Editing Denver Nuggets (section)

===1982–1989: The Alex English era===
Anchored by scoring machines [[Alex English]] and [[Kiki Vandeweghe]] at the two forward spots, and Dan Issel at center, Denver led the league in scoring, with English and Vandeweghe both averaging above 25 points per game. It was a novel strategy, allowing the Nuggets to top the Midwest Division and qualify for the playoffs during that span. (On December 13, 1983, the Nuggets and the visiting [[Detroit Pistons]] combined for an NBA record 370 points, with Detroit winning in triple [[Overtime (sport)#Basketball|overtime]], 186–184.) At the end of the season, English won the NBA scoring title, becoming the only Nugget to win the award despite the heavily favored offensive play of Doug Moe. In [[1984–85 NBA season|1984–85]], they made it to the [[Western Conference (NBA)|Western Conference]] finals after being perennial playoff contenders, and they lost in five games to the [[Los Angeles Lakers]].

Vandeweghe was traded before the 1984–85 season to the [[Portland Trail Blazers]] for 6–3 rebounding guard [[Fat Lever]], undersized power forward [[Calvin Natt]] and center [[Wayne Cooper (basketball)|Wayne Cooper]]. Spearheaded by Alex English and supported by the three new acquisitions and defensive specialists [[Bill Hanzlik]] and [[TR Dunn]], the team replicated its success in the Western Conference despite the loss of Vandeweghe. They even managed to win 54 games in the [[1987–88 NBA season|1987–88 season]], the most they had ever won as an NBA team. However, the Mavericks eliminated the Nuggets in the second round of the 1988 NBA Playoffs. McCombs sold the team to [[Sidney Shlenker]] in 1985. Shlenker, in turn, sold the team to [[COMSAT]] in 1989.