| Team: | Denver Rockets |
| Team Link: | Denver Nuggets |
| League: | ABA |
| End Year: | 1972 |
| Wins: | 34 |
| Losses: | 50 |
| Division: | Western |
| Division Place: | 4 |
| Coach: | Alex Hannum |
| Arena: | Denver Auditorium Arena |
| Playoffs: | ABA Western Division semifinals (lost to Pacers 3–4) |
| Bbr Team: | ROC |
The 1971–72 ABA season was the fifth season of the Denver Rockets. They finished 34-50, but managed to qualify for the fourth and final playoff spot in the five team Western Division by eight games. They went the distance with the Pacers, who went on to be the eventual ABA champions.
| No. | Player | Position | Height | Weight | Birth Date | Experience (years) | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | Byron Beck | C | 6-9 | 225 | January 25, 1945 | 4 | University of Denver |
| 14 | Arthur Becker | PF | 6-7 | 205 | January 12, 1942 | 4 | Arizona State University |
| 11 | Larry Brown | PG | 5-9 | 160 | September 14, 1940 | 4 | University of North Carolina |
| 20 | Frank Card | SF | 6-7 | 195 | December 28, 1944 | 3 | South Carolina State University |
| 22 | Julian Hammond | SF | 6-5 | 205 | May 27, 1943 | 4 | University of Tulsa |
| 13 | Julius Keye | PF | 6-10 | 200 | September 5, 1946 | 2 | Alcorn State University |
| 23 | Steve Mix | F | 6-7 | 215 | December 30, 1947 | 2 | University of Toledo |
| 31 | Marv Roberts | SF | 6-8 | 200 | January 29, 1950 | R | Utah State University |
| 25 | Dave Robisch | C | 6-10 | 235 | December 22, 1949 | R | University of Kansas |
| 44 | Ralph Simpson | SG | 6-5 | 200 | August 10, 1949 | 1 | Michigan State University |
| 10 | Al Smith | SF | 6-1 | 185 | January 15, 1947 | R | Bradley University |
| 24 | Dwight Waller | F | 6-6 | 220 | October 5, 1945 | 2 | Tennessee State University |
| 21 | Chuck Williams | PG | 6-2 | 175 | June 6, 1946 | 1 | University of Colorado |
| 12 | Stephen Wilson | SG | 6-5 | 185 | October 16, 1948 | 1 | Hanover College |
| 68 | 16 | .810 | - | ||
| 45 | 39 | .536 | 23 | ||
| 44 | 40 | .524 | 24 | ||
| 36 | 48 | .429 | 32 | ||
| 35 | 49 | .417 | 33 | ||
| 25 | 59 | .298 | 43 |
| 60 | 24 | .714 | - | ||
| 47 | 37 | .560 | 13 | ||
| 42 | 42 | .500 | 18 | ||
| Denver Rockets | 34 | 50 | .405 | 26 | |
| 26 | 58 | .310 | 34 |
Western Division semifinals[1]
| Game | Date | Location | Score | Record | Attendance |
| 1 | March 31 | Indiana | 95-102 | 0-1 | 6,103 |
| 2 | April 1 | Indiana | 106-105 | 1-1 | 6,521 |
| 3 | April 4 | Denver | 120-122 (OT) | 1-2 | 5,304 |
| 4 | April 6 | Denver | 112-96 | 2-2 | 6,109 |
| 5 | April 8 | Indiana | 79-91 | 2-3 | 9,428 |
| 6 | April 9 | Denver | 106-99 | 3-3 | 5,815 |
| 7 | April 13 | Indiana | 89-91 | 3-4 | 8,643 |
| Rk | Player | Age | G | MP | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | 2P | 2PA | 2P% | FT | FTA | FT% | ORB | DRB | TRB | AST | TOV | PF | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ralph Simpson | 22 | 84 | 35.8 | 11.0 | 23.8 | .460 | 0.0 | 0.3 | .136 | 10.9 | 23.5 | .464 | 5.4 | 6.8 | .805 | 2.0 | 2.7 | 4.7 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 2.9 | 27.4 |
| 2 | Julius Keye | 25 | 84 | 30.4 | 2.3 | 5.7 | .403 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 2.3 | 5.6 | .405 | 1.3 | 2.1 | .621 | 3.8 | 7.9 | 11.7 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 4.1 | 5.9 |
| 3 | Dave Robisch | 22 | 84 | 28.8 | 6.0 | 13.5 | .444 | 0.0 | 0.1 | .000 | 6.0 | 13.5 | .446 | 3.5 | 5.0 | .702 | 3.4 | 6.2 | 9.6 | 2.4 | 1.3 | 3.0 | 15.5 |
| 4 | Byron Beck | 27 | 66 | 27.5 | 5.1 | 10.1 | .504 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 5.1 | 10.1 | .506 | 2.1 | 2.5 | .843 | 2.6 | 5.4 | 8.0 | 2.1 | 1.5 | 3.2 | 12.3 |
| 5 | Larry Brown | 31 | 76 | 26.5 | 3.2 | 7.3 | .437 | 0.1 | 0.3 | .200 | 3.1 | 7.0 | .448 | 2.6 | 3.2 | .811 | 0.7 | 1.5 | 2.2 | 7.2 | 2.9 | 2.7 | 9.1 |
| 6 | Arthur Becker | 30 | 84 | 26.1 | 5.2 | 11.4 | .456 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 5.2 | 11.3 | .457 | 2.0 | 2.3 | .846 | 2.0 | 3.6 | 5.6 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 3.2 | 12.3 |
| 7 | Al Smith | 25 | 83 | 21.3 | 3.5 | 8.1 | .433 | 0.4 | 1.3 | .299 | 3.1 | 6.8 | .458 | 1.8 | 2.5 | .725 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 2.7 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 2.9 | 9.3 |
| 8 | Frank Card | 27 | 73 | 19.8 | 3.1 | 6.8 | .455 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 3.1 | 6.8 | .455 | 1.5 | 2.4 | .651 | 1.9 | 2.6 | 4.5 | 1.1 | 1.6 | 2.8 | 7.7 |
| 9 | Chuck Williams | 25 | 84 | 18.8 | 3.1 | 6.9 | .451 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 3.1 | 6.9 | .454 | 2.4 | 3.3 | .745 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 8.7 |
| 10 | Julian Hammond | 28 | 25 | 16.4 | 2.6 | 5.6 | .471 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.6 | 5.6 | .471 | 1.2 | 2.0 | .620 | 1.9 | 2.7 | 4.6 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.9 | 6.5 | |
| 11 | Marv Roberts | 22 | 68 | 15.4 | 3.2 | 7.8 | .407 | 0.0 | 0.1 | .250 | 3.2 | 7.8 | .408 | 1.3 | 1.8 | .717 | 1.8 | 2.5 | 4.3 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 2.2 | 7.7 |
| 12 | Dwight Waller | 26 | 2 | 5.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | .500 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | .500 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 2.0 | ||
| 13 | Steve Mix | 24 | 1 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | ||
| 14 | Stephen Wilson | 23 | 9 | 4.0 | 0.6 | 2.6 | .217 | 0.0 | 0.2 | .000 | 0.6 | 2.3 | .238 | 0.4 | 0.8 | .571 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 1.6[2] |