Each Team’s All-NBA First Team- A 30 Part Series: Part 22- The Denver Nuggets

With the hype of the offseason coming to an end, I have decided that this would be the perfect opportunity to examine each team’s specific All-NBA First Team. What I mean by this is- following the criteria set by the NBA for the All-NBA Team rules, I will examine and elaborate on my picks for each team’s specific All-NBA First Team.

G- Lafayette “Fat” Lever: 1984–1990

“Fat” Lever played the prime of his career in Denver, playing his most efficient basketball as a member of the Nuggets. As a pass first guard, Lever thrived playing alongside his prolific scoring teammate Alex English.

Lever averaged 7.5 assists per game while in Denver (second highest in team history), and near the end of his time with the team, developed into a respectable scorer- averaging as much as 19.8 points per game in 1989. Lever’s 3,566 assists is the second most in team history.

Both of Lever’s All-Star appearances and his sole All-NBA Team (1x Second Team) came while he played in Denver.

The Nuggets made the playoffs in all six of Lever’s seasons with the team.

G- David Thompson: 1976–1982

After being selected with the first overall pick in the 1975 ABA draft, David Thompson stuck around, staying with the Nuggets upon the NBA-ABA merger.

In his six NBA seasons with the team, Thompson was a dominant scorer, averaging 22.1 points per game and appearing in three All-Star games. Both of his All-NBA Team (2x First Team) came while in Denver.

Although his time in Denver was short, Thompson’s career as a member of the Nuggets cannot be overlooked. He was the first face of the franchise upon the team’s entrance into the NBA.

F- Carmelo Anthony: 2003–2011

From 2003 until his departure in 2011, Carmelo Anthony was the face of the Denver Nuggets. Not only did he produce on an individual basis, but he also succeeded in terms of team success.

The Nuggets made the playoffs in all seven of Anthony’s full seasons with the team, reaching the Western Conference Finals in 2009. During his tenure, the Nuggets won the fifth most games in the Western Conference.

Anthony appeared in four All-Star games and made four All-NBA Teams (1x Second Team, 3x Third Team). Anthony led the team in points, rebounds, and assists during his seven full seasons in Denver. His 13,970 points is the third most in franchise history and was among the most scored in the NBA during that span of seven years.

His tenure in Denver may have ended on an ill note, but that doesn’t mean we can overlook the fact that Anthony is one of the best players in franchise history.

F- Alex English: 1980–1990

During his ten seasons with the Nuggets, Alex English established himself as one of the NBA’s most prolific scorers. In his ten and a half seasons English scored 21,645 points, the most in franchise history. His 25.9 points per game is the highest single game average in franchise history.

All eight of English’s All-Star appearances came while he played in Denver. He was a member of three All-NBA Second teams, and he led the NBA in scoring twice.

English’s best season came during the 1982–1983 season, a season in which he led the NBA in scoring (28.4 PPG). He finished sixth in the MVP voting and shot over 50 percent from the field.

The Nuggets made nine playoff appearances during the English era.

C- Dikembe Mutombo: 1991–1996

The Nuggets selected Dikembe Mutombo with the 4th overall pick in 1991, and immediately saw results- Mutombo immediately established himself as one of the best bigs in the entire NBA.

In his five seasons in Denver, Mutombo averaged 12.9 points, 12.3 rebounds, and an astounding 3.8 blocks per game. He led the NBA in blocked shots per game three times, twice averaging greater than four blocks per game. Mutombo’s defensive presence was tantalizing for opponents to game plan against.

Mutombo made three All-Star game appearances with while in Denver and was recognized for his prolific defense in 1995, winning the 1994–1995 Defensive Player Of The Year Award.

Mutombo’s Nuggets made the playoffs twice, reaching the Western Conference Semi Finals in 1994.