Former NBA head coach Doug Moe passed away on Tuesday at the age of 87, the Nuggets confirmed (Twitter link). According to Mike Monroe and Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required), Moe had been battling an illness.
Moe, who played professionally in Italy and the ABA from 1965-72, had his career cut short by knee issues and became better known as a coach than a player. He was hired as the head coach of the Spurs in 1976 and spent four years in San Antonio before embarking on a lengthy stint as the head coach of the Nuggets (1980-1990).
Moe was hired as the Sixers‘ head coach in 1992 but was let go midway through his first season on the job. He later returned to Denver and served as a coaching consultant (2002-05) and assistant coach (2005-08) before calling it a career.
Known for his up-tempo, run-and-gun offense, Moe compiled a 628-529 (.543) regular season record as an NBA head coach and went 33-50 (.398) in the postseason. His 1981/82 Nuggets still hold several league records, including the highest scoring average for a single season (126.5 points per game). That Denver team is the only one in NBA history to score at least 100 points in all 82 regular season games.
Moe ranks 26th on the league’s all-time list of coaching wins, just behind Flip Saunders and Chuck Daly, and was named the NBA’s Coach of the Year in 1988 after leading the Nuggets to a 54-28 record, a 17-game improvement on the previous season.
“Coach Moe was a one of a kind leader and person who spearheaded one of the most successful and exciting decades in Nuggets history,” the Nuggets said in their statement today. “He will forever be loved and remembered by Nuggets fans and his banner commemorating his 432 career victories as head coach will hang in the rafters to forever honor his incredible legacy.
“The organization’s thoughts are with Doug’s wife Jane, his son David, and all of his family and loved ones who are hurting in this moment.”
We at Hoops Rumors echo that sentiment and send our condolences to Moe’s family and friends.