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 at 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
Main article: 1977 NBA draft
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
1977–78 Denver Nuggets roster
Players Coaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOBFrom
PG 20 Calvin, Mack 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 165 lb (75 kg) 1947–07–27 USC
F 55 Cook, Norm 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Kansas
F 30 Dorsey, Jacky 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 230 lb (104 kg) Georgia
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
PF 24 Jones, Bobby 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 210 lb (95 kg) North Carolina
C 45 LaGarde, Tom 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 220 lb (100 kg) North Carolina
PG 15 Price, Jim 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Louisville
SF 21 Roberts, Anthony 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Oral Roberts
G/F 10 Simpson, Ralph 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Michigan State
PG 5 Smith, Robert 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 165 lb (75 kg) UNLV
PG 14 Taylor, Brian 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Princeton
G/F 33 Thompson, David 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 195 lb (88 kg) NC State
G/F 32 Wilkerson, Bob 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Indiana
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

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
1978 playoff game log
Conference semifinals: 4–3 (home: 3–1; road: 1–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Series
1 April 18 Milwaukee W 119–103 David Thompson (27) Dan Issel (12) David Thompson (6) McNichols Sports Arena
17,297		 1–0
2 April 21 Milwaukee W 127–111 Dan Issel (22) Dan Issel (14) Issel, Calvin (6) McNichols Sports Arena
17,838		 2–0
3 April 23 @ Milwaukee L 112–143 three players tied (16) Anthony Roberts (8) David Thompson (5) MECCA Arena
10,938		 2–1
4 April 25 @ Milwaukee W 118–104 David Thompson (34) Dan Issel (14) Wilkerson, Sampson (5) MECCA Arena
10,938		 3–1
5 April 28 Milwaukee L 112–117 Bobby Jones (25) Dan Issel (15) Bob Wilkerson (8) McNichols Sports Arena
17,838		 3–2
6 April 30 @ Milwaukee L 91–119 David Thompson (28) Bobby Jones (10) Bob Wilkerson (6) MECCA Arena
10,938		 3–3
7 May 3 Milwaukee W 116–110 David Thompson (37) Bob Wilkerson (12) David Thompson (6) McNichols Sports Arena
17,838		 4–3
Conference finals: 2–4 (home: 2–1; road: 0–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Series
1 May 5 Seattle W 116–107 Dan Issel (25) Issel, Hillman (11) Bob Wilkerson (10) McNichols Sports Arena
17,387		 1–0
2 May 7 Seattle L 111–121 Dan Issel (29) Dan Issel (14) Ralph Sampson (7) McNichols Sports Arena
17,838		 1–1
3 May 10 @ Seattle L 91–105 David Thompson (21) Anthony Roberts (8) Jones, Webster (3) Seattle Center Coliseum
14,098		 1–2
4 May 12 @ Seattle L 94–100 Dan Issel (27) Darnell Hillman (11) Bob Wilkerson (8) Seattle Center Coliseum
14,098		 1–3
5 May 14 Seattle W 123–114 David Thompson (35) Bobby Jones (11) Bob Wilkerson (10) McNichols Sports Arena
17,006		 2–3
6 May 17 @ Seattle L 108–123 David Thompson (21) Anthony Roberts (16) Bob Wilkerson (8) Seattle Center Coliseum
14,098		 2–4
1978 schedule

Awards and records

References
  1. 1977–78 Denver Nuggets
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