1973 ABA Finals Game 6 vs. Kentucky Colonels

Lore & Background

The 1973 ABA Finals pitted the Indiana Pacers against the Kentucky Colonels in a bitter intrastate rivalry that had been simmering for years. The Pacers, led by future Hall of Famers Mel Daniels and Roger Brown, were seeking their second title after winning in 1970. The Colonels, featuring the high-scoring Dan Issel and the towering, afro-sporting Artis Gilmore, had won 56 games in the regular season and were heavily favored. Game 6 in Louisville was a back-and-forth slugfest, with neither team leading by more than six points until the final minutes. The game turned on a controversial foul call against Kentucky's Dan Issel with 1:18 remaining, which sent Pacers guard Freddie Lewis to the free-throw line. Lewis, who had been struggling from the field, calmly sank both shots to give Indiana an 84-81 lead. The Colonels never recovered, and the Pacers held on to win 88-81, claiming the championship on their rival's home court. The victory cemented the Pacers' place as the ABA's premier franchise of the early 1970s, and the game remains a defining, blood-stained moment in the team's storied history.

In Their Own Story

The arena was a cauldron of noise, every Colonels fan on their feet, waving blue-and-white pennants, screaming for blood. The Pacers huddled in the corner, sweat dripping, as the clock ticked under two minutes. Mel Daniels, his jersey soaked through, grabbed a rebound and fired an outlet pass to Roger Brown, who drove hard into the lane. The whistle blew—Dan Issel had fouled him. The crowd roared in protest, a wave of fury that shook the rafters, but the call stood. Freddie Lewis stepped to the line, the ball heavy in his hands. The first shot swished—a clean, pure sound that cut through the din. The second followed, just as sweet. The Pacers bench erupted, a guttural roar of relief and triumph. When the final buzzer sounded, the players mobbed each other at center court, while the Colonels trudged off, their season over. In the locker room, coach Bob Leonard raised a bottle of champagne, his voice cracking: 'We did it. We did it for Indiana.'

Reader's Guide

Game 6 of the 1973 ABA Finals was the climax of a fierce rivalry between the Indiana Pacers and Kentucky Colonels. The Pacers, trailing 2-1 in the series, had won Games 4 and 5 at home to take a 3-2 lead. The Colonels were desperate to force a Game 7 back in Indianapolis. The game was a defensive slugfest, with both teams shooting under 40% from the field—every basket felt like a prize pulled from a clenched fist. The turning point came with 1:18 left, when Dan Issel was called for a questionable foul on Freddie Lewis. Lewis, who had scored only 10 points to that point, made both free throws to give the Pacers an 84-81 lead. The Colonels missed their next three shots, and the Pacers sealed the win at the line. It was a gritty, ugly, beautiful victory—the kind that defines a dynasty.

Did You Know?

• The 1973 ABA Finals was the first time the Pacers and Colonels met in the championship series, though they had faced off in the playoffs in 1971 and 1972.
• Pacers guard Freddie Lewis was named Finals MVP, averaging 22.8 points per game in the series.
• The Colonels' Artis Gilmore set an ABA Finals record with 31 rebounds in Game 4 of the series.
• The Pacers' victory in Game 6 was their first championship won on the road.