# 1983–84 Denver Nuggets season

The 1983–84 Denver Nuggets season was their 17th season, and their eighth in the NBA. The Nuggets head coach was Doug Moe and his assistant coach was Bill Ficke.
In the playoffs, the Nuggets lost to the Utah Jazz in five games in the First Round.

## Draft picks

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | School/Club Team |
| 1 | 15 | Howard Carter | SG | United States | LSU |
| 2 | 37 | David Russell | SF | United States | St. John's |
| 3 | 61 | David Little | | United States | Oklahoma |
| 4 | 83 | York Gross | | United States | UC-Santa Barbara |
| 5 | 107 | James Braddock | | United States | North Carolina |
| 6 | 129 | Glen Green | | United States | Murray State |
| 7 | 153 | Maurice McDaniel | | United States | Catawba College |
| 8 | 175 | Cliff Tribus | | United States | Davidson |
| 9 | 198 | Bobby Van Noy | | United States | Catawba College |
| 10 | 218 | Cleveland McCrae | | United States | Catawba College |

## Regular season
### Season standings

| Midwest Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
| y-Utah Jazz | 45 | 37 | .549 | – | 31–10 | 14–27 | 15–15 |
| x-Dallas Mavericks | 43 | 39 | .524 | 2 | 31–10 | 12–29 | 19–11 |
| x-Denver Nuggets | 38 | 44 | .463 | 7 | 27–14 | 11–30 | 16–14 |
| x-Kansas City Kings | 38 | 44 | .463 | 7 | 26–15 | 12–29 | 16–14 |
| San Antonio Spurs | 37 | 45 | .451 | 8 | 28–13 | 9–32 | 14–16 |
| Houston Rockets | 29 | 53 | .354 | 16 | 21–20 | 8–33 | 9–21 |
| # | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| 1 | c-Los Angeles Lakers | 54 | 28 | .659 | – |
| 2 | y-Utah Jazz | 45 | 37 | .549 | 9 |
| 3 | x-Portland Trail Blazers | 48 | 34 | .585 | 6 |
| 4 | x-Dallas Mavericks | 43 | 39 | .524 | 11 |
| 5 | x-Seattle SuperSonics | 42 | 40 | .512 | 12 |
| 6 | x-Phoenix Suns | 41 | 41 | .500 | 13 |
| 7 | x-Denver Nuggets | 38 | 44 | .463 | 16 |
| 8 | x-Kansas City Kings | 38 | 44 | .463 | 16 |
| 9 | San Antonio Spurs | 37 | 45 | .451 | 17 |
| 10 | Golden State Warriors | 37 | 45 | .451 | 17 |
| 11 | San Diego Clippers | 30 | 52 | .366 | 24 |
| 12 | Houston Rockets | 29 | 53 | .354 | 25 |
Notes
* z, y – division champions
* x – clinched playoff spot

### Record vs. opponents

1983-84 NBA Records :
| Team | ATL | BOS | CHI | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | KCK | LAL | MIL | NJN | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SAS | SDC | SEA | UTA | WAS |
| Atlanta | – | 0–5 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 |
| Boston | 5–0 | – | 5–0 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 |
| Chicago | 2–4 | 0–5 | – | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 |
| Cleveland | 3–3 | 0–6 | 4–2 | – | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–1 |
| Dallas | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | – | 4–2 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 1–4 | 4–2 | 0–2 |
| Denver | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–4 | – | 1–1 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 0–2 |
| Detroit | 4–2 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | – | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 |
| Golden State | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 3–2 | 1–1 | – | 2–3 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 1–4 | 2–0 |
| Houston | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 3–2 | – | 1–1 | 2–4 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 1–5 | 0–2 |
| Indiana | 2–4 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | – | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 0–5 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 |
| Kansas City | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 4–2 | 2–0 | – | 0–5 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 5–1 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 3–3 | 2–0 |
| Los Angeles | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 5–0 | – | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 1–1 |
| Milwaukee | 3–3 | 1–5 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | – | 4–2 | 4–1 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 |
| New Jersey | 3–3 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 | – | 3–3 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 |
| New York | 1–4 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 3–3 | – | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 |
| Philadelphia | 1–5 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 4–2 | – | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 |
| Phoenix | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 5–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | – | 2–4 | 5–0 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 1–4 | 2–0 |
| Portland | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 | – | 4–1 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 |
| San Antonio | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–5 | 1–4 | – | 4–1 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 1–1 |
| San Diego | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 1–4 | – | 3–3 | 2–3 | 1–1 |
| Seattle | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 3–3 | – | 1–4 | 1–1 |
| Utah | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 4–1 | – | 1–1 |
| Washington | 2–4 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 1–4 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — |

## Game log
### Regular season

1983–84 game log Total: 38–44 (home: 27–14; road: 11–30) :
October: 1–1 (home: 1–0; road: 0–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
October 28
Utah
W 139–125
McNichols Sports Arena
1–0
2
October 29
@ San Diego
L 128–141
San Diego Sports Arena
1–1 :
November: 8–7 (home: 5–3; road: 3–4)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
3
November 1
Dallas
L 124–130
McNichols Sports Arena
1–2
4
November 3
@ Kansas City
W 131–128
Kemper Arena
2–2
11
November 5
San Diego
W 127–121
McNichols Sports Arena
3–2
6
November 8
Los Angeles
L 124–133
McNichols Sports Arena
3–3
7
November 12
@ San Antonio
L 107–126
HemisFair Arena
3–4
8
November 15
Boston
L 124–140
McNichols Sports Arena
3–5
9
November 17
@Golden State
W 131–120
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena
4–5
10
November 18
Houston
W 134–127
McNichols Sports Arena
5–5
11
November 19
Milwaukee
W 133–126
McNichols Sports Arena
6–5
12
November 22
@ Portland
L 116–156
Memorial Coliseum
6–6
13
November 23
San Diego
W 133–114
McNichols Sports Arena
7–6
14
November 25
@ Utah
L 124–126
Salt Palace Acord Arena
7–7
15
November 26
Phoenix
W 107–104
McNichols Sports Arena
8–7
16
November 29
@ Atlanta
W 105–96
The Omni
9–7
17
November 30
@ Milwaukee
L 122–139
MECCA Arena
9–8 :
December: 5–10 (home: 4–3; road: 1–7)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
18
December 3
Seattle
W 121–111
McNichols Sports Arena
10–8
19
December 6
@ New York
W 117–112
Madison Square Garden
11–8
20
December 7
@ Philadelphia
L 128–133
The Spectrum
11–9
21
December 9
@ Boston (at Hartford, CT)
L 90–119
Hartford Civic Center
11–10
22
December 11
@ New Jersey
L 130–141
Brendan Byrne Arena
11–11
23
December 13
Detroit
L 184–186 (3OT)
McNichols Sports Arena
11–12
24
December 16
Portland
L 115–119
McNichols Sports Arena
11–13
25
December 18
New Jersey
W 122–118
McNichols Sports Arena
12–13
26
December 20
@ Kansas City
L 114–131
Kemper Arena
12–14
27
December 22
Indiana
L 132–133
McNichols Sports Arena
12–15
28
December 23
@ Utah
L 116–118
Salt Palace Acord Arena
12–16
29
December 26
@ Phoenix
L 133–140 (OT)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
12–17
30
December 27
@ Los Angeles
L 116–118
The Forum
12–18
31
December 29
Philadelphia
W 101–89
McNichols Sports Arena
13–18
32
December 30
Utah
W 135–130
McNichols Sports Arena
14–18 :
January: 5–7 (home: 4–2; road: 1–5)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
33
January 3
Seattle
L 109–110
McNichols Sports Arena
14–19
34
January 6
@ Portland
L 129–144
Memorial Coliseum
15–20
35
January 7
Dallas
W 141–117
McNichols Sports Arena
16–20
36
January 11
San Antonio
W 163–155
McNichols Sports Arena
17–20
37
January 13
Los Angeles
L 134–141
McNichols Sports Arena
16–21
38
January 15
@ Dallas
L 107–126
Reunion Arena
16–22
39
January 17
@ Houston
L 115–124
The Summit
16–23
40
January 18
@ San Antonio
L 127–148
HemisFair Arena
16–24
41
January 20
Kansas City
W 116–114
McNichols Sports Arena
17–24
42
January 21
Golden State
W 126–115
McNichols Sports Arena
18–24
43
January 25
@ Indiana
L 112–117
Market Square Arena
182–25
44
January 26
@ Chicago
W 126–125
Chicago Stadium
19–25
All-Star Break :
February: 6–10 (home: 3–4; road: 3–6)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
45
February 1
Los Angeles
L 108–116
McNichols Sports Arena
19–26
46
February 3
@ Dallas
W 114–111
Reunion Arena
20–26
47
February 4
@ Kansas City
L 100–107
Kemper Arena
20–27
48
February 7
@ Seattle
L 105–115
Kingdome
20–28
49
February 8
Dallas
L 114–120
McNichols Sports Arena
20–29
50
February 10
@ Portland
L 117–123
Memorial Coliseum
20–30
51
February 11
New York
L 112–138
McNichols Sports Arena
20–31
52
February 14
Washington
L 96–108
McNichols Sports Arena
20–32
53
February 16
Atlanta
W 117–102
McNichols Sports Arena
21–32
54
February 17
@ Los Angeles
W 141–138
The Forum
22–32
55
February 19
@ Seattle
L 120–132
Kingdome
22–33
56
February 21
@ Golden State
L 133–135
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena
22–34
57
February 22
San Antonio
W 127–121
McNichols Sports Arena
23–34
58
February 24
@ Phoenix
W 117–100
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
24–34
59
February 25
Kansas City
W 148–136
McNichols Sports Arena
25–34
60
February 28
@ Golden State
L 137–140 (OT)
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena
25–35 :
March: 10–5 (home: 8–0; road: 2–5)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
61
March 1
Cleveland
W 119–113
McNichols Sports Arena
26–35
62
March 3
Utah
W 131–122
McNichols Sports Arena
27–35
63
March 6
Houston
W 130–128
McNichols Sports Arena
28–35
64
March 9
@ San Diego
L 126–134
San Diego Sports Arena
28–36
65
March 11
Portland
W 149–123
McNichols Sports Arena
29–36
66
March 13
@ Washington
L 103–108
Capital Centre
29–37
67
March 14
@ Detroit
W 125–121
Pontiac Silverdome
30–37
68
March 16
@ Cleveland
W 118–102
Richfield Coliseum
31–37
69
March 18
Chicago
W 107–10425
McNichols Sports Arena
32–37
70
March 20
@ Phoenix
L 120–146
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
32–38
71
March 21
Houston
W 134–125
McNichols Sports Arena
33–38
72
March 23
Kansas City
W 126–116
McNichols Sports Arena
34–38
73
March 24
@ Dallas
L 101–119
Reunion Arena
34–39
74
March 27
@ Houston
L 137–140
The Summit
34–40
75
March 30
San Antonio
W 145–136
McNichols Sports Arena
35–40 :
April: 3–4 (home: 2–2; road: 1–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
76
April 1
San Diego
W 129–103
McNichols Sports Arena
36–40
77
April 3
Seattle
W 124–113
McNichols Sports Arena
37–40
78
April 5
Golden State
L 124–128
McNichols Sports Arena
37–41
79
April 8
Phoenix
L 121–126
McNichols Sports Arena
37–42
80
April 10
@ Utah (at Las Vegas, NV)
L 120–135
Thomas & Mack Center
37–43
81
April 11
@ Houston
W 130–110
The Summit
38–43
82
April 15
@ San Antonio
L 154–157
HemisFair Arena
38–44 :
1983–84 schedule :

### Playoffs

1984 playoff game log :
Western Conference First Round: 2–3 (home: 1–1; road: 1–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
April 17
@ Utah
L 121–123
VanDeWeghe (33)
Issel (10)
Williams (8)
Salt Palace Acord Arena 10,255
0–1
2
April 19
@ Utah
W 132–116
Issel (33)
Dunn (10)
Williams (5)
Salt Palace Acord Arena 12,413
1–1
3
April 22
Utah
W 121–117
English (29)
Dunn (10)
English (6)
McNichols Sports Arena 14,681
2–1
4
April 24
Utah
L 124–129
Issel (32)
English (10)
English (6)
McNichols Sports Arena 16,108
2–2
5
April 26
@ Utah
L 111–127
Issel (25)
English (11)
English (9)
Salt Palace Acord Arena 12,731
2–3 :
1984 schedule :

## Awards, records, and honors

* T.R. Dunn, NBA All-Defensive Second Team
* On December 13, 1983, the Nuggets played in the highest scoring game in NBA history, losing to the Detroit Pistons 186–184.

## Player statistics
### Season

| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |

### Playoffs

| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |