1976–77 Denver Nuggets season

NBA professional basketball team season (1st season in NBA)

NBA professional basketball team season

1976–77 Denver Nuggets season

Division champions

Head coach| Larry Brown
Arena| McNichols Sports Arena
Results
Record| 50-32 (.610)
Place| Division: 1st (Midwest)
Conference: 2nd (Western)
Playoff finish| West Conference semifinals
(lost to Trail Blazers 2–4)

* * *

Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television| KWGN-TV
Radio| KOA
| < 1975–76  | 1977–78 >

|

The 1976–77 Denver Nuggets season, is the Nuggets first season in the NBA, after nine seasons in the ABA.

In their NBA playoffs debut, the Nuggets lost to the eventual NBA champion Portland Trail Blazers in six games in the First Round.

## Offseason

[edit]

### ABA-NBA merger

[edit]

With the conclusion of the 1975–76 season, the American Basketball Association came to an end with the ABA-NBA merger. Four ABA teams entered the NBA: the Nuggets, the Indiana Pacers, the New York Nets and the San Antonio Spurs. The other ABA teams were folded prior to the merger except for the Kentucky Colonels and Spirits of St. Louis, both of which were folded as part of the league merger.

The Nuggets and the other ABA teams were given harsh obstacles as part of their entry to the NBA. Each team had to pay an entry fee; for the Nuggets it was $3.2 million.[1] The Denver and the other four ABA team also received no television money for their first three NBA seasons in the NBA, were not allowed to participate in the 1976 NBA draft, had to be classified as "expansion franchises" (despite longer histories and more success than many NBA teams) and had to go for two years without any vote regarding the distribution of NBA gate receipts or the realignment of NBA divisions.[2]

The Nuggets moved from the ABA to the NBA's Midwest Division.[3]

### NBA draft

[edit]

Main article: 1976 NBA draft

As part of the terms of the ABA-NBA merger the Nuggets were prohibited from participating in both the 1976 NBA draft of college players and in the dispersal draft of ABA players from teams that did not enter the NBA.

## Roster

[edit]

Denver Nuggets roster

* v
* t
* e

Players  | Coaches

|

| Pos. | No. | Name  | Height  | Weight  | DOB  | From

|
|
|
|
|
|

PF | 40 | Beck, Byron | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)  | 225 lb (102 kg)  | 1945-01-25  | Denver
PG | 20 | Calvin, Mack | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)  | 165 lb (75 kg)  | 1947-07-27  | USC
C | 44 | Issel, Dan | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)  | 235 lb (107 kg)  | 1948-10-25  | Kentucky
PF | 24 | Jones, Bobby | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)  | 210 lb (95 kg)  | 1951-12-18  | North Carolina
SG | 12 | McClain, Ted | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)  | 180 lb (82 kg)  | 1946-08-30  | Tennessee State
PF | 35 | Silas, Paul | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)  | 220 lb (100 kg)  | 1943-07-12  | Creighton
PG | 21 | Taylor, Fatty | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)  | 175 lb (79 kg)  | 1946-03-13  | La Salle
SG | 33 | Thompson, David | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)  | 195 lb (88 kg)  | 1954-07-13  | NC State
C | 10 | Webster, Marvin | 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m)  | 225 lb (102 kg)  | 1952-04-13  | Morgan State
SF | 42 | Wise, Willie | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)  | 210 lb (95 kg)  | 1947-03-03  | Drake

Head coach

* Larry Brown

Assistant coach(es)

* Frank Hamblen

* * *

Legend

* (DP) Unsigned draft pick
* (FA) Free agent
* (S) Suspended
* Injured

## Regular season

[edit]

### Season standings

[edit]

Midwest Division

* v
* t
* e

|  W  |  L  |  PCT  |  GB  |  Home  |  Road  |  Div

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

y-Denver Nuggets | 50 | 32 | .610 | – | 36–5 | 14–27 | 15–5
x-Detroit Pistons | 44 | 38 | .537 | 6 | 30–11 | 14–27 | 12–8
x-Chicago Bulls | 44 | 38 | .537 | 6 | 31–10 | 13–28 | 10–10
Kansas City Kings | 40 | 42 | .488 | 10 | 28–13 | 12–29 | 7–13
Indiana Pacers | 36 | 46 | .439 | 14 | 25–16 | 11–30 | 9–11
Milwaukee Bucks | 30 | 52 | .366 | 20 | 24–17 | 6–35 | 7–13
#  |

Western Conference

* v
* t
* e

|

Team  |  W  |  L  |  PCT  |  GB
1  | z-Los Angeles Lakers | 53 | 29 | .646 | –
2  | y-Denver Nuggets | 50 | 32 | .610 | 3
3  | x-Portland Trail Blazers | 49 | 33 | .598 | 4
4  | x-Golden State Warriors | 46 | 36 | .561 | 7
5  | x-Detroit Pistons | 44 | 38 | .537 | 9
6  | x-Chicago Bulls | 44 | 38 | .537 | 9
7  | Kansas City Kings | 40 | 42 | .488 | 13
8  | Seattle SuperSonics | 40 | 42 | .488 | 13
9  | Indiana Pacers | 36 | 46 | .439 | 17
10  | Phoenix Suns | 34 | 48 | .415 | 19
11  | Milwaukee Bucks | 30 | 52 | .366 | 23

### Record vs. opponents

[edit]

1976–77 NBA Records

Team  | ATL  | BOS  | BUF  | CHI  | CLE  | DEN  | DET  | GSW  | HOU  | IND  | KCK  | LAL  | MIL  | NOJ  | NYK  | NYN  | PHI  | PHO  | POR  | SAS  | SEA  | WAS
Atlanta | — | 0–4 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 1–2 | 1–3
Boston | 4–0 | — | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 0–4
Buffalo | 0–4 | 1–3 | — | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 0–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 0–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 0–4
Chicago | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | — | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–2
Cleveland | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | — | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3
Denver  | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | — | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 4–0 | 2–2
Detroit | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | — | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 1–3
Golden State | 4–0 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | — | 2–1 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1
Houston | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 0–3 | 2–2 | 1–2 | — | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1
Indiana | 4–0 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 0–4 | — | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–4
Kansas City | 2–1 | 1–3 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | — | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2
Los Angeles | 2–2 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | — | 3–1 | 3–0 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 4–0
Milwaukee | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | — | 1–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3
New Orleans | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–3 | 2–1 | — | 3–1 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2
N.Y. Knicks | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | — | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 2–2
N.Y. Nets | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | — | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–3
Philadelphia | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | — | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1
Phoenix | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–1 | — | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–3
Portland | 1–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | — | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–2
San Antonio | 0–4 | 0–4 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | — | 3–1 | 2–2
Seattle | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | — | 3–1
Washington | 3–1 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | —

## Playoffs

[edit]

1977 playoff game log

Conference semifinals: 2–4 (home: 2–1; road: 0–3)

| Game | Date | Team | Score | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Location
Attendance | Series

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1  | April 20  | Portland | L 100–101 | Dan Issel (28)  | Paul Silas (11)  | Ted McClain (5)  | McNichols Sports Arena
17,995  | 0–1
2  | April 23  | Portland | W 121–110 | Dan Issel (36)  | Paul Silas (9)  | Jones, McClain (7)  | McNichols Sports Arena
17,975  | 1–1
3  | April 24  | @ Portland | L 106–110 | David Thompson (40)  | Jones, Issel (9)  | Bobby Jones (5)  | Memorial Coliseum
12,736  | 1–2
4  | April 26  | @ Portland | L 96–105 | Mack Calvin (28)  | Jones, Silas (8)  | Paul Silas (4)  | Memorial Coliseum
12,930  | 1–3
5  | May 1  | Portland | W 114–105 (OT) | David Thompson (31)  | Dan Issel (18)  | Jim Price (11)  | McNichols Sports Arena
17,517  | 2–3
6  | May 2  | @ Portland | L 92–108 | David Thompson (17)  | Marvin Webster (16)  | Ted McClain (7)  | Memorial Coliseum
12,924  | 2–4

1977 schedule

## Awards, records, and honors

[edit]

* David Thompson, All-NBA First Team
* Bobby Jones, NBA All-Defensive First Team

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Remember the ABA: Denver Rockets/Nuggets Year-to-Year Rosters
2. ^ Remember the ABA: Denver Rockets/Nuggets Year-by-Year Notes Archived 2012-03-20 at the Wayback Machine
3. ^ Remember the ABA: Denver Nuggets

* Nuggets on Basketball Reference

* v
* t
* e

1976–77 NBA season

* ABA–NBA merger
* 1976 NBA draft
* All-Star Game
* Playoffs
* Finals
* Transactions

Eastern|

| Atlantic|

* Boston
* Buffalo
* N.Y. Knicks
* N.Y. Nets
* Philadelphia

|

Central|

* Atlanta
* Cleveland
* Houston
* New Orleans
* San Antonio
* Washington

Western|

| Midwest|

* Chicago
* Denver
* Detroit
* Indiana
* Kansas City
* Milwaukee

|

Pacific|

* Golden State
* Los Angeles
* Phoenix
* Portland
* Seattle

* v
* t
* e

Denver Nuggets seasons

* Franchise
* Seasons

1960s|

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1967–68 | 1968–69

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1970s|

| 1969–70 | 1970–71 | 1971–72 | 1972–73 | 1973–74 | 1974–75 | 1975–76 | 1976–77 | 1977–78 | 1978–79

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1980s|

| 1979–80 | 1980–81 | 1981–82 | 1982–83 | 1983–84 | 1984–85 | 1985–86 | 1986–87 | 1987–88 | 1988–89

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1990s|

| 1989–90 | 1990–91 | 1991–92 | 1992–93 | 1993–94 | 1994–95 | 1995–96 | 1996–97 | 1997–98 | 1998–99

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

2000s|

| 1999–00 | 2000–01 | 2001–02 | 2002–03 | 2003–04 | 2004–05 | 2005–06 | 2006–07 | 2007–08 | 2008–09

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

2010s|

| 2009–10 | 2010–11 | 2011–12 | 2012–13 | 2013–14 | 2014–15 | 2015–16 | 2016–17 | 2017–18 | 2018–19

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

2020s|

| 2019–20 | 2020–21 | 2021–22 | 2022–23 | 2023–24 | 2024–25 |  |  |  |

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Bold indicates NBA Finals victory
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[Pos.]: Position
*[No.]: Number
*[ W ]: Games won
*[ L ]: Games lost
*[ PCT ]: Winning percentage
*[ GB ]: Games behind
*[ Home ]: Home record
*[ Road ]: Road record
*[ Div ]: Division record