The American Basketball Association (ABA) was a men's professional basketball major league from 1967 to 1976. The ABA distinguished itself from its older counterpart with a more wide-open, flashy style of offensive play. The league succeeded in forcing a merger with the NBA in the 1976 offseason. Four ABA teams were absorbed into the older league: the New York Nets, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, and San Antonio Spurs. In 1976, the ABA pioneered the now popular slam dunk contest at its all-star game in Denver.