Editing Denver Nuggets (section)

{{Short description|Basketball team}}
{{About|the current NBA team|the original Denver Nuggets NBL/NBA team from 1948 to 1950|Denver Nuggets (1948–1950)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{Use American English|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox basketball club
| name = Denver Nuggets
| current = 2025–26 Denver Nuggets season
| logo = Denver Nuggets.svg
| imagesize = 200px
| conference = [[Western Conference (NBA)|Western]]
| division = [[Northwest Division (NBA)|Northwest]]
| founded = 1967
| history = '''Denver Rockets'''<br />1967–1974 (ABA)<br />'''Denver Nuggets'''<br />1974–1976 (ABA)<br />1976–present (NBA)<ref>{{cite news|title=Nuggets Unveil 50th Anniversary Logo in Celebration of Franchise's 50th Year|url=https://www.nba.com/nuggets/news/nuggets-50th-anniversary-logo|publisher=NBA Media Ventures, LLC|website=Nuggets.com|date=June 14, 2017|access-date=May 14, 2024|quote=The date June 14, 2017 marks the 50th anniversary of the franchise’s creation. In 1967, the Ringsby family was able to post a performance bond payout to take over ownership of the then American Basketball Association team cementing a basketball franchise in Denver.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Franchise History–NBA Advanced Stats|url=https://www.nba.com/stats/history|publisher=NBA Media Ventures, LLC|website=NBA.com|access-date=May 13, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=NBA.com/Stats–Denver Nuggets seasons|url=https://www.nba.com/stats/team/1610612743/seasons|publisher=NBA Media Ventures, LLC|website=Stats.NBA.com|access-date=December 2, 2022|url-status=live|archive-date=December 2, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221202035956/https://www.nba.com/stats/team/1610612743/seasons}}</ref>
| arena = [[Ball Arena]]<ref name="BallArena">{{cite news|title=Denver Nuggets will now play in Ball Arena as part of KSE, Ball Corporation Global Partnership|url=https://www.nba.com/nuggets/news/kse-ballcorp-globalpartnership-20201022|publisher=NBA Media Ventures, LLC|website=Nuggets.com|date=October 22, 2020|access-date=November 9, 2020|archive-date=November 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109005619/https://www.nba.com/nuggets/news/kse-ballcorp-globalpartnership-20201022|url-status=live}}</ref>
| location = [[Denver|Denver, Colorado]]
| colors = Midnight blue, sunshine yellow, [[Flatirons]] red, skyline blue<ref>{{cite web|title=Nuggets Uniforms|url=https://www.nba.com/nuggets/uniform-schedule|publisher=NBA Media Ventures, LLC|website=Nuggets.com|access-date=March 2, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=NBA LockerVision - Denver Nuggets - Statement Edition - Story Guide|url=https://lockervision.nba.com/outfit/denver-nuggets/statement-edition|publisher=NBA Properties, Inc.|website=LockerVision.NBA.com|access-date=March 2, 2025|quote=This Statement Edition uniform reflects that spirt of evolution, building on the elements of the original Statement Edition uniform with the inclusion of new elements and color palettes. The addition of two “gold strikes" included in the Nuggets logo identity are showcased on the front of the jersey. The uniform number changes from white to sunshine yellow, reflecting the 300 days of sunshine Denver sees annually. Lastly, the addition of flatiron red, Colorado translates to “colored red” in Spanish for trim elements that bring a fresh and new look to this Statement Edition uniform.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Denver Nuggets Reproduction and Usage Guideline Sheet|url=https://cdn-assets-us.frontify.com/s3/frontify-enterprise-files-us/eyJwYXRoIjoibmJhXC9maWxlXC9XRHJucWhtZEZwRVVhZGNpN1FOMS5wZGYifQ:nba:Xz_657Q0gKWLve7ODd7kBowJZO4QG416m8djIXa5GLg|publisher=NBA Properties, Inc.|access-date=March 1, 2025}}</ref><br />{{color box|#0E2240}} {{color box|#FEC524}} {{color box|#8B2131}} {{color box|#244289}}
| sponsor = [[Ibotta]]<ref>{{cite press release|title=Ibotta Celebrates Commitment to Denver by Becoming the Official Jersey Patch Sponsor of the 2023 NBA Champion Denver Nuggets|url=https://www.nba.com/nuggets/news/ibotta-celebrates-commitment-to-denver-by-becoming-the-official-jersey-patch-sponsor-of-the-2023-nba-champion-denver-nuggets|publisher=NBA Media Ventures, LLC|website=Nuggets.com|date=October 24, 2023|access-date=December 17, 2023|archive-date=November 2, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231102015207/https://www.nba.com/nuggets/news/ibotta-celebrates-commitment-to-denver-by-becoming-the-official-jersey-patch-sponsor-of-the-2023-nba-champion-denver-nuggets|url-status=live}}</ref>
| ceo = [[Josh Kroenke]] 
| president = Josh Kroenke<ref>{{cite web|title=Josh Kroenke–Nuggets Executives|url=https://kseblobstorage.blob.core.windows.net/sitefiles/pdf/DN_MediaGuide_2122_Digital.pdf#page=8|publisher=NBA Media Ventures, LLC|work=2021–22 Denver Nuggets Media Guide|access-date=June 5, 2023|url-status=live|archive-date=June 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605003651/https://kseblobstorage.blob.core.windows.net/sitefiles/pdf/DN_MediaGuide_2122_Digital.pdf#page=8}}</ref>
| gm = Ben Tenzer (interim)
| coach = [[David Adelman (basketball)|David Adelman]] 
| owner = [[Kroenke Sports & Entertainment]] ([[Stan Kroenke]], Owner/Governor)<ref>{{cite web|title=Staff Directory|url=https://www.nba.com/nuggets/staff-directory|publisher=NBA Media Ventures, LLC|website=Nuggets.com|access-date=June 5, 2023|url-status=live|archive-date=June 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605003651/https://www.nba.com/nuggets/staff-directory}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Denver Nuggets Team Info and News|url=https://www.nba.com/team/1610612743/nuggets|publisher=NBA Media Ventures, LLC|website=NBA.com|access-date=June 5, 2023|url-status=live|archive-date=June 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605003651/https://www.nba.com/team/1610612743/nuggets}}</ref>
| affiliation = [[Grand Rapids Gold]]<ref>{{cite press release|title=Grand Rapids Drive to serve as Nuggets' affiliate starting in 2021–22|url=https://www.nba.com/news/grand-rapids-drive-to-serve-as-nuggets-affiliate-starting-in-2021-22|publisher=NBA Media Ventures, LLC|website=NBA.com|date=April 27, 2021|access-date=June 14, 2021|archive-date=May 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210513093621/https://www.nba.com/news/grand-rapids-drive-to-serve-as-nuggets-affiliate-starting-in-2021-22|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="grgold">{{cite press release|title=Grand Rapids Drive Announce New Name And Logo|url=https://gleague.nba.com/news/grand-rapids-drive-announce-new-name-and-logo/|publisher=NBA Media Ventures, LLC|website=GLeague.NBA.com|date=July 7, 2021|access-date=July 12, 2021|archive-date=July 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210707202201/https://gleague.nba.com/news/grand-rapids-drive-announce-new-name-and-logo/|url-status=live}}</ref>
| league_champs = '''1''' ([[2023 NBA Finals|2023]])
| conf_champs = '''1''' ([[2023 NBA playoffs|2023]])
| div_champs = '''12'''<br />'''ABA: 2''' ([[1969–70 ABA season|1970]], [[1974–75 ABA season|1975]])<br />'''NBA: 10''' ([[1976–77 NBA season|1977]], [[1977–78 NBA season|1978]], [[1984–85 NBA season|1985]], [[1987–88 NBA season|1988]], [[2005–06 NBA season|2006]], [[2008–09 NBA season|2009]], [[2009–10 NBA season|2010]], [[2018–19 NBA season|2019]], [[2019–20 NBA season|2020]], [[2022–23 NBA season|2023]])
| ret_nums = '''7''' (<!-- Do not add Bill Russell. Only names hanging up in the arena should be listed here. -->[[Alex English|2]], [[Fat Lever|12]], [[David Thompson (basketball)|33]], [[Byron Beck|40]], [[Dan Issel|44]], [[Dikembe Mutombo|55]], [[Doug Moe|432]])
| website = {{URL|nba.com/nuggets}}
| 1_title = Association
| 1_pattern_b = _denvernuggets_association
| 1_pattern_s = _denvernuggets_association
| 2_title = Icon
| 2_pattern_b = _denvernuggets_icon
| 2_pattern_s = _denvernuggets_icon
| 3_title = Statement
| 3_pattern_b = _denvernuggets_statement2223
| 3_pattern_s = _denvernuggets_statement2223
<!--| 4_title = City
| 4_pattern_b = 
| 4_pattern_s = -->
}}
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 (NBA)|Northwest Division]] of the [[Western Conference (NBA)|Western Conference]]. The team was originally 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 began due to a swift ownership change that came from the owners of the local Ringsby Rocket Truck Lines company.<ref>{{cite news|title=December to Remember|url=http://www.nba.com/nuggets/december-to-remember|publisher=NBA Media Ventures, LLC|website=Nuggets.com|date=December 3, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141204042700/http://www.nba.com/nuggets/december-to-remember|archive-date=December 4, 2014|access-date=June 21, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Rockets then changed their name to the Nuggets on August 7, 1974 as a precautionary measure for their franchise to move from the ABA to the NBA.<ref>{{cite web|title=Behind The Name – Nuggets|url=https://www.nba.com/nuggets/features/behind_the_name.html|publisher=NBA Media Ventures, LLC|website=Nuggets.com|date=August 31, 2006|access-date=June 2, 2023|url-status=live|archive-date=May 10, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230510090859/https://www.nba.com/nuggets/features/behind_the_name.html}}</ref> After the name change, the Nuggets played for the final [[List of ABA champions|ABA Championship]] title in 1976, losing to the [[Brooklyn Nets|New York Nets]].

The team has had some periods of success, qualifying for the ABA playoffs in all but two seasons of the ABA's existence. The team made the [[1976 ABA Finals]], losing to the [[Brooklyn Nets|New York Nets]].<ref name="basketball-reference">{{cite web |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/DEN/ |title=Denver Nuggets Franchise Index |publisher=Basketball Reference |access-date=March 8, 2018 |archive-date=February 24, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110224201552/http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/DEN/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The team joined the NBA in 1976 after the [[American Basketball Association–National Basketball Association merger|ABA–NBA merger]] and qualified for the [[NBA playoffs]] in nine consecutive seasons in the 1980s and ten consecutive seasons from 2004 to 2013.<ref name="basketball-reference"/> In 2023, the Nuggets, led by [[Nikola Jokić]] and [[Jamal Murray]], reached their first [[NBA Finals]] and defeated the [[Miami Heat]] to capture the franchise's first NBA championship. The Nuggets were the last of the four surviving former ABA teams to reach the NBA Finals, and the second former ABA team to win an NBA title (after the [[San Antonio Spurs]]).<ref name="basketball-reference"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/playoffs/2009/matchup/_/teams/nuggets-lakers |title=2009 NBA Playoffs – Conference finals – Nuggets vs. Lakers – ESPN |website=ESPN |access-date=December 12, 2019 |quote=The Nuggets are the only active former ABA franchise never to win a title in the ABA or NBA. |archive-date=December 12, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191212231928/http://www.espn.com/nba/playoffs/2009/matchup/_/teams/nuggets-lakers |url-status=live }}</ref> The Nuggets play their home games at [[Ball Arena]],<ref name="BallArena"/> which they share with the [[Colorado Avalanche]] of the [[National Hockey League]] (NHL) and the [[Colorado Mammoth]] of the [[National Lacrosse League]] (NLL).