# 1982–83 Denver Nuggets season

The 1982–83 Denver Nuggets season was their 16th season, and their seventh in the NBA. The Nuggets head coach was Doug Moe and his assistant coach was Bill Ficke.
In the playoffs, the Nuggets defeated the Phoenix Suns in three games in the First Round, before losing to the San Antonio Spurs in five games in the Semi-finals.

## Draft picks

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | School/Club Team |
| 1 | 19 | Rob Williams | PG | United States | Houston |
| 3 | 62 | Roylin Bond | | United States | Pepperdine |
| 4 | 84 | Alford Turner | | United States | Southwest Louisiana |
| 5 | 109 | Bill Duffy | | United States | Santa Clara |
| 6 | 131 | Chris Brust | | United States | North Carolina |
| 7 | 153 | Jeb Barlow | | United States | North Carolina |
| 8 | 178 | Donnie Speer | | United States | Alabama-Birmingham |
| 9 | 200 | Dean Sears | | United States | UCLA |
| 10 | 220 | Mike Phillips | | United States | Niagara |

## Regular season
### Season standings

| Midwest Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
| y-San Antonio Spurs | 53 | 29 | .646 | – | 31–10 | 22–19 | 21–9 |
| x-Denver Nuggets | 45 | 37 | .549 | 8 | 29–12 | 16–25 | 17–13 |
| Kansas City Kings | 45 | 37 | .549 | 8 | 30–11 | 15–26 | 18–12 |
| Dallas Mavericks | 38 | 44 | .463 | 15 | 23–18 | 15–26 | 15–15 |
| Utah Jazz | 30 | 52 | .366 | 23 | 21–20 | 9–32 | 15–15 |
| Houston Rockets | 14 | 68 | .171 | 39 | 9–32 | 5–36 | 4–26 |
| # | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| 1 | c-Los Angeles Lakers | 58 | 24 | .707 | – |
| 2 | y-San Antonio Spurs | 53 | 29 | .646 | 5 |
| 3 | x-Phoenix Suns | 53 | 29 | .646 | 5 |
| 4 | x-Seattle SuperSonics | 48 | 34 | .585 | 10 |
| 5 | x-Portland Trail Blazers | 46 | 36 | .561 | 12 |
| 6 | x-Denver Nuggets | 45 | 37 | .549 | 13 |
| 7 | Kansas City Kings | 45 | 37 | .549 | 13 |
| 8 | Dallas Mavericks | 38 | 44 | .463 | 20 |
| 9 | Utah Jazz | 30 | 52 | .366 | 28 |
| 9 | Golden State Warriors | 30 | 52 | .366 | 28 |
| 11 | San Diego Clippers | 25 | 57 | .305 | 33 |
| 12 | Houston Rockets | 14 | 68 | .171 | 44 |
Notes
* z, y – division champions
* x – clinched playoff spot

### Record vs. opponents

1982-83 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 | – | 1–5 | 5–1 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 6–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 |
| Boston | 5–1 | – | 3–2 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 |
| Chicago | 1–5 | 2–3 | – | 5–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–5 |
| Cleveland | 0–6 | 1–5 | 1–5 | – | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 0–6 | 1–5 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–2 |
| Dallas | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | – | 3–3 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 5–0 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 0–2 |
| Denver | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | – | 2–0 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 4–2 | 1–1 |
| Detroit | 3–3 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | – | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 1–5 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 3–2 |
| Golden State | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 0–2 | – | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 1–4 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 2–0 |
| Houston | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 2–3 | – | 2–0 | 1–5 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–5 | 0–5 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 0–6 | 1–1 |
| Indiana | 0–6 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | – | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 0–6 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–5 |
| Kansas City | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | – | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 1–4 | 4–2 | 2–0 |
| Los Angeles | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 4–1 | – | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 4–1 | 1–1 |
| Milwaukee | 4–1 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | – | 3–2 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–2 |
| New Jersey | 4–2 | 1–5 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | – | 4–2 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 |
| New York | 2–3 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | – | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 |
| Philadelphia | 4–2 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 5–1 | – | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–2 |
| Phoenix | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | – | 5–1 | 3–2 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 5–0 | 0–2 |
| Portland | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–5 | – | 2–3 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 1–1 |
| San Antonio | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 3–2 | – | 4–1 | 1–4 | 5–1 | 2–0 |
| San Diego | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–5 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 1–4 | – | 0–6 | 2–3 | 0–2 |
| Seattle | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 1–5 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 6–0 | – | 5–0 | 1–1 |
| Utah | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 6–0 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–5 | 2–3 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 0–5 | – | 0–2 |
| Washington | 2–4 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | — |

## Game log
### Regular season

1982–83 game log Total: 45–37 (home: 29–12; road: 16–25) :
October: 1–1 (home: 1–1; road: 0–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
October 29
Dallas
L 117–125
McNichols Sports Arena
0–1
2
October 31
Phoenix
W 114–110
McNichols Sports Arena
1–1 :
November: 6–9 (home: 3–4; road: 3–5)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
3
November 3
Los Angeles
L 134–135 (OT)
McNichols Sports Arena
1–2
4
November 4
@ Los Angeles
L 108–131
The Forum
1–3
5
November 6
Golden State
W 127–118
McNichols Sports Arena
2–3
6
November 9
Atlanta
L 105–106
McNichols Sports Arena
2–4
7
November 10
@ Utah
L 119–125
Salt Palace Acord Arena
2–5
8
November 12
Portland
L 111–128
McNichols Sports Arena
2–6
9
November 13
@ Dallas
W 140–130
Reunion Arena
3–6
10
November 16
@ San Diego
W 136–130
San Diego Sports Arena
4–6
11
November 18
@ Phoenix
W 118–107
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
5–6
12
November 21
@ Los Angeles
L 129–143
The Forum
5–7
13
November 23
@ San Antonio
L 126–136
HemisFair Arena
5–8
14
November 24
San Antonio
W 129–123
McNichols Sports Arena
6–8
15
November 26
@ Seattle
L 106–127
Kingdome
6–9
16
November 27
San Diego
W 141–125
McNichols Sports Arena
7–9
17
November 30
Dallas
L 129–140
McNichols Sports Arena
7–10 :
December: 6–7 (home: 3–3; road: 3–4)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
18
December 3
Chicago
W 132–124
McNichols Sports Arena
8–10
19
December 8
@ Indiana
L 126–130
Market Square Arena
8–11
20
December 9
@ Washington
L 90–98
Capital Centre
8–12
21
December 10
@ Cleveland
W 117–107
Richfield Coliseum
9–12
22
December 12
@ Boston
L 112–126
Boston Garden
9–13
23
December 15
@ Milwaukee
W 113–98
MECCA Arena
10–13
24
December 16
San Antonio
L 108–120
McNichols Sports Arena
10–14
25
December 18
New Jersey
L 114–123
McNichols Sports Arena
10–15
26
December 22
@ Kansas City
L 102–146
Kemper Arena
10–16
27
December 23
@ Detroit
W 131–120
Pontiac Silverdome
11–16
28
December 27
Golden State
W 130–128
McNichols Sports Arena
12–16
29
December 28
Indiana
W 155–150 (OT)
McNichols Sports Arena
13–16
30
December 30
Boston
L 132–145
McNichols Sports Arena
13–17 :
January: 9–7 (home: 7–1; road: 2–6)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
31
January 1
Phoenix
W 127–125
McNichols Sports Arena
14–17
32
January 2
@ Portland
L 104–122
Memorial Coliseum
14–18
33
January 4
Kansas City
W 137–121
McNichols Sports Arena
15–18
34
January 5
@ Kansas City
L 118–138
Kemper Arena
15–19
35
January 7
Houston
W 125–97
McNichols Sports Arena
16–19
36
January 8
@ San Diego
L 120–122
San Diego Sports Arena
16–20
37
January 11
@ Seattle
W 131–119
Kingdome
17–20
38
January 12
Utah
W 126–118
McNichols Sports Arena
18–20
39
January 14
@ Dallas
L 139–149
Reunion Arena
18–21
40
January 15
@ Houston
W 131–111
The Summit
19–21
41
January 18
@ San Antonio
L 124–143
HemisFair Arena
19–22
42
January 19
Houston
W 130–93
McNichols Sports Arena
20–22
43
January 21
@ Golden State
L 121–136
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena
20–23
44
January 22
New York
L 98–102
McNichols Sports Arena
20–24
45
January 25
Kansas City
W 119–112
McNichols Sports Arena
21–24
46
January 28
Portland
W 118–109
McNichols Sports Arena
22–24 :
February: 7–6 (home: 4–1; road: 3–5)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
47
February 1
Philadelphia
L 124–133
McNichols Sports Arena
22–25
48
February 2
@ Houston
L 128–135
The Summit
22–26
49
February 3
@ Atlanta
W 126–112
The Omni
23–26
50
February 5
Utah
W 143–136
McNichols Sports Arena
24–26
51
February 8
@ San Diego
L 98–125
San Diego Sports Arena
24–27
52
February 9
Seattle
W 134–125
McNichols Sports Arena
25–27
All-Star Break
53
February 16
@ Philadelphia
L 95–116
The Spectrum
25–28
54
February 17
@ New Jersey
W 117–108
Brendan Byrne Arena
26–28
55
February 19
@ New York
L 115–124
Madison Square Garden
26–29
56
February 22
@ Chicago
L 133–144
Chicago Stadium
26–30
57
February 24
Seattle
W 138–129
McNichols Sports Arena
27–30
58
February 26
Washington
W 125–111
McNichols Sports Arena
28–30
59
February 27
@ Los Angeles
W 135–120
The Forum
29–30 :
March: 10–5 (home: 7–2; road: 3–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
60
March 1
Cleveland
W 132–121
McNichols Sports Arena
30–30
61
March 2
@ Golden State
W 128–108
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena
31–30
62
March 4
@ Portland
W 142–138
Memorial Coliseum
32–30
63
March 5
Milwaukee
W 126–120
McNichols Sports Arena
33–30
64
March 8
San Antonio
W 129–118
McNichols Sports Arena
34–30
65
March 9
@ Utah
W 122–109
Salt Palace Acord Arena
35–30
66
March 13
Utah
W 130–117
McNichols Sports Arena
36–30
67
March 15
Golden State
W 139–115
McNichols Sports Arena
37–30
68
March 18
@ Seattle
L 117–147
Kingdome
37–31
69
March 20
Portland
L 106–118
McNichols Sports Arena
37–32
70
March 22
Phoenix
W 130–117
McNichols Sports Arena
38–32
71
March 25
Detroit
W 131–120
McNichols Sports Arena
39–32
72
March 26
@ Phoenix
L 110–124
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
39–33
73
March 29
@ San Antonio
L 129–136
HemisFair Arena
39–34
74
March 31
Los Angeles
L 116–122
McNichols Sports Arena
39–35 :
April: 6–2 (home: 4–0; road: 2–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
75
April 2
San Diego
W 107–99
McNichols Sports Arena
40–35
76
April 6
@ Kansas City
L 113–130
Kemper Arena
40–36
77
April 8
@ Dallas
W 132–115
Reunion Arena
41–36
78
April 9
@ Houston
W 123–105
The Summit
42–36
79
April 12
@ Utah
L 116–125
Salt Palace Acord Arena
42–37
80
April 13
Houston
W 131–112
McNichols Sports Arena
43–37
81
April 15
Dallas
W 137–126
McNichols Sports Arena
44–37
82
April 17
Kansas City
W 125–116
McNichols Sports Arena
45–37 :
1982–83 schedule :

### Playoffs

1983 playoff game log :
Western Conference First Round: 2–1 (home: 1–0; road: 1–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
April 19
@ Phoenix
L 108–121
VanDeWeghe (32)
Dunn (12)
English, Evans (4)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 11,901
0–1
2
April 21
Phoenix
W 113–99
VanDeWeghe (26)
Issel (11)
Rob Williams (9)
McNichols Sports Arena 15,903
1–1
3
April 24
@ Phoenix
W 117–112 (OT)
English (42)
Dunn (12)
Dunn, Williams (6)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 14,660
2–1 :
Western Conference Semifinals: 1–4 (home: 1–1; road: 0–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
April 26
@ San Antonio
L 133–152
Issel (28)
Dunn (11)
English, Williams (7)
HemisFair Arena 10,116
0–1
2
April 27
@ San Antonio
L 109–126
VanDeWeghe (22)
Dunn (8)
Evans (9)
HemisFair Arena 10,690
0–2
3
April 29
San Antonio
L 126–127 (OT)
English (39)
VanDeWeghe (14)
English, Williams (7)
McNichols Sports Arena 16,965
0–3
4
May 2
San Antonio
W 124–114
VanDeWeghe (37)
VanDeWeghe (11)
English (11)
McNichols Sports Arena 15,035
1–3
5
May 4
@ San Antonio
L 105–145
McKinney (20)
Dunn (8)
Evans (6)
HemisFair Arena 12,736
1–4 :
1983 schedule :

## Awards and records

* Alex English, All-NBA Second Team
* T.R. Dunn, NBA All-Defensive Second Team

## 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 |