Denver Nuggets reach first NBA Finals in franchise history, but I would still take the 1975-1976 ABA Denver Nuggets over this 2022-2023 team, any day of the week

Denver Nuggets reach first NBA Finals in franchise history
from Eric Smithling, with YardBarker.com/www.yardbarker.com

Denver waited a long time for an NBA Finals appearance. When given an opportunity to clinch a spot on Monday, the Nuggets ran with it, closing the Lakers out in a sweep with a 113-111 win.

OptaStats illustrated how painful the wait’s been for the Nuggets’ faithful. Their 28 playoff appearances prior to this one without a title game appearance were the most in any of North America’s “Big Four” sports leagues

ESPN’s Sportscenter also noted that this was Denver’s first sweep in 45 playoff series.

While this marks a seminal moment in Nuggets franchise history, it isn’t their first appearance in a title game.

Denver appeared in the last ABA Finals during the 1975-76 season under head coach Larry Brown, losing to the New York Nets 4-2 in the finals. The ABA-NBA merger occurred ahead of the 1976 season and 47 years later, Denver is back on the championship stage.

As Brad Townsend noted, that means all four ABA franchises that joined in the merger have reached the NBA Finals.

**********But still, I would take the old 1975-1976 ABA Denver Nuggets, over the 2022-2023 Denver Nuggets, any day of the week, and twice on Sunday….Give me David Thompson, Bobby Jones, Dan Issel, Marvin “The Human Eraser” Webster, Monte Towe, George Irvine, Gus Gerard, Byron Beck, Ralph Simpson, and on we can go…Dan Issel is arguably the toughest basketball player to ever play in the NBA, or the ABA…Issel used to have to take his two front teeth out before every game, because he got them knocked out in a basketball game fight back in college, while at Kentucky….This ’75-’76 Nuggets team had the young David Thompson, and he could jump to the moon…Bobby Jones was the best defensive basketball player to ever play game, in either league…And what more can you say about “The Human Eraser”, Marvin Webster…His name says it all…Give me the 1975-1976 Denver Nuggets and their head coach Larry Brown, and we will take over each and every town, in the current National Basketball Association…..**********

1975-1976 Denver Nuggets Roster

 
No.	Player	        Pos	Ht	Wt	Birth Date	 		College
40	Byron Beck	PF	6-9	225	January 25, 1945		Columbia Basin College, Denver
10	Jim Bradley	PF	6-8	215	March 16, 1952			Northern Illinois
20	Roger Brown	C	6-11	225	February 23, 1950		Kansas
15	Jimmy Foster	PG	6-1	175	December 16, 1951		UConn
22	Gus Gerard	SF	6-8	200	July 27, 1953		        Virginia
30	George Irvine	SF	6-6	200	February 1, 1948		Washington
25	Dan Issel	C	6-9	235	October 25, 1948		Kentucky
24	Bobby Jones	PF	6-9	210	December 18, 1951		UNC
44	Ralph Simpson	SG	6-5	200	August 10, 1949		        Michigan State
21	Claude Terry	SG	6-4	195	January 12, 1950		Stanford
33	David Thompson	SF	6-4	195	July 13, 1954		        NC State
13	Monte Towe	PG	5-7	150	September 27, 1953		NC State
10	Marvin Webster	C	7-1	225	April 13, 1952		        Morgan State University
11	Chuck Williams	PG	6-2	175	June 6, 1946		        Colorado