1981–82 Denver Nuggets season

NBA professional basketball team season August 2023 March 2026 Denver Nuggets 1982 46 36 Midwest 2 4 Doug Moe McNichols Sports Arena KWGN KOA West First Round(lost to Suns 1–2) DEN The 1981–82 Denver Nuggets season was their 15th season, and their sixth in the NBA. During the 1981–82 season, they scored at least 100 points in every game and allowed at least 100 points in every game. They returned to the postseason for the first time since the 1978–79 season. In the playoffs, the Nuggets lost to the Phoenix Suns in three games in the First Round. Draft picks 1981 NBA draft Round Pick Player Position Nationality School/Club team 2 34 Ken Green Power forward Texas-Pan American 5 101 Willie Sims Guard LSU 6 124 Alonzo Weatherly Power forward University of Denver 7 147 Greg Manning Shooting guard Maryland 8 169 Curtis Redding St. John's 9 191 Andrew Burton Guard Austin Peay 10 211 Derrick Rowland Guard Potsdam State Roster Denver Nuggets 1981–82 #2C3292 #EFE328 #2C3292 #EFE328 23 T.R. Dunn SG 6 4 192 Alabama 2 Alex English SF 6 7 190 South Carolina 22 Glen Gondrezick F 6 6 218 UNLV 1 Kenny Higgs G 6 0 180 LSU 34 Cedrick Hordges F 6 8 280 South Carolina 44 Dan Issel C 6 9 235 Kentucky 7 Billy McKinney basketball G 6 0 170 Northwestern 43 James Ray basketball F 6 8 215 Jacksonville 25 Dave Robisch C 6 10 235 Kansas 10 John Roche basketball G 6 3 170 South Carolina 33 David Thompson basketball SF 6 4 195 North Carolina State 55 Kiki Vandeweghe PF 6 8 220 UCLA USA Doug Moe Regular season Season standings DEN DEN Notes z, y – division champions x – clinched playoff spot Game log Regular season Denver Nuggets 1982 #0000CD #FFD700 Total: 46–36 (home: 29–12; road: 17–24) Denver Nuggets October yes #FFD700 #0000CD 1 0 0 1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 1 | October 30, 1981 | Golden State | W 134–121 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 1–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 2 | October 31, 1981 | @ San Antonio | L 120–145 | | | | HemisFair Arena | 1–1 Denver Nuggets November #FFD700 #0000CD 5 1 2 3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 3 | November 4, 1981 | Houston | W 112–100 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 2–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 4 | November 6, 1981 | @ Seattle | W 109–105 | | | | Kingdome | 3–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 5 | November 7, 1981 | @ Golden State | L 107–152 | | | | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena | 3–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 6 | November 8, 1981 | @ Portland | L 116–120 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 3–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 7 | November 10, 1981 | Phoenix | L 106–109 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 3–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 8 | November 13, 1981 | @ Utah | L 124–131 | | | | Salt Palace Acord Arena | 3–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 9 | November 18, 1981 | San Diego | W 133–128 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 4–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 10 | November 21, 1981 | Kansas City | W 128–121 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 5–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 11 | November 25, 1981 | Dallas | W 139–133 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 6–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 12 | November 27, 1981 | @ Kansas City | W 123–115 | | | | Kemper Arena | 7–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 13 | November 28, 1981 | Utah | W 131–124 (OT) | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 8–5 Denver Nuggets December #FFD700 #0000CD 3 4 3 6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 14 | December 1, 1981 | Portland | L 113–121 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 8–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 15 | December 3, 1981 | @ Phoenix | L 109–137 | | | | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum | 8–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 16 | December 4, 1981 | Los Angeles | L 117–126 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 8–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 17 | December 5, 1981 | @ Dallas | L 105–109 | | | | Reunion Arena | 8–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 18 | December 8, 1981 | @ New York | L 122–135 | | | | Madison Square Garden | 8–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 19 | December 9, 1981 | @ Philadelphia | L 109–137 | | | | The Spectrum | 8–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 20 | December 11, 1981 | @ New Jersey | L 123–131 | | | | Brendan Byrne Arena | 8–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 21 | December 12, 1981 | @ Cleveland | W 120–115 | | | | Richfield Coliseum | 9–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 22 | December 15, 1981 | Seattle | L 120–126 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 9–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 23 | December 17, 1981 | Atlanta | W 138–103 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 10–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 24 | December 19, 1981 | San Antonio | W 138–125 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 11–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 25 | December 22, 1981 | @ Houston | W 121–109 | | | | The Summit | 12–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 26 | December 23, 1981 | Detroit | L 119–124 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 12–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 27 | December 26, 1981 | @ Dallas | W 124–117 | | | | Reunion Arena | 13–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 28 | December 29, 1981 | Boston | W 128–123 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 14–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 29 | December 30, 1981 | @ Kansas City | L 116–120 | | | | Kemper Arena | 14–15 Denver Nuggets January #FFD700 #0000CD 5 2 4 3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 30 | January 2, 1982 | @ San Antonio | L 133–148 | | | | HemisFair Arena | 14–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 31 | January 3, 1982 | @ Milwaukee | W 128–122 | | | | MECCA Arena | 15–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 32 | January 5, 1982 | @ Chicago | L 128–134 | | | | Chicago Stadium | 15–17 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 33 | January 6, 1982 | San Diego | W 136–114 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 16–17 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 34 | January 8, 1982 | @ Portland | W 124–121 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 17–17 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 35 | January 9, 1982 | Seattle | L 110–125 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 17–18 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 36 | January 12, 1982 | Kansas City | W 139–126 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 18–18 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 37 | January 13, 1982 | @ Golden State | L 128–143 | | | | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena | 18–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 38 | January 15, 1982 | Dallas | W 128–113 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 19–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 39 | January 17, 1982 | @ San Diego | W 138–131 | | | | San Diego Sports Arena | 20–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 40 | January 19, 1982 | Los Angeles | W 140–139 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 21–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 41 | January 22, 1982 | Milwaukee | L 125–131 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 21–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 42 | January 23, 1982 | @ Houston | W 111–109 | | | | The Summit | 22–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 43 | January 27, 1982 | New Jersey | W 130–116 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 23–20 |- align="center" |colspan="9" bgcolor="#bbcaff"|All-Star Break |- style="background:#cfc;" |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" Denver Nuggets February #FFD700 #0000CD 4 4 2 4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 44 | February 2, 1982 | New York | W 128–117 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 24–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 45 | February 4, 1982 | @ Indiana | L 114–131 | | | | Market Square Arena | 24–21 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 46 | February 5, 1982 | @ Boston | L 144–145 | | | | Boston Garden | 24–22 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 47 | February 7, 1982 | @ Washington | W 124–115 | | | | Capital Centre | 25–22 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 48 | February 10, 1982 | Utah | L 148–151 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 25–23 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 49 | February 13, 1982 | San Diego | W 146–129 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 26–23 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 50 | February 15, 1982 | @ Utah | W 145–134 | | | | Salt Palace Acord Arena | 27–23 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 51 | February 16, 1982 | Kansas City | W 119–106 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 28–23 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 52 | February 19, 1982 | San Antonio | L 121–126 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 28–24 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 53 | February 21, 1982 | Los Angeles | L 131–132 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 28–25 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 54 | February 23, 1982 | @ Los Angeles | L 129–145 | | | | The Forum | 28–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 55 | February 24, 1982 | Houston | L 110–120 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 28–27 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 56 | February 26, 1982 | @ Phoenix | L 122–131 | | | | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum | 28–28 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 57 | February 27, 1982 | Philadelphia | W 134–125 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 29–28 Denver Nuggets March #FFD700 #0000CD 8 1 5 1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 58 | March 2, 1982 | Indiana | L 124–132 (OT) | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 29–29 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 59 | March 5, 1982 | Washington | W 127–126 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 30–29 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 60 | March 7, 1982 | Cleveland | W 147–127 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 31–29 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 61 | March 9, 1982 | @ Atlanta | L 106–120 | | | | The Omni | 31–30 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 62 | March 10, 1982 | @ Detroit | W 124–113 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 32–30 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 63 | March 12, 1982 | @ Houston | W 130–115 | | | | The Summit | 33–30 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 64 | March 14, 1982 | Golden State | W 127–101 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 34–30 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 65 | March 16, 1982 | Utah | W 154–138 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 35–30 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 66 | March 17, 1982 | @ Phoenix | W 135–133 (OT) | | | | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum | 36–30 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 67 | March 19, 1982 | Chicago | W 130–120 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 37–30 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 68 | March 24, 1982 | San Antonio | W 129–115 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 38–30 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 69 | March 25, 1982 | @ San Diego | W 129–117 | | | | San Diego Sports Arena | 39–30 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 70 | March 27, 1982 | Phoenix | W 140–134 (2OT) | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 40–30 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 71 | March 30, 1982 | Seattle | W 145–142 (OT) | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 41–30 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 72 | March 31, 1982 | @ Dallas | W 120–119 | | | | Reunion Arena | 42–30 Denver Nuggets April #FFD700 #0000CD 3 0 1 6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 73 | April 2, 1982 | Portland | W 127–121 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 43–30 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 74 | April 4, 1982 | @ Seattle | L 116–140 | | | | Kingdome | 43–31 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 75 | April 6, 1982 | @ Portland | L 122–136 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 43–32 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 76 | April 7, 1982 | @ Golden State | W 129–121 | | | | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena | 44–32 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 77 | April 9, 1982 | @ Los Angeles | L 128–153 | | | | The Forum | 44–33 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 78 | April 10, 1982 | @ Utah | L 136–151 | | | | Salt Palace Acord Arena | 44–34 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 79 | April 13, 1982 | @ San Antonio | L 137–144 | | | | HemisFair Arena | 44–35 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 80 | April 14, 1982 | Houston | W 141–122 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 45–35 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 81 | April 16, 1982 | @ Kansas City | L 121–123 | | | | Kemper Arena | 45–36 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 82 | April 17, 1982 | Dallas | W 130–124 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 46–36 DEN 1982 Playoffs Denver Nuggets 1982 yes #0000CD #FFD700 Denver Nuggets Western Conference First Round no yes yes #FFD700 #0000CD 0 1 1 1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 1 | April 20, 1982 | Phoenix | W 129–113 | VanDeWeghe (29) | English (10) | English,McKinney (5) | McNichols Sports Arena17,298 | 1–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 2 | April 23, 1982 | @ Phoenix | L 110–126 | Issel (26) | English (6) | English,Gondrezick (5) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum12,798 | 1–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 3 | April 24, 1982 | Phoenix | L 119–124 | Issel (26) | Dunn.Issel (10) | English (7) | McNichols Sports Arena17,443 | 1–2 |- DEN 1982 yes See also 1981-82 NBA season References Nuggets on Basketball Reference Category:Denver Nuggets seasons Den Denver Nugget Denver Nugget