Denver Nuggets Final Appearances

The Denver Nuggets were established in 1967 as part of the American Basketball Association (ABA), and joined the NBA in 1976. Since the Nuggets started playing in the NBA, they have featured several teams over the years that were renowned for their high-octane, offense-oriented style of play.

Legends of the game like Alex English, Fat Lever, and David Thompson led the Nuggets to some exciting campaigns as the franchise captured the hearts of NBA fans worldwide. Nuggets’ iconic rainbow skyline jerseys and cartoonish miner known as "Maxie The Miner" became wildly popular amongst the fans.

Situated precisely one mile above sea level, Denver is known as the "Mile High City," and this high altitude makes it a challenging venue to visit. Under the ownership of billionaire Stan Kroenke, the Nuggets have fostered a championship culture. Presently, Nuggets are led by the star duo of Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray, as they have consistently secured playoff berths since 2019 and are perennial contenders for the NBA title. With Jokić and Murray steering the team, the Nuggets are poised to leave an enduring legacy throughout the 2020s decade.

How many NBA championships have the Denver Nuggets won?

The Denver Nuggets have won one NBA championship. Despite having many great teams over the years and clinching 10 division titles over the years, the Nuggets always fell short in the playoffs. Prior to reaching the NBA Finals in 2023, the Nuggets had never made it to the finals in their history.

They had previously reached the Western Conference Finals (WCF) on four occasions in 1978, 1985, 2009, and 2020, but were unable to advance further. In 1978, they were beaten by Seattle SuperSonics, while on other three occasions they were knocked out by the star-studded Los Angeles Lakers teams.

However in 2023, the Nuggets finally broke through, again facing their old rivals Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. In their fifth WCF appearance in 2023, the Nuggets swept aside the Lakers in four games, as Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray were dominant throughout the series.

In 2023, Denver Nuggets won their first NBA championship in 47 years of existence. With all the core players from the 2023 championship are in prime, the Nuggets will be contenders for years to come.

Please add the data in table format as shown below.

Denver Nuggets NBA Finals Appearance History

The Denver Nuggets made their first-ever NBA Finals appearance in 2023, marking a historic milestone for the franchise. In a spectacular display of skills and determination, Denver Nuggets clinched the 2023 NBA championship in just five games, dominating Miami Heat in all aspects of the game.

This victory solidified the Nuggets place in NBA history. Below is a table summarizing the Denver Nuggets' NBA Finals appearance history:

What teams did the Denver Nuggets lose the NBA Finals against?

The Denver Nuggets have never lost an NBA Finals series in their franchise history. Their sole appearance in the NBA Finals occurred in 2023, where they emerged victorious against the Miami Heat with a series result of 4-1. Therefore, the Nuggets have an unblemished record of 1-0 in the NBA Finals.

Denver Nuggets Last NBA Finals Appearance

The Denver Nuggets last NBA Finals appearance was in 2023. Facing off against the Miami Heat in the 2023 NBA finals, the Denver team was led by superstar Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray.

Supported by sharpshooter Michael Porter Jr. and athletic dunking machine Aaron Gordon, Nuggets were favorites to win the finals as they had home-court advantage and the momentum.

In the Game 1 of 2023 NBA Finals, Denver Nuggets dominated as they maintained a commanding lead throughout the game, trailing for just 34 seconds while reaching a staggering 24-point advantage at one point in the game.

Jokić recorded a triple-double with 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 14 assists, while Murray contributed 26 points and 10 assists. Miami struggled mightily as they attempted only two free throws in the entire game which is now an NBA record for fewest free throws attempted in a playoffs game.

In Game 2, despite a strong start by Denver, Miami rallied from a 15-point deficit to win the game. Behind Gabe Vincent’s 23 points and Jimmy Butler's and Bam Adebayo's 21 points each, Miami triumphed 111-108.

However, the Nuggets bounced back in Game 3 with a historic victory in Miami, marked by Jokić and Murray’s astonishing statlines. Jokic and Murray became the first pair of teammates in NBA history to each record a 30-point triple-double. Rookie Christian Braun provided a crucial boost off the bench with 15 points on 7-for-8 shooting. Furthermore, Udonis Haslem, at 42 years and 363 days old, became the oldest player to participate in the NBA Finals.

In Game 4, the Nuggets unleashed new weapons, with Aaron Gordon scoring 27 points on 11-of-15 shooting and Bruce Brown contributing 21 points off the bench. Denver's potent all-around attack overwhelmed Miami, with the Nuggets converting 14 of their 28 three-point attempts. Miami struggled to find an answer to this attack, and the Nuggets secured a 3-1 lead in the series.

In decisive Game 5, Jokić continued his dominant performance streak, scoring 28 points and grabbing 16 rebounds to close out the series in just five games. Nikole Jokić won the 2023 NBA Finals MVP as he became the first player in NBA history to lead the entire playoffs in points, rebounds, and assists.