1977–78 Denver Nuggets season

The 1977–78 NBA season was the Nuggets' 2nd season in the NBA and 11th season as a franchise.[1]

1977–78 Denver Nuggets season
Division champions
Head coachLarry Brown
ArenaMcNichols Sports Arena
Results
Record48–34 (.585)
PlaceDivision: 1st (Midwest)
Conference: 2nd (Western)
Playoff finishWest Conference Finals
(Lost to SuperSonics 2–4)
Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionKWGN-TV
RadioKOA

In the playoffs, the Nuggets defeated the Milwaukee Bucks in seven games in the Semifinals, winning their first playoff series in the NBA, before losing to the Seattle SuperSonics in six games in the Conference Finals.

Draft picks
Round Pick Player Position Nationality School/Club Team
19Tom LaGardeC United StatesNorth Carolina
121Anthony RobertsSF United StatesOral Roberts
365Robert SmithPG United StatesNevada-Las Vegas
5109John Billups United StatesMississippi
6130Jim Town United StatesMassachusetts Amherst
7150Willie High United StatesAlabama State
8169Len Saunders United StatesFlorida

Roster
Roster listing
Denver Nuggets roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOB (YYYY-MM-DD)From
PG 20 Calvin, Mack 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 165 lb (75 kg) Southern California
PG 14 Taylor, Brian 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Princeton
PG 15 Price, Jim 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Louisville
PG 5 Smith, Robert 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 165 lb (75 kg) UNLV
G/F 33 Thompson, David 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 195 lb (88 kg) North Carolina State
G/F 10 Simpson, Ralph 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Michigan State
G/F 32 Wilkerson, Bob 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Indiana
SF 21 Roberts, Anthony 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Oral Roberts
F 30 Dorsey, Jacky 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 230 lb (104 kg) Georgia
F 55 Cook, Norm 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Kansas
PF 24 Jones, Bobby 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 210 lb (95 kg) North Carolina
PF 31 Ellis, Bo 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 197 lb (89 kg) Marquette
F/C 30 Hillman, Darnell 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 215 lb (98 kg) San José State
C 44 Issel, Dan 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Kentucky
C 45 LaGarde, Tom 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 220 lb (100 kg) North Carolina
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured

Depth chart
Pos. Starting 5 Bench 1 Bench 2
C Dan Issel Darnell Hillman Tom LaGarde
PF Bobby Jones Bo Ellis
SF Bob Wilkerson Anthony Roberts
SG David Thompson Ralph Simpson
PG Brian Taylor Mack Calvin Robert Smith

Regular season

Season standings
Midwest Division W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Denver Nuggets 4834.585–33–815–2611–9
x-Milwaukee Bucks 4438.537428–1316–2514–6
Chicago Bulls 4042.488829–1211–308–12
Detroit Pistons 3844.4631024–1714–278–12
Indiana Pacers 3151.3781721–2010–318–12
Kansas City Kings 3151.3781722–199–3211–9
# Western Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Portland Trail Blazers5824.707–
2 y-Denver Nuggets4834.58510
3 x-Phoenix Suns4933.5989
4 x-Seattle SuperSonics4735.57311
5 x-Los Angeles Lakers4537.54913
6 x-Milwaukee Bucks4438.53714
7 Golden State Warriors4339.52415
8 Chicago Bulls4042.48818
9 Detroit Pistons3844.46320
10 Indiana Pacers3151.37827
11 Kansas City Kings3151.37827


z – clinched division title
y – clinched division title
x – clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents
1977–78 NBA Records
Team ATL BOS BUF CHI CLE DEN DET GSW HOU IND KCK LAL MIL NJN NOJ NYK PHI PHO POR SAS SEA WAS
Atlanta —2–23–11–31–31–32–21–33–13–12–13–12–23–12–22–22–23–11–31–32–11–3
Boston 2–2—3–11–31–31–31–32–22–22–12–21–23–13–12–22–20–42–21–30–40–41–3
Buffalo 1–31–3—3–11–31–31–30–33–11–31–21–31–32–22–23–11–30–41–31–31–31–3
Chicago 3–13–11–3—3–12–22–21–33–13–10–42–21–31–22–21–33–02–21–32–22–22–1
Cleveland 3–13–13–11–3—3–12–22–22–22–12–22–23–13–12–23–11–31–20–40–43–12–2
Denver 3–13–13–12–21–3—2–22–23–02–22–23–13–13–13–11–31–32–23–12–11–33–1
Detroit 2–23–13–12–22–22–2—2–23–11–31–32–22–23–13–00–40–42–21–31–31–32–2
Golden State 3–12–23–03–12–22–22–2—2–13–13–10–42–23–10–42–21–32–21–33–12–22–2
Houston 1–32–21–31–32–20–31–31–2—3–12–21–31–32–21–32–22–21–32–21–30–41–3
Indiana 1–31–23–11–31–22–23–11–31–3—2–21–30–42–22–21–32–21–31–31–31–33–1
Kansas City 1–22–22–14–02–22–23–11–32–22–2—2–20–42–22–20–41–30–40–40–41–32–2
Los Angeles 1–32–13–12–22–21–32–24–03–13–12–2—3–14–02–13–12–21–30–42–21–32–2
Milwaukee 2–21–33–13–11–31–32–22–23–14–04–01–3—3–12–13–11–21–31–32–21–33–1
New Jersey 1–31–32–22–11–31–31–31–32–22–22–20–41–3—0–41–30–42–20–30–42–22–2
New Orleans 2–22–22–22–22–21–31–34–03–12–22–21–21–24–0—1–32–21–33–11–32–20–4
New York 2–22–21–33–11–33–13–02–22–23–14–01–31–33–13–1—1–31–31–32–22–12–2
Philadelphia 2–24–03–11–33–13–14–03–12–22–23–12–22–14–02–23–1—2–12–23–13–12–2
Phoenix 1–32–24–02–22–12–22–22–23–13–14–03–13–12–23–13–11–2—1–32–22–22–2
Portland 3–13–13–13–14–01–33–13–12–23–14–04–03–13–11–33–02–23–1—2–23–12–1
San Antonio 3–14–03–12–24–01–22–11–33–13–14–02–22–24–03–12–21–32–22–2—2–22–2
Seattle 1–24–03–12–21–33–13–12–24–03–13–13–13–12–22–11–31–32–21–32–2—1–3
Washington 3–13–13–11–22–21–32–22–23–11–32–22–21–32–24–02–22–22–21–22–23–1—

Playoffs

West First Round

The Nuggets had a first round bye.

West Conference Semifinals

(2) Denver Nuggets vs. (6) Milwaukee Bucks: Nuggets win series 4-3

  • Game 1 @ Denver: Denver 119, Milwaukee 103
  • Game 2 @ Denver: Denver 127, Milwaukee 111
  • Game 3 @ Milwaukee: Milwaukee 143, Denver 112
  • Game 4 @ Milwaukee: Denver 118, Milwaukee 114
  • Game 5 @ Denver: Milwaukee 117, Denver 112
  • Game 6 @ Milwaukee: Milwaukee 119, Denver 91
  • Game 7 @ Denver: Denver 116, Milwaukee 110

West Conference Finals

(2) Denver Nuggets vs. (4) Seattle SuperSonics: Sonics win series 4-2

  • Game 1 @ Denver: Denver 116, Seattle 107
  • Game 2 @ Denver: Seattle 121, Denver 111
  • Game 3 @ Seattle: Seattle 105, Denver 91
  • Game 4 @ Seattle: Seattle 100, Denver 94
  • Game 5 @ Denver: Denver 123, Seattle 114
  • Game 6 @ Seattle: Seattle 123, Denver 108

Awards and records

References
  1. 1977–78 Denver Nuggets
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