![]() Like that 17-win team in 2002-03 - but that paved the way to draft Anthony, who helped the Nuggets advance to the Western Conference finals in 2009, before being knocked out by a Lakers team led by Kobe Bryant.Īnthony would be neither the first nor the last NBA star to look at Denver but see sunnier horizons on the East or West Coast (he was traded to New York). They’ve had their share of lows along the way. “But don’t tell anybody you don’t want too many people” moving to Denver, he added. ![]() “It’s a great, great city and in many ways, underrated,” said former Nuggets player and team executive Kiki VanDeWeghe, who tuned in to watch the finals from Southern California. But it has been waiting patiently - OK, maybe not so patiently - for this shining moment from the blue and yellow of the Nuggets. It has fallen in love with the burgundy and blue of an Avalanche team that’s won three Stanley Cup titles since moving to town before the 1995-96 season. This is a town that always passionately celebrates the orange and blue of the Broncos. “I know they’re so proud of what we’ve achieved,” Malone said. And English shot a pregame free throw before Game 2, and Thompson did the same before Game 5. That’s why Issel was part of the Game 1 festivities, pounding a drum to rev up fans. He appreciates what they’ve meant to an organization that was one of the four ABA teams absorbed into the NBA before the 1976-77 season - and the last one to make an appearance in the NBA Finals. Nuggets coach Michael Malone wanted past players and coaches to realize they were an important part of this run. “It just feels so doggone good.”ĭenver's dynamic duo delivers the first championship in team history. ![]() “These guys accomplished something that we all hoped to, but never came to fruition for us,” said LaPhonso Ellis, the fifth overall draft pick by Denver in 1992 who lingered at Ball Arena long after the fans trickled out, soaking in the moment following a 94-89 win over Miami in Game 5. This, the Nuggets’ 47th NBA season, finally ended with confetti, a trophy and an upcoming parade through the streets of downtown. Other stars like Alex English, Dikembe Mutombo and Carmelo Anthony, along with any Nuggets player who ever wore a rainbow uniform or saw their season end at the hands of the Lakers. Nuggets greats like David Thompson, Dan Issel and Bobby Jones, who helped lead the team to its last finals appearance, in 1976, as members of the ABA.įormer coaches like Larry Brown, Doug Moe and George Karl. But they brought along a lot of people for the ride. This title, the first in the Nuggets’ long ABA/NBA history, of course meant so much to Murray, NBA Finals MVP Nikola Jokic and the rest of the cast. The Denver point guard wouldn’t let it out of his sight for long. And, yes, we have our One Shining Moment together, dear readers.Nuggets great David Thompson celebrates the team’s first championship with Jamal Murray.ĭENVER (AP) - Jamal Murray cradled the NBA championship trophy, occasionally rubbing the shiny gold piece of hardware to make sure it was real. Excuse me while I totally don't watch it another 1,000 times or so before finally falling asleep. It's like a whimsical basketball musical. It makes me feel like I'm on a wonderful magic carpet ride of basketball. Ugh, it's so good it almost makes me angry. You and your national title have to take a backseat for a second. The yearly tradition, i.e., the best part of the tournament (if you're a giant, sentient cheeseball of earnestness like me), is here again to cap the wild ride we just experienced together. Yes, it's our "One Shining Moment." (Starts tap dancing.) ![]() It's like forgetting the Christmas tree and gingerbread cookies. I know it may seem like we all accomplished a lot together in watching America's consummate sudden death sports tournament, but we can't forget this note. Watch Video: Rock Chalk at the top: Kansas wins 4th national title, Self gets his secondĪfter three weeks of drama, upsets, and high-level college basketball, there's but one more thing we need to do. ![]()
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