⌕Games, players, teams…↗

Denver Nuggets · Franchise era 2 of 6

Doug Moe's motion machine: the Denver Nuggets story

Franchise era

1976–77—1989–90

Doug Moe's motion machine

Denver Nuggets

The story in one sentence

English led a free-flowing offense that made nine straight playoffs and reached the 1985 conference finals.

01

Alex English and basketball at full speed

02

Alex English, Fat Lever and Kiki VanDeWeghe gave the era its recognizable core.

03

Its ending created the conditions for the mutombo upset and the rebuild.

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Before 1976–77

    What came before

    Denver embraced a new Nuggets identity and entered the NBA after reaching the ABA Finals with a spectacular young core.

  2. 1985

    Western Conference Finals: Denver Nuggets vs Los Angeles Lakers

    Western ConferenceFinals
    1985
    DENVERNUGGETS
    LOS ANGELESLAKERS
    COMPLETE SERIES

    Western Conference Finals · 5 games

    Denver Nuggets vs Los Angeles Lakers

    Open the complete series →

    Series finale · Game 5 · May 22, 1985Denver Nuggets at Los Angeles Lakers →Closest game · Game 4 · May 19, 1985Los Angeles Lakers at Denver Nuggets →

  3. 1986

    Western Conference Semifinals: Denver Nuggets vs Houston Rockets

    Western ConferenceSemifinals
    1986
    DENVERNUGGETS
    HOUSTONROCKETS
    COMPLETE SERIES

    Western Conference Semifinals · 6 games

    Denver Nuggets vs Houston Rockets

    Open the complete series →

    Series finale · Game 6 · May 8, 1986Houston Rockets at Denver Nuggets →Closest game · Game 3 · May 2, 1986Houston Rockets at Denver Nuggets →

  4. 1988

    Western Conference Semifinals: Denver Nuggets vs Dallas Mavericks

    Western ConferenceSemifinals
    1988
    DENVERNUGGETS
    DALLASMAVERICKS
    COMPLETE SERIES

    Western Conference Semifinals · 6 games

    Denver Nuggets vs Dallas Mavericks

    Open the complete series →

    Series finale · Game 6 · May 19, 1988Denver Nuggets at Dallas Mavericks →Closest game · Game 3 · May 14, 1988Denver Nuggets at Dallas Mavericks →

  5. After 1989–90

    What came next

    Denver authored the first 8-over-1 upset in 1994, but injuries and turnover prevented the young roster from sustaining it.

The core

Faces of the chapter

01Alex English→02Fat Lever→03Kiki VanDeWeghe→
← Previous eraThe ABA years1967–68—1975–76Next era →The Mutombo upset and the rebuild1990–91—2002–03