The 1982–83 Denver Nuggets season was their 16th season, and their seventh in the NBA. The Nuggets head coach was Doug Moe and his assistant coach was Bill Ficke.
In the playoffs, the Nuggets defeated the Phoenix Suns in three games in the First Round, before losing to the San Antonio Spurs in five games in the Semi-finals.
See main article: 1982 NBA draft.
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | School/Club Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 19 | Rob Williams | PG | Houston | |
| 3 | 62 | Roylin Bond | Pepperdine | ||
| 4 | 84 | Alford Turner | Southwest Louisiana | ||
| 5 | 109 | Bill Duffy | Santa Clara | ||
| 6 | 131 | Chris Brust | North Carolina | ||
| 7 | 153 | Jeb Barlow | North Carolina | ||
| 8 | 178 | Donnie Speer | Alabama-Birmingham | ||
| 9 | 200 | Dean Sears | UCLA | ||
| 10 | 220 | Mike Phillips | Niagara | ||
Notes
| 1982-83 NBA Records | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=100 | Team | ATL | BOS | CHI | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | KCK | LAL | MIL | NJN | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SAS | SDC | SEA | UTA | WAS |
| Atlanta | – | 1–5 | 5–1 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 6–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | |
| Boston | 5–1 | – | 3–2 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | |
| Chicago | 1–5 | 2–3 | – | 5–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–5 | |
| Cleveland | 0–6 | 1–5 | 1–5 | – | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 0–6 | 1–5 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–2 | |
| Dallas | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | – | 3–3 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 5–0 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 0–2 | |
| Denver | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | – | 2–0 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 4–2 | 1–1 | |
| Detroit | 3–3 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | – | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 1–5 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 3–2 | |
| Golden State | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 0–2 | – | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 1–4 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 2–0 | |
| Houston | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 2–3 | – | 2–0 | 1–5 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–5 | 0–5 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 0–6 | 1–1 | |
| Indiana | 0–6 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | – | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 0–6 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–5 | |
| Kansas City | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | – | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 1–4 | 4–2 | 2–0 | |
| Los Angeles | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 4–1 | – | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 4–1 | 1–1 | |
| Milwaukee | 4–1 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | – | 3–2 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–2 | |
| New Jersey | 4–2 | 1–5 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | – | 4–2 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | |
| New York | 2–3 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | – | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | |
| Philadelphia | 4–2 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 5–1 | – | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–2 | |
| Phoenix | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | – | 5–1 | 3–2 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 5–0 | 0–2 | |
| Portland | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–5 | – | 2–3 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 1–1 | |
| San Antonio | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 3–2 | – | 4–1 | 1–4 | 5–1 | 2–0 | |
| San Diego | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–5 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 1–4 | – | 0–6 | 2–3 | 0–2 | |
| Seattle | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 1–5 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 6–0 | – | 5–0 | 1–1 | |
| Utah | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 6–0 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–5 | 2–3 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 0–5 | – | 0–2 | |
| Washington | 2–4 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | — | |
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 1| | Dallas| L 117–125|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 0–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 2| | Phoenix| W 114–110|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 1–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 3| | Los Angeles| L 134–135 (OT)|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 1–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 4| | @ Los Angeles| L 108–131|||| The Forum| 1–3|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 5| | Golden State| W 127–118|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 2–3|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 6| | Atlanta| L 105–106|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 2–4|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 7| | @ Utah| L 119–125|||| Salt Palace Acord Arena| 2–5|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 8| | Portland| L 111–128|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 2–6|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 9| | @ Dallas| W 140–130|||| Reunion Arena| 3–6|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 10| | @ San Diego| W 136–130|||| San Diego Sports Arena| 4–6|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 11| | @ Phoenix| W 118–107|||| Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum| 5–6|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 12| | @ Los Angeles| L 129–143|||| The Forum| 5–7|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 13| | @ San Antonio| L 126–136|||| HemisFair Arena| 5–8|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 14| | San Antonio| W 129–123|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 6–8|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 15| | @ Seattle| L 106–127|||| Kingdome| 6–9|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 16| | San Diego| W 141–125|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 7–9|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 17| | Dallas| L 129–140|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 7–10|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 18| | Chicago| W 132–124|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 8–10|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 19| | @ Indiana| L 126–130|||| Market Square Arena| 8–11|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 20| | @ Washington| L 90–98|||| Capital Centre| 8–12|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 21| | @ Cleveland| W 117–107|||| Richfield Coliseum| 9–12|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 22| | @ Boston| L 112–126|||| Boston Garden| 9–13|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 23| | @ Milwaukee| W 113–98|||| MECCA Arena| 10–13|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 24| | San Antonio| L 108–120|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 10–14|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 25| | New Jersey| L 114–123|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 10–15|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 26| | @ Kansas City| L 102–146|||| Kemper Arena| 10–16|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 27| | @ Detroit| W 131–120|||| Pontiac Silverdome| 11–16|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 28| | Golden State| W 130–128|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 12–16|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 29| | Indiana| W 155–150 (OT)|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 13–16|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 30| | Boston| L 132–145|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 13–17|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 31| | Phoenix| W 127–125|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 14–17|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 32| | @ Portland| L 104–122|||| Memorial Coliseum| 14–18|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 33| | Kansas City| W 137–121|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 15–18|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 34| | @ Kansas City| L 118–138|||| Kemper Arena| 15–19|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 35| | Houston| W 125–97|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 16–19|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 36| | @ San Diego| L 120–122|||| San Diego Sports Arena| 16–20|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 37| | @ Seattle| W 131–119|||| Kingdome| 17–20|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 38| | Utah| W 126–118|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 18–20|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 39| | @ Dallas| L 139–149|||| Reunion Arena| 18–21|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 40| | @ Houston| W 131–111|||| The Summit| 19–21|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 41| | @ San Antonio| L 124–143|||| HemisFair Arena| 19–22|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 42| | Houston| W 130–93|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 20–22|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 43| | @ Golden State| L 121–136|||| Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena| 20–23|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 44| | New York| L 98–102|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 20–24|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 45| | Kansas City| W 119–112|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 21–24|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 46| | Portland| W 118–109|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 22–24|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 47| | Philadelphia| L 124–133|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 22–25|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 48| | @ Houston| L 128–135|||| The Summit| 22–26|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 49| | @ Atlanta| W 126–112|||| The Omni| 23–26|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 50| | Utah| W 143–136|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 24–26|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 51| | @ San Diego| L 98–125|||| San Diego Sports Arena| 24–27|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 52| | Seattle| W 134–125|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 25–27|- align="center"|colspan="9" bgcolor="#bbcaff"|All-Star Break|- style="background:#cfc;"|- bgcolor="#bbffbb"|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 53| | @ Philadelphia| L 95–116|||| The Spectrum| 25–28|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 54| | @ New Jersey| W 117–108|||| Brendan Byrne Arena| 26–28|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 55| | @ New York| L 115–124|||| Madison Square Garden| 26–29|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 56| | @ Chicago| L 133–144|||| Chicago Stadium| 26–30|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 57| | Seattle| W 138–129|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 27–30|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 58| | Washington| W 125–111|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 28–30|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 59| | @ Los Angeles| W 135–120|||| The Forum| 29–30|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 60| | Cleveland| W 132–121|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 30–30|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 61| | @ Golden State| W 128–108|||| Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena| 31–30|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 62| | @ Portland| W 142–138|||| Memorial Coliseum| 32–30|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 63| | Milwaukee| W 126–120|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 33–30|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 64| | San Antonio| W 129–118|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 34–30|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 65| | @ Utah| W 122–109|||| Salt Palace Acord Arena| 35–30|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 66| | Utah| W 130–117|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 36–30|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 67| | Golden State| W 139–115|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 37–30|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 68| | @ Seattle| L 117–147|||| Kingdome| 37–31|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 69| | Portland| L 106–118|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 37–32|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 70| | Phoenix| W 130–117|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 38–32|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 71| | Detroit| W 131–120|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 39–32|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 72| | @ Phoenix| L 110–124|||| Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum| 39–33|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 73| | @ San Antonio| L 129–136|||| HemisFair Arena| 39–34|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 74| | Los Angeles| L 116–122|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 39–35|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 75| | San Diego| W 107–99|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 40–35|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 76| | @ Kansas City| L 113–130|||| Kemper Arena| 40–36|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 77| | @ Dallas| W 132–115|||| Reunion Arena| 41–36|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 78| | @ Houston| W 123–105|||| The Summit| 42–36|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 79| | @ Utah| L 116–125|||| Salt Palace Acord Arena| 42–37|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 80| | Houston| W 131–112|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 43–37|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 81| | Dallas| W 137–126|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 44–37|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 82| | Kansas City| W 125–116|||| McNichols Sports Arena| 45–37
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 1| | @ Phoenix| L 108–121| VanDeWeghe (32)| Dunn (12)| English,
Evans (4)| Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
11,901| 0–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 2| | Phoenix| W 113–99| VanDeWeghe (26)| Issel (11)| Rob Williams (9)| McNichols Sports Arena
15,903| 1–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 3| | @ Phoenix| W 117–112 (OT)| English (42)| Dunn (12)| Dunn,
Williams (6)| Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
14,660| 2–1|-|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 1| | @ San Antonio| L 133–152| Issel (28)| Dunn (11)| English,
Williams (7)| HemisFair Arena
10,116| 0–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 2| | @ San Antonio| L 109–126| VanDeWeghe (22)| Dunn (8)| Evans (9)| HemisFair Arena
10,690| 0–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 3| | San Antonio| L 126–127 (OT)| English (39)| VanDeWeghe (14)| English,
Williams (7)| McNichols Sports Arena
16,965| 0–3|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 4| | San Antonio| W 124–114| VanDeWeghe (37)| VanDeWeghe (11)| English (11)| McNichols Sports Arena
15,035| 1–3|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 5| | @ San Antonio| L 105–145| McKinney (20)| Dunn (8)| Evans (6)| HemisFair Arena
12,736| 1–4|-