1969–70 Washington Caps season
| 1969–70 Washington Caps season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Al Bianchi |
| Arena | Uline Arena |
| Results | |
| Record | 44–40 (.524) |
| Place | Division: 3rd |
| Playoff finish | Lost in Division Semifinals |
The 1969–70 Washington Caps season was the 1st and only season of the Caps in the ABA. On August 21, 1969, the Oakland Oaks moved to Washington, D.C due to operating at a loss despite winning the ABA Finals that year. They were purchased by a group led by Earl Foreman, Thomas Shaheen and Louis Diamond for $2.6 million. Seven members of the championship team played for the Caps, who finished 3rd in the Western Division (placed there despite being over thousands of miles from their opponents). The team played a few games designated as home games despite not being in Washington, even playing a game in Wichita, Kansas. They finished 2nd in points per game at 118.2, but finished last in points allowed, at 118.8. The Caps faced the Denver Rockets in the ABA Playoffs, losing in 7 games. After the season, Foreman was encouraged to move the team away from Washington, in anticipation of an ABA–NBA merger, along with Abe Pollin moving his Baltimore Bullets to Washington. Subsequently, the team moved to Virginia to become the Virginia Squires.[1]
Roster
- 20 Mike Barrett – Shooting guard
- 24 Rick Barry – Small forward
- 30 Gary Bradds – Power forward
- 11 Larry Brown
- 34 Frank Card – Power forward
- 40 George Carter – Small forward
- 42 Jim Eakins – Center
- 33 Ira Harge – Center
- 15 Warren Jabali – Shooting guard
- 21 Hal Jeter – Guard
- 12 Henry Logan – Shooting guard
- 14/54 Roland Taylor – Point guard
- -- Ron Taylor – Center
- 31 George Tinsley – Small forward
Final standings
Western Division
| Western Division | W | L | PCT | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver Rockets * | 51 | 33 | .607 | - |
| Dallas Chaparrals * | 45 | 39 | .536 | 6.0 |
| Washington Caps * | 44 | 40 | .524 | 7.0 |
| Los Angeles Stars * | 43 | 41 | .512 | 8.0 |
| New Orleans Buccaneers | 42 | 42 | .500 | 9.0 |
Playoffs
Western Division Semifinals vs. Denver Rockets[2]
| Game | Date | Location | Score | Record | Attendance |
| 1 | April 17 | Denver | 111–130 | 0–1 | 9,822 |
| 2 | April 18 | Denver | 133–143 | 0–2 | 9,889 |
| 3 | April 19 | Washington | 125–120 | 1–2 | 1,748 |
| 4 | April 22 | Washington | 131–114 | 2–2 | 5,497 |
| 5 | April 23 | Denver | 110–132 | 2–3 | 7,141 |
| 6 | April 25 | Washington | 116–111 | 3–3 | 3,186 |
| 7 | April 28 | Denver | 119–143 | 3–4 | 9,893 |
Caps lose series, 4–3
Awards, records, and honors
1970 ABA All-Star Game played on January 24, 1970