Denver Nuggets: 15 greatest playoff moments of all-time
By John Buhler
6. David Thompson stop Bucks here, reach first Western Conference Finals
- 1978 Western Conference Semifinals, Game 7
- May 3, 1978 (McNichols Sports Arena, Denver, CO)
- Denver Nuggets 116, Milwaukee 110
We’ve already touched on another memorable postseason moment from the 1978 NBA Playoffs for the Nuggets. David Thompson carried the Nuggets offensively to keep Denver alive in the Western Conference Finals versus the then-Seattle SuperSonics. However, that was not his best moment in that particular spring.
Denver was again only two years removed from being one of the final five teams in the ABA, transitioning to the NBA after the 1976 season. While the Nuggets made it all the way to the last ABA Finals, ultimately falling to the then-New York Nets, this team was still a strong one led by former head coach Larry Brown.
The Nuggets went 48-34 that season, winning the Midwest Division and earning the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference Playoffs. They would await the winner of the first-round series between the No. 3 Phoenix Suns and the No. 6 Milwaukee Bucks. Interestingly enough, it would be the lower-seeded Bucks who would dispose of the Suns in round one.
After winning their best-of-three series with Phoenix via a 2-0 sweep, the Bucks would take the No. 2-seeded Nuggets to the brink. The Nuggets would fall in Milwaukee all three times they played their in the best-of-seven series. Fortunately, Denver had pivotal Game 7 at home.
Thompson was brilliant in this win-or-go-home affair, as he mustered a game-high 37 points on 16-of-30 shooting from the floor. No, it wasn’t just a high-end, volume scoring night for Thompson. He had six assists, six rebounds and five blocks in 41 minutes in that high stakes contest.
Denver would get 26 points from Anthony Roberts in Game 7, as well as double figures from both Dan Issel and Bobby Jones. However, it was Thompson who carried Denver past Marques Johnson and that feisty Bucks team.
The Nuggets would hold on to beat Milwaukee 116-110, despite being outscored 29-21 at home in the final frame. Despite only being two years removed from playing in the ABA, Denver would make its first-ever trip to the Western Conference Finals by stopping the Bucks here in the conference semifinals.
Unfortunately, the Nuggets were no match for Seattle in the Western Conference Finals. The SuperSonics would win the conference finals 4-2 before ultimately falling to the then-Washington Bullets in the 1978 NBA Finals. Seattle would avenge its championship loss to Washington the next year in 1979. Denver is still waiting on its first trip to the NBA Finals in team history.
