Happy birthday, Colorado — and Colorado sports.
Leading into the state’s 150th birthday Aug. 1, The Denver Gazette has partnered with the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame to publicize the definitive list of Colorado’s top 150 sports moments.
For Nos. 50 to 1, Colorado Sports Hall of Fame historian Dave Plati coordinated a 19-member committee to rank in order what they considered the top moments. The No. 1 moment will be revealed July 31. Plati and Broncos icon Jim Saccomano will unveil the list weekly on a Colorado Sports Hall of Fame podcast at coloradosports.org/podcast/.
Colorado Sports Hall of Fame Top 150 Sports Moments
No. 34 — April 9, 1978
It was the final day of the 1977-78 NBA season. Denver had clinched the Midwest Division with a 48-33 record and traveled to Detroit; San Antonio had clinched the Central (52-29) and finished up at New Orleans. Thus, winning wasn’t the top priority — but the battle for the league’s scoring title was at stake. The Spurs’ George Gervin entered the day with 2,169 points in 81 games (26.8 per), while the Nuggets’ David Thompson had 2,099 in 79 games (26.6). Gervin had one advantage: San Antonio’s game tipped off 5 hours after Denver’s 2:30 p.m. start in the Motor City. Thus, Thompson was up first and scored the third-most points in an NBA game — 73, a number that was still tied for fourth through the ’23-24 season. Thompson finished with 2,172 points (27.15 per game). Gervin knew he needed 58 points to overtake Thompson. He poured in 63 to finish with 2,232, or 27.22 per game. Thompson was 28-of-38 from the floor and 17-of-20 from the line. Both teams lost: Detroit beat Denver, 139-137; and New Orleans beat San Antonio, 153-132.
—Dave Plati, Colorado Sports Hall of Fame historian