2008 - Present

2008-09: Return of the Prodigal Son

After losing three of four games to start the season, it looked as though the critics might be right.

That all changed Nov. 3 when the Nuggets traded Allen Iverson to the Detroit Pistons for Park Hill legend Chauncey Billups.

Behind the championship leadership of Billups and the continued all-around improvement of Carmelo Anthony, the Nuggets emphasized defense and unselfishness. As a result, they won the Northwest Division for the second time in four seasons and tied a franchise record with 54 wins.

Despite the remarkable success during the regular-season, the Nuggets still had a lot to prove after being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for five straight years. They shattered the glass ceiling by beating both the New Orleans Hornets and the Dallas Mavericks in five games to advance to the Western Conference finals for the first time since 1985.

The remarkable ride came to an end against the eventual NBA-champion Los Angeles Lakers. After splitting two games in L.A., the Nuggets lost a heartbreaker in Game 3 at Pepsi Center and rebounded to even the series behind 24 points apiece from Billups and J.R. Smith in Game 4. The Lakers broke open a close game in the fourth quarter for a victory in Game 5 before closing out the series with a 119-92 win at Pepsi Center in Game 6.

The disappointment stuck with everyone in the Nuggets locker room and provided motivation for the future. “I think we’ve proven that we are a top team in the West – in the NBA period," Anthony said after the final game.”We've got to continue working hard, continue keeping ourselves at that level.”

People around the NBA certainly recognized Denver’s rise to prominence. Nuggets vice president of basketball operations Mark Warkentien was named NBA Executive of the Year, and Billups represented Denver on the Western Conference All-Star team. Billups and Anthony also were named to the All-NBA Third Team.

With a talented young nucleus and a newfound swagger, the Nuggets had arrived on the national stage and were positioned to compete for a championship for years to come.

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2009-10: A Bittersweet Season

Nuggets coach George Karl received a standing ovation from the Pepsi Center crowd upon returning to the bench after missing four games because of his ongoing cancer treatments, and Denver beat the Washington Wizards to move into sole possession of second place in the Western Conference.

The pieces just never fell into place from that point forward.

Playing without Karl for the final four weeks of the season, the Nuggets managed to win their second straight Northwest Division crown, but a 6-7 finish under acting coach Adrian Dantley forced them to settle for the No. 4 seed in the West. They were unable to capitalize on the home-court advantage and fell to the fifth-seeded Utah Jazz 4-2 in the first round of the playoffs.

Though the season ended in disappointment, there were plenty of highlights along the way.

Karl, diagnosed with throat and neck cancer before the All-Star break, coached the Western Conference All-Star team and was named coach of month for January after guiding Denver to a 12-3 record.

Joining Karl at the 2010 NBA All-Star Game were Nuggets teammates Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups. Anthony enjoyed one of his best seasons, averaging 28.2 points (third in the NBA) and 6.6 rebounds, while Billups averaged a career-high 19.5 points and 5.6 assists.

Anthony was recognized for his strong play by being named to the All-NBA Second Team. He was an All-NBA Third Team selection three times previously and became the first Denver player to make four All-NBA teams in his career.

On the strength of a 34-7 home record, the Nuggets (53-29) reached 50 wins for the third straight season, the longest such streak in the team’s NBA history.

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