Denver Nuggets
Encyclopedia
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado
. They play in the National Basketball Association
(NBA). They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association
, and became one of that league's more successful teams. After changing their name in anticipation of a merger, they joined the NBA
in 1976. They play home games at the Pepsi Center
.
headed by Southern California
businessman James Trindle. However, Trindle was unable to find a suitable arena in the Kansas City area. League commissioner George Mikan
suggested moving the team to Denver. After agreeing to name Denver native and former NBA player Vince Boryla
as general manager, Trindle moved his team to Denver as the Denver Larks, named after the Colorado state bird. The Trindle group was severely undercapitalized, leading Mikan to order the Larks to post a $100,000 performance bond or lose the franchise. Hours before the deadline, Trindle sold a two-thirds controlling interest to Denver trucking magnate Bill Ringsby for $350,000 Ringsby then renamed the team the Rockets, after his company's long-haul trucks.
The Rockets struggled early in the postseason and failed to play in a championship series. They had a solid lineup led by Byron Beck
and Larry Jones
, then later by Beck and Ralph Simpson
. Controversial rookie Spencer Haywood
joined the team for the 1969–70 season. Haywood was one of the first players to turn pro before graduating from college, and the NBA initially refused to let him play in the league. Haywood averaged nearly 30 points and 20 rebounds per game in his only ABA season, then breached his Denver contract by signing with the Seattle SuperSonics and jumping to the NBA.
Ringsby sold the team to San Diego businessmen Frank Goldberg and Bud Fischer in 1972. In 1974, in anticipation of moving into the NBA, the franchise held a contest to choose a new team nickname, as Rockets was already in use by the Houston Rockets
. The winning choice was Nuggets, in honor of the original Nuggets team
who played in the city from 1938 to 1950, the last year as a charter member of the NBA. Their new logo was a miner "discovering" an ABA ball. Goldberg and Fischer in turn sold the team to a local investment group in 1976.
With the drafting and signing of David Thompson
and Marvin Webster
and the acquisitions of Dan Issel
and Bobby Jones and with Larry Brown
coaching, they had their best seasons in team history in their first two seasons as the Nuggets, with the team making the ABA finals in 1975–76. They would get no second chance to win an ABA league championship, as the ABA-NBA merger
took place after the 1975–76 season. The Nuggets were one of four ABA teams taken into the NBA, along with the New York Nets, San Antonio Spurs
and Indiana Pacers
for the 1976–77 NBA season. The Nuggets and Nets had actually applied to join the NBA in 1975, but were forced to stay in the ABA by a court order.
The Nuggets continued their strong play early on in the NBA, as they won division titles in their first two seasons in the league, and missed a third by a single game. However, neither of these teams was ultimately successful in the postseason.
Red McCombs
bought the team in 1978.
Brown left the team in 1979, helping usher in a brief decline in their team's performance. It ended in 1981, when they hired Doug Moe
as a head coach. Moe brought with him a "motion offense" philosophy, a style of play focusing on attempting to move the ball until someone got open. Moe was also known for not paying as much attention to defense as his colleagues. The offense helped the team become highly competitive. During the 1980s, the Nuggets would often score in excess of 115 points a game, and during the 1981–82 season, they scored at least 100 points in every game—136 consecutive games (NBA record). During the 1981–82 season the Denver Nuggets set the league scoring record for the highest average points per game at 126.5 points.
Anchored by scoring machines Alex English
and Kiki Vandeweghe at the two forward spots, Denver led the league in scoring, with English and Vandeweghe both averaging above 25 points per game. It was a novel strategy, allowing the Nuggets to top the Midwest Division and qualify for the playoffs during that span. (On December 13, 1983, the Nuggets and the visiting Detroit Pistons
combined for an NBA record 370 points, with Detroit winning in triple overtime, 186–184.) In 1984–85, they made it to the Western Conference
finals after being perennial playoff contenders, and they lost in five games to the Los Angeles Lakers
. Vandeweghe was traded before the 1984–85 season to the Portland Trail Blazers
for 6–3 rebounding guard Lafayette "Fat" Lever
, undersized power forward Calvin Natt
and center Wayne Cooper. Spearheaded by English and supported by the three new acquisitions and defensive specialists Bill Hanzlik
and TR Dunn, the team replicated its success in the Western Conference despite the loss of Vandeweghe. They even managed to win a franchise-record 54 wins in the 1987-88 season
. However, the Dallas Mavericks eliminated the Nuggets in the second round of the 1988 NBA Playoffs.
McCombs sold the team to Sidney Shlenker in 1985. Shlenker, in turn, sold the team to COMSAT in 1989.
. Westhead also believed in a "run and gun
" style of play, and gave the green light for players like Michael Adams
and Chris Jackson
to light up the scoreboards within seconds of possession.
However, Westhead cared even less about defense than Moe. As a result, the Nuggets gave up points almost as fast as they scored points. They finished with the worst record in the league during the 1990-91 season, despite setting many scoring records. As an insult, many sportswriters nicknamed the team at the time as the "Enver Nuggets" (as in 'no D' or no defense).
Denver took a positive step in rebuilding by drafting 7–2 Georgetown University
center
Dikembe Mutombo
in 1992. Mutombo would have a successful rookie year, finishing runner-up to Larry Johnson for the NBA rookie of the year that season. Denver finished 24–58 that year.
Denver fired Westhead prior to the 1992–93 season and hired former star player Dan Issel
as his successor. The Nuggets had two lottery picks that year and drafted University of Notre Dame
forward LaPhonso Ellis
and University of Virginia
guard Bryant Stith
. Denver improved to 36–46, just missing the playoffs that year.
Denver ditched their rainbow colors for a dark navy, metallic gold and wine color scheme starting in the 1993–94 season. Led by Mutombo, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf
(who changed his name from Chris Jackson prior to the season), and Ellis, Denver would finish with its first winning season since the Doug Moe era at 42–40. Denver clinched the 8th seed in the Western Conference playoffs, playing the first place Seattle SuperSonics
. Denver was a heavy underdog, having only a couple of players on their roster with actual NBA playoff experience. After dropping the first two games of the five-game set in Seattle, the series returned to Denver. Denver won both games and tied the series at two games apiece. The Nuggets would make NBA history in Game 5, upsetting Seattle in overtime 98–94. They became the first 8th-seeded team to defeat a 1st-seeded team in NBA playoff history. Denver would almost do the same in the next round, falling to the Utah Jazz
in game seven of the second round.
Denver acquired Sonics sharp-shooter Dale Ellis
in the off-season and drafted University of Michigan
phenom Jalen Rose
. Denver would struggle, causing Issel to resign as coach partway into the season. Assistant Coach Gene Littles
would assume control for a brief period before relinquishing control to general manager Bernie Bickerstaff
. Denver would rebound and get the 8th seed again in the playoffs, finishing 41–41. The Nuggets were swept by the San Antonio Spurs
in the first round of the playoffs that season.
Following that season, Denver would acquire Antonio McDyess
in a draft day trade with the Los Angeles Clippers
. McDyess would be the face of the franchise for the next few years, as Mutombo would leave after the 1995–96 season for the Atlanta Hawks
, Ellis would miss the majority of the next few seasons due to recurring knee and leg injuries, and Abdul-Rauf was traded to the Sacramento Kings
prior to the 1996–97 season.
Denver flirted with history in the 1997–98, by nearly setting the mark for fewest wins in an 82 game season (11). They would (then) tie the NBA's all-time worst single-season losing streak at 23 games—only one game shy of the overall worst mark of 24 by the Cleveland Cavaliers
of the early 1980s. The losing streak would later be broken by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2011 with 26 consecutive losses. Several years later, the Nuggets tied for the worst record in the NBA in 2002–03, also with the Cavaliers.
The team's struggles in the late 1990s were due in part to ownership instability. COMSAT bought the NHL's Quebec Nordiques
in 1995 and moved them to Denver as the Colorado Avalanche
. However, its diversification into sports ownership was proving a drain on the company. In particular, cost overruns associated with the construction of the Pepsi Center had shareholders up in arms. Finally, in 1997, COMSAT agreed in principle to sell Ascent Entertainment Group, the umbrella corporation for its sporting assets, to Liberty Media
. However, Liberty was not interested in sports ownership at the time (though it has since bought the Atlanta Braves
), and made the deal contingent upon Ascent selling the Avalanche and Nuggets.
After almost two years, Ascent sold the Avalanche and Nuggets to Wal-Mart
heirs Bill and Nancy Laurie
for $400 million. However, a group of Ascent shareholders sued, claiming that the sale price was several million dollars too low. Ascent then agreed to sell the Avalanche and Nuggets to Denver banking tycoon Donald Sturm for $461 million.
However, a new wrinkle appeared when the city of Denver refused to transfer the parcel of land on which the Pepsi Center stood unless Sturm promised to keep the Avalanche and Nuggets in Denver for at least 25 years. Sturm had made his bid in his own name, and the city wanted to protect itself in case Sturm either died or sold the teams before the 25 years ran out. While Sturm was willing to make a long-term commitment to the city, he wasn't willing to be held responsible if he died or sold the teams. After negotiations fell apart, Liberty bought all of Ascent, but kept the Nuggets and Avalanche on the market. In the meantime, Issel had returned as head coach in 1999, but the protracted ownership negotiations made it difficult for him to rebuild the team. Just before the start of the 1999-2000 season, he told reporters that there were several decisions he simply couldn't make due to the unstable ownership situation.
Finally, in July 2000, the Avalanche, Nuggets and Pepsi Center were bought by real estate entrepreneur Stan Kroenke in a $450 million deal. Kroenke is the brother-in-law of the Lauries; his wife Ann
is Nancy Laurie's sister. Liberty retained only a 6.5% stake of the sports franchises. As part of the deal, Kroenke placed the teams into a trust that would ensure the teams will stay in Denver until at least 2025. After the deal, Kroenke organized his sports assets under Kroenke Sports Enterprises.
In 2003, the Nuggets drafted future All-Star Carmelo Anthony
with the third overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft
. That same year, the team also updated their logos and uniforms, with a new color scheme of powder blue, gold and royal blue; the latter color was changed to navy blue in 2009. In just two months of the season, the Nuggets recorded more wins than they had in 5½ months of play in 2002–03. Much of the reason for this incredible turnaround were the front-office moves of General Manager
Kiki Vandeweghe, a former Nuggets player who assumed General Manager duties on August 9, 2001.
The Rockets struggled early in the postseason and failed to play in a championship series. They had a solid lineup led by Byron Beck
and Larry Jones
, then later by Beck and Ralph Simpson
. Controversial rookie Spencer Haywood
joined the team for the 1969–70 season. Haywood was one of the first players to turn pro before graduating from college, and the NBA initially refused to let him play in the league. Haywood averaged nearly 30 points and 20 rebounds per game in his only ABA season, then breached his Denver contract by signing with the Seattle SuperSonics and jumping to the NBA.
Ringsby sold the team to San Diego businessmen Frank Goldberg and Bud Fischer in 1972. In 1974, in anticipation of moving into the NBA, the franchise held a contest to choose a new team nickname, as Rockets was already in use by the Houston Rockets
. The winning choice was Nuggets, in honor of the original Nuggets team
who played in the city from 1938 to 1950, the last year as a charter member of the NBA. Their new logo was a miner "discovering" an ABA ball. Goldberg and Fischer in turn sold the team to a local investment group in 1976.
With the drafting and signing of David Thompson
and Marvin Webster
and the acquisitions of Dan Issel
and Bobby Jones and with Larry Brown
coaching, they had their best seasons in team history in their first two seasons as the Nuggets, with the team making the ABA finals in 1975–76. They would get no second chance to win an ABA league championship, as the ABA-NBA merger
took place after the 1975–76 season. The Nuggets were one of four ABA teams taken into the NBA, along with the New York Nets, San Antonio Spurs
and Indiana Pacers
for the 1976–77 NBA season. The Nuggets and Nets had actually applied to join the NBA in 1975, but were forced to stay in the ABA by a court order.
The Nuggets continued their strong play early on in the NBA, as they won division titles in their first two seasons in the league, and missed a third by a single game. However, neither of these teams was ultimately successful in the postseason.
Red McCombs
bought the team in 1978.
Brown left the team in 1979, helping usher in a brief decline in their team's performance. It ended in 1981, when they hired Doug Moe
as a head coach. Moe brought with him a "motion offense" philosophy, a style of play focusing on attempting to move the ball until someone got open. Moe was also known for not paying as much attention to defense as his colleagues. The offense helped the team become highly competitive. During the 1980s, the Nuggets would often score in excess of 115 points a game, and during the 1981–82 season, they scored at least 100 points in every game—136 consecutive games (NBA record). During the 1981–82 season the Denver Nuggets set the league scoring record for the highest average points per game at 126.5 points.
Anchored by scoring machines Alex English
and Kiki Vandeweghe at the two forward spots, Denver led the league in scoring, with English and Vandeweghe both averaging above 25 points per game. It was a novel strategy, allowing the Nuggets to top the Midwest Division and qualify for the playoffs during that span. (On December 13, 1983, the Nuggets and the visiting Detroit Pistons
combined for an NBA record 370 points, with Detroit winning in triple overtime, 186–184.) In 1984–85, they made it to the Western Conference
finals after being perennial playoff contenders, and they lost in five games to the Los Angeles Lakers
. Vandeweghe was traded before the 1984–85 season to the Portland Trail Blazers
for 6–3 rebounding guard Lafayette "Fat" Lever
, undersized power forward Calvin Natt
and center Wayne Cooper. Spearheaded by English and supported by the three new acquisitions and defensive specialists Bill Hanzlik
and TR Dunn, the team replicated its success in the Western Conference despite the loss of Vandeweghe. They even managed to win a franchise-record 54 wins in the 1987-88 season
. However, the Dallas Mavericks eliminated the Nuggets in the second round of the 1988 NBA Playoffs.
McCombs sold the team to Sidney Shlenker in 1985. Shlenker, in turn, sold the team to COMSAT in 1989.
. Westhead also believed in a "run and gun
" style of play, and gave the green light for players like Michael Adams
and Chris Jackson
to light up the scoreboards within seconds of possession.
However, Westhead cared even less about defense than Moe. As a result, the Nuggets gave up points almost as fast as they scored points. They finished with the worst record in the league during the 1990-91 season, despite setting many scoring records. As an insult, many sportswriters nicknamed the team at the time as the "Enver Nuggets" (as in 'no D' or no defense).
Denver took a positive step in rebuilding by drafting 7–2 Georgetown University
center
Dikembe Mutombo
in 1992. Mutombo would have a successful rookie year, finishing runner-up to Larry Johnson for the NBA rookie of the year that season. Denver finished 24–58 that year.
Denver fired Westhead prior to the 1992–93 season and hired former star player Dan Issel
as his successor. The Nuggets had two lottery picks that year and drafted University of Notre Dame
forward LaPhonso Ellis
and University of Virginia
guard Bryant Stith
. Denver improved to 36–46, just missing the playoffs that year.
Denver ditched their rainbow colors for a dark navy, metallic gold and wine color scheme starting in the 1993–94 season. Led by Mutombo, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf
(who changed his name from Chris Jackson prior to the season), and Ellis, Denver would finish with its first winning season since the Doug Moe era at 42–40. Denver clinched the 8th seed in the Western Conference playoffs, playing the first place Seattle SuperSonics
. Denver was a heavy underdog, having only a couple of players on their roster with actual NBA playoff experience. After dropping the first two games of the five-game set in Seattle, the series returned to Denver. Denver won both games and tied the series at two games apiece. The Nuggets would make NBA history in Game 5, upsetting Seattle in overtime 98–94. They became the first 8th-seeded team to defeat a 1st-seeded team in NBA playoff history. Denver would almost do the same in the next round, falling to the Utah Jazz
in game seven of the second round.
Denver acquired Sonics sharp-shooter Dale Ellis
in the off-season and drafted University of Michigan
phenom Jalen Rose
. Denver would struggle, causing Issel to resign as coach partway into the season. Assistant Coach Gene Littles
would assume control for a brief period before relinquishing control to general manager Bernie Bickerstaff
. Denver would rebound and get the 8th seed again in the playoffs, finishing 41–41. The Nuggets were swept by the San Antonio Spurs
in the first round of the playoffs that season.
Following that season, Denver would acquire Antonio McDyess
in a draft day trade with the Los Angeles Clippers
. McDyess would be the face of the franchise for the next few years, as Mutombo would leave after the 1995–96 season for the Atlanta Hawks
, Ellis would miss the majority of the next few seasons due to recurring knee and leg injuries, and Abdul-Rauf was traded to the Sacramento Kings
prior to the 1996–97 season.
Denver flirted with history in the 1997–98, by nearly setting the mark for fewest wins in an 82 game season (11). They would (then) tie the NBA's all-time worst single-season losing streak at 23 games—only one game shy of the overall worst mark of 24 by the Cleveland Cavaliers
of the early 1980s. The losing streak would later be broken by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2011 with 26 consecutive losses. Several years later, the Nuggets tied for the worst record in the NBA in 2002–03, also with the Cavaliers.
The team's struggles in the late 1990s were due in part to ownership instability. COMSAT bought the NHL's Quebec Nordiques
in 1995 and moved them to Denver as the Colorado Avalanche
. However, its diversification into sports ownership was proving a drain on the company. In particular, cost overruns associated with the construction of the Pepsi Center had shareholders up in arms. Finally, in 1997, COMSAT agreed in principle to sell Ascent Entertainment Group, the umbrella corporation for its sporting assets, to Liberty Media
. However, Liberty was not interested in sports ownership at the time (though it has since bought the Atlanta Braves
), and made the deal contingent upon Ascent selling the Avalanche and Nuggets.
After almost two years, Ascent sold the Avalanche and Nuggets to Wal-Mart
heirs Bill and Nancy Laurie
for $400 million. However, a group of Ascent shareholders sued, claiming that the sale price was several million dollars too low. Ascent then agreed to sell the Avalanche and Nuggets to Denver banking tycoon Donald Sturm for $461 million.
However, a new wrinkle appeared when the city of Denver refused to transfer the parcel of land on which the Pepsi Center stood unless Sturm promised to keep the Avalanche and Nuggets in Denver for at least 25 years. Sturm had made his bid in his own name, and the city wanted to protect itself in case Sturm either died or sold the teams before the 25 years ran out. While Sturm was willing to make a long-term commitment to the city, he wasn't willing to be held responsible if he died or sold the teams. After negotiations fell apart, Liberty bought all of Ascent, but kept the Nuggets and Avalanche on the market. In the meantime, Issel had returned as head coach in 1999, but the protracted ownership negotiations made it difficult for him to rebuild the team. Just before the start of the 1999-2000 season, he told reporters that there were several decisions he simply couldn't make due to the unstable ownership situation.
Finally, in July 2000, the Avalanche, Nuggets and Pepsi Center were bought by real estate entrepreneur Stan Kroenke in a $450 million deal. Kroenke is the brother-in-law of the Lauries; his wife Ann
is Nancy Laurie's sister. Liberty retained only a 6.5% stake of the sports franchises. As part of the deal, Kroenke placed the teams into a trust that would ensure the teams will stay in Denver until at least 2025. After the deal, Kroenke organized his sports assets under Kroenke Sports Enterprises.
In 2003, the Nuggets drafted future All-Star Carmelo Anthony
with the third overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft
. That same year, the team also updated their logos and uniforms, with a new color scheme of powder blue, gold and royal blue; the latter color was changed to navy blue in 2009. In just two months of the season, the Nuggets recorded more wins than they had in 5½ months of play in 2002–03. Much of the reason for this incredible turnaround were the front-office moves of General Manager
Kiki Vandeweghe, a former Nuggets player who assumed General Manager duties on August 9, 2001.
The Rockets struggled early in the postseason and failed to play in a championship series. They had a solid lineup led by Byron Beck
and Larry Jones
, then later by Beck and Ralph Simpson
. Controversial rookie Spencer Haywood
joined the team for the 1969–70 season. Haywood was one of the first players to turn pro before graduating from college, and the NBA initially refused to let him play in the league. Haywood averaged nearly 30 points and 20 rebounds per game in his only ABA season, then breached his Denver contract by signing with the Seattle SuperSonics and jumping to the NBA.
Ringsby sold the team to San Diego businessmen Frank Goldberg and Bud Fischer in 1972. In 1974, in anticipation of moving into the NBA, the franchise held a contest to choose a new team nickname, as Rockets was already in use by the Houston Rockets
. The winning choice was Nuggets, in honor of the original Nuggets team
who played in the city from 1938 to 1950, the last year as a charter member of the NBA. Their new logo was a miner "discovering" an ABA ball. Goldberg and Fischer in turn sold the team to a local investment group in 1976.
With the drafting and signing of David Thompson
and Marvin Webster
and the acquisitions of Dan Issel
and Bobby Jones and with Larry Brown
coaching, they had their best seasons in team history in their first two seasons as the Nuggets, with the team making the ABA finals in 1975–76. They would get no second chance to win an ABA league championship, as the ABA-NBA merger
took place after the 1975–76 season. The Nuggets were one of four ABA teams taken into the NBA, along with the New York Nets, San Antonio Spurs
and Indiana Pacers
for the 1976–77 NBA season. The Nuggets and Nets had actually applied to join the NBA in 1975, but were forced to stay in the ABA by a court order.
The Nuggets continued their strong play early on in the NBA, as they won division titles in their first two seasons in the league, and missed a third by a single game. However, neither of these teams was ultimately successful in the postseason.
Red McCombs
bought the team in 1978.
Brown left the team in 1979, helping usher in a brief decline in their team's performance. It ended in 1981, when they hired Doug Moe
as a head coach. Moe brought with him a "motion offense" philosophy, a style of play focusing on attempting to move the ball until someone got open. Moe was also known for not paying as much attention to defense as his colleagues. The offense helped the team become highly competitive. During the 1980s, the Nuggets would often score in excess of 115 points a game, and during the 1981–82 season, they scored at least 100 points in every game—136 consecutive games (NBA record). During the 1981–82 season the Denver Nuggets set the league scoring record for the highest average points per game at 126.5 points.
Anchored by scoring machines Alex English
and Kiki Vandeweghe at the two forward spots, Denver led the league in scoring, with English and Vandeweghe both averaging above 25 points per game. It was a novel strategy, allowing the Nuggets to top the Midwest Division and qualify for the playoffs during that span. (On December 13, 1983, the Nuggets and the visiting Detroit Pistons
combined for an NBA record 370 points, with Detroit winning in triple overtime, 186–184.) In 1984–85, they made it to the Western Conference
finals after being perennial playoff contenders, and they lost in five games to the Los Angeles Lakers
. Vandeweghe was traded before the 1984–85 season to the Portland Trail Blazers
for 6–3 rebounding guard Lafayette "Fat" Lever
, undersized power forward Calvin Natt
and center Wayne Cooper. Spearheaded by English and supported by the three new acquisitions and defensive specialists Bill Hanzlik
and TR Dunn, the team replicated its success in the Western Conference despite the loss of Vandeweghe. They even managed to win a franchise-record 54 wins in the 1987-88 season
. However, the Dallas Mavericks eliminated the Nuggets in the second round of the 1988 NBA Playoffs.
McCombs sold the team to Sidney Shlenker in 1985. Shlenker, in turn, sold the team to COMSAT in 1989.
. Westhead also believed in a "run and gun
" style of play, and gave the green light for players like Michael Adams
and Chris Jackson
to light up the scoreboards within seconds of possession.
However, Westhead cared even less about defense than Moe. As a result, the Nuggets gave up points almost as fast as they scored points. They finished with the worst record in the league during the 1990-91 season, despite setting many scoring records. As an insult, many sportswriters nicknamed the team at the time as the "Enver Nuggets" (as in 'no D' or no defense).
Denver took a positive step in rebuilding by drafting 7–2 Georgetown University
center
Dikembe Mutombo
in 1992. Mutombo would have a successful rookie year, finishing runner-up to Larry Johnson for the NBA rookie of the year that season. Denver finished 24–58 that year.
Denver fired Westhead prior to the 1992–93 season and hired former star player Dan Issel
as his successor. The Nuggets had two lottery picks that year and drafted University of Notre Dame
forward LaPhonso Ellis
and University of Virginia
guard Bryant Stith
. Denver improved to 36–46, just missing the playoffs that year.
Denver ditched their rainbow colors for a dark navy, metallic gold and wine color scheme starting in the 1993–94 season. Led by Mutombo, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf
(who changed his name from Chris Jackson prior to the season), and Ellis, Denver would finish with its first winning season since the Doug Moe era at 42–40. Denver clinched the 8th seed in the Western Conference playoffs, playing the first place Seattle SuperSonics
. Denver was a heavy underdog, having only a couple of players on their roster with actual NBA playoff experience. After dropping the first two games of the five-game set in Seattle, the series returned to Denver. Denver won both games and tied the series at two games apiece. The Nuggets would make NBA history in Game 5, upsetting Seattle in overtime 98–94. They became the first 8th-seeded team to defeat a 1st-seeded team in NBA playoff history. Denver would almost do the same in the next round, falling to the Utah Jazz
in game seven of the second round.
Denver acquired Sonics sharp-shooter Dale Ellis
in the off-season and drafted University of Michigan
phenom Jalen Rose
. Denver would struggle, causing Issel to resign as coach partway into the season. Assistant Coach Gene Littles
would assume control for a brief period before relinquishing control to general manager Bernie Bickerstaff
. Denver would rebound and get the 8th seed again in the playoffs, finishing 41–41. The Nuggets were swept by the San Antonio Spurs
in the first round of the playoffs that season.
Following that season, Denver would acquire Antonio McDyess
in a draft day trade with the Los Angeles Clippers
. McDyess would be the face of the franchise for the next few years, as Mutombo would leave after the 1995–96 season for the Atlanta Hawks
, Ellis would miss the majority of the next few seasons due to recurring knee and leg injuries, and Abdul-Rauf was traded to the Sacramento Kings
prior to the 1996–97 season.
Denver flirted with history in the 1997–98, by nearly setting the mark for fewest wins in an 82 game season (11). They would (then) tie the NBA's all-time worst single-season losing streak at 23 games—only one game shy of the overall worst mark of 24 by the Cleveland Cavaliers
of the early 1980s. The losing streak would later be broken by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2011 with 26 consecutive losses. Several years later, the Nuggets tied for the worst record in the NBA in 2002–03, also with the Cavaliers.
The team's struggles in the late 1990s were due in part to ownership instability. COMSAT bought the NHL's Quebec Nordiques
in 1995 and moved them to Denver as the Colorado Avalanche
. However, its diversification into sports ownership was proving a drain on the company. In particular, cost overruns associated with the construction of the Pepsi Center had shareholders up in arms. Finally, in 1997, COMSAT agreed in principle to sell Ascent Entertainment Group, the umbrella corporation for its sporting assets, to Liberty Media
. However, Liberty was not interested in sports ownership at the time (though it has since bought the Atlanta Braves
), and made the deal contingent upon Ascent selling the Avalanche and Nuggets.
After almost two years, Ascent sold the Avalanche and Nuggets to Wal-Mart
heirs Bill and Nancy Laurie
for $400 million. However, a group of Ascent shareholders sued, claiming that the sale price was several million dollars too low. Ascent then agreed to sell the Avalanche and Nuggets to Denver banking tycoon Donald Sturm for $461 million.
However, a new wrinkle appeared when the city of Denver refused to transfer the parcel of land on which the Pepsi Center stood unless Sturm promised to keep the Avalanche and Nuggets in Denver for at least 25 years. Sturm had made his bid in his own name, and the city wanted to protect itself in case Sturm either died or sold the teams before the 25 years ran out. While Sturm was willing to make a long-term commitment to the city, he wasn't willing to be held responsible if he died or sold the teams. After negotiations fell apart, Liberty bought all of Ascent, but kept the Nuggets and Avalanche on the market. In the meantime, Issel had returned as head coach in 1999, but the protracted ownership negotiations made it difficult for him to rebuild the team. Just before the start of the 1999-2000 season, he told reporters that there were several decisions he simply couldn't make due to the unstable ownership situation.
Finally, in July 2000, the Avalanche, Nuggets and Pepsi Center were bought by real estate entrepreneur Stan Kroenke in a $450 million deal. Kroenke is the brother-in-law of the Lauries; his wife Ann
is Nancy Laurie's sister. Liberty retained only a 6.5% stake of the sports franchises. As part of the deal, Kroenke placed the teams into a trust that would ensure the teams will stay in Denver until at least 2025. After the deal, Kroenke organized his sports assets under Kroenke Sports Enterprises.
In 2003, the Nuggets drafted future All-Star Carmelo Anthony
with the third overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft
. That same year, the team also updated their logos and uniforms, with a new color scheme of powder blue, gold and royal blue; the latter color was changed to navy blue in 2009. In just two months of the season, the Nuggets recorded more wins than they had in 5½ months of play in 2002–03. Much of the reason for this incredible turnaround were the front-office moves of General Manager
Kiki Vandeweghe, a former Nuggets player who assumed General Manager duties on August 9, 2001. The Nuggets later hired George Karl
as a permanent replacement. Karl led the team to a record of 32–8 in the second half of the regular season, which vaulted the team into the playoffs for the second consecutive year.
In the playoffs
, however, the Nuggets could not survive the San Antonio Spurs
. After winning game one in San Antonio
, the Nuggets proceeded to lose the next four games and lost the series 4–1. The Nuggets picked 20th in the 2005 NBA Draft
; it was acquired from the Washington Wizards
via the Orlando Magic
. Denver selected Julius Hodge
with the pick. The Nuggets also had the 22nd overall selection in the draft, in which they selected Jarrett Jack
, but sent him to the Portland Trail Blazers
for rights to Portland's 27th overall pick, Linas Kleiza
.
In 2005–06, for the first time in 18 years, the club won the Northwest division title. This placed the team in the third seed of the Western Conference playoffs
. Denver played the Los Angeles Clippers
who, despite their 6th seeding, had a better regular-season record. As a result, the Clippers received home court advantage. They defeated the Nuggets in 5 games. Shortly after, the Nuggets announced that General Manager Kiki Vandeweghe's contract would not be renewed. He was replaced by Mark Warkentien
.
On December 18, 2006, team co-captain Carmelo Anthony
, shooting guard J.R. Smith
and power forward Nenê
were suspended by the NBA (15, 10 and one games respectively) for a fight that occurred in the last two minutes of a game against the New York Knicks
two days earlier. The fight was sparked by Knicks rookie Mardy Collins
, when he tackled J.R. Smith on a breakaway layup. According to Anthony, Knicks coach Isiah Thomas
warned him to not go in the paint shortly before the hard foul.
and two first-round draft picks of the 2007 NBA Draft
to the Philadelphia 76ers
for Ivan McFarlin
and superstar Allen Iverson
(McFarlin was waived immediately following the trade's approval). The moves gave the Nuggets the top two scorers in the league at the time in Anthony and Iverson, who were both scoring over 30 points per game at the time of the trade. On January 11, 2007, Earl Boykins
, Julius Hodge
and cash considerations were traded to the Milwaukee Bucks
, in exchange for point guard Steve Blake
. With AI, many considered the Nuggets as one of the elite in the West, alongside the Dallas Mavericks
, Phoenix Suns
and San Antonio Spurs
. However, chemistry would be an issue, as the Nuggets finished the regular season with the #6 seed, giving them a first round matchup with the San Antonio Spurs
. In the playoffs
, the Nuggets got off to a fast start, winning game 1, taking home court advantage away from the Spurs. However, in an eerie repeat of the 2005 playoffs, the Spurs bounced back to win the next four, as the Nuggets were eliminated in the first round in five games for the fourth straight year.
On March 16, 2008, the Nuggets scored 168 points in a 168–116 home win over Seattle SuperSonics
. It was the third-most points scored for a regulation game in NBA history (The Nuggets and the Pistons hold the spot for most combined points scored in a game which was over 360 points total.)
The Nuggets finished the 2007–08 NBA season with exactly 50 wins as well as finishing the first half of that season 25–16 (50–32 overall record, tied for the third-best all-time Nuggets record since the team officially joined the NBA in 1976), following a 120–111 home victory over the Memphis Grizzlies
in the last game of the season. It was the first time since the 1987–88 NBA season that the Nuggets finished with at least 50 wins in a season. Denver ended up as the 8th seed in the Western Conference of the 2008 NBA Playoffs
, and their 50 wins marked the highest win total for an 8th seed in NBA history. It also meant that for the first time in NBA history, all eight playoff seeds in a conference had at least 50 wins. The Nuggets faced the top-seeded Los Angeles Lakers
(57–25 overall record) in the first round of the 2008 NBA Playoffs. The seven games separating the Nuggets overall record and the Lakers overall record is the closest margin between an eighth seed and a top seed since the NBA went to a 16-team playoff format in 1983–84. The Lakers swept the Nuggets in four games, marking the second time in NBA history that a 50-win team was swept in a best-of-seven playoff series in the first round.
Marcus Camby
to the Los Angeles Clippers
for a second-round draft pick (that was then traded to the New York Knicks
for Renaldo Balkman
). This trade was to reduce the Nuggets' payroll costs.
On November 3, 2008, guard Allen Iverson
was traded to the Detroit Pistons
for Chauncey Billups
, Antonio McDyess
, and Cheikh Samb (part of the trade exception from the Marcus Camby trade was used to allow the deal to go through). McDyess was waived though on November 10, 2008, and he returned to Detroit shortly afterwards.
With Carmelo Anthony
averaging 22.8 ppg and Billups averaging 6.4 assists in the 2008–09 NBA season
the Nuggets accomplished a great number of franchise milestones. Their 54–28 record matched the most wins the franchise had gotten since their induction in the NBA; their 27–14 start was also a record for wins in the first half of a season. This also marked the first time in the franchise's history the team had back-to-back 50-win seasons. They led the Northwest division for much of the season, eventually winning the division and placing #2 in the Western Conference, matching the highest the team has ever been seeded for the playoffs. General Manager
Mark Warkentien
won the NBA Executive of the Year Award
for the Nuggets' improvement. They won Game 1 of the playoffs in a blowout victory against the New Orleans Hornets on April 19, 2009, the first time they had home-court advantage since 1988 and also, the 29-point victory was the largest victory for any team for Game 1 of the first round of the 2009 NBA Playoffs
. Chauncey Billups set a Nuggets franchise record with the most three-pointers in a playoff game with 8, and his 19 three-pointers in total is also a Nuggets record for threes made in a playoff series. They went on to beat the Hornets in five games, including a 58-point victory in Game 4 which matched the most lopsided win in NBA playoff history
. They then went on to beat the #6 seed Dallas Mavericks
4 games to 1 in the Conference Semifinals to make their first trip to the Western Conference Finals since 1985
. That was also the first time the Nuggets had ever led 3–0 in a best-of-seven series. Up to that point, they held an NBA Playoffs-high in three-pointers made and a 16-point average margin of victory, the largest average margin of victory in the first 10 playoff games in NBA Playoff history. They lost the first game of the Western Conference Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers
but won the second game to tie the series 1–1. Carmelo Anthony became the first Denver player to score at least 30 points in five consecutive playoff games since the Nuggets joined the NBA in 1976. They lost the series 4–2, ending Denver's longest playoff run in team history.
In the 2009 NBA Draft
, the Nuggets traded a first-round draft pick acquired from the Charlotte Bobcats
to the Minnesota Timberwolves
for the rights to rookie Ty Lawson, who was drafted 18th overall. On July 13, 2009, the Nuggets traded a second-round draft pick to the Detroit Pistons for Arron Afflalo
(part of the trade exception from the Iverson trade was used to allow the deal to go through) and Walter Sharpe
. Afflalo replaced starting guard Dahntay Jones
, who signed with the Indiana Pacers
. However, on August 10, the Nuggets lost forward Linas Kleiza
, who signed with the Olympiacos Piraeus of the Greek League
.
The 2009–10
season saw Carmelo Anthony average 28.2 ppg and Chauncey Billups average a career-high 19.6 ppg. In the opening two games of the season, Anthony totaled 71 points, scoring 30 points in the home opener and 41 the next night, in wins against division rivals Utah Jazz
and Portland Trail Blazers
, respectively. Anthony became one of two players in the Nuggets' history to open with more than 70 points through two games (Alex English also accomplished this feat). It was also only the second time since 1987 that the Nuggets started the season 2–0. They later went 3–0, 4–0, and then 5–0 for the first time since 1985 after defeating the Memphis Grizzlies
, Indiana Pacers
, and New Jersey Nets
respectively. Despite injuries which caused all three captains - Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, and Kenyon Martin
– to miss a total of 46 games, and then later on in the second half of the season the absence of head coach George Karl
, who underwent treatment for neck
and throat cancer, the Nuggets were still able to win 53 games (third consecutive 50-win season, which was the first time in Nuggets history) for the season which also allowed them to clinch their second consecutive Northwest division title and finish as the fourth seed in the West Conference. However, they were eliminated in six games by the Utah Jazz
, their seventh first-round elimination in 16 years. Carmelo Anthony averaged a career-high 30.7 ppg in the playoffs.
On July 14, 2010, the Nuggets bolstered their frontcourt depth by signing Al Harrington
. During the 2010 off-season, Masai Ujiri
replaced Mark Warkentien
as the General Manager, while Josh Kroenke was named the Nuggets' team president.
Stan Kroenke bought full ownership in the St. Louis Rams
of the NFL in 2010. Since the NFL does not allow its owners to hold majority control of major-league teams in other NFL cities, Kroenke turned over day-to-day control of the Nuggets and Avalanche to Josh toward the end of 2010, and must sell his controlling interest in both teams by 2014.
was traded along with Chauncey Billups
, Anthony Carter
, Shelden Williams
and Renaldo Balkman
to the New York Knicks
in a multi-player deal also involving the Minnesota Timberwolves
in which the Nuggets received Wilson Chandler
, Raymond Felton
, Danilo Gallinari
, Timofey Mozgov
and Kosta Koufos
. On the day when the trade was done, the Nuggets were left with nine players to play against the Memphis Grizzlies
. The Nuggets won the game, 120-107, where they led by as many as 27 points. George Karl said after the game, "Our guys, when their backs are confronted with a difficult situation, they usually play at a high level. We always react to tough situations in a very positive way." Some people said after the trade the Nuggets would become the "Cleveland Cavaliers
" of the West, that is, would falter in the standings and lose their playoff hopes due to the loss of their franchise player, Carmelo. However, the trade only seemed to make them better. Post-trade, the Nuggets averaged 24.1 assists, showing their newfound teamwork. The defense of the Nuggets also improved, from allowing 105.2 ppg before the trade to of 97.1 ppg for the remainder of the season. Despite the franchise changing trade which saw eighteen different starting lineups through the whole season, Denver finished with 50 wins (fourth consecutive 50 win seasons for the first time in Nuggets history), clinching the 5th seed of the Western Conference. They met the Oklahoma City Thunder
in the first round of the playoffs and lost four games to one.
as the "Denver Rockets." From the early to mid-1970s, the Nuggets wore gold and purple (Columbine blue) uniforms.
When the Nuggets joined the NBA in the 1976–77 season, they retained the pick-axe logo on their jerseys from the ABA days. The home uniforms feature 'Nuggets' in red with a red pick-axe inside a blue oval, and gold numbers with blue trim in front, blue numbers and letters at the back. The road uniforms were blue, with 'Denver' in blue with a blue pick-axe in a red oval, and gold numbers in front, white numbers and letters at the back.
The Nuggets simplified their uniforms following their inaugural season in the NBA. From 1977-82 their home uniforms were white, with a "Nuggets" script written across the chest in a darker royal blue, with gold trim around the script and jersey numbers. The royal blue away jersey had "Denver" written across the chest in white, with gold trim.
From the early-1980s until the 1992–93 season, the Nuggets wore the Denver "rainbow city" skyline across the chest and back on both the home and away uniforms. Some fans also call the iconic 80s logo the "Tetris
" logo, due to the buildings that shadow the mountains on the logo. The initial home uniforms were white with navy and green trim, with "Nuggets" and the uniform number in gold with blue trim. In 1985, they changed the shade of blue to royal and eliminated green, and in 1986 changed the back numbers to royal blue. In 1991, coinciding with the debut of Dikembe Mutombo
, the word "Nuggets" became white with royal blue and gold trim. The road uniforms were initially navy blue with green trim, with "Denver" and the uniform number in white with gold trim. In 1985, the shade of blue on road uniforms was changed to royal and eliminated green, with the word "Nuggets" and the uniform number in white with royal blue and gold trim.
For the 1993–94 season, the Nuggets drastically changed their look, with a dark navy, metallic gold and wine color scheme on their uniforms. The home jerseys had a "Nuggets" script in a modified version of the typeface Aachen across the chest in navy blue, with dark red and metallic gold trim around the script and numbers, while the navy blue away jerseys had the same script in metallic gold, with dark red and white trim. The Nuggets wore these uniforms for a decade, until the 2002–03 season.
For the 2003–04 season, the Nuggets made another uniform change, with a new color scheme of powder blue, gold and royal blue. Like the 1990s uniforms, the new Nuggets jerseys also have the Aachen typeface across the chest – it's "Nuggets" in powder blue, with royal blue and gold trim on the home white jersey, while the new powder blue road jersey has "Denver" in white, with gold and royal blue trim. These jerseys were tweaked prior to the 2008–09
season, with the royal blue trim replaced by navy blue, as well as a circle patch of the Nuggets alternate pick axe logo placed above the nameplate on the backs of the jerseys.
In the 2005–06 season, the Nuggets also introduced an alternate navy blue uniform, with an alternate Nuggets script in gold, with navy blue interior trim and powder blue outlining.
For the 2010–11
season, the Nuggets' uniform set was once again tweaked, with the NBA's introduction of the "Revolution 30" jerseys. On the home white and alternate navy blue jerseys, the collars are powder blue with gold exterior outlines, while on the powder blue jersey, the collar is white with gold exterior outlines.
"Name*" includes points scored for the team while in the ABA.
Italics denotes still active but not with team.
Points scored (regular season)(as of the end of the 2010-11 season)
Other Statistics (regular season)(as of the end of the 2010-11 season)
Minutes Played
Rebounds
Assists
Steals
Blocks
NBA Most Improved Player of the Year
NBA Coach of the Year
NBA Sportsmanship Award
NBA Executive of the Year
All-NBA First Team
All-NBA Second Team
All-NBA Third Team
NBA All-Defensive First Team
NBA All-Defensive Second Team
NBA Rookie First Team
NBA Rookie Second Team
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. They play in the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA). They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association
American Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
, and became one of that league's more successful teams. After changing their name in anticipation of a merger, they joined the NBA
ABA-NBA merger
The ABA–NBA merger was the merger of the American Basketball Association with the National Basketball Association, which after multiple attempts over several years finally occurred in 1976.- Origins of ABA-NBA competition :...
in 1976. They play home games at the Pepsi Center
Pepsi Center
Pepsi Center is a multi-purpose arena in Denver, Colorado, United States. The building is home to the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association, the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League, and the Colorado Mammoth of the National Lacrosse League...
.
Early years
In 1967, one of the ABA's charter franchises was awarded to a group in Kansas City, MissouriKansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
headed by Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
businessman James Trindle. However, Trindle was unable to find a suitable arena in the Kansas City area. League commissioner George Mikan
George Mikan
George Lawrence Mikan, Jr. , nicknamed Mr. Basketball, was an American professional basketball player for the Chicago American Gears of the National Basketball League and the Minneapolis Lakers of the NBL, the Basketball Association of America and the National Basketball Association...
suggested moving the team to Denver. After agreeing to name Denver native and former NBA player Vince Boryla
Vince Boryla
Vincent Joseph Boryla is a retired American basketball player, coach, and executive. His nickname was "Moose". He graduated from East Chicago Washington High School in 1944. He played basketball at the University of Notre Dame and the University of Denver...
as general manager, Trindle moved his team to Denver as the Denver Larks, named after the Colorado state bird. The Trindle group was severely undercapitalized, leading Mikan to order the Larks to post a $100,000 performance bond or lose the franchise. Hours before the deadline, Trindle sold a two-thirds controlling interest to Denver trucking magnate Bill Ringsby for $350,000 Ringsby then renamed the team the Rockets, after his company's long-haul trucks.
The Rockets struggled early in the postseason and failed to play in a championship series. They had a solid lineup led by Byron Beck
Byron Beck
A. Byron Beck is an American former professional basketball player.A 6'9" forward/center from the University of Denver, Beck was one of six players who participated in all nine seasons of the original American Basketball...
and Larry Jones
Larry Jones
Larry Jones is a retired American basketball player. He played professionally in the NBA and ABA, from 1964 to 1974....
, then later by Beck and Ralph Simpson
Ralph Simpson
Ralph Derek Simpson is a retired American basketball player. He played professionally in the ABA and NBA from 1970 to 1980....
. Controversial rookie Spencer Haywood
Spencer Haywood
Spencer Haywood is a retired American professional basketball player.- High school :In 1964, Haywood moved to Detroit, Michigan, where he attended Pershing High School...
joined the team for the 1969–70 season. Haywood was one of the first players to turn pro before graduating from college, and the NBA initially refused to let him play in the league. Haywood averaged nearly 30 points and 20 rebounds per game in his only ABA season, then breached his Denver contract by signing with the Seattle SuperSonics and jumping to the NBA.
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
. The winning choice was Nuggets, in honor of the original Nuggets team
Denver Nuggets (original)
This article is about the original Denver Nuggets NBL/NBA team from 1948-1950. For the current NBA team see Denver Nuggets.The Denver Nuggets were a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado, The United States of America...
who played in the city from 1938 to 1950, the last year as a charter member of the NBA. Their new logo was a miner "discovering" an ABA ball. Goldberg and Fischer in turn sold the team to a local investment group in 1976.
With the drafting and signing of David Thompson
David Thompson (basketball)
David O'Neil Thompson is a former American professional basketball star with the Denver Nuggets of both the National Basketball Association and American Basketball Association , as well as the Seattle SuperSonics...
and Marvin Webster
Marvin Webster
Marvin Nathaniel Webster was an American professional basketball player. Nicknamed "The Human Eraser" and "Marvin the Magnificent", he played one season in the American Basketball Association and nine in the National Basketball Association with the Denver Nuggets , Seattle SuperSonics , New York...
and the acquisitions of Dan Issel
Dan Issel
Daniel Paul Issel is a retired American Hall of Fame professional basketball player and coach.-Collegiate playing career:...
and Bobby Jones and with Larry Brown
Larry Brown (basketball)
Lawrence Harvey "Larry" Brown is an American basketball coach and former player. He most recently served as head coach of the National Basketball Association's Charlotte Bobcats....
coaching, they had their best seasons in team history in their first two seasons as the Nuggets, with the team making the ABA finals in 1975–76. They would get no second chance to win an ABA league championship, as the ABA-NBA merger
ABA-NBA merger
The ABA–NBA merger was the merger of the American Basketball Association with the National Basketball Association, which after multiple attempts over several years finally occurred in 1976.- Origins of ABA-NBA competition :...
took place after the 1975–76 season. The Nuggets were one of four ABA teams taken into the NBA, along with the New York Nets, San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
and Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
for the 1976–77 NBA season. The Nuggets and Nets had actually applied to join the NBA in 1975, but were forced to stay in the ABA by a court order.
The Nuggets continued their strong play early on in the NBA, as they won division titles in their first two seasons in the league, and missed a third by a single game. However, neither of these teams was ultimately successful in the postseason.
Red McCombs
Red McCombs
Billy Joe "Red" McCombs is the founder of the Red McCombs Automotive Group, a co-founder of Clear Channel Communications, a former owner of the San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets, and the Minnesota Vikings, and the namesake of the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin...
bought the team in 1978.
1980s
Doug Moe
Douglas Edwin Moe is an American professional basketball coach. He is most closely associated with the Denver Nuggets franchise....
as a head coach. Moe brought with him a "motion offense" philosophy, a style of play focusing on attempting to move the ball until someone got open. Moe was also known for not paying as much attention to defense as his colleagues. The offense helped the team become highly competitive. During the 1980s, the Nuggets would often score in excess of 115 points a game, and during the 1981–82 season, they scored at least 100 points in every game—136 consecutive games (NBA record). During the 1981–82 season the Denver Nuggets set the league scoring record for the highest average points per game at 126.5 points.
Anchored by scoring machines Alex English
Alex English
Alexander English is a retired American basketball player and former assistant coach of the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association who played at the forward position...
and Kiki Vandeweghe at the two forward spots, Denver led the league in scoring, with English and Vandeweghe both averaging above 25 points per game. It was a novel strategy, allowing the Nuggets to top the Midwest Division and qualify for the playoffs during that span. (On December 13, 1983, the Nuggets and the visiting Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
combined for an NBA record 370 points, with Detroit winning in triple overtime, 186–184.) In 1984–85, they made it to the Western Conference
Western Conference (NBA)
Below is a list of current Western Conference NBA team rosters.-Western Conference:There are a total of 15 teams in the Western Conference. The current leading team of the Western conference are the Dallas Mavericks....
finals after being perennial playoff contenders, and they lost in five games to the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
. Vandeweghe was traded before the 1984–85 season to the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
for 6–3 rebounding guard Lafayette "Fat" Lever
Lafayette Lever
Lafayette "Fat" Lever is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA. He is currently the director of player development for the Sacramento Kings....
, undersized power forward Calvin Natt
Calvin Natt
Calvin Leon Natt is a retired American professional basketball player. A 6'6" forward, Natt played at Northeast Louisiana University under coach Lenny Fant. After college, he played 11 NBA seasons , spending time with the New Jersey Nets, Portland Trail Blazers, Denver Nuggets, San Antonio...
and center Wayne Cooper. Spearheaded by English and supported by the three new acquisitions and defensive specialists Bill Hanzlik
Bill Hanzlik
William Henry Hanzlik is a retired American professional basketball player and coach. A 6'7" guard, Hanzlik played college basketball at the University of Notre Dame. He was selected for the 1980 US Mens Olympic Team which never was afforded the chance to compete due to the US's boycott of the...
and TR Dunn, the team replicated its success in the Western Conference despite the loss of Vandeweghe. They even managed to win a franchise-record 54 wins in the 1987-88 season
1987-88 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-NBA awards:*Most Valuable Player: Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls*Rookie of the Year: Mark Jackson, New York Knicks*Defensive Player of the Year: Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls...
. However, the Dallas Mavericks eliminated the Nuggets in the second round of the 1988 NBA Playoffs.
McCombs sold the team to Sidney Shlenker in 1985. Shlenker, in turn, sold the team to COMSAT in 1989.
1990s
Moe left the team in 1990, and was replaced by Paul WestheadPaul Westhead
Paul Westhead is a basketball coach who is currently the head coach of the University of Oregon women's team...
. Westhead also believed in a "run and gun
Run and gun (basketball)
Run and gun is a style of basketball which involves a very high pace of play. It was most famously used by the Loyola Marymount men's basketball team in the late 1980s under coach Paul Westhead.....
" style of play, and gave the green light for players like Michael Adams
Michael Adams (basketball)
Michael Adams is a former NBA player and basketball coach.After starring at Boston College, the 5'10" point guard was selected by the Sacramento Kings in the 3rd round with the 66th pick of the 1985 NBA Draft...
and Chris Jackson
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf is an American professional basketball player.-Life and career:Abdul-Rauf was born in Gulfport, Mississippi. After a record-setting college career at Louisiana State University, he was selected with the third pick in the 1990 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets...
to light up the scoreboards within seconds of possession.
However, Westhead cared even less about defense than Moe. As a result, the Nuggets gave up points almost as fast as they scored points. They finished with the worst record in the league during the 1990-91 season, despite setting many scoring records. As an insult, many sportswriters nicknamed the team at the time as the "Enver Nuggets" (as in 'no D' or no defense).
Denver took a positive step in rebuilding by drafting 7–2 Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
Dikembe Mutombo
Dikembe Mutombo
Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo , commonly referred to as Dikembe Mutombo, is a retired Congolese American professional basketball player who last played for the Houston Rockets of the NBA...
in 1992. Mutombo would have a successful rookie year, finishing runner-up to Larry Johnson for the NBA rookie of the year that season. Denver finished 24–58 that year.
Denver fired Westhead prior to the 1992–93 season and hired former star player Dan Issel
Dan Issel
Daniel Paul Issel is a retired American Hall of Fame professional basketball player and coach.-Collegiate playing career:...
as his successor. The Nuggets had two lottery picks that year and drafted University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
forward LaPhonso Ellis
LaPhonso Ellis
LaPhonso Darnell Ellis is a retired American basketball player.-Early career:He was an outstanding high school basketball player at East St. Louis Lincoln High School, where he led the Tigers to two straight Illinois Class AA boys' championships in 1987 and 1988...
and University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
guard Bryant Stith
Bryant Stith
Bryant Lamonica Stith is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA.A 6'5" shooting guard, Bryant was selected from the University of Virginia with the 13th overall pick by the Denver Nuggets in the 1992 NBA Draft. Bryant played eight seasons with the team before being traded to...
. Denver improved to 36–46, just missing the playoffs that year.
Denver ditched their rainbow colors for a dark navy, metallic gold and wine color scheme starting in the 1993–94 season. Led by Mutombo, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf is an American professional basketball player.-Life and career:Abdul-Rauf was born in Gulfport, Mississippi. After a record-setting college career at Louisiana State University, he was selected with the third pick in the 1990 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets...
(who changed his name from Chris Jackson prior to the season), and Ellis, Denver would finish with its first winning season since the Doug Moe era at 42–40. Denver clinched the 8th seed in the Western Conference playoffs, playing the first place Seattle SuperSonics
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
. Denver was a heavy underdog, having only a couple of players on their roster with actual NBA playoff experience. After dropping the first two games of the five-game set in Seattle, the series returned to Denver. Denver won both games and tied the series at two games apiece. The Nuggets would make NBA history in Game 5, upsetting Seattle in overtime 98–94. They became the first 8th-seeded team to defeat a 1st-seeded team in NBA playoff history. Denver would almost do the same in the next round, falling to the Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
in game seven of the second round.
Denver acquired Sonics sharp-shooter Dale Ellis
Dale Ellis
Dale Ellis is a retired American professional basketball player, who played in the National Basketball Association....
in the off-season and drafted University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
phenom Jalen Rose
Jalen Rose
Jalen Anthony Rose is a retired American professional basketball player, who currently works as a sports analyst for the sports television network ESPN...
. Denver would struggle, causing Issel to resign as coach partway into the season. Assistant Coach Gene Littles
Gene Littles
Eugene Scapes Littles is a retired American basketball player and current coach. He played professional basketball for six years....
would assume control for a brief period before relinquishing control to general manager Bernie Bickerstaff
Bernie Bickerstaff
Bernard Tyrone "Bernie" Bickerstaff is an assistant coach for the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers. Prior to the Trail Blazers, Bickerstaff was an assistant for the Chicago Bulls and Executive Vice President of the Charlotte Bobcats...
. Denver would rebound and get the 8th seed again in the playoffs, finishing 41–41. The Nuggets were swept by the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
in the first round of the playoffs that season.
Following that season, Denver would acquire Antonio McDyess
Antonio McDyess
Antonio Keithflen McDyess is an American professional basketball player. McDyess is listed at 6'9" , 245 lb. and is a power forward/center. In 2009 he signed a 3-year contract with the San Antonio Spurs....
in a draft day trade with the Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
. McDyess would be the face of the franchise for the next few years, as Mutombo would leave after the 1995–96 season for the Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
, Ellis would miss the majority of the next few seasons due to recurring knee and leg injuries, and Abdul-Rauf was traded to the Sacramento Kings
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
prior to the 1996–97 season.
Denver flirted with history in the 1997–98, by nearly setting the mark for fewest wins in an 82 game season (11). They would (then) tie the NBA's all-time worst single-season losing streak at 23 games—only one game shy of the overall worst mark of 24 by the Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
of the early 1980s. The losing streak would later be broken by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2011 with 26 consecutive losses. Several years later, the Nuggets tied for the worst record in the NBA in 2002–03, also with the Cavaliers.
The team's struggles in the late 1990s were due in part to ownership instability. COMSAT bought the NHL's Quebec Nordiques
Quebec Nordiques
The Quebec Nordiques were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The Nordiques played in the World Hockey Association and the National Hockey League...
in 1995 and moved them to Denver as the Colorado Avalanche
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
. However, its diversification into sports ownership was proving a drain on the company. In particular, cost overruns associated with the construction of the Pepsi Center had shareholders up in arms. Finally, in 1997, COMSAT agreed in principle to sell Ascent Entertainment Group, the umbrella corporation for its sporting assets, to Liberty Media
Liberty Media
Liberty Media Corporation is an American media conglomerate and the control is exercised by company Chairman John C. Malone, who owns a majority of the voting shares....
. However, Liberty was not interested in sports ownership at the time (though it has since bought the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
), and made the deal contingent upon Ascent selling the Avalanche and Nuggets.
After almost two years, Ascent sold the Avalanche and Nuggets to Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
heirs Bill and Nancy Laurie
Nancy Walton Laurie
Nancy Walton Laurie is the daughter of the late Bud Walton, the brother and business partner of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton. At Bud's death, she and her sister Ann Walton Kroenke inherited a stake in Wal-Mart now worth over USD$6 billion....
for $400 million. However, a group of Ascent shareholders sued, claiming that the sale price was several million dollars too low. Ascent then agreed to sell the Avalanche and Nuggets to Denver banking tycoon Donald Sturm for $461 million.
However, a new wrinkle appeared when the city of Denver refused to transfer the parcel of land on which the Pepsi Center stood unless Sturm promised to keep the Avalanche and Nuggets in Denver for at least 25 years. Sturm had made his bid in his own name, and the city wanted to protect itself in case Sturm either died or sold the teams before the 25 years ran out. While Sturm was willing to make a long-term commitment to the city, he wasn't willing to be held responsible if he died or sold the teams. After negotiations fell apart, Liberty bought all of Ascent, but kept the Nuggets and Avalanche on the market. In the meantime, Issel had returned as head coach in 1999, but the protracted ownership negotiations made it difficult for him to rebuild the team. Just before the start of the 1999-2000 season, he told reporters that there were several decisions he simply couldn't make due to the unstable ownership situation.
Finally, in July 2000, the Avalanche, Nuggets and Pepsi Center were bought by real estate entrepreneur Stan Kroenke in a $450 million deal. Kroenke is the brother-in-law of the Lauries; his wife Ann
Ann Walton Kroenke
Ann Walton Kroenke is, indirectly, an heir to part of the Wal-Mart fortune. Along with her sister, Nancy Walton Laurie, Kroenke inherited stock from father, Bud Walton , who was an early business partner and brother of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton...
is Nancy Laurie's sister. Liberty retained only a 6.5% stake of the sports franchises. As part of the deal, Kroenke placed the teams into a trust that would ensure the teams will stay in Denver until at least 2025. After the deal, Kroenke organized his sports assets under Kroenke Sports Enterprises.
2003–2006
Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Kiyan Anthony , nicknamed "Melo", is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association...
with the third overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft
2003 NBA Draft
The 2003 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2003 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from high schools and...
. That same year, the team also updated their logos and uniforms, with a new color scheme of powder blue, gold and royal blue; the latter color was changed to navy blue in 2009. In just two months of the season, the Nuggets recorded more wins than they had in 5½ months of play in 2002–03. Much of the reason for this incredible turnaround were the front-office moves of General Manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
Kiki Vandeweghe, a former Nuggets player who assumed General Manager duties on August 9, 2001.
The Rockets struggled early in the postseason and failed to play in a championship series. They had a solid lineup led by Byron Beck
Byron Beck
A. Byron Beck is an American former professional basketball player.A 6'9" forward/center from the University of Denver, Beck was one of six players who participated in all nine seasons of the original American Basketball...
and Larry Jones
Larry Jones
Larry Jones is a retired American basketball player. He played professionally in the NBA and ABA, from 1964 to 1974....
, then later by Beck and Ralph Simpson
Ralph Simpson
Ralph Derek Simpson is a retired American basketball player. He played professionally in the ABA and NBA from 1970 to 1980....
. Controversial rookie Spencer Haywood
Spencer Haywood
Spencer Haywood is a retired American professional basketball player.- High school :In 1964, Haywood moved to Detroit, Michigan, where he attended Pershing High School...
joined the team for the 1969–70 season. Haywood was one of the first players to turn pro before graduating from college, and the NBA initially refused to let him play in the league. Haywood averaged nearly 30 points and 20 rebounds per game in his only ABA season, then breached his Denver contract by signing with the Seattle SuperSonics and jumping to the NBA.
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
. The winning choice was Nuggets, in honor of the original Nuggets team
Denver Nuggets (original)
This article is about the original Denver Nuggets NBL/NBA team from 1948-1950. For the current NBA team see Denver Nuggets.The Denver Nuggets were a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado, The United States of America...
who played in the city from 1938 to 1950, the last year as a charter member of the NBA. Their new logo was a miner "discovering" an ABA ball. Goldberg and Fischer in turn sold the team to a local investment group in 1976.
With the drafting and signing of David Thompson
David Thompson (basketball)
David O'Neil Thompson is a former American professional basketball star with the Denver Nuggets of both the National Basketball Association and American Basketball Association , as well as the Seattle SuperSonics...
and Marvin Webster
Marvin Webster
Marvin Nathaniel Webster was an American professional basketball player. Nicknamed "The Human Eraser" and "Marvin the Magnificent", he played one season in the American Basketball Association and nine in the National Basketball Association with the Denver Nuggets , Seattle SuperSonics , New York...
and the acquisitions of Dan Issel
Dan Issel
Daniel Paul Issel is a retired American Hall of Fame professional basketball player and coach.-Collegiate playing career:...
and Bobby Jones and with Larry Brown
Larry Brown (basketball)
Lawrence Harvey "Larry" Brown is an American basketball coach and former player. He most recently served as head coach of the National Basketball Association's Charlotte Bobcats....
coaching, they had their best seasons in team history in their first two seasons as the Nuggets, with the team making the ABA finals in 1975–76. They would get no second chance to win an ABA league championship, as the ABA-NBA merger
ABA-NBA merger
The ABA–NBA merger was the merger of the American Basketball Association with the National Basketball Association, which after multiple attempts over several years finally occurred in 1976.- Origins of ABA-NBA competition :...
took place after the 1975–76 season. The Nuggets were one of four ABA teams taken into the NBA, along with the New York Nets, San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
and Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
for the 1976–77 NBA season. The Nuggets and Nets had actually applied to join the NBA in 1975, but were forced to stay in the ABA by a court order.
The Nuggets continued their strong play early on in the NBA, as they won division titles in their first two seasons in the league, and missed a third by a single game. However, neither of these teams was ultimately successful in the postseason.
Red McCombs
Red McCombs
Billy Joe "Red" McCombs is the founder of the Red McCombs Automotive Group, a co-founder of Clear Channel Communications, a former owner of the San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets, and the Minnesota Vikings, and the namesake of the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin...
bought the team in 1978.
1980s
Doug Moe
Douglas Edwin Moe is an American professional basketball coach. He is most closely associated with the Denver Nuggets franchise....
as a head coach. Moe brought with him a "motion offense" philosophy, a style of play focusing on attempting to move the ball until someone got open. Moe was also known for not paying as much attention to defense as his colleagues. The offense helped the team become highly competitive. During the 1980s, the Nuggets would often score in excess of 115 points a game, and during the 1981–82 season, they scored at least 100 points in every game—136 consecutive games (NBA record). During the 1981–82 season the Denver Nuggets set the league scoring record for the highest average points per game at 126.5 points.
Anchored by scoring machines Alex English
Alex English
Alexander English is a retired American basketball player and former assistant coach of the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association who played at the forward position...
and Kiki Vandeweghe at the two forward spots, Denver led the league in scoring, with English and Vandeweghe both averaging above 25 points per game. It was a novel strategy, allowing the Nuggets to top the Midwest Division and qualify for the playoffs during that span. (On December 13, 1983, the Nuggets and the visiting Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
combined for an NBA record 370 points, with Detroit winning in triple overtime, 186–184.) In 1984–85, they made it to the Western Conference
Western Conference (NBA)
Below is a list of current Western Conference NBA team rosters.-Western Conference:There are a total of 15 teams in the Western Conference. The current leading team of the Western conference are the Dallas Mavericks....
finals after being perennial playoff contenders, and they lost in five games to the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
. Vandeweghe was traded before the 1984–85 season to the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
for 6–3 rebounding guard Lafayette "Fat" Lever
Lafayette Lever
Lafayette "Fat" Lever is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA. He is currently the director of player development for the Sacramento Kings....
, undersized power forward Calvin Natt
Calvin Natt
Calvin Leon Natt is a retired American professional basketball player. A 6'6" forward, Natt played at Northeast Louisiana University under coach Lenny Fant. After college, he played 11 NBA seasons , spending time with the New Jersey Nets, Portland Trail Blazers, Denver Nuggets, San Antonio...
and center Wayne Cooper. Spearheaded by English and supported by the three new acquisitions and defensive specialists Bill Hanzlik
Bill Hanzlik
William Henry Hanzlik is a retired American professional basketball player and coach. A 6'7" guard, Hanzlik played college basketball at the University of Notre Dame. He was selected for the 1980 US Mens Olympic Team which never was afforded the chance to compete due to the US's boycott of the...
and TR Dunn, the team replicated its success in the Western Conference despite the loss of Vandeweghe. They even managed to win a franchise-record 54 wins in the 1987-88 season
1987-88 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-NBA awards:*Most Valuable Player: Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls*Rookie of the Year: Mark Jackson, New York Knicks*Defensive Player of the Year: Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls...
. However, the Dallas Mavericks eliminated the Nuggets in the second round of the 1988 NBA Playoffs.
McCombs sold the team to Sidney Shlenker in 1985. Shlenker, in turn, sold the team to COMSAT in 1989.
1990s
Moe left the team in 1990, and was replaced by Paul WestheadPaul Westhead
Paul Westhead is a basketball coach who is currently the head coach of the University of Oregon women's team...
. Westhead also believed in a "run and gun
Run and gun (basketball)
Run and gun is a style of basketball which involves a very high pace of play. It was most famously used by the Loyola Marymount men's basketball team in the late 1980s under coach Paul Westhead.....
" style of play, and gave the green light for players like Michael Adams
Michael Adams (basketball)
Michael Adams is a former NBA player and basketball coach.After starring at Boston College, the 5'10" point guard was selected by the Sacramento Kings in the 3rd round with the 66th pick of the 1985 NBA Draft...
and Chris Jackson
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf is an American professional basketball player.-Life and career:Abdul-Rauf was born in Gulfport, Mississippi. After a record-setting college career at Louisiana State University, he was selected with the third pick in the 1990 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets...
to light up the scoreboards within seconds of possession.
However, Westhead cared even less about defense than Moe. As a result, the Nuggets gave up points almost as fast as they scored points. They finished with the worst record in the league during the 1990-91 season, despite setting many scoring records. As an insult, many sportswriters nicknamed the team at the time as the "Enver Nuggets" (as in 'no D' or no defense).
Denver took a positive step in rebuilding by drafting 7–2 Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
Dikembe Mutombo
Dikembe Mutombo
Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo , commonly referred to as Dikembe Mutombo, is a retired Congolese American professional basketball player who last played for the Houston Rockets of the NBA...
in 1992. Mutombo would have a successful rookie year, finishing runner-up to Larry Johnson for the NBA rookie of the year that season. Denver finished 24–58 that year.
Denver fired Westhead prior to the 1992–93 season and hired former star player Dan Issel
Dan Issel
Daniel Paul Issel is a retired American Hall of Fame professional basketball player and coach.-Collegiate playing career:...
as his successor. The Nuggets had two lottery picks that year and drafted University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
forward LaPhonso Ellis
LaPhonso Ellis
LaPhonso Darnell Ellis is a retired American basketball player.-Early career:He was an outstanding high school basketball player at East St. Louis Lincoln High School, where he led the Tigers to two straight Illinois Class AA boys' championships in 1987 and 1988...
and University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
guard Bryant Stith
Bryant Stith
Bryant Lamonica Stith is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA.A 6'5" shooting guard, Bryant was selected from the University of Virginia with the 13th overall pick by the Denver Nuggets in the 1992 NBA Draft. Bryant played eight seasons with the team before being traded to...
. Denver improved to 36–46, just missing the playoffs that year.
Denver ditched their rainbow colors for a dark navy, metallic gold and wine color scheme starting in the 1993–94 season. Led by Mutombo, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf is an American professional basketball player.-Life and career:Abdul-Rauf was born in Gulfport, Mississippi. After a record-setting college career at Louisiana State University, he was selected with the third pick in the 1990 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets...
(who changed his name from Chris Jackson prior to the season), and Ellis, Denver would finish with its first winning season since the Doug Moe era at 42–40. Denver clinched the 8th seed in the Western Conference playoffs, playing the first place Seattle SuperSonics
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
. Denver was a heavy underdog, having only a couple of players on their roster with actual NBA playoff experience. After dropping the first two games of the five-game set in Seattle, the series returned to Denver. Denver won both games and tied the series at two games apiece. The Nuggets would make NBA history in Game 5, upsetting Seattle in overtime 98–94. They became the first 8th-seeded team to defeat a 1st-seeded team in NBA playoff history. Denver would almost do the same in the next round, falling to the Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
in game seven of the second round.
Denver acquired Sonics sharp-shooter Dale Ellis
Dale Ellis
Dale Ellis is a retired American professional basketball player, who played in the National Basketball Association....
in the off-season and drafted University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
phenom Jalen Rose
Jalen Rose
Jalen Anthony Rose is a retired American professional basketball player, who currently works as a sports analyst for the sports television network ESPN...
. Denver would struggle, causing Issel to resign as coach partway into the season. Assistant Coach Gene Littles
Gene Littles
Eugene Scapes Littles is a retired American basketball player and current coach. He played professional basketball for six years....
would assume control for a brief period before relinquishing control to general manager Bernie Bickerstaff
Bernie Bickerstaff
Bernard Tyrone "Bernie" Bickerstaff is an assistant coach for the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers. Prior to the Trail Blazers, Bickerstaff was an assistant for the Chicago Bulls and Executive Vice President of the Charlotte Bobcats...
. Denver would rebound and get the 8th seed again in the playoffs, finishing 41–41. The Nuggets were swept by the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
in the first round of the playoffs that season.
Following that season, Denver would acquire Antonio McDyess
Antonio McDyess
Antonio Keithflen McDyess is an American professional basketball player. McDyess is listed at 6'9" , 245 lb. and is a power forward/center. In 2009 he signed a 3-year contract with the San Antonio Spurs....
in a draft day trade with the Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
. McDyess would be the face of the franchise for the next few years, as Mutombo would leave after the 1995–96 season for the Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
, Ellis would miss the majority of the next few seasons due to recurring knee and leg injuries, and Abdul-Rauf was traded to the Sacramento Kings
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
prior to the 1996–97 season.
Denver flirted with history in the 1997–98, by nearly setting the mark for fewest wins in an 82 game season (11). They would (then) tie the NBA's all-time worst single-season losing streak at 23 games—only one game shy of the overall worst mark of 24 by the Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
of the early 1980s. The losing streak would later be broken by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2011 with 26 consecutive losses. Several years later, the Nuggets tied for the worst record in the NBA in 2002–03, also with the Cavaliers.
The team's struggles in the late 1990s were due in part to ownership instability. COMSAT bought the NHL's Quebec Nordiques
Quebec Nordiques
The Quebec Nordiques were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The Nordiques played in the World Hockey Association and the National Hockey League...
in 1995 and moved them to Denver as the Colorado Avalanche
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
. However, its diversification into sports ownership was proving a drain on the company. In particular, cost overruns associated with the construction of the Pepsi Center had shareholders up in arms. Finally, in 1997, COMSAT agreed in principle to sell Ascent Entertainment Group, the umbrella corporation for its sporting assets, to Liberty Media
Liberty Media
Liberty Media Corporation is an American media conglomerate and the control is exercised by company Chairman John C. Malone, who owns a majority of the voting shares....
. However, Liberty was not interested in sports ownership at the time (though it has since bought the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
), and made the deal contingent upon Ascent selling the Avalanche and Nuggets.
After almost two years, Ascent sold the Avalanche and Nuggets to Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
heirs Bill and Nancy Laurie
Nancy Walton Laurie
Nancy Walton Laurie is the daughter of the late Bud Walton, the brother and business partner of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton. At Bud's death, she and her sister Ann Walton Kroenke inherited a stake in Wal-Mart now worth over USD$6 billion....
for $400 million. However, a group of Ascent shareholders sued, claiming that the sale price was several million dollars too low. Ascent then agreed to sell the Avalanche and Nuggets to Denver banking tycoon Donald Sturm for $461 million.
However, a new wrinkle appeared when the city of Denver refused to transfer the parcel of land on which the Pepsi Center stood unless Sturm promised to keep the Avalanche and Nuggets in Denver for at least 25 years. Sturm had made his bid in his own name, and the city wanted to protect itself in case Sturm either died or sold the teams before the 25 years ran out. While Sturm was willing to make a long-term commitment to the city, he wasn't willing to be held responsible if he died or sold the teams. After negotiations fell apart, Liberty bought all of Ascent, but kept the Nuggets and Avalanche on the market. In the meantime, Issel had returned as head coach in 1999, but the protracted ownership negotiations made it difficult for him to rebuild the team. Just before the start of the 1999-2000 season, he told reporters that there were several decisions he simply couldn't make due to the unstable ownership situation.
Finally, in July 2000, the Avalanche, Nuggets and Pepsi Center were bought by real estate entrepreneur Stan Kroenke in a $450 million deal. Kroenke is the brother-in-law of the Lauries; his wife Ann
Ann Walton Kroenke
Ann Walton Kroenke is, indirectly, an heir to part of the Wal-Mart fortune. Along with her sister, Nancy Walton Laurie, Kroenke inherited stock from father, Bud Walton , who was an early business partner and brother of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton...
is Nancy Laurie's sister. Liberty retained only a 6.5% stake of the sports franchises. As part of the deal, Kroenke placed the teams into a trust that would ensure the teams will stay in Denver until at least 2025. After the deal, Kroenke organized his sports assets under Kroenke Sports Enterprises.
2003–2006
Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Kiyan Anthony , nicknamed "Melo", is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association...
with the third overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft
2003 NBA Draft
The 2003 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2003 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from high schools and...
. That same year, the team also updated their logos and uniforms, with a new color scheme of powder blue, gold and royal blue; the latter color was changed to navy blue in 2009. In just two months of the season, the Nuggets recorded more wins than they had in 5½ months of play in 2002–03. Much of the reason for this incredible turnaround were the front-office moves of General Manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
Kiki Vandeweghe, a former Nuggets player who assumed General Manager duties on August 9, 2001.
The Rockets struggled early in the postseason and failed to play in a championship series. They had a solid lineup led by Byron Beck
Byron Beck
A. Byron Beck is an American former professional basketball player.A 6'9" forward/center from the University of Denver, Beck was one of six players who participated in all nine seasons of the original American Basketball...
and Larry Jones
Larry Jones
Larry Jones is a retired American basketball player. He played professionally in the NBA and ABA, from 1964 to 1974....
, then later by Beck and Ralph Simpson
Ralph Simpson
Ralph Derek Simpson is a retired American basketball player. He played professionally in the ABA and NBA from 1970 to 1980....
. Controversial rookie Spencer Haywood
Spencer Haywood
Spencer Haywood is a retired American professional basketball player.- High school :In 1964, Haywood moved to Detroit, Michigan, where he attended Pershing High School...
joined the team for the 1969–70 season. Haywood was one of the first players to turn pro before graduating from college, and the NBA initially refused to let him play in the league. Haywood averaged nearly 30 points and 20 rebounds per game in his only ABA season, then breached his Denver contract by signing with the Seattle SuperSonics and jumping to the NBA.
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
. The winning choice was Nuggets, in honor of the original Nuggets team
Denver Nuggets (original)
This article is about the original Denver Nuggets NBL/NBA team from 1948-1950. For the current NBA team see Denver Nuggets.The Denver Nuggets were a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado, The United States of America...
who played in the city from 1938 to 1950, the last year as a charter member of the NBA. Their new logo was a miner "discovering" an ABA ball. Goldberg and Fischer in turn sold the team to a local investment group in 1976.
With the drafting and signing of David Thompson
David Thompson (basketball)
David O'Neil Thompson is a former American professional basketball star with the Denver Nuggets of both the National Basketball Association and American Basketball Association , as well as the Seattle SuperSonics...
and Marvin Webster
Marvin Webster
Marvin Nathaniel Webster was an American professional basketball player. Nicknamed "The Human Eraser" and "Marvin the Magnificent", he played one season in the American Basketball Association and nine in the National Basketball Association with the Denver Nuggets , Seattle SuperSonics , New York...
and the acquisitions of Dan Issel
Dan Issel
Daniel Paul Issel is a retired American Hall of Fame professional basketball player and coach.-Collegiate playing career:...
and Bobby Jones and with Larry Brown
Larry Brown (basketball)
Lawrence Harvey "Larry" Brown is an American basketball coach and former player. He most recently served as head coach of the National Basketball Association's Charlotte Bobcats....
coaching, they had their best seasons in team history in their first two seasons as the Nuggets, with the team making the ABA finals in 1975–76. They would get no second chance to win an ABA league championship, as the ABA-NBA merger
ABA-NBA merger
The ABA–NBA merger was the merger of the American Basketball Association with the National Basketball Association, which after multiple attempts over several years finally occurred in 1976.- Origins of ABA-NBA competition :...
took place after the 1975–76 season. The Nuggets were one of four ABA teams taken into the NBA, along with the New York Nets, San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
and Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
for the 1976–77 NBA season. The Nuggets and Nets had actually applied to join the NBA in 1975, but were forced to stay in the ABA by a court order.
The Nuggets continued their strong play early on in the NBA, as they won division titles in their first two seasons in the league, and missed a third by a single game. However, neither of these teams was ultimately successful in the postseason.
Red McCombs
Red McCombs
Billy Joe "Red" McCombs is the founder of the Red McCombs Automotive Group, a co-founder of Clear Channel Communications, a former owner of the San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets, and the Minnesota Vikings, and the namesake of the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin...
bought the team in 1978.
1980s
Doug Moe
Douglas Edwin Moe is an American professional basketball coach. He is most closely associated with the Denver Nuggets franchise....
as a head coach. Moe brought with him a "motion offense" philosophy, a style of play focusing on attempting to move the ball until someone got open. Moe was also known for not paying as much attention to defense as his colleagues. The offense helped the team become highly competitive. During the 1980s, the Nuggets would often score in excess of 115 points a game, and during the 1981–82 season, they scored at least 100 points in every game—136 consecutive games (NBA record). During the 1981–82 season the Denver Nuggets set the league scoring record for the highest average points per game at 126.5 points.
Anchored by scoring machines Alex English
Alex English
Alexander English is a retired American basketball player and former assistant coach of the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association who played at the forward position...
and Kiki Vandeweghe at the two forward spots, Denver led the league in scoring, with English and Vandeweghe both averaging above 25 points per game. It was a novel strategy, allowing the Nuggets to top the Midwest Division and qualify for the playoffs during that span. (On December 13, 1983, the Nuggets and the visiting Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
combined for an NBA record 370 points, with Detroit winning in triple overtime, 186–184.) In 1984–85, they made it to the Western Conference
Western Conference (NBA)
Below is a list of current Western Conference NBA team rosters.-Western Conference:There are a total of 15 teams in the Western Conference. The current leading team of the Western conference are the Dallas Mavericks....
finals after being perennial playoff contenders, and they lost in five games to the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
. Vandeweghe was traded before the 1984–85 season to the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
for 6–3 rebounding guard Lafayette "Fat" Lever
Lafayette Lever
Lafayette "Fat" Lever is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA. He is currently the director of player development for the Sacramento Kings....
, undersized power forward Calvin Natt
Calvin Natt
Calvin Leon Natt is a retired American professional basketball player. A 6'6" forward, Natt played at Northeast Louisiana University under coach Lenny Fant. After college, he played 11 NBA seasons , spending time with the New Jersey Nets, Portland Trail Blazers, Denver Nuggets, San Antonio...
and center Wayne Cooper. Spearheaded by English and supported by the three new acquisitions and defensive specialists Bill Hanzlik
Bill Hanzlik
William Henry Hanzlik is a retired American professional basketball player and coach. A 6'7" guard, Hanzlik played college basketball at the University of Notre Dame. He was selected for the 1980 US Mens Olympic Team which never was afforded the chance to compete due to the US's boycott of the...
and TR Dunn, the team replicated its success in the Western Conference despite the loss of Vandeweghe. They even managed to win a franchise-record 54 wins in the 1987-88 season
1987-88 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-NBA awards:*Most Valuable Player: Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls*Rookie of the Year: Mark Jackson, New York Knicks*Defensive Player of the Year: Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls...
. However, the Dallas Mavericks eliminated the Nuggets in the second round of the 1988 NBA Playoffs.
McCombs sold the team to Sidney Shlenker in 1985. Shlenker, in turn, sold the team to COMSAT in 1989.
1990s
Moe left the team in 1990, and was replaced by Paul WestheadPaul Westhead
Paul Westhead is a basketball coach who is currently the head coach of the University of Oregon women's team...
. Westhead also believed in a "run and gun
Run and gun (basketball)
Run and gun is a style of basketball which involves a very high pace of play. It was most famously used by the Loyola Marymount men's basketball team in the late 1980s under coach Paul Westhead.....
" style of play, and gave the green light for players like Michael Adams
Michael Adams (basketball)
Michael Adams is a former NBA player and basketball coach.After starring at Boston College, the 5'10" point guard was selected by the Sacramento Kings in the 3rd round with the 66th pick of the 1985 NBA Draft...
and Chris Jackson
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf is an American professional basketball player.-Life and career:Abdul-Rauf was born in Gulfport, Mississippi. After a record-setting college career at Louisiana State University, he was selected with the third pick in the 1990 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets...
to light up the scoreboards within seconds of possession.
However, Westhead cared even less about defense than Moe. As a result, the Nuggets gave up points almost as fast as they scored points. They finished with the worst record in the league during the 1990-91 season, despite setting many scoring records. As an insult, many sportswriters nicknamed the team at the time as the "Enver Nuggets" (as in 'no D' or no defense).
Denver took a positive step in rebuilding by drafting 7–2 Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
Dikembe Mutombo
Dikembe Mutombo
Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo , commonly referred to as Dikembe Mutombo, is a retired Congolese American professional basketball player who last played for the Houston Rockets of the NBA...
in 1992. Mutombo would have a successful rookie year, finishing runner-up to Larry Johnson for the NBA rookie of the year that season. Denver finished 24–58 that year.
Denver fired Westhead prior to the 1992–93 season and hired former star player Dan Issel
Dan Issel
Daniel Paul Issel is a retired American Hall of Fame professional basketball player and coach.-Collegiate playing career:...
as his successor. The Nuggets had two lottery picks that year and drafted University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
forward LaPhonso Ellis
LaPhonso Ellis
LaPhonso Darnell Ellis is a retired American basketball player.-Early career:He was an outstanding high school basketball player at East St. Louis Lincoln High School, where he led the Tigers to two straight Illinois Class AA boys' championships in 1987 and 1988...
and University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
guard Bryant Stith
Bryant Stith
Bryant Lamonica Stith is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA.A 6'5" shooting guard, Bryant was selected from the University of Virginia with the 13th overall pick by the Denver Nuggets in the 1992 NBA Draft. Bryant played eight seasons with the team before being traded to...
. Denver improved to 36–46, just missing the playoffs that year.
Denver ditched their rainbow colors for a dark navy, metallic gold and wine color scheme starting in the 1993–94 season. Led by Mutombo, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf is an American professional basketball player.-Life and career:Abdul-Rauf was born in Gulfport, Mississippi. After a record-setting college career at Louisiana State University, he was selected with the third pick in the 1990 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets...
(who changed his name from Chris Jackson prior to the season), and Ellis, Denver would finish with its first winning season since the Doug Moe era at 42–40. Denver clinched the 8th seed in the Western Conference playoffs, playing the first place Seattle SuperSonics
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
. Denver was a heavy underdog, having only a couple of players on their roster with actual NBA playoff experience. After dropping the first two games of the five-game set in Seattle, the series returned to Denver. Denver won both games and tied the series at two games apiece. The Nuggets would make NBA history in Game 5, upsetting Seattle in overtime 98–94. They became the first 8th-seeded team to defeat a 1st-seeded team in NBA playoff history. Denver would almost do the same in the next round, falling to the Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
in game seven of the second round.
Denver acquired Sonics sharp-shooter Dale Ellis
Dale Ellis
Dale Ellis is a retired American professional basketball player, who played in the National Basketball Association....
in the off-season and drafted University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
phenom Jalen Rose
Jalen Rose
Jalen Anthony Rose is a retired American professional basketball player, who currently works as a sports analyst for the sports television network ESPN...
. Denver would struggle, causing Issel to resign as coach partway into the season. Assistant Coach Gene Littles
Gene Littles
Eugene Scapes Littles is a retired American basketball player and current coach. He played professional basketball for six years....
would assume control for a brief period before relinquishing control to general manager Bernie Bickerstaff
Bernie Bickerstaff
Bernard Tyrone "Bernie" Bickerstaff is an assistant coach for the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers. Prior to the Trail Blazers, Bickerstaff was an assistant for the Chicago Bulls and Executive Vice President of the Charlotte Bobcats...
. Denver would rebound and get the 8th seed again in the playoffs, finishing 41–41. The Nuggets were swept by the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
in the first round of the playoffs that season.
Following that season, Denver would acquire Antonio McDyess
Antonio McDyess
Antonio Keithflen McDyess is an American professional basketball player. McDyess is listed at 6'9" , 245 lb. and is a power forward/center. In 2009 he signed a 3-year contract with the San Antonio Spurs....
in a draft day trade with the Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
. McDyess would be the face of the franchise for the next few years, as Mutombo would leave after the 1995–96 season for the Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
, Ellis would miss the majority of the next few seasons due to recurring knee and leg injuries, and Abdul-Rauf was traded to the Sacramento Kings
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
prior to the 1996–97 season.
Denver flirted with history in the 1997–98, by nearly setting the mark for fewest wins in an 82 game season (11). They would (then) tie the NBA's all-time worst single-season losing streak at 23 games—only one game shy of the overall worst mark of 24 by the Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
of the early 1980s. The losing streak would later be broken by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2011 with 26 consecutive losses. Several years later, the Nuggets tied for the worst record in the NBA in 2002–03, also with the Cavaliers.
The team's struggles in the late 1990s were due in part to ownership instability. COMSAT bought the NHL's Quebec Nordiques
Quebec Nordiques
The Quebec Nordiques were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The Nordiques played in the World Hockey Association and the National Hockey League...
in 1995 and moved them to Denver as the Colorado Avalanche
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
. However, its diversification into sports ownership was proving a drain on the company. In particular, cost overruns associated with the construction of the Pepsi Center had shareholders up in arms. Finally, in 1997, COMSAT agreed in principle to sell Ascent Entertainment Group, the umbrella corporation for its sporting assets, to Liberty Media
Liberty Media
Liberty Media Corporation is an American media conglomerate and the control is exercised by company Chairman John C. Malone, who owns a majority of the voting shares....
. However, Liberty was not interested in sports ownership at the time (though it has since bought the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
), and made the deal contingent upon Ascent selling the Avalanche and Nuggets.
After almost two years, Ascent sold the Avalanche and Nuggets to Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
heirs Bill and Nancy Laurie
Nancy Walton Laurie
Nancy Walton Laurie is the daughter of the late Bud Walton, the brother and business partner of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton. At Bud's death, she and her sister Ann Walton Kroenke inherited a stake in Wal-Mart now worth over USD$6 billion....
for $400 million. However, a group of Ascent shareholders sued, claiming that the sale price was several million dollars too low. Ascent then agreed to sell the Avalanche and Nuggets to Denver banking tycoon Donald Sturm for $461 million.
However, a new wrinkle appeared when the city of Denver refused to transfer the parcel of land on which the Pepsi Center stood unless Sturm promised to keep the Avalanche and Nuggets in Denver for at least 25 years. Sturm had made his bid in his own name, and the city wanted to protect itself in case Sturm either died or sold the teams before the 25 years ran out. While Sturm was willing to make a long-term commitment to the city, he wasn't willing to be held responsible if he died or sold the teams. After negotiations fell apart, Liberty bought all of Ascent, but kept the Nuggets and Avalanche on the market. In the meantime, Issel had returned as head coach in 1999, but the protracted ownership negotiations made it difficult for him to rebuild the team. Just before the start of the 1999-2000 season, he told reporters that there were several decisions he simply couldn't make due to the unstable ownership situation.
Finally, in July 2000, the Avalanche, Nuggets and Pepsi Center were bought by real estate entrepreneur Stan Kroenke in a $450 million deal. Kroenke is the brother-in-law of the Lauries; his wife Ann
Ann Walton Kroenke
Ann Walton Kroenke is, indirectly, an heir to part of the Wal-Mart fortune. Along with her sister, Nancy Walton Laurie, Kroenke inherited stock from father, Bud Walton , who was an early business partner and brother of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton...
is Nancy Laurie's sister. Liberty retained only a 6.5% stake of the sports franchises. As part of the deal, Kroenke placed the teams into a trust that would ensure the teams will stay in Denver until at least 2025. After the deal, Kroenke organized his sports assets under Kroenke Sports Enterprises.
2003–2006
Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Kiyan Anthony , nicknamed "Melo", is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association...
with the third overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft
2003 NBA Draft
The 2003 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2003 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from high schools and...
. That same year, the team also updated their logos and uniforms, with a new color scheme of powder blue, gold and royal blue; the latter color was changed to navy blue in 2009. In just two months of the season, the Nuggets recorded more wins than they had in 5½ months of play in 2002–03. Much of the reason for this incredible turnaround were the front-office moves of General Manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
Kiki Vandeweghe, a former Nuggets player who assumed General Manager duties on August 9, 2001. The Nuggets later hired George Karl
George Karl
George Matthew Karl is a former National Basketball Association and American Basketball Association player. He is the current head coach of the Denver Nuggets. On December 10, 2010 he became the seventh coach in NBA history to record 1,000 wins.-Biography:Karl was born in Penn Hills,...
as a permanent replacement. Karl led the team to a record of 32–8 in the second half of the regular season, which vaulted the team into the playoffs for the second consecutive year.
In the playoffs
2005 NBA Playoffs
The 2005 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2004–05 season.The San Antonio Spurs, the number two ranked team in the Western Conference, won the 2005 NBA Playoffs by defeating the defending champions, the Detroit Pistons, 4-3 in the NBA Finals...
, however, the Nuggets could not survive the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
. After winning game one in San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
, the Nuggets proceeded to lose the next four games and lost the series 4–1. The Nuggets picked 20th in the 2005 NBA Draft
2005 NBA Draft
The 2005 NBA Draft took place on June 28, 2005 in the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City. In this draft, NBA teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from high schools and non-North American leagues...
; it was acquired from the Washington Wizards
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
via the Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
. Denver selected Julius Hodge
Julius Hodge
Julius Melvin Hodge is an American professional basketball player.Hodge was selected 20th overall in the 2005 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets. He played four years at North Carolina State University...
with the pick. The Nuggets also had the 22nd overall selection in the draft, in which they selected Jarrett Jack
Jarrett Jack
Jarrett Matthew Jack is an American professional basketball player for the New Orleans Hornets of the NBA. At 6' 3" tall and weighing 197 lbs , he primarily plays at the guard position...
, but sent him to the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
for rights to Portland's 27th overall pick, Linas Kleiza
Linas Kleiza
Linas Kleiza is a Lithuanian professional basketball player with the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association. He is also a member of the Lithuanian national team. He can play either forward position. Kleiza signed a four year, $18.8 million contract prior to the 2010–11 NBA...
.
In 2005–06, for the first time in 18 years, the club won the Northwest division title. This placed the team in the third seed of the Western Conference playoffs
2006 NBA Playoffs
The 2006 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2005–06 season. The Miami Heat won the first championship in the history of the franchise by defeating the Dallas Mavericks 4-2 in the 2006 NBA Finals...
. Denver played the Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
who, despite their 6th seeding, had a better regular-season record. As a result, the Clippers received home court advantage. They defeated the Nuggets in 5 games. Shortly after, the Nuggets announced that General Manager Kiki Vandeweghe's contract would not be renewed. He was replaced by Mark Warkentien
Mark Warkentien
Mark Warkentien was the general manager of the Denver Nuggets of the NBA. He was named as Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Nuggets on September 7, 2006...
.
On December 18, 2006, team co-captain Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Kiyan Anthony , nicknamed "Melo", is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association...
, shooting guard J.R. Smith
J.R. Smith
Earl Smith III, known as J. R. Smith , is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Zhejiang Golden Bulls in China...
and power forward Nenê
Nenê
Nenê is a Brazilian professional basketball player who last played for the NBA's Denver Nuggets. His name at birth was Maybyner Rodney Hilário, but it was legally changed to Nenê in 2003.-Early life:...
were suspended by the NBA (15, 10 and one games respectively) for a fight that occurred in the last two minutes of a game against the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
two days earlier. The fight was sparked by Knicks rookie Mardy Collins
Mardy Collins
Maurice Rodney "Mardy" Collins is an American professional basketball player. He completed his college basketball career at Temple University, and was drafted by the New York Knicks with the 29th pick of the first round of the 2006 NBA Draft.-High school:Collins attended Simon Gratz High School in...
, when he tackled J.R. Smith on a breakaway layup. According to Anthony, Knicks coach Isiah Thomas
Isiah Thomas
Isiah Lord Thomas III , nicknamed "Zeke",is the men's basketball coach for the FIU Golden Panthers, and a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association from 1981 until 1994. He led the "Bad Boys" to the NBA...
warned him to not go in the paint shortly before the hard foul.
2006–2008: Iverson and Anthony
On December 19, 2006, the Nuggets traded Joe Smith, Andre MillerAndre Miller
Andre Lloyd Miller is an American professional basketball player, currently with the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association.- College career :...
and two first-round draft picks of the 2007 NBA Draft
2007 NBA Draft
The 2007 NBA Draft was held on June 28, 2007 at the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. It was broadcast on television in 115 countries. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S...
to the Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
for Ivan McFarlin
Ivan McFarlin
Ivan McFarlin is an American professional basketball player. He currently plays for a Japanese team called Link Tochigi Brex.-Basketball career:...
and superstar Allen Iverson
Allen Iverson
Allen Ezail Iverson is an American professional basketball point guard and shooting guard. He was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the number one pick in the 1996 NBA Draft. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in the 1996–97 season...
(McFarlin was waived immediately following the trade's approval). The moves gave the Nuggets the top two scorers in the league at the time in Anthony and Iverson, who were both scoring over 30 points per game at the time of the trade. On January 11, 2007, Earl Boykins
Earl Boykins
Earl Antoine Boykins is an American professional basketball player who most recently played for the Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA. Standing at 5 feet, 5 inches in height, he is the second shortest player in NBA history behind Muggsy Bogues, who was 5 feet, 3 inches tall. His NBA listed...
, Julius Hodge
Julius Hodge
Julius Melvin Hodge is an American professional basketball player.Hodge was selected 20th overall in the 2005 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets. He played four years at North Carolina State University...
and cash considerations were traded to the Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
, in exchange for point guard Steve Blake
Steve Blake
Steven Hanson "Steve" Blake is an American professional basketball point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers. Previously, he played for the Washington Wizards, Milwaukee Bucks, Denver Nuggets, Portland Trail Blazers and the Los Angeles Clippers.-High school:Blake spent his freshman and sophomore year...
. With AI, many considered the Nuggets as one of the elite in the West, alongside the Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
, Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
and San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
. However, chemistry would be an issue, as the Nuggets finished the regular season with the #6 seed, giving them a first round matchup with the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
. In the playoffs
2007 NBA Playoffs
The 2007 NBA Playoffs was the postseason to the National Basketball Association's 2006–2007 season.There were four rounds of postseason action, all of them in a best-of-seven format, with teams seeded on a bracket. The team with the better record wasn't necessarily the basis of seeding teams in...
, the Nuggets got off to a fast start, winning game 1, taking home court advantage away from the Spurs. However, in an eerie repeat of the 2005 playoffs, the Spurs bounced back to win the next four, as the Nuggets were eliminated in the first round in five games for the fourth straight year.
On March 16, 2008, the Nuggets scored 168 points in a 168–116 home win over Seattle SuperSonics
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
. It was the third-most points scored for a regulation game in NBA history (The Nuggets and the Pistons hold the spot for most combined points scored in a game which was over 360 points total.)
The Nuggets finished the 2007–08 NBA season with exactly 50 wins as well as finishing the first half of that season 25–16 (50–32 overall record, tied for the third-best all-time Nuggets record since the team officially joined the NBA in 1976), following a 120–111 home victory over the Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
in the last game of the season. It was the first time since the 1987–88 NBA season that the Nuggets finished with at least 50 wins in a season. Denver ended up as the 8th seed in the Western Conference of the 2008 NBA Playoffs
2008 NBA Playoffs
The 2008 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2007–08 season which ended with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers 4–2....
, and their 50 wins marked the highest win total for an 8th seed in NBA history. It also meant that for the first time in NBA history, all eight playoff seeds in a conference had at least 50 wins. The Nuggets faced the top-seeded Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
(57–25 overall record) in the first round of the 2008 NBA Playoffs. The seven games separating the Nuggets overall record and the Lakers overall record is the closest margin between an eighth seed and a top seed since the NBA went to a 16-team playoff format in 1983–84. The Lakers swept the Nuggets in four games, marking the second time in NBA history that a 50-win team was swept in a best-of-seven playoff series in the first round.
2008–2011: Anthony and Billups
On July 16, at the end of the 2007–08 NBA season, the Nuggets traded former NBA Defensive Player of the YearNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Defensive Player of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1982–83 NBA season, to the top defensive player of the regular season...
Marcus Camby
Marcus Camby
Marcus D. Camby is an American professional basketball player, who currently plays for the Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA. He is a former Defensive Player of the Year during the 2006–07 NBA season, leading the league in blocked shots per game...
to the Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
for a second-round draft pick (that was then traded to the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
for Renaldo Balkman
Renaldo Balkman
Renaldo Balkman is an American professional basketball player, formerly of the University of South Carolina. He currently plays for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association . He has represented the Puerto Rico national team in international competition...
). This trade was to reduce the Nuggets' payroll costs.
On November 3, 2008, guard Allen Iverson
Allen Iverson
Allen Ezail Iverson is an American professional basketball point guard and shooting guard. He was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the number one pick in the 1996 NBA Draft. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in the 1996–97 season...
was traded to the Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
for Chauncey Billups
Chauncey Billups
Chauncey Ray Billups is an American professional basketball point guard for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association . He has also played for Team USA. Billups won the NBA Finals MVP in 2004, helping the Detroit Pistons beat the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals, and was given the...
, Antonio McDyess
Antonio McDyess
Antonio Keithflen McDyess is an American professional basketball player. McDyess is listed at 6'9" , 245 lb. and is a power forward/center. In 2009 he signed a 3-year contract with the San Antonio Spurs....
, and Cheikh Samb (part of the trade exception from the Marcus Camby trade was used to allow the deal to go through). McDyess was waived though on November 10, 2008, and he returned to Detroit shortly afterwards.
With Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Kiyan Anthony , nicknamed "Melo", is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association...
averaging 22.8 ppg and Billups averaging 6.4 assists in the 2008–09 NBA season
2008–09 NBA season
The 2008–09 NBA season was the 63rd season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 28, 2008, and ended on Wednesday, April 15, 2009...
the Nuggets accomplished a great number of franchise milestones. Their 54–28 record matched the most wins the franchise had gotten since their induction in the NBA; their 27–14 start was also a record for wins in the first half of a season. This also marked the first time in the franchise's history the team had back-to-back 50-win seasons. They led the Northwest division for much of the season, eventually winning the division and placing #2 in the Western Conference, matching the highest the team has ever been seeded for the playoffs. General Manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
Mark Warkentien
Mark Warkentien
Mark Warkentien was the general manager of the Denver Nuggets of the NBA. He was named as Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Nuggets on September 7, 2006...
won the NBA Executive of the Year Award
NBA Executive of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Executive of the Year Award is an annual award given since the 1972–73 NBA season, to the league's best general managers. Before 2009, the Executive of the Year is presented annually by Sporting News, although it is officially recognized by the NBA. Since then,...
for the Nuggets' improvement. They won Game 1 of the playoffs in a blowout victory against the New Orleans Hornets on April 19, 2009, the first time they had home-court advantage since 1988 and also, the 29-point victory was the largest victory for any team for Game 1 of the first round of the 2009 NBA Playoffs
2009 NBA Playoffs
The 2009 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2008–09 season. The playoffs started on April 18, 2009 with ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV broadcasting the games in the United States...
. Chauncey Billups set a Nuggets franchise record with the most three-pointers in a playoff game with 8, and his 19 three-pointers in total is also a Nuggets record for threes made in a playoff series. They went on to beat the Hornets in five games, including a 58-point victory in Game 4 which matched the most lopsided win in NBA playoff history
NBA records
This article lists all-time leading figures in the regular season achieved in the NBA in major statistical categories recognized by the league, including records set by teams and individuals in single games, seasons, and careers. NBA history also recognizes achievements from its original...
. They then went on to beat the #6 seed Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
4 games to 1 in the Conference Semifinals to make their first trip to the Western Conference Finals since 1985
1985 NBA Playoffs
The 1985 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1984-85 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics, four games to two, in the NBA Finals...
. That was also the first time the Nuggets had ever led 3–0 in a best-of-seven series. Up to that point, they held an NBA Playoffs-high in three-pointers made and a 16-point average margin of victory, the largest average margin of victory in the first 10 playoff games in NBA Playoff history. They lost the first game of the Western Conference Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
but won the second game to tie the series 1–1. Carmelo Anthony became the first Denver player to score at least 30 points in five consecutive playoff games since the Nuggets joined the NBA in 1976. They lost the series 4–2, ending Denver's longest playoff run in team history.
In the 2009 NBA Draft
2009 NBA Draft
The 2009 NBA Draft was held on June 25, 2009, the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S...
, the Nuggets traded a first-round draft pick acquired from the Charlotte Bobcats
Charlotte Bobcats
The Charlotte Bobcats is a professional basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association. The Bobcats were established in 2004 as an expansion team, two seasons after Charlotte's previous NBA...
to the Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
for the rights to rookie Ty Lawson, who was drafted 18th overall. On July 13, 2009, the Nuggets traded a second-round draft pick to the Detroit Pistons for Arron Afflalo
Arron Afflalo
Arron Agustin Afflalo is an American professional basketball player, currently with the Denver Nuggets of the NBA. He completed a three-year career at University of California, Los Angeles in the Pacific-10 Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association as the starting shooting...
(part of the trade exception from the Iverson trade was used to allow the deal to go through) and Walter Sharpe
Walter Sharpe
Walter L. Sharpe III is an American professional basketball player.-Early career:Sharpe played his prep basketball at Parker High School in Birmingham, Alabama, his place of birth. He was later signed by Mississippi State University...
. Afflalo replaced starting guard Dahntay Jones
Dahntay Jones
Dahntay Lavall Jones is an American professional basketball player, currently playing for the Indiana Pacers of the NBA.Originally a student at Rutgers University, Jones transferred to Duke University...
, who signed with the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
. However, on August 10, the Nuggets lost forward Linas Kleiza
Linas Kleiza
Linas Kleiza is a Lithuanian professional basketball player with the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association. He is also a member of the Lithuanian national team. He can play either forward position. Kleiza signed a four year, $18.8 million contract prior to the 2010–11 NBA...
, who signed with the Olympiacos Piraeus of the Greek League
A1 Ethniki
The Greek Basket League , commonly referred to as the Greek Basketball League or Greek Basketball Championship, is the highest professional basketball league in Greece. It is run by HEBA...
.
The 2009–10
2009–10 NBA season
The 2009–10 NBA season was the 64th season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, and ended on Wednesday, April 14, 2010....
season saw Carmelo Anthony average 28.2 ppg and Chauncey Billups average a career-high 19.6 ppg. In the opening two games of the season, Anthony totaled 71 points, scoring 30 points in the home opener and 41 the next night, in wins against division rivals Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
and Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
, respectively. Anthony became one of two players in the Nuggets' history to open with more than 70 points through two games (Alex English also accomplished this feat). It was also only the second time since 1987 that the Nuggets started the season 2–0. They later went 3–0, 4–0, and then 5–0 for the first time since 1985 after defeating the Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
, Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
, and New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
respectively. Despite injuries which caused all three captains - Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, and Kenyon Martin
Kenyon Martin
Kenyon Lee Martin is an American professional basketball player. Nicknamed "K-Mart", he plays for the Xinjiang Flying Tigers in China. He was selected first overall in the 2000 NBA Draft, and has played in the NBA for the New Jersey Nets and Denver Nuggets...
– to miss a total of 46 games, and then later on in the second half of the season the absence of head coach George Karl
George Karl
George Matthew Karl is a former National Basketball Association and American Basketball Association player. He is the current head coach of the Denver Nuggets. On December 10, 2010 he became the seventh coach in NBA history to record 1,000 wins.-Biography:Karl was born in Penn Hills,...
, who underwent treatment for neck
Neck
The neck is the part of the body, on many terrestrial or secondarily aquatic vertebrates, that distinguishes the head from the torso or trunk. The adjective signifying "of the neck" is cervical .-Boner anatomy: The cervical spine:The cervical portion of the human spine comprises seven boney...
and throat cancer, the Nuggets were still able to win 53 games (third consecutive 50-win season, which was the first time in Nuggets history) for the season which also allowed them to clinch their second consecutive Northwest division title and finish as the fourth seed in the West Conference. However, they were eliminated in six games by the Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, their seventh first-round elimination in 16 years. Carmelo Anthony averaged a career-high 30.7 ppg in the playoffs.
On July 14, 2010, the Nuggets bolstered their frontcourt depth by signing Al Harrington
Al Harrington
Albert "Al" Harrington is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the NBA's Denver Nuggets...
. During the 2010 off-season, Masai Ujiri
Masai Ujiri
Masai Ujiri is the general manager of the Denver Nuggets of the NBA. A native of Zaria, Nigeria, he is the first African-born general manager for an American major league sports team....
replaced Mark Warkentien
Mark Warkentien
Mark Warkentien was the general manager of the Denver Nuggets of the NBA. He was named as Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Nuggets on September 7, 2006...
as the General Manager, while Josh Kroenke was named the Nuggets' team president.
Stan Kroenke bought full ownership in the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
of the NFL in 2010. Since the NFL does not allow its owners to hold majority control of major-league teams in other NFL cities, Kroenke turned over day-to-day control of the Nuggets and Avalanche to Josh toward the end of 2010, and must sell his controlling interest in both teams by 2014.
2011: Rebuilding
On February 22, 2011, after months of speculation that he wanted to leave the Nuggets, Carmelo AnthonyCarmelo Anthony
Carmelo Kiyan Anthony , nicknamed "Melo", is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association...
was traded along with Chauncey Billups
Chauncey Billups
Chauncey Ray Billups is an American professional basketball point guard for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association . He has also played for Team USA. Billups won the NBA Finals MVP in 2004, helping the Detroit Pistons beat the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals, and was given the...
, Anthony Carter
Anthony Carter
Anthony Bernard Carter is an American professional basketball player who last played for the New York Knicks.-Early life:...
, Shelden Williams
Shelden Williams
Shelden DeMar Williams is an American professional basketball player who last played for the New York Knicks...
and Renaldo Balkman
Renaldo Balkman
Renaldo Balkman is an American professional basketball player, formerly of the University of South Carolina. He currently plays for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association . He has represented the Puerto Rico national team in international competition...
to the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
in a multi-player deal also involving the Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
in which the Nuggets received Wilson Chandler
Wilson Chandler
Wilson Chandler is an American basketball player currently with Zhejiang Guangsha of the Chinese Basketball Association. He previously played in the National Basketball Association with the New York Knicks and the Denver Nuggets...
, Raymond Felton
Raymond Felton
Raymond Bernard Felton, Jr. is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association . A point guard, Felton is listed at 6'1 and 205 lbs. Felton played college basketball for the North Carolina under head coach Roy...
, Danilo Gallinari
Danilo Gallinari
Danilo Gallinari is an Italian professional basketball player with Olimpia Milano of the Italian basketball league. He is also under contract with the Denver Nuggets of the NBA, and is expected to return to that team when the 2011 NBA lockout ends. He is 2.08 m in height and 102.1 kg in...
, Timofey Mozgov
Timofey Mozgov
Timofey Pavlovich Mozgov is a Russian professional basketball player for Khimki Moscow Region of the Russian Professional Basketball League. He is tall and he weighs . He plays at the center position.-Pro career:Mozgov began his professional career with LenVo St...
and Kosta Koufos
Kosta Koufos
Konstantine Demetrios "Kosta" Koufos is a Greek-American professional basketball player for the Denver Nuggets. He was selected by the Utah Jazz with the 23rd overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft...
. On the day when the trade was done, the Nuggets were left with nine players to play against the Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
. The Nuggets won the game, 120-107, where they led by as many as 27 points. George Karl said after the game, "Our guys, when their backs are confronted with a difficult situation, they usually play at a high level. We always react to tough situations in a very positive way." Some people said after the trade the Nuggets would become the "Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
" of the West, that is, would falter in the standings and lose their playoff hopes due to the loss of their franchise player, Carmelo. However, the trade only seemed to make them better. Post-trade, the Nuggets averaged 24.1 assists, showing their newfound teamwork. The defense of the Nuggets also improved, from allowing 105.2 ppg before the trade to of 97.1 ppg for the remainder of the season. Despite the franchise changing trade which saw eighteen different starting lineups through the whole season, Denver finished with 50 wins (fourth consecutive 50 win seasons for the first time in Nuggets history), clinching the 5th seed of the Western Conference. They met the Oklahoma City Thunder
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are a professional basketball franchise based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ; their home court is at Chesapeake Energy Arena....
in the first round of the playoffs and lost four games to one.
Home arenas
- Denver Auditorium Arena (1967–75)
- McNichols Sports ArenaMcNichols Sports ArenaMcNichols Sports Arena was an indoor arena, in Denver, Colorado, USA, adjacent to Mile High Stadium. Completed in 1975, at a cost of $10 million, it seated 16,061, for hockey games, 17,171, for basketball games and contained 27 luxury suites, which were installed as part of the 1986 renovation. It...
(1975–99) - Pepsi CenterPepsi CenterPepsi Center is a multi-purpose arena in Denver, Colorado, United States. The building is home to the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association, the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League, and the Colorado Mammoth of the National Lacrosse League...
(1999–present)
Uniforms
The Nuggets have worn numerous uniforms throughout their franchise history, including their days in the ABAAmerican Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
as the "Denver Rockets." From the early to mid-1970s, the Nuggets wore gold and purple (Columbine blue) uniforms.
When the Nuggets joined the NBA in the 1976–77 season, they retained the pick-axe logo on their jerseys from the ABA days. The home uniforms feature 'Nuggets' in red with a red pick-axe inside a blue oval, and gold numbers with blue trim in front, blue numbers and letters at the back. The road uniforms were blue, with 'Denver' in blue with a blue pick-axe in a red oval, and gold numbers in front, white numbers and letters at the back.
The Nuggets simplified their uniforms following their inaugural season in the NBA. From 1977-82 their home uniforms were white, with a "Nuggets" script written across the chest in a darker royal blue, with gold trim around the script and jersey numbers. The royal blue away jersey had "Denver" written across the chest in white, with gold trim.
From the early-1980s until the 1992–93 season, the Nuggets wore the Denver "rainbow city" skyline across the chest and back on both the home and away uniforms. Some fans also call the iconic 80s logo the "Tetris
Tetris
Tetris is a puzzle video game originally designed and programmed by Alexey Pajitnov in the Soviet Union. It was released on June 6, 1984, while he was working for the Dorodnicyn Computing Centre of the Academy of Science of the USSR in Moscow, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic...
" logo, due to the buildings that shadow the mountains on the logo. The initial home uniforms were white with navy and green trim, with "Nuggets" and the uniform number in gold with blue trim. In 1985, they changed the shade of blue to royal and eliminated green, and in 1986 changed the back numbers to royal blue. In 1991, coinciding with the debut of Dikembe Mutombo
Dikembe Mutombo
Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo , commonly referred to as Dikembe Mutombo, is a retired Congolese American professional basketball player who last played for the Houston Rockets of the NBA...
, the word "Nuggets" became white with royal blue and gold trim. The road uniforms were initially navy blue with green trim, with "Denver" and the uniform number in white with gold trim. In 1985, the shade of blue on road uniforms was changed to royal and eliminated green, with the word "Nuggets" and the uniform number in white with royal blue and gold trim.
For the 1993–94 season, the Nuggets drastically changed their look, with a dark navy, metallic gold and wine color scheme on their uniforms. The home jerseys had a "Nuggets" script in a modified version of the typeface Aachen across the chest in navy blue, with dark red and metallic gold trim around the script and numbers, while the navy blue away jerseys had the same script in metallic gold, with dark red and white trim. The Nuggets wore these uniforms for a decade, until the 2002–03 season.
For the 2003–04 season, the Nuggets made another uniform change, with a new color scheme of powder blue, gold and royal blue. Like the 1990s uniforms, the new Nuggets jerseys also have the Aachen typeface across the chest – it's "Nuggets" in powder blue, with royal blue and gold trim on the home white jersey, while the new powder blue road jersey has "Denver" in white, with gold and royal blue trim. These jerseys were tweaked prior to the 2008–09
2008–09 NBA season
The 2008–09 NBA season was the 63rd season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 28, 2008, and ended on Wednesday, April 15, 2009...
season, with the royal blue trim replaced by navy blue, as well as a circle patch of the Nuggets alternate pick axe logo placed above the nameplate on the backs of the jerseys.
In the 2005–06 season, the Nuggets also introduced an alternate navy blue uniform, with an alternate Nuggets script in gold, with navy blue interior trim and powder blue outlining.
For the 2010–11
2010–11 NBA season
The 2010–11 NBA season was the 65th season of the National Basketball Association . The 2011 NBA All-Star Game was played on February 20, 2011 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Miami Heat in six games, 4 games to 2, to win their first NBA title, and...
season, the Nuggets' uniform set was once again tweaked, with the NBA's introduction of the "Revolution 30" jerseys. On the home white and alternate navy blue jerseys, the collars are powder blue with gold exterior outlines, while on the powder blue jersey, the collar is white with gold exterior outlines.
Basketball Hall of Famers
- Alex EnglishAlex EnglishAlexander English is a retired American basketball player and former assistant coach of the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association who played at the forward position...
- Dan IsselDan IsselDaniel Paul Issel is a retired American Hall of Fame professional basketball player and coach.-Collegiate playing career:...
- David ThompsonDavid Thompson (basketball)David O'Neil Thompson is a former American professional basketball star with the Denver Nuggets of both the National Basketball Association and American Basketball Association , as well as the Seattle SuperSonics...
Retired numbers
- 2 Alex EnglishAlex EnglishAlexander English is a retired American basketball player and former assistant coach of the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association who played at the forward position...
, F, 1980–1990 - 33 David ThompsonDavid Thompson (basketball)David O'Neil Thompson is a former American professional basketball star with the Denver Nuggets of both the National Basketball Association and American Basketball Association , as well as the Seattle SuperSonics...
, FG, 1975–1982 - 40 Byron BeckByron BeckA. Byron Beck is an American former professional basketball player.A 6'9" forward/center from the University of Denver, Beck was one of six players who participated in all nine seasons of the original American Basketball...
, FC, 1967–77 - 44 Dan IsselDan IsselDaniel Paul Issel is a retired American Hall of Fame professional basketball player and coach.-Collegiate playing career:...
, FC, 1976–1985 - 432 Doug MoeDoug MoeDouglas Edwin Moe is an American professional basketball coach. He is most closely associated with the Denver Nuggets franchise....
, Head Coach, 1980-90 (Number represents his total number of regular season victories)
International rights
| F |  | Sani Bečirovič Sani Becirovic Sani Bečirović is a Slovenian 1.96 m professional basketball player currently plays for the Benetton Treviso, that plays at both point guard and shooting guard positions... | 2003 NBA Draft 2003 NBA Draft The 2003 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2003 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from high schools and... | 47th pick |
| F-C |  | Xue Yuyang Xue Yuyang Xue Yuyang is a Chinese basketball player who currently plays for the Chinese basketball team Qingdao DoubleStar. He is 2.12 m tall and weighs 120 kg, playing as a forward-center.... | 2003 NBA Draft 2003 NBA Draft The 2003 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2003 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from high schools and... | 58th pick |
| F |  | Wilson Chandler Wilson Chandler Wilson Chandler is an American basketball player currently with Zhejiang Guangsha of the Chinese Basketball Association. He previously played in the National Basketball Association with the New York Knicks and the Denver Nuggets... |
Franchise leaders
Bold denotes still active with team."Name*" includes points scored for the team while in the ABA.
Italics denotes still active but not with team.
Points scored (regular season)(as of the end of the 2010-11 season)
- 1. Alex EnglishAlex EnglishAlexander English is a retired American basketball player and former assistant coach of the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association who played at the forward position...
(21,645) - 2. Dan IsselDan IsselDaniel Paul Issel is a retired American Hall of Fame professional basketball player and coach.-Collegiate playing career:...
* (16,589) - 3. Carmelo AnthonyCarmelo AnthonyCarmelo Kiyan Anthony , nicknamed "Melo", is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association...
(13,970) - 4. David ThompsonDavid Thompson (basketball)David O'Neil Thompson is a former American professional basketball star with the Denver Nuggets of both the National Basketball Association and American Basketball Association , as well as the Seattle SuperSonics...
* (11,992) - 5. Ralph SimpsonRalph SimpsonRalph Derek Simpson is a retired American basketball player. He played professionally in the ABA and NBA from 1970 to 1980....
* (10,130) - 6. Byron BeckByron BeckA. Byron Beck is an American former professional basketball player.A 6'9" forward/center from the University of Denver, Beck was one of six players who participated in all nine seasons of the original American Basketball...
* (8,603) - 7. Fat Lever (8,081)
- 8. Mahmoud Abdul-RaufMahmoud Abdul-RaufMahmoud Abdul-Rauf is an American professional basketball player.-Life and career:Abdul-Rauf was born in Gulfport, Mississippi. After a record-setting college career at Louisiana State University, he was selected with the third pick in the 1990 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets...
(7,029) - 9. Kiki Vandeweghe (6,829)
- 10. Antonio McDyessAntonio McDyessAntonio Keithflen McDyess is an American professional basketball player. McDyess is listed at 6'9" , 245 lb. and is a power forward/center. In 2009 he signed a 3-year contract with the San Antonio Spurs....
(6,555)
- 11. Nene Hilario (6,492)
- 12. Dave RobischDave RobischDavid George Robisch is a retired American professional basketball player in the ABA and NBA. Robisch played at the University of Kansas, where he was initiated into the Sigma Nu Fraternity...
* (6,181) - 13. Reggie WilliamsReggie Williams (basketball)Reggie Williams is a retired American professional basketball player. His nickname during his playing days was "Silk."-High school and college career:...
(5,934) - 14. Larry JonesLarry JonesLarry Jones is a retired American basketball player. He played professionally in the NBA and ABA, from 1964 to 1974....
* (5,745) - 15. Michael AdamsMichael Adams (basketball)Michael Adams is a former NBA player and basketball coach.After starring at Boston College, the 5'10" point guard was selected by the Sacramento Kings in the 3rd round with the 66th pick of the 1985 NBA Draft...
(5,534) - 16. LaPhonso EllisLaPhonso EllisLaPhonso Darnell Ellis is a retired American basketball player.-Early career:He was an outstanding high school basketball player at East St. Louis Lincoln High School, where he led the Tigers to two straight Illinois Class AA boys' championships in 1987 and 1988...
(5,201) - 17. J. R. Smith (5,084)
- 18. Dikembe MutomboDikembe MutomboDikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo , commonly referred to as Dikembe Mutombo, is a retired Congolese American professional basketball player who last played for the Houston Rockets of the NBA...
(5,054) - 19. Danny SchayesDanny SchayesDaniel Leslie "Danny" Schayes is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the NBA from 1981 until 1999. At 6'11" and 235 pounds, he played at center...
(5,029) - 20. Bryant StithBryant StithBryant Lamonica Stith is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA.A 6'5" shooting guard, Bryant was selected from the University of Virginia with the 13th overall pick by the Denver Nuggets in the 1992 NBA Draft. Bryant played eight seasons with the team before being traded to...
(4,982)
- 21. Bobby Jones (4,806)
- 22. Bill HanzlikBill HanzlikWilliam Henry Hanzlik is a retired American professional basketball player and coach. A 6'7" guard, Hanzlik played college basketball at the University of Notre Dame. He was selected for the 1980 US Mens Olympic Team which never was afforded the chance to compete due to the US's boycott of the...
(4,546) - 23. Chauncey BillupsChauncey BillupsChauncey Ray Billups is an American professional basketball point guard for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association . He has also played for Team USA. Billups won the NBA Finals MVP in 2004, helping the Detroit Pistons beat the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals, and was given the...
(4,378) - 24. Kenyon MartinKenyon MartinKenyon Lee Martin is an American professional basketball player. Nicknamed "K-Mart", he plays for the Xinjiang Flying Tigers in China. He was selected first overall in the 2000 NBA Draft, and has played in the NBA for the New Jersey Nets and Denver Nuggets...
(4,353) - 25. Nick Van ExelNick Van ExelNickey Maxwell "Nick" Van Exel is a retired American professional basketball player and currently an assistant coach for the Atlanta Hawks...
(4,325) - 26. Blair RasmussenBlair RasmussenBlair Allen Rasmussen is a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the 1985 NBA Draft. A 7'0" center from the University of Oregon, Rasmussen played in eight seasons in the NBA from 1985 to 1993...
(4,319) - 27. Andre MillerAndre MillerAndre Lloyd Miller is an American professional basketball player, currently with the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association.- College career :...
(3,753) - 28. Marcus CambyMarcus CambyMarcus D. Camby is an American professional basketball player, who currently plays for the Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA. He is a former Defensive Player of the Year during the 2006–07 NBA season, leading the league in blocked shots per game...
(3,748) - 29. Walter DavisWalter Davis (basketball)Walter Paul Davis is a retired American basketball player. A 6'6" forward/guard, Davis spent 15 years in the National Basketball Association, spending the bulk of those years with the Phoenix Suns...
(3,659) - 30. Mike EvansMike Evans (basketball)Michael Leeroyall "Mike" Evans is a retired American National Basketball Association player and present coach. He played collegiately at Kansas State University where he is Kansas State's 2nd all-time leading points scorer, behind Jacob Pullen, with 2,115 points...
(3,642)
Other Statistics (regular season)(as of the end of the 2010-11 season)
Minutes Played
- 1. Alex EnglishAlex EnglishAlexander English is a retired American basketball player and former assistant coach of the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association who played at the forward position...
(29,893) - 2. Dan IsselDan IsselDaniel Paul Issel is a retired American Hall of Fame professional basketball player and coach.-Collegiate playing career:...
* (25,198) - 3. Carmelo AnthonyCarmelo AnthonyCarmelo Kiyan Anthony , nicknamed "Melo", is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association...
(20,521) - 4. Byron BeckByron BeckA. Byron Beck is an American former professional basketball player.A 6'9" forward/center from the University of Denver, Beck was one of six players who participated in all nine seasons of the original American Basketball...
* (19,197) - 5. T.R. DunnT.R. DunnTheodore Roosevelt "T. R." Dunn is an American former professional basketball player and coach....
(18,322)
Rebounds
- 1. Dan IsselDan IsselDaniel Paul Issel is a retired American Hall of Fame professional basketball player and coach.-Collegiate playing career:...
* (6,630) - 2. Byron BeckByron BeckA. Byron Beck is an American former professional basketball player.A 6'9" forward/center from the University of Denver, Beck was one of six players who participated in all nine seasons of the original American Basketball...
* (5,261) - 3. Dikembe MutomboDikembe MutomboDikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo , commonly referred to as Dikembe Mutombo, is a retired Congolese American professional basketball player who last played for the Houston Rockets of the NBA...
(5,054) - 4. Alex EnglishAlex EnglishAlexander English is a retired American basketball player and former assistant coach of the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association who played at the forward position...
(4,686) - 5. Julius KeyeJulius KeyeJulius Keye was an American professional basketball player.A 6'10" forward/center from South Carolina State University and Alcorn State University, Keye played six seasons in the American Basketball Association as a member of the Denver Rockets and the Memphis Sounds...
* (4,547)
Assists
- 1. Alex EnglishAlex EnglishAlexander English is a retired American basketball player and former assistant coach of the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association who played at the forward position...
(3,679) - 2. Fat Lever (3,566)
- 3. Michael AdamsMichael Adams (basketball)Michael Adams is a former NBA player and basketball coach.After starring at Boston College, the 5'10" point guard was selected by the Sacramento Kings in the 3rd round with the 66th pick of the 1985 NBA Draft...
(2,181) - 4. Nick Van ExelNick Van ExelNickey Maxwell "Nick" Van Exel is a retired American professional basketball player and currently an assistant coach for the Atlanta Hawks...
(2,047) - 5. Dan IsselDan IsselDaniel Paul Issel is a retired American Hall of Fame professional basketball player and coach.-Collegiate playing career:...
* (2,005)
Steals
- 1. Fat Lever (1,167)
- 2. T.R. DunnT.R. DunnTheodore Roosevelt "T. R." Dunn is an American former professional basketball player and coach....
(1,070) - 3. Alex EnglishAlex EnglishAlexander English is a retired American basketball player and former assistant coach of the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association who played at the forward position...
(854) - 4. Dan IsselDan IsselDaniel Paul Issel is a retired American Hall of Fame professional basketball player and coach.-Collegiate playing career:...
* (798) - 5. Bobby Jones (660)
Blocks
- 1. Dikembe MutomboDikembe MutomboDikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo , commonly referred to as Dikembe Mutombo, is a retired Congolese American professional basketball player who last played for the Houston Rockets of the NBA...
(1,486) - 2. Marcus CambyMarcus CambyMarcus D. Camby is an American professional basketball player, who currently plays for the Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA. He is a former Defensive Player of the Year during the 2006–07 NBA season, leading the league in blocked shots per game...
(1,126) - 3. Wayne CooperWayne CooperArtis Wayne Cooper is a retired American professional basketball player. He was born in Milan, Georgia.Cooper was selected by the Golden State Warriors in the 2nd round of the 1978 NBA Draft. A 6 ft 10 in forward-center from the University of New Orleans, Cooper played in 14 NBA seasons from...
(830) - 4. Bobby Jones (625)
- 5. Alex EnglishAlex EnglishAlexander English is a retired American basketball player and former assistant coach of the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association who played at the forward position...
(624)
Individual awards
NBA Defensive Player of the YearNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Defensive Player of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1982–83 NBA season, to the top defensive player of the regular season...
- Dikembe MutomboDikembe MutomboDikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo , commonly referred to as Dikembe Mutombo, is a retired Congolese American professional basketball player who last played for the Houston Rockets of the NBA...
– 1995 - Marcus CambyMarcus CambyMarcus D. Camby is an American professional basketball player, who currently plays for the Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA. He is a former Defensive Player of the Year during the 2006–07 NBA season, leading the league in blocked shots per game...
– 2007
NBA Most Improved Player of the Year
NBA Most Improved Player Award
The National Basketball Association's Most Improved Player Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1985–86 NBA season, to the most improved player of the regular season. The winner is selected by a panel of sportswriters throughout the United States and Canada,...
- Mahmoud Abdul-RaufMahmoud Abdul-RaufMahmoud Abdul-Rauf is an American professional basketball player.-Life and career:Abdul-Rauf was born in Gulfport, Mississippi. After a record-setting college career at Louisiana State University, he was selected with the third pick in the 1990 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets...
– 1993
NBA Coach of the Year
NBA Coach of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Coach of the Year is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1962–63 NBA season. The winner receives the Red Auerbach Trophy, which is named in honor of the head coach who led the Boston Celtics to nine NBA Championships from 1956 to 1966...
- Doug MoeDoug MoeDouglas Edwin Moe is an American professional basketball coach. He is most closely associated with the Denver Nuggets franchise....
– 1988
NBA Sportsmanship Award
NBA Sportsmanship Award
The National Basketball Association's Sportsmanship Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1995–96 NBA season, to the player who most "exemplifies the ideals of sportsmanship on the court—ethical behavior, fair play and integrity"...
- Chauncey BillupsChauncey BillupsChauncey Ray Billups is an American professional basketball point guard for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association . He has also played for Team USA. Billups won the NBA Finals MVP in 2004, helping the Detroit Pistons beat the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals, and was given the...
– 2009 - Conor Lee 2011
NBA Executive of the Year
NBA Executive of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Executive of the Year Award is an annual award given since the 1972–73 NBA season, to the league's best general managers. Before 2009, the Executive of the Year is presented annually by Sporting News, although it is officially recognized by the NBA. Since then,...
- Vince BorylaVince BorylaVincent Joseph Boryla is a retired American basketball player, coach, and executive. His nickname was "Moose". He graduated from East Chicago Washington High School in 1944. He played basketball at the University of Notre Dame and the University of Denver...
– 1985 - Mark WarkentienMark WarkentienMark Warkentien was the general manager of the Denver Nuggets of the NBA. He was named as Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Nuggets on September 7, 2006...
– 2009
All-NBA First Team
- David ThompsonDavid Thompson (basketball)David O'Neil Thompson is a former American professional basketball star with the Denver Nuggets of both the National Basketball Association and American Basketball Association , as well as the Seattle SuperSonics...
– 1977, 1978
All-NBA Second Team
- Alex EnglishAlex EnglishAlexander English is a retired American basketball player and former assistant coach of the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association who played at the forward position...
– 1982, 1983, 1986 - Lafayette LeverLafayette LeverLafayette "Fat" Lever is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA. He is currently the director of player development for the Sacramento Kings....
– 1987 - Carmelo AnthonyCarmelo AnthonyCarmelo Kiyan Anthony , nicknamed "Melo", is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association...
- 2010
All-NBA Third Team
- Antonio McDyessAntonio McDyessAntonio Keithflen McDyess is an American professional basketball player. McDyess is listed at 6'9" , 245 lb. and is a power forward/center. In 2009 he signed a 3-year contract with the San Antonio Spurs....
– 1999 - Carmelo AnthonyCarmelo AnthonyCarmelo Kiyan Anthony , nicknamed "Melo", is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association...
– 2006, 2007, 2009 - Chauncey BillupsChauncey BillupsChauncey Ray Billups is an American professional basketball point guard for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association . He has also played for Team USA. Billups won the NBA Finals MVP in 2004, helping the Detroit Pistons beat the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals, and was given the...
- 2009
NBA All-Defensive First Team
- Bobby Jones – 1977, 1978
- Marcus CambyMarcus CambyMarcus D. Camby is an American professional basketball player, who currently plays for the Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA. He is a former Defensive Player of the Year during the 2006–07 NBA season, leading the league in blocked shots per game...
– 2007, 2008
NBA All-Defensive Second Team
- T.R. DunnT.R. DunnTheodore Roosevelt "T. R." Dunn is an American former professional basketball player and coach....
– 1983, 1984, 1985 - Bill HanzlikBill HanzlikWilliam Henry Hanzlik is a retired American professional basketball player and coach. A 6'7" guard, Hanzlik played college basketball at the University of Notre Dame. He was selected for the 1980 US Mens Olympic Team which never was afforded the chance to compete due to the US's boycott of the...
– 1986 - Lafayette LeverLafayette LeverLafayette "Fat" Lever is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA. He is currently the director of player development for the Sacramento Kings....
– 1988 - Dikembe MutomboDikembe MutomboDikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo , commonly referred to as Dikembe Mutombo, is a retired Congolese American professional basketball player who last played for the Houston Rockets of the NBA...
– 1995 - Marcus CambyMarcus CambyMarcus D. Camby is an American professional basketball player, who currently plays for the Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA. He is a former Defensive Player of the Year during the 2006–07 NBA season, leading the league in blocked shots per game...
– 2005, 2006
NBA Rookie First Team
NBA All-Rookie Team
The NBA All-Rookie Team is an annual National Basketball Association honor given since the 1962–63 NBA season to the top rookies during the regular season. Voting is conducted by the NBA head coaches; who are not allowed to vote for players on their own team. The All-Rookie Team is generally...
- Dikembe MutomboDikembe MutomboDikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo , commonly referred to as Dikembe Mutombo, is a retired Congolese American professional basketball player who last played for the Houston Rockets of the NBA...
– 1992 - LaPhonso EllisLaPhonso EllisLaPhonso Darnell Ellis is a retired American basketball player.-Early career:He was an outstanding high school basketball player at East St. Louis Lincoln High School, where he led the Tigers to two straight Illinois Class AA boys' championships in 1987 and 1988...
– 1993 - Antonio McDyessAntonio McDyessAntonio Keithflen McDyess is an American professional basketball player. McDyess is listed at 6'9" , 245 lb. and is a power forward/center. In 2009 he signed a 3-year contract with the San Antonio Spurs....
– 1996 - NenêNenêNenê is a Brazilian professional basketball player who last played for the NBA's Denver Nuggets. His name at birth was Maybyner Rodney Hilário, but it was legally changed to Nenê in 2003.-Early life:...
– 2003 - Carmelo AnthonyCarmelo AnthonyCarmelo Kiyan Anthony , nicknamed "Melo", is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association...
– 2004
NBA Rookie Second Team
NBA All-Rookie Team
The NBA All-Rookie Team is an annual National Basketball Association honor given since the 1962–63 NBA season to the top rookies during the regular season. Voting is conducted by the NBA head coaches; who are not allowed to vote for players on their own team. The All-Rookie Team is generally...
- Mahmoud Abdul-RaufMahmoud Abdul-RaufMahmoud Abdul-Rauf is an American professional basketball player.-Life and career:Abdul-Rauf was born in Gulfport, Mississippi. After a record-setting college career at Louisiana State University, he was selected with the third pick in the 1990 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets...
– 1991 - Mark MaconMark Macon-External links:* @ basketballreference.com*...
– 1992 - Jalen RoseJalen RoseJalen Anthony Rose is a retired American professional basketball player, who currently works as a sports analyst for the sports television network ESPN...
– 1995 - Bobby Jackson – 1998
- James PoseyJames PoseyJames Mikely Mantell Posey, Jr. is an American professional basketball player, currently a small forward for the Indiana Pacers of the NBA.-Early life:...
– 2000