1983–84 Denver Nuggets season

The 1983–84 Denver Nuggets season was their 17th season, and their eighth in the NBA. The Nuggets head coach was Doug Moe and his assistant coach was Bill Ficke.

In the playoffs, the Nuggets lost to the Utah Jazz in five games in the First Round.

Draft picks

Round Pick Player Position Nationality School/Club team 1 15 Howard Carter SG LSU 2 37 David Russell SF St. John's 3 61 David Little Oklahoma 4 83 York Gross UC-Santa Barbara 5 107 James Braddock North Carolina 6 129 Glen Green Murray State 7 153 Maurice McDaniel Catawba College 8 175 Cliff Tribus Davidson 9 198 Bobby Van Noy Catawba College 10 218 Cleveland McCrae Catawba College

Roster

Regular season

Season standings

Notes z, y – division champions x – clinched playoff spot

Game log Regular season

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 1 | | Utah | W 139–125

| McNichols Sports Arena | 1–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 2 | | @ San Diego | L 128–141

| San Diego Sports Arena | 1–1

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 3 | | Dallas | L 124–130

| McNichols Sports Arena | 1–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 4 | | @ Kansas City | W 131–128

| Kemper Arena | 2–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 11 | | San Diego | W 127–121

| McNichols Sports Arena | 3–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 6 | | Los Angeles | L 124–133

| McNichols Sports Arena | 3–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 7 | | @ San Antonio | L 107–126

| HemisFair Arena | 3–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 8 | | Boston | L 124–140

| McNichols Sports Arena | 3–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 9 | | @Golden State | W 131–120

| Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena | 4–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 10 | | Houston | W 134–127

| McNichols Sports Arena | 5–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 11 | | Milwaukee | W 133–126

| McNichols Sports Arena | 6–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 12 | | @ Portland | L 116–156

| Memorial Coliseum | 6–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 13 | | San Diego | W 133–114

| McNichols Sports Arena | 7–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 14 | | @ Utah | L 124–126

| Salt Palace Acord Arena | 7–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 15 | | Phoenix | W 107–104

| McNichols Sports Arena | 8–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 16 | | @ Atlanta | W 105–96

| The Omni | 9–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 17 | | @ Milwaukee | L 122–139

| MECCA Arena | 9–8

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 18 | | Seattle | W 121–111

| McNichols Sports Arena | 10–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 19 | | @ New York | W 117–112

| Madison Square Garden | 11–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 20 | | @ Philadelphia | L 128–133

| The Spectrum | 11–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 21 | | @ Boston | L 90–119

| Hartford Civic Center | 11–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 22 | | @ New Jersey | L 130–141

| Brendan Byrne Arena | 11–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 23 | | Detroit | L 184–186 (3OT)

| McNichols Sports Arena | 11–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 24 | | Portland | L 115–119

| McNichols Sports Arena | 11–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 25 | | New Jersey | W 122–118

| McNichols Sports Arena | 12–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 26 | | @ Kansas City | L 114–131

| Kemper Arena | 12–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 27 | | Indiana | L 132–133

| McNichols Sports Arena | 12–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 28 | | @ Utah | L 116–118

| Salt Palace Acord Arena | 12–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 29 | | @ Phoenix | L 133–140 (OT)

| Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum | 12–17 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 30 | | @ Los Angeles | L 116–118

| The Forum | 12–18 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 31 | | Philadelphia | W 101–89

| McNichols Sports Arena | 13–18 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 32 | | Utah | W 135–130

| McNichols Sports Arena | 14–18

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 33 | | Seattle | L 109–110

| McNichols Sports Arena | 14–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 34 | | @ Portland | L 129–144

| Memorial Coliseum | 15–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 35 | | Dallas | W 141–117

| McNichols Sports Arena | 16–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 36 | | San Antonio | W 163–155

| McNichols Sports Arena | 17–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 37 | | Los Angeles | L 134–141

| McNichols Sports Arena | 16–21 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 38 | | @ Dallas | L 107–126

| Reunion Arena | 16–22 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 39 | | @ Houston | L 115–124

| The Summit | 16–23 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 40 | | @ San Antonio | L 127–148

| HemisFair Arena | 16–24 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 41 | | Kansas City | W 116–114

| McNichols Sports Arena | 17–24 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 42 | | Golden State | W 126–115

| McNichols Sports Arena | 18–24 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 43 | | @ Indiana | L 112–117

| Market Square Arena | 182–25 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 44 | | @ Chicago | W 126–125

| Chicago Stadium | 19–25 |- align="center" |colspan="9" bgcolor="#bbcaff"|All-Star Break |- style="background:#cfc;" |- bgcolor="#bbffbb"

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 45 | | Los Angeles | L 108–116

| McNichols Sports Arena | 19–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 46 | | @ Dallas | W 114–111

| Reunion Arena | 20–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 47 | | @ Kansas City | L 100–107

| Kemper Arena | 20–27 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 48 | | @ Seattle | L 105–115

| Kingdome | 20–28 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 49 | | Dallas | L 114–120

| McNichols Sports Arena | 20–29 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 50 | | @ Portland | L 117–123

| Memorial Coliseum | 20–30 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 51 | | New York | L 112–138

| McNichols Sports Arena | 20–31 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 52 | | Washington | L 96–108

| McNichols Sports Arena | 20–32 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 53 | | Atlanta | W 117–102

| McNichols Sports Arena | 21–32 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 54 | | @ Los Angeles | W 141–138

| The Forum | 22–32 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 55 | | @ Seattle | L 120–132

| Kingdome | 22–33 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 56 | | @ Golden State | L 133–135

| Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena | 22–34 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 57 | | San Antonio | W 127–121

| McNichols Sports Arena | 23–34 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 58 | | @ Phoenix | W 117–100

| Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum | 24–34 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 59 | | Kansas City | W 148–136

| McNichols Sports Arena | 25–34 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 60 | | @ Golden State | L 137–140 (OT)

| Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena | 25–35

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 61 | | Cleveland | W 119–113

| McNichols Sports Arena | 26–35 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 62 | | Utah | W 131–122

| McNichols Sports Arena | 27–35 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 63 | | Houston | W 130–128

| McNichols Sports Arena | 28–35 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 64 | | @ San Diego | L 126–134

| San Diego Sports Arena | 28–36 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 65 | | Portland | W 149–123

| McNichols Sports Arena | 29–36 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 66 | | @ Washington | L 103–108

| Capital Centre | 29–37 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 67 | | @ Detroit | W 125–121

| Pontiac Silverdome | 30–37 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 68 | | @ Cleveland | W 118–102

| Richfield Coliseum | 31–37 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 69 | | Chicago | W 107–104

| McNichols Sports Arena | 32–37 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 70 | | @ Phoenix | L 120–146

| Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum | 32–38 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 71 | | Houston | W 134–125

| McNichols Sports Arena | 33–38 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 72 | | Kansas City | W 126–116

| McNichols Sports Arena | 34–38 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 73 | | @ Dallas | L 101–119

| Reunion Arena | 34–39 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 74 | | @ Houston | L 137–140

| The Summit | 34–40 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 75 | | San Antonio | W 145–136

| McNichols Sports Arena | 35–40

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 76 | | San Diego | W 129–103

| McNichols Sports Arena | 36–40 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 77 | | Seattle | W 124–113

| McNichols Sports Arena | 37–40 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 78 | | Golden State | L 124–128

| McNichols Sports Arena | 37–41 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 79 | | Phoenix | L 121–126

| McNichols Sports Arena | 37–42 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 80 | | @ Utah | L 120–135

| Thomas & Mack Center | 37–43 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 81 | | @ Houston | W 130–110

| The Summit | 38–43 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 82 | | @ San Antonio | L 154–157

| HemisFair Arena | 38–44

Playoffs

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 1 | | @ Utah | L 121–123 | VanDeWeghe (33) | Issel (10) | Williams (8) | Salt Palace Acord Arena10,255 | 0–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 2 | | @ Utah | W 132–116 | Issel (33) | Dunn (10) | Williams (5) | Salt Palace Acord Arena12,413 | 1–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 3 | | Utah | W 121–117 | English (29) | Dunn (10) | English (6) | McNichols Sports Arena14,681 | 2–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 4 | | Utah | L 124–129 | Issel (32) | English (10) | English (6) | McNichols Sports Arena16,108 | 2–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 5 | | @ Utah | L 111–127 | Issel (25) | English (11) | English (9) | Salt Palace Acord Arena12,731 | 2–3

Awards, records, and honors T.R. Dunn, NBA All-Defensive Second Team On December 13, 1983, the Nuggets played in the highest scoring game in NBA history, losing to the Detroit Pistons 186–184.

References

Nuggets on Basketball Reference