2008 Denver Nuggets

Even as we say “Congratulations” to the Los Angeles Lakers, who beat the Nuggets 4 games to 2 to win the Western Conference Finals and advance to the 2009 NBA Finals, we want to say a big “Thank you” to the Denver Nuggets, winners of the Northwest Division, for the wonderful season they had!

The Denver Nuggets finished the 2007-08 season in 2nd place in the Northwest Division and made it to the playoffs, though they were knocked out in the first round for the 5th season in a row. Most people blame the failure on a weak defense, but Denver actually ranked higher in defensive efficiency (9th) than in offensive efficiency (11th). Unfortunately, they traded 2006-07 Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Camby to the Clippers for the option to swap 2nd round draft picks in the 2010 NBA Draft, which has fans none too pleased. But, if J.R. Smith and Nenê can stay healthy and focused they can make up for the loss of Camby, and with Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson on the roster, there’s no reason Denver can’t go deep into the playoffs. Get your tickets to the Pepsi Center and help the Nuggets prove the critics wrong with a successful 2008-09 season!

The Denver Nuggets were a winning team in the ABA. In 1976, when the ABA went out of business and merged with the NBA, the Denver Nuggets, the San Antonio Spurs, the New Jersey Nets, and the Indiana Pacers all made the switch to the NBA. The Nuggets thrived early on in the NBA history. They posted the second best record in the league their first year, but lost early in the playoffs to the eventual champions, the Portland Trailblazers. The Nuggets experienced much success early on. Led by head coach Larry Brown, the Nuggets were fixtures in the NBA playoffs in the 1970s and in the middle part of the 1980s. As of late, the Nuggets have experienced some difficulties, posting only three winning records between 1988 and 2003.

The Nuggets hoped to change things in 2003 when they selected phenom Carmelo Anthony. Right away, the team's morale, and their ticket sales, went way up. Anthony was a finalist for the John Wooten Player of the Year award in his freshman season at Syracuse. He led the team to the NCAA national championship before departing for the NBA. Anthony, along with LeBron James, headed up a 2003 rookie class that hoped to reshape the NBA. The Nuggets looked to his leadership on the court to revitalize the struggling franchise, and though he helped win a division title in 2006, the dream of a championship win has yet to be realized.

Head coach Jeff Bzdelik was hired in 2002. Bzdelik brought more than twenty years of experience to Denver, but none as a head coach. The franchise was hopeful that with the new coach, a new star player, and new uniforms in 2003, the team could reach new heights in the Western Conference, and they were right as the Nuggets made it to the playoffs for the first time in almost 10 years. The Nuggets play in Denver, Colorado's Pepsi Center. The downtown arena is one of the premier facilities across the league.

Denver is the home of the NFL's Denver Broncos. Playing at the brand new, state of the art Invesco Field at Mile High Stadium, the Broncos have played well for a number of years. Led for many years by legendary quarterback John Elway, the new look Broncos rode the legs of Clinton Portis and the arm of Jake Plummer in 2003. Denver is also the home the Colorado Avalanche. Also playing at the Pepsi Center, the Avalanche is one of the best teams in hockey, having won two Stanley Cups since 1996. Playing at Coors Field, the Colorado Rockies have put up huge offensive numbers in a renowned hitter's ballpark.