Carmelo averaged 22.8ppg in the regular season and 27.2 in the postseason to lead their scoring charts while Billups would buoy them with 17.9 and 20.6 respectively. They reached the finals for the first time in nearly 25 years, though history would repeat itself as they would find themselves on the losing end at the hand of the Lakers once again. Carmelo Anthony starred in a team that was mainly filled out with experienced players and veterans like Kenyon Martin and Chauncey Billups along with a young J.R. There is one clear and obvious standout in this Denver roster. This is where today’s Denver team comes out on top after they allowed just 112.5 this regular season. Whilst the 85’ Nuggets were a great team, they were severely lacking in the defensive department and the 117.6ppg they allowed was the second worst across the entire league. They would make the finals but ultimately fall short to the Lakers. They were the scoring team in the league, averaging 120.0 per game. He averaged a hair under 28 in this season and was supported by point guard Fat Lever, who improved from 4.6 assists per game the season prior to 7.5. The roster was headlined by Alex English who was the scoring champion two seasons prior. Finishing the regular season with a record of 52-30, the finished 2 nd in the Western Conference only bested by the Lakers. This was an excellent roster that unfortunately existed in the time of the LA Lakers dominance. For reference, we are only including post-merger teams so the ABA winning 1975-1976 team is not included here. Let’s take a look at some of the best and see how they compare to this current crop of players. I don’t think any other team’s hypothetical all-time bench players could put up as many points as these guys.Such success this season has raised the question of where this Nuggets team ranks among the all time greatest. He has a career RPG average of 9.1, a career 3-point percentage of 36.6%(including 39.6% last year on 3.7 attempts per game), and he shoots 65.7% on shots 0-3 feet away from the rim for his career. In fact, it was the 3rd highest APG average for a center in a season in NBA history. That’s good enough for the 6th best points per game average in Nuggets history and the 4th best field goal percentage.įinally, Nikola Jokic’s 4.4 assists per game average is the 3rd highest for a player 6’10 or taller in NBA history, and his 6.1 assists per game last year was the 15th best in the league last year and by far the best for a center. VanDeWeghe averaged 23.3 points per game on an impressive 54.1% shooting. He also grabbed 6.3 boards per game with a 9.9% rebound percentage. Anthony put up 24.8 points per game on 45.9% shooting, the 4th highest points per game average in Nuggets history. Iverson put up 25.6 points per game on 45.6% shooting, the 2nd highest points per game average in Nuggets history. He shot 39.2% from 3-point range in Colorado and shot 54.2% from 0-3 feet away from the rim while putting up 5.3 assists per game. He would grab a lot of rebounds, set his teammates up with no-look passes or alley-oops, and give opponents nightmares with his repertoire of outside shooting and a dangerously underrated post game.īillups averaged 1.1 steals per game in Denver, and in his second stint in the city, he amassed 4.9 defensive win shares in just 201 games. I’m sure most Nuggets fans know what this guy can do already, and while it may be a little early to call him one of the best centers in Nuggets history, his masterful passing and smooth shooting stroke combined with above-average rebounding ability make him one of the most talented centers in today’s game. He had a solid outside shot and an iconic step back that made him a 20+ point per game scorer for much of his career.įinally, Nikola Jokic. VanDeWeghe is one of the most underrated scorers in Nuggets and NBA history, and I could see him thriving in today’s game. He could focus on grabbing boards and creating his own shot when the other players around him are faltering to do so. Melo would specialize in isolation plays and fade away jumpers, but wouldn’t detract too many touches from the other arguably more talented scorers on this team(in an ideal world). He would likely average the most points among the bench players. Iverson would serve a role similar to Thompson on the starting team, taking a lot of touches and creating his own shot. Nuggets in NBA Finals Game 5īut, he could also make a 3-point shot or layup when needed, or thread a perfect pass to a teammate for an easy shot.
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