Doug Moe, the fast-break pioneer who helped turn the Denver Nuggets into one of the NBA’s most entertaining teams of the 1980s, has died at age 87.
Former player Bill Hanzlik announced on X that Moe passed peacefully with his wife, Jane, at his side.
Moe coached Denver from 1980 to 1990, compiling 432 wins, leading the franchise to nine straight playoff appearances, and earning NBA Coach of the Year honors in 1988.
His franchise wins record hung in the rafters at Ball Arena until Michael Malone surpassed it in 2024.
Known for his up-tempo philosophy, Moe’s Nuggets regularly produced high-scoring games, with Denver leading the league in scoring six times during his tenure.
The team’s deepest playoff run came in 1985, reaching the Western Conference Finals before losing to the Los Angeles “Showtime” Lakers.
Moe finished his head coaching career with a 628-529 record, including stops in San Antonio and Philadelphia, and later returned to Denver as an assistant coach from 2003 to 2008 under George Karl.
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Denver has lost one of its true basketball legends.