It was the closest scoring race in NBA history, and it involved one of the greatest players ever to lace them up for your Denver Nuggets.

For the last day of the 1977-78 season, the Denver Nuggets David Thompson found himself only 14 points behind the Iceman, San Antonio’s George Gervin. While Thompson would have one of the greatest games as a scorer in league history, a 73-point explosion that included a 32-point first quarter. The Skywalker had come to play, and looked like he’d capture the scoring title handily, unless…Gervin was a huge competitor, and had the advantage of following Thompson on the day.

With a crazy-torrid first half of his own (53 points), Gervin was able to put the second half on cruise control (10 points) and lock up the amazingly tight race. Sometimes the guy you’re sure has taken it all loses to the guy who was able to just keep chipping away night after night.

Your Denver Nuggets have seen their fair share of surprising contributors over the years as well, with unexpected names adding to the stat sheet in ways that help ensure the team’s best shot at a win. Since a scoring race is only one contributor to winning, let’s broaden that out a bit.

Here’s a list of the guys who contributed the most win shares for each Nuggets (and Rockets) season, and the player who was closest to them in that race, in parentheses.

1967-68* Larry Jones – 11.8 (Willie Murrell – 7.0)
1968-69* Larry Jones – 10.9 (Bill McGill – 7.1)
1969-70* Spencer Haywood – 17.1 (Larry Jones – 10.6)
1970-71* Larry Cannon – 7.2 (Julian Hammond – 6.7)
1971-72* Ralph Simpson – 7.2 (Byron Beck – 5.7)
1972-73* Warren Jabali – 10.7 (Dave Robisch – 10.1)
1973-74* Dave Robisch – 9.1 (Byron Beck – 5.9)
1974-75 Bobby Jones – 10.2 (Mack Calvin – 9.0)
1975-76 Dan Issel – 12.5 (David Thompson – 12.4)
1976-77 Bobby Jones – 11.0 (Dan Issel – 10.9)
1977-78 David Thompson – 12.7 (Dan Issel – 11.1)
1978-79 Dan Issel – 9.8 (David Thompson – 9.5)
1979-80 Dan Issel – 11.5 (John Roche – 4.2)
1980-81 Dan Issel – 10.5 (Alex English – 8.3)
1981-82 Dan Issel – 9.8 (Alex English – 9.5)
1982-83 Kiki Vandeweghe – 11.0 (Alex English – 10.3)
1983-84 Kiki Vandeweghe – 10.3 (Alex English – 8.2)
1984-85 Calvin Natt – 10.2 (Alex English – 8.9)
1985-86 Alex English – 9.8 (Calvin Natt – 6.1)
1986-87 Fat Lever – 9.7 (Alex English – 8.1)
1987-88 Fat Lever – 10.4 (Danny Schayes – 8.8)
1988-89 Fat Lever – 9.2 (Michael Adams – 8.3)
1989-90 Fat Lever – 8.8 (Michael Adams – 6.9)
1990-91 Michael Adams – 6.3 (Orlando Woolridge – 3.9)
1991-92 TIE: Dikembe Mutombo and Greg Anderson – 3.6 (Reggie Williams – 2.9)
1992-93 Dikembe Mutombo – 8.8 (LaPhonso Ellis – 8.0)
1993-94 Dikembe Mutombo – 9.4 (LaPhonso Ellis – 7.6)
1994-95 Dikembe Mutombo – 8.7 (Reggie Williams – 5.8)
1995-96 Dikembe Mutombo – 7.6 (Dale Ellis – 6.2)
1996-97 Ervin Johnson – 5.2 (Mark Jackson – 4.0)
1997-98 Anthony Goldwire – 3.0 (Johnny Newman – 2.7)
1998-99 Danny Fortson – 4.4 (Antonio McDyess – 4.2)
1999-00 Antonio McDyess – 6.2 (Raef LaFrentz – 5.9)
2000-01 Antonio McDyess – 7.8 (Raef LaFrentz – 6.8)
2001-02 Raef LaFrentz – 4.5 (Nick Van Exel – 2.9)
2002-03 Juwan Howard – 6.0 (Nene Hilario – 5.0)
2003-04 Andre Miller – 8.8 (Marcus Camby – 6.9)
2004-05 Andre Miller – 7.0 (Earl Boykins – 6.0)
2005-06 Carmelo Anthony – 9.2 (Andre Miller – 6.2)
2006-07 Marcus Camby – 7.6 (Carmelo Anthony – 7.3)
2007-08 Allen Iverson – 11.6 (Marcus Camby – 8.5)
2008-09 Chauncey Billups – 7.8 (Nene Hilario – 5.6)
2009-10 Nene Hilario – 10.8 (Chauncey Billups – 9.5)
2010-11 Nene Hilario – 9.6 (Ty Lawson – 6.7)
2011-12 Ty Lawson – 6.9 (Arron Afflalo – 5.3)
2012-13 Kenneth Faried – 7.8 (Ty Lawson – 7.4)
2013-14 Kenneth Faried – 6.5 (Ty Lawson – 6.3)
2014-15 Ty Lawson – 7.0 (Kenneth Faried – 5.6)
2015-16 Nikola Jokic – 6.7 (Danilo Gallinari – 6.3)
2016-17 Nikola Jokic – 9.7 (Danilo Gallinari – 6.8)
2017-18 Nikola Jokic – 10.7 (Will Barton – 6.2)
2018-19 Nikola Jokic – 11.8 (Monte Morris – 6.2)

*Denver Rockets season

Some surprises on that list, no? How many years Ralph Simpson is not on that list. How many times Carmelo Anthony is not leading his season, or is not on the list. Whoever the heck John Roche is (sorry, John). Who surprised you from the list of contributors above, Nuggets Nation? Who did you expect to see that you didn’t?