Former Denver Nuggets Head Coach Doug Moe passed away on Tuesday in San Antonio at the age of 87. According to one of his former Nuggets players, Bill Hanzlik, he passed peacefully with his wife Jane at his side.
Moe coached the Nuggets from 1980 to 1990, amassing 432 wins. A record that stood for 34 years before Michael Malone surpassed it in 2024. The Nuggets also reached the playoffs 9 times under Moe, and he earned the NBA Coach of the Year award in 1988.
Moe was one of the great characters in the NBA. He turned the characterization “Stiff” into a term of endearment using in when discussing the opposition and even his own players. He often looked disheveled on the sideline and was known for not running any plays. That’s right, the Nuggets just passed and cut but didn’t run any designed plays and still led the league in scoring 6 times under Moe.