HOT CORNER

What: Dr. J Week on Classic Sports Network.

When: Today, 6 p.m.--Game 1, 1977 NBA Finals. April 8, 4:30 and 8:30 p.m.--”Distant Replay: Julius Erving.” Original programming was March 3-9.

We have a friend in Al Trautwig. We, as in the American Basketball Assn. faithful.

Trautwig, the host of Classic Sports Network, was a ballboy for the New York Nets in 1970 when Julius Erving’s legend bloomed. He has remained faithful to his past by presenting a particularly good series about the dunkster known as the Doctor.

The ABA had everything except network TV. The NBA claims the names of Julius Erving--heck, he’s the spokesperson of the NBA at 50--Connie Hawkins, David Thompson, George Gervin and more. But they were ABA people first.

And all agree Dr. J was the ABA.

CSN presents this very well with some wonderful footage of the ABA and Dr. J--even Erving’s UMass and Virginia Squires days--on “Distant Replay” and “Dr. J and the ABA.” Comments from the Doctor himself and an array of other guests turn out to be treasures.

What came from the ABA? Oh, just the first dunk contest as seen in CSN’s airing of the 1976 ABA All-Star game. Oh yeah, the three-point shot too. And marketing of every sort.

Perhaps the most intriguing footage is from the 1976 ABA All-Star Game and dunk contest in which Thompson of the Denver Nuggets went against Dr. J in the finals. Thompson recorded the first 360-degree dunk, but Dr. J ended up winning on his famous flight from the free-throw line.

For many like myself who never saw an ABA game (I only heard them on the radio), CSN has filled in a canvas in our memory.