .494 | — | .697 | 11.0 | 1.2 | — | — | 14.7 |
| John Austin | 41 | — | 16.9 | .387 | .000 | .721 | 1.6 | 1.4 | — | — | 7.7 |
| Al Beard | 12 | — | 9.8 | .522 | — | .545 | 3.8 | .0 | — | — | 2.5 |
| Jim Caldwell | 12 | — | 21.8 | .348 | — | .455 | 7.1 | .9 | — | — | 4.7 |
| Art Heyman | 19 | — | 23.1 | .385 | .176 | .644 | 3.7 | 1.9 | — | — | 13.8 |
| Tony Jackson | 74 | — | 35.6 | .383 | .301 | .829 | 6.8 | 1.9 | — | — | 19.4 |
| Stew Johnson | 55 | — | 21.7 | .344 | .302 | .625 | 5.9 | .8 | — | — | 8.6 |
| Barry Leibowitz | 24 | — | 29.5 | .341 | .000 | .802 | 3.0 | 3.9 | — | — | 11.4 |
| Bob Lloyd | 58 | — | 17.2 | .421 | .375 | .854 | 1.9 | 1.6 | — | — | 8.1 |
| Johnny Mathis | 51 | — | 12.9 | .371 | .000 | .636 | 3.8 | .5 | — | — | 3.4 |
| Bob McIntyre | 21 | — | 21.5 | .374 | .000 | .586 | 4.8 | .5 | — | — | 8.3 |
| Mel Nowell | 76 | — | 20.5 | .402 | .281 | .826 | 2.5 | 2.0 | — | — | 9.6 |
| Walt Simon | 78 | — | 32.3 | .453 | .067 | .635 | 6.7 | 2.7 | — | — | 13.3 |
| Bruce Spraggins | 70 | — | 22.7 | .446 | .400 | .708 | 4.7 | .9 | — | — | 12.2 |
| Levern Tart | 31 | — | 35.0 | .410 | .000 | .829 | 3.9 | 3.3 | — | — | 19.0 |
| Dexter Westbrook | 7 | — | 8.4 | .632 | — | .778 | 1.3 | .3 | — | — | 4.4 |
| Hank Whitney | 37 | — | 31.3 | .393 | — | .714 | 12.9 | 1.5 | — | — | 16.0 |

## Awards and honors

1968 ABA All-Star Game selection (game played on January 9, 1968)
* Tony Jackson