1988–89 Denver Nuggets season

The 1988–89 NBA season was the 13th season for the Denver Nuggets in the National Basketball Association, and their 22nd season as a franchise. During the off-season, the team signed free agent All-Star guard Walter Davis. The Nuggets got off to an 11–4 start to the regular season, but played below .500 basketball afterwards, as Bill Hanzlik only played just 41 games due to a back injury.

At mid-season, the team traded Jay Vincent and Calvin Natt to the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for Dave Greenwood and Darwin Cook, and held a 25–23 record at the All-Star break. Despite losing six of their final eight games of the season, the Nuggets finished in third place in the Midwest Division with a 44–38 record, and earned the #6 seed in the Western Conference; the team also posted a very successful 35–6 home record at the McNichols Sports Arena.

Alex English averaged 26.5 points and 4.7 assists per game, and was selected for the 1989 NBA All-Star Game in Houston, Texas, which was his final All-Star appearance, while Fat Lever averaged 19.8 points, 9.3 rebounds, 7.9 assists and 2.7 steals per game, and finished tied in seventh place in Defensive Player of the Year voting, and Michael Adams provided the team with 18.5 points, 6.4 assists and 2.2 steals per game, and also led the league with 166 three-point field goals. In addition, Davis played a sixth man role, and contributed 15.6 points per game off the bench, while Danny Schayes provided with 12.8 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, and Wayne Cooper averaged 6.6 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game.

However, in the 1989 NBA playoffs, due to injuries to Lever (thigh bruise), Adams (hamstring), and Schayes (sprained ankle), the Nuggets were swept by the Phoenix Suns in three straight games in the Western Conference First Round.

Following the season, Cooper signed as a free agent with the Portland Trail Blazers, and Greenwood and Cook were both released to free agency.