| 2023–24 Denver Nuggets season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Michael Malone |
| General manager | Calvin Booth |
| President | Josh Kroenke |
| Owners | Ann Walton Kroenke |
| Arena | Ball Arena |
| Results | |
| Record | 57–25 (.695) |
| Place | Division: 2nd (Northwest) Conference: 2nd (Western) |
| Playoff finish | Conference semifinals (lost to Timberwolves 3–4) |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
| Local media | |
| Television | Altitude Sports and Entertainment |
| Radio | KKSE |
The 2023-24 Denver Nuggets season was the 48th season for the franchise in the National Basketball Association. The Nuggets entered the season as defending NBA, Western Conference, and Northwest champion. Continuing the momentum from last season, they finished the season 57-25, improving by 4 wins, which was ultimately good for second place in the Western Conference. The Nuggets clinched their 6th straight playoff berth on March 31, 2024, defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers. On May 8, 2024, Nikola Jokic won his 3rd MVP award in four seasons.
In the first round of the Playoffs, the Denver Nuggets played the Los Angeles Lakers in a rematch of the 2023 Western Conference Finals, which was a 4-0 sweep for the Nuggets. The Nuggets won the series 4-1 and were matched up against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Conference Semifinals. After going down 0-2, the Nuggets won the next 3 games but were blown out in Game 6. The Nuggets held a 20-point lead in the third quarter of Game 7, but the Timberwolves made a fierce comeback to win the game 98-90 and the series 4-3, as the Nuggets became the first team in NBA history to blow a 15-point lead at halftime in a game 7.
| Round | Pick | Player | Position(s) | Nationality | College / Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 40 | Maxwell Lewis | SF |  United States | Pepperdine ( So. ) |
The Nuggets hold a second-round pick in the 2023 NBA draft. [1] The team traded their first-round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder on November 23, 2020. [2]
| Players | Coaches | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Roster |
| Northwest Division | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div | GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| c – Oklahoma City Thunder | 57 | 25 | .695 | – | 33–8 | 24–17 | 12–4 | 82 |
| x – Denver Nuggets | 57 | 25 | .695 | – | 33–8 | 24–17 | 10–6 | 82 |
| x – Minnesota Timberwolves | 56 | 26 | .683 | 1.0 | 30–11 | 26–15 | 12–4 | 82 |
| Utah Jazz | 31 | 51 | .378 | 26.0 | 21–20 | 10–31 | 5–11 | 82 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 21 | 61 | .256 | 36.0 | 11–30 | 10–31 | 1–15 | 82 |
| Western Conference | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB | GP |
| 1 | c – Oklahoma City Thunder * | 57 | 25 | .695 | – | 82 |
| 2 | x – Denver Nuggets | 57 | 25 | .695 | – | 82 |
| 3 | x – Minnesota Timberwolves | 56 | 26 | .683 | 1.0 | 82 |
| 4 | y – Los Angeles Clippers * | 51 | 31 | .622 | 6.0 | 82 |
| 5 | y – Dallas Mavericks * | 50 | 32 | .610 | 7.0 | 82 |
| 6 | x – Phoenix Suns | 49 | 33 | .598 | 8.0 | 82 |
| 7 | x – New Orleans Pelicans | 49 | 33 | .598 | 8.0 | 82 |
| 8 | x – Los Angeles Lakers | 47 | 35 | .573 | 10.0 | 82 |
| 9 | pi – Sacramento Kings | 46 | 36 | .561 | 11.0 | 82 |
| 10 | pi – Golden State Warriors | 46 | 36 | .561 | 11.0 | 82 |
| 11 | Houston Rockets | 41 | 41 | .500 | 16.0 | 82 |
| 12 | Utah Jazz | 31 | 51 | .378 | 26.0 | 82 |
| 13 | Memphis Grizzlies | 27 | 55 | .329 | 30.0 | 82 |
| 14 | San Antonio Spurs | 22 | 60 | .268 | 35.0 | 82 |
| 15 | Portland Trail Blazers | 21 | 61 | .256 | 36.0 | 82 |
| 2023 preseason game log Total: 3–2 (Home: 1–0; Road: 2–2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Preseason: 3–2 (home: 1–0; road: 2–2)
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023–24 preseason schedule | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023–24 game log Total: 57–25 (Home: 33–8; Road: 24–17) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
October: 4–0 (home: 2–0; road: 2–0)
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
November: 9–6 (home: 7–0; road: 2–6)
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
December: 10–5 (home: 4–3; road: 6–2)
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
January: 10–5 (home: 6–1; road: 4–4)
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
February: 8–3 (home: 5–1; road: 3–2)
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
March: 11–4 (home: 6–3; road: 5–1)
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
April: 5–2 (home: 3–0; road: 2–2)
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023–24 season schedule | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 playoff game log Total: 7–5 (home: 4–3; road: 3–2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
First Round: 4–1 (home: 3–0; road: 1–1)
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Conference Semifinals: 3–4 (home: 1–3; road: 2–1)
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 playoff schedule | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This will be the first regular season where all the NBA teams will compete in a mid-season tournament setting due to the implementation of the 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament. [3] [4] During the in-season tournament period, the Nuggets will compete in Group B of the Western Conference, which will include the Los Angeles Clippers, the New Orleans Pelicans, the Dallas Mavericks, and the Houston Rockets.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Qualification | NOP | HOU | DAL | DEN | LAC | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Orleans Pelicans | 4 | 3 | 1 | 463 | 430 | +33 | Advance to knockout stage | — | 101–104 | 131–110 | 115–110 | 116–106 | |
| 2 | Houston Rockets | 4 | 2 [lower-alpha 1] | 2 | 424 | 414 | +10 | 104–101 | — | 115–121 | 105–86 | 100–106 | ||
| 3 | Dallas Mavericks | 4 | 2 [lower-alpha 1] | 2 | 489 | 497 | −8 | 110–131 | 121–115 | — | 114–125 | 144–126 | ||
| 4 | Denver Nuggets | 4 | 2 [lower-alpha 1] | 2 | 432 | 442 | −10 | 110–115 | 86–105 | 125–114 | — | 111–108 | ||
| 5 | Los Angeles Clippers | 4 | 1 | 3 | 446 | 471 | −25 | 106–116 | 106–100 | 126–144 | 108–111 | — |
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game |
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christian Braun | 82 | 4 | 20.2 | .460 | .384 | .694 | 3.7 | 1.6 | .5 | .4 | 7.3 |
| Kentavious Caldwell-Pope | 76 | 76 | 31.6 | .460 | .406 | .894 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 1.3 | .6 | 10.1 |
| Collin Gillespie | 24 | 0 | 9.4 | .464 | .395 | .667 | .9 | 1.1 | .5 | .0 | 3.6 |
| Aaron Gordon | 73 | 73 | 31.5 | .556 | .290 | .658 | 6.5 | 3.5 | .8 | .6 | 13.9 |
| Justin Holiday | 58 | 9 | 14.9 | .454 | .404 | .750 | 1.2 | 1.2 | .6 | .2 | 4.0 |
| Jay Huff | 20 | 0 | 2.5 | .600 | .333 | 1.000 | .6 | .1 | .1 | .2 | 1.2 |
| Reggie Jackson | 82 | 23 | 22.2 | .431 | .359 | .806 | 1.9 | 3.8 | .5 | .2 | 10.2 |
| Nikola Jokić | 79 | 79 | 34.6 | .583 | .359 | .817 | 12.4 | 9.0 | 1.4 | .9 | 26.4 |
| DeAndre Jordan | 36 | 2 | 11.0 | .624 | – | .491 | 4.4 | .7 | .2 | .4 | 3.9 |
| Braxton Key | 20 | 0 | 3.0 | .412 | .400 | .750 | .9 | .5 | .1 | .1 | 1.1 |
| Jamal Murray | 59 | 59 | 31.5 | .481 | .425 | .853 | 4.1 | 6.5 | 1.0 | .7 | 21.2 |
| Zeke Nnaji | 58 | 0 | 9.9 | .463 | .261 | .677 | 2.2 | .6 | .3 | .7 | 3.2 |
| Jalen Pickett | 27 | 0 | 4.5 | .429 | .360 | .750 | .5 | .8 | .1 | .0 | 1.6 |
| Michael Porter Jr. | 81 | 81 | 31.7 | .484 | .397 | .836 | 7.0 | 1.5 | .5 | .7 | 16.7 |
| Julian Strawther | 50 | 0 | 10.9 | .369 | .297 | .710 | 1.2 | .9 | .3 | .1 | 4.5 |
| Hunter Tyson | 18 | 0 | 2.7 | .400 | .286 | – | .5 | .1 | .1 | .0 | 1.1 |
| Peyton Watson | 80 | 4 | 18.6 | .465 | .296 | .670 | 3.2 | 1.1 | .5 | 1.1 | 6.7 |
| June 23, 2023 [5] | To Denver Nuggets Draft rights to Julian Strawther (No. 29) (from Indiana) Draft rights to Jalen Pickett (No. 32) (from Indiana) Draft rights to Hunter Tyson (No. 37) (from Oklahoma City) 2024 second-round pick (from Oklahoma City) | To Indiana Pacers Draft rights to Mojave King (No. 47) (from Los Angeles) 2024 first-round pick (from Oklahoma City) |
| To Los Angeles Lakers Draft rights to Maxwell Lewis (No. 40) (from Denver) | To Oklahoma City Thunder 2029 first-round pick (from Denver) |
| Date | Player | Signed | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 16 | Reggie Jackson | 2-year contract | [6] |
| July 21 | DeAndre Jordan | 1-year contract | [7] |
| Date | Player | Former team | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 6 | Justin Holiday | Dallas Mavericks | [8] |
| Date | Player | Reason left | New team | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 2 | Thomas Bryant | Free agent | Miami Heat | [9] |
| July 6 | Bruce Brown | Free agent | Indiana Pacers | [10] |
| July 7 | Jeff Green | Free agent | Houston Rockets | [11] |
| July 20 | Jack White | Free agent | Oklahoma City Thunder | [12] |
The Denver Nuggets are an American professional basketball team based in Denver. The Nuggets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference. The team was founded as the Denver Larks in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association (ABA) but changed their name to the Rockets before the first season. The Rockets then changed their name again to the Nuggets in 1974. After the name change, the Nuggets played for the final ABA Championship title in 1976, losing to the New York Nets.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis. The Timberwolves compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference. The team was founded in 1989. Its majority owner is Glen Taylor, who also owns the WNBA's Minnesota Lynx. The Timberwolves play their home games at Target Center, their home since 1990.
Corey Wayne Brewer is an American former professional basketball player who serves as a player development coach for the New Orleans Pelicans. He played college basketball for the Florida Gators, winning back-to-back NCAA national championships in 2006 and 2007. He was named Most Outstanding Player of the 2007 NCAA tournament.
The 2004 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2003–04 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Detroit Pistons defeating the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers four games to one in the NBA Finals. Chauncey Billups was named NBA Finals MVP.
Tywon Ronell Lawson is an American professional basketball who is currently a free agent. He played college basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels where he won the 2009 national championship his junior year.
Michael Alex Conley Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was drafted as the fourth overall pick in the 2007 NBA draft by the Memphis Grizzlies. Conley spent 12 seasons with the Grizzlies and became the team's all-time leading scorer before being traded to the Utah Jazz in 2019, then traded again to the Timberwolves in 2023.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are an American professional basketball team based in Oklahoma City. The Thunder compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference. The team plays its home games at Paycom Center.
The 2009–10 Denver Nuggets season was the 43rd season of the franchise, its 34th in the National Basketball Association (NBA). After their trip the conference finals last season, the Nuggets started the season 35-18 before the All-Star break. Carmelo Anthony was selected to the 2010 NBA All-Star Game with George Karl coaching the Western Conference. Karl was diagnosed with neck and throat cancer, ending his season. Adrian Dantley took over and the team struggled in the second half of the season, finishing with a 53-29 record and earned the number 4 seed in the West. Denver's season ended in the first round with a defeat to the Utah Jazz in six games. The Nuggets had the third best team offensive rating in the NBA.
The 1996–97 NBA season was the Timberwolves' 8th season in the National Basketball Association. In the 1996 NBA draft, the Timberwolves selected shooting guard Ray Allen from the University of Connecticut with the fifth overall pick, but soon traded him to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for top draft pick point guard Stephon Marbury out of Georgia Tech. The team also acquired James Robinson from the Portland Trail Blazers, and second-year center Cherokee Parks from the Dallas Mavericks, while signing free agents, rookie center Dean Garrett, second-year guard Chris Carr, and Stojko Vrankovic during the off-season. However, Michael Williams would miss the entire season with a strained plantar fascia in his left heel.
Karl-Anthony Towns Jr., also known by the initialed nickname KAT, is a Dominican-American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats. Towns was named to the Dominican Republic national team as a 16-year-old. He was selected with the first overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves, and went on to be named NBA Rookie of the Year for the 2015–16 season. He has received four All-Star selections, and won the 2021–22 NBA Three-Point Contest.
The Oklahoma City Thunder is an American professional basketball team based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It was established in 2008 when the Sonics left Seattle.
The 2022–23 Los Angeles Lakers season was the 76th season of the franchise, its 75th season in the National Basketball Association (NBA), its 63rd season in Los Angeles, and its 24th season playing home games at Crypto.com Arena. On April 11, 2022, the Los Angeles Lakers fired Frank Vogel as head coach. On June 3, 2022, the Lakers hired Darvin Ham as their new head coach.
The 2022–23 Denver Nuggets season was the 47th season for the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The season culminated in a win in the NBA Finals, their first title in franchise history, including their time in the ABA.
The 2022–23 Minnesota Timberwolves season was the 34th season for the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
The 2023–24 Houston Rockets season was the 57th season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA), and 53rd season in the city of Houston.
The 2023–24 Los Angeles Clippers season was the 54th season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA), their 46th season in Southern California and their 40th season in Los Angeles. This was also the Clippers' final season at the Crypto.com Arena, as the team will move to the new Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California starting in the 2024–25 season.
The 2023–24 Dallas Mavericks season is the 44th season for the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The team improved upon their 38–44 record from last season and qualified for the playoffs after a one-year absence. The Mavs defeated the Los Angeles Clippers and the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder each in six games to advance to their second Conference Finals appearance in three seasons.
The 2023–24 New Orleans Pelicans season was the 22nd season of the New Orleans Pelicans franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The team returned to the playoffs after a one-year absence defeating the Sacramento Kings in the second game of the NBA play-in tournament after losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in the first game. However, they were swept in the first round by the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder.
The 2023–24 Los Angeles Lakers season was the 77th season of the franchise, its 76th season in the National Basketball Association (NBA), its 64th season in Los Angeles, and its 25th season playing home games at Crypto.com Arena. This is the Lakers' second and final season with Darvin Ham as head coach, with Ham joining the team as the Lakers coach on June 3, 2022, before the end of the 2021–22 season.
The 2023–24 Minnesota Timberwolves season is the 35th season for the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Entering the second season of the "Big 3" consisting of guard Anthony Edwards, center/forward Karl-Anthony Towns and center Rudy Gobert, the team sought to improve upon its 42–40 record from the previous season and make its third consecutive playoff appearance.
