Denver Nuggets Starting Lineup 2021 Nuggets Starting Lineup

Denver Nuggets Starting Lineup Questions

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The Nuggets have been one of the top teams in the Western Conference over the last few seasons, as they look to get to the next level of a Finals appearance. Nikola Jokic is the starting center and the premier player on this team. Jokic is the playmaker in the offense averaging seven assists per game. Denver's guards are two of the younger players in the league, being Garry Harris and Jamal Murray. Harris is more of a defensive player while Murray has really evolved into an offensive scorer, averaging 18.8 points per game this season. Will Barton was once a bench player but has started at small forward this year. While Paul Millsap was injured, Jerami Grant drew the start, but with Millsap back healthy he has resumed his role as the starting power forward.

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The Denver Nuggets – Still Mining for NBA Gold

Colorado sports betting is now legal. The state's legislators approved the opening of brick-and-mortar sportsbooks at licensed Colorado casinos. There are also a number of approved sportsbook apps, which allow Coloradans to bet online. This is great news for Denver Nuggets fans. The Nuggets have experienced some tremendously successful years, and now fans can bet legally on their favorite NBA team. Let's look back at the history of the Denver Nuggets, plus some memorable seasons that would have paid nice jackpots to Colorado sports bettors.

Denver Nuggets History

The first professional basketball team in Denver was the Larks. However, the original ABA franchise never played a game using that name. Before the start of the first ABA season, the name was changed to the Denver Rockets. The actual Denver franchise was originally awarded to Kansas City, but the ownership couldn't come to an agreement with Kansas City's officials on a place to play. So, at the suggestion of ABA commissioner George Mikan, James Trindle moved his team to Denver and named them after the state bird.

Trindle had to sell a majority interest in the team to Denver trucking owner Bill Ringsby. Ringsby chose to name the team after his trucking business. As the Rockets, Denver played their home games at the Denver Auditorium Arena. The team had modest success early on, but despite winning 51 games during the 1969-70 season, the Rockets managed to win only a single playoff series across their first seven seasons.

Ahead of the 1974-75 season, with growing anticipation that a select handful of ABA teams would eventually merge with the NBA, Denver's new ownership held a contest to select a new team name. The winning idea was "the Nuggets". A local Denver investment group purchased the team ahead of the 1976-77 season, the first in which Denver would play as an ABA merger team into the NBA. Denver would be part of the Western Conference and play in the Midwest Division.

As the Denver Rockets, the team would have five different coaches across nine seasons, including three in 1969 alone. Larry Brown took over the team in 1974 and led them to an ABA Finals appearance. Brown still holds the best winning percentage in Denver Nuggets coaching history. Denver has won 12 division titles, three in the ABA and nine in the NBA. Denver has yet to win an NBA Western Conference Final, so they've never made an appearance in the NBA finals.

Despite having never played for the ultimate title in professional basketball, Denver Nuggets fans have enjoyed some exciting teams. Let's look at a few of the most memorable seasons in Denver Nuggets' history.

Memorable Denver Nuggets Seasons

The Nuggets' team that shifted to the new league was very talented. During Denver's last two ABA seasons, the team won 65 and 60 games respectfully. They also played in the last ABA Finals, losing in six games to the New York Nets. The Nuggets carried that ABA success into their first two NBA seasons. After coaching two seasons with the Carolina Cougars, Larry Brown was hired to coach Denver. He guided the Nuggets to 251 victories and their lone championship final in franchise history.

Brown's remarkable coaching ability was partly responsible for Denver's early success in the NBA. A pair of the Nuggets' most memorable seasons was their first two as a new member of the NBA. Denver won the division title during their first two years, posting 125 total regular-season wins under Brown. However, neither team could make it farther than the 1977-78 Western Conference Finals, a loss in six games to the Seattle Supersonics.

The early success of the Nuggets in the NBA; however, helped to establish a loyal following of professional basketball fans in Denver that has lasted across the decades. After a pair of lackluster seasons between 1979 and 1981, Denver started a run of playoff appearances. Beginning in 1981, the Nuggets would make nine consecutive appearances in the Western Conference playoffs. Denver would put up 52 thrilling regular-season victories during the 1984-85 season, winning another Midwest Division crown.

However, they would fall in five games to the eventual NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers. The Nuggets would win over 50 games again during the 1987-88 season, add another division title, but lose to Dallas in the Western Conference Semifinals. Denver would close out the 1980s with two more winning seasons but was swept out of the first-round of the playoffs both years. While not ranked high on the most memorable seasons, a FanDuel Colorado sportsbook bet ahead of the 1993-94 playoffs would have paid a nice jackpot.

We can only imagine what the odds for Denver to win a game three against the Supersonics would have been on a William Hill Colorado sportsbook. Denver was down two games to zero, with most expecting an early exit. However, what would transpire would make NBA history. The Nuggets would the first number eight seed team to oust a number one conference seed. Plus, Denver would do it in the most unlikely way.

A good Nuggets' fan could have gotten life-changing odds on a BetMGM Colorado sportsbook to take Denver to win the series down two games in a three-game series. That sports bet would have hit the jackpot. Denver went on to continue to battle against the odds, taking the Utah Jazz to a seventh game. The Nuggets would go an even 41-41 the following season and get swept by the number one seeded San Antonio Spurs.

Nuggets' success would be hard to come by for the rest of the 1990s. The team would not make another playoff appearance until an eight-place finish in 2003-04. Denver would lose more than 60 games three times during this stretch. For eight seasons, the Nuggets' best record was a 40-win season in 200-01. However, excitement grew after the 2003-04 season. Denver would go on another streak of five consecutive playoff appearances, including one Northwest Division title.

Nevertheless, disappointment ended each season with a first-round exit. Denver won a total of four games across five first-round series losses. Sandwiched in the middle of another four straight first-round eliminations was another chance at the NBA Finals. Denver would win 54 games, another Northwest Division title, and then power their way through the first two rounds of the playoffs. However, awaiting the Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals were their bitter rivals the LA Lakers.

Los Angeles would dash Denver's hopes of reaching the NBA Finals in five games. The Nuggets would miss the playoffs for five straight years beginning in 2013 but would return to the top of the Northwest Division in 2018-19. A year later, Denver fans would watch their beloved Nuggets inch one series from the ultimate goal of an NBA Finals. Once again, in front of them were the Lakers. For the third time in franchise history, Denver lost to LA just one step from the coveted final series.

The enthusiasm for pro basketball in Denver built a foundation on the early success as a member of the ABA. Denver's leap into the NBA was also successful. While the fans still await Denver's first trip to the NBA finals, they'll continue their avid support for their beloved team.