Denver Nuggets: Difference between revisions

| current = 2023–242024–25 Denver Nuggets season

| history = '''Denver Rockets'''<br />1967–1974 (ABA)<br />'''Denver Nuggets'''<br />1974–1976 (ABA)<br />1976–present (NBA)<ref>{{cite news|title=Nuggets Unveil 50th Anniversary Logo in Celebration of Franchise’sFranchise's 50th Year|url=https://www.nba.com/nuggets/news/nuggets-50th-anniversary-logo|publisher=NBA Media Ventures, LLC|website=Nuggets.com|date=June 14, 2017|access-date=May 14, 2024|url-status=live|quote=The date June 14, 2017 marks the 50th anniversary of the franchise’s creation. In 1967, the Ringsby family was able to post a performance bond payout to take over ownership of the then American Basketball Association team cementing a basketball franchise in Denver.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Franchise History–NBA Advanced Stats|url=https://www.nba.com/stats/history|publisher=NBA Media Ventures, LLC|website=NBA.com|access-date=May 13, 2024|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=NBA.com/Stats–Denver Nuggets seasons|url=https://www.nba.com/stats/team/1610612743/seasons|publisher=NBA Media Ventures, LLC|website=Stats.NBA.com|access-date=December 2, 2022|url-status=live|archive-date=December 2, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221202035956/https://www.nba.com/stats/team/1610612743/seasons}}</ref>

| ceo = [[Josh Kroenke|Josh Kroenke]]

| coach = [[Michael Malone (basketball)|Michael Malone]]

With the drafting and signing of future Hall of Fame player [[David Thompson (basketball)|David Thompson]] out of [[NC State Wolfpack men's basketball|North Carolina State]] and [[Marvin Webster]], and the acquisitions of [[Dan Issel]] and [[Bobby Jones (basketball, born 1951)|Bobby Jones]], (Allall signed for the 1975-761975–76 season), with [[Larry Brown (basketball)|Larry Brown]] coaching, they had their best seasons in team history in their first two as the Nuggets. Playing in the [[Denver Auditorium Arena]] for the last season the 1974–75 team went 65–19, including a 40–2 record at home. However, they lost in the Western Conference Finals in 7 games, to the Indiana Pacers.<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite web |url=http://www.remembertheaba.com/Denver-Rockets.html |title=Denver Rockets |publisher=Remember the ABA |access-date=March 22, 2013 |archive-date=April 22, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130422001858/http://www.remembertheaba.com/Denver-Rockets.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1975–76, playing at their new arena, the Nuggets, with the acquisitions of Thompson, Jones and Dan Issel who had come via a trade after he won an ABA title with the 1974-751974–75 Kentucky Colonels, the team went 60-2460–24, edged the reigning champion [[Kentucky Colonels]] four games to three to make the [[1976 ABA Playoffs|1976 ABA finals]] for the first time. Eventually, they lost to the [[New York Nets]] and [[Julius Erving]] in 6 games.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> They did not get a second chance to win an ABA league championship, as the [[American Basketball Association–National Basketball Association merger|ABA–NBA merger]] took place after the 1975–76 season. The Nuggets, Nets, [[Indiana Pacers]], and [[San Antonio Spurs]] were merged into the NBA. The [[Spirits of St. Louis]] and Kentucky Colonels were disbanded.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.remembertheaba.com/Spirits-of-St-Louis.html |title=Spirits of St. Louis |publisher=Remember the ABA |access-date=March 22, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509062256/http://www.remembertheaba.com/Spirits-of-St-Louis.html |archive-date=May 9, 2013 }}</ref>

Moe left the team in 1990, and was replaced by [[Paul Westhead]]. Westhead also believed in a "[[run and gun (basketball)|run and gun]]" style of play, andallowing gaveplayers theto greenspeed lightdown forthe playerscourt liketo [[Michaelshoot Adamsrather (basketball)|Michaelthan Adams]]creating andset [[Mahmoudplays.<ref>{{cite Abdulnews|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1994/10/27/catching-Rauf]]up-with-run-and-gun-coach-paul-westhead/a5caef8e-f261-4ee6-8ccd-54302c1b58a6/|title=Catching toup scorewith withinRun-and-Gun secondsCoach ofPaul possession.{{cnWesthead|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=AprilOctober 27, 1994|accessdate=June 4, 2024}}</ref>

On July 16, 2008, at the end of the [[2007–08 NBA season]], the Nuggets traded former [[NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award|NBA Defensive Player of the Year]] [[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.{{Citation needed|date=May 2011}}

On June 15, 2015, at the end of the 2014–15 season, [[Michael Malone (basketball)|Michael Malone]] was named as the new head coach of the Denver Nuggets.<ref>{{cite web|title=Nuggets name Michael Malone new head coach|url=http://www.nba.com/2015/news/06/15/nuggets-name-michael-malone-release/index.html|website=NBA.com|publisher=Turner Sports Interactive, Inc|date=June 15, 2015|access-date=June 15, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151025202637/http://www.nba.com/2015/news/06/15/nuggets-name-michael-malone-release/index.html|archive-date=October 25, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> Entering the [[2015 NBA draft]] with their lowest draft pick (seventh overall) since 2003, the Nuggets drafted [[Emmanuel Mudiay]] who was widely regarded as the top point guard of the draft, leading to speculation that current starting point guard, [[Ty Lawson]], would be traded.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/ty-lawson--blowing-smoke-after-nuggets-draft-emmanuel-mudiay---i-m-going-to-sacramento--bro-045504495.html|title=Ty Lawson, blowing smoke after Nuggets draft Emmanuel Mudiay: 'I'm going to Sacramento, bro'|website=Sports.yahoo.com|date=June 26, 2015|access-date=August 1, 2018|archive-date=March 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305220638/https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/ty-lawson--blowing-smoke-after-nuggets-draft-emmanuel-mudiay---i-m-going-to-sacramento--bro-045504495.html|url-status=live}}</ref> On July 14, 2015, Lawson was arrested in Los Angeles on suspicion of driving under the influence, his second in six months.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Ley|first1=Tom|title=Ty Lawson Arrested For DUI For Second Time In Six Months|url=http://deadspin.com/ty-lawson-arrested-for-dui-for-second-time-in-six-month-1717717753|access-date=July 14, 2015|work=[[Deadspin]]|publisher=[[Gawker Media]]|date=July 14, 2015|archive-date=July 14, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150714235422/http://deadspin.com/ty-lawson-arrested-for-dui-for-second-time-in-six-month-1717717753|url-status=live}}</ref> The Nuggets traded Lawson a week later to the [[Houston Rockets]] along with a second round draft pick for [[Joey Dorsey]], [[Nick Johnson (basketball)|Nick Johnson]], [[Kostas Papanikolaou]], [[Pablo Prigioni]] (all of whom were waived), and a first round pick that was used to draft [[Juan Hernangómez]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/rockets/news/rockets-acquire-ty-lawson-and-second-round-pick-denver|title=Rockets Acquire Ty Lawson and Second-Round Pick from Denver|work=NBA.com|date=July 20, 2015|access-date=July 20, 2015|archive-date=December 31, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161231154427/http://www.nba.com/rockets/news/rockets-acquire-ty-lawson-and-second-round-pick-denver|url-status=live}}</ref>

In the [[2023–24 NBA season|2023–20242023–24 season]], the Nuggets finished with the 2nd seed in the [[Western Conference (NBA)|Western Conference]] with a 57–25 record, tying with the [[Oklahoma City Thunder]] and finishing 1 game ahead of the [[Minnesota Timberwolves]]. On May 8th8, 2024, [[Nikola Jokić]] won his third [[NBA Most Valuable Player Award|Most Valuable Player Award]], becoming the ninth player to do so and tying with other greats such as [[Moses Malone]] and [[Larry Bird]]. In the first round of the playoffs against the [[Los Angeles Lakers|Lakers]], the Nuggets won the series 4–1, with [[Jamal Murray]] hitting several game-winning shots to pull out a win. However, in the conference semifinals against the [[Minnesota Timberwolves|Timberwolves]], the Nuggets lost in Game 7 from a comeback after being up by 20 points in the 3rd quarter, and ultimately losing the game 98–90.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/denver-nuggets-game-7-loss/|work=CBS News|title=Denver Nuggets fall to Timberwolves in Game 7, season ends in disappointing fashion|last=Sarles|first=Jesse|date=May 19, 2024|access-date=May 19, 2024}}</ref>