Nuggets, Avs and Broncos are off to hot starts. Is this the best they’ve ever been at the same time?
It’s a good time to be a Denver sports fan.
The Broncos (11-2) are currently holding onto the No. 1 seed in the AFC, the Nuggets (17-6) are off to their best start since joining the NBA in 1976, and the Avalanche (21-2-7) is leading the NHL in points after a scorching-hot start.
So, is this collectively the best Denver’s pro basketball, football and hockey teams have ever been?
Here’s a look, by the numbers:
Historical look
Before the 2025-26 seasons, the Broncos have started 11-2 or better six times in the history of the franchise, reaching the playoffs each time and winning the Super Bowl twice (Super Bowls XXXII and XXXIII), according to Stathead.
Of those, the only time Denver had playoff teams in all three sports was 1977-78. Under head coach Red Miller, the Broncos finished 12-2 and reached Super Bowl XII, losing to the Cowboys, 27-10. The Nuggets had a 48-34 record — the best in the Midwest division — and advanced the Western Conference finals, losing to the Seattle Supersonics in six games. Meanwhile in hockey, the Colorado Rockies (who later became the New Jersey Devils) reached the playoffs despite an awful 19-40-21 regular-season mark. They were swept by the Flyers in the preliminary round.
A look at the other years:
- 1984-85: Broncos finish 13-3, lose in divisional round; Nuggets finish 52-30, lose in conference finals; no NHL team.
- 1996-97: Broncos finish 13-3, lose in divisional round; Nuggets finish 21-61, miss playoffs; Avs finish 49-24-9, lose in conference finals.
- 1997-98: Broncos finish 12-4, win Super Bowl; Nuggets finish 11-71, miss playoffs; Avs finish 39-26-17, lose in conference quarterfinals.
- 1998-99: Broncos finish 14-2, win Super Bowl; Nuggets finish 14-36, miss playoffs; Avs finish 44-28-10, lose in conference finals.
- 2013-14: Broncos finish 13-3, lose in Super Bowl; Nuggets finish 36-46, miss playoffs; Avs finish 52-22-8, lose in first round.
The one common theme under this criteria is that two of the three pro teams have done well but never all three at the same time.
If the threshold is lowered to 10 wins through 13 games for the Broncos, it adds five more seasons to the list (1986-87, 1989-90, 2005-06, 2012-13 and 2014-15). Of those years, only 2005 had all three teams reach the playoffs.
- 2005-06: Broncos finish 13-3, lose in conference championship; Nuggets finish 44-38, lose in first round; Avs finish 43-30-9, lose in conference semifinals.
What oddsmakers are saying
The Nuggets and the Avs entered the 2025-26 seasons among the favorites to win their league’s championships. But the Broncos were a bit more of an underdog, having the 11th-best odds entering training camp at +2,800 — meaning a $100 bet would win $2,800 — according to DraftKings Sportsbook.
Fast forward to Dec. 10 and all three teams have seen their betting odds improve.
The Broncos are tied with the fifth-best odds to win the Super Bowl at +1,000, according to BetMGM. The Nuggets are second to the Thunder at +600 and the Avs are the favorites to raise the Stanley Cup at +320.
What the national experts are saying
The Nuggets are ranked No. 2 by NBA.com’s latest power rankings.
ESPN puts the Avs at No. 1 in its latest power ranking: “Months remain before the Stanley Cup playoff picture crystallizes into its final form. It’s a decent bet, however, that the Avs and (Las Vegas) Knights will both be skating into late April and beyond.”
The Broncos are currently ranked between No. 2 and No. 6, according to most outlets. Except for the Washington Post, who has them at No. 12.
“Denver’s 11-2 record outpaces its underlying strength because the Broncos win close, low-margin games that the model views as unstable,” Washington Post’s Neil Greenberg writes.
Nik Bonitto (15) of the Denver Broncos celebrates sacking Kenny Pickett (15) of the Las Vegas Raiders during the fourth quarter of the Broncos’ 24-17 win at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
Broncos inside the numbers
55
The total number of sacks Denver’s defense has entering Week 15. The group is on pace for 72, which would tie the mark set by the vaunted 1984-85 Chicago Bears.
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+73
The points differential for the Broncos this season, ranking them ninth in the NFL.
10
Denver’s current win streak.
5
How many fourth-quarter-comeback wins quarterback Bo Nix has led the Broncos to this season.
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12.5
How many sacks edge rusher Nik Bonitto has this year.
Peyton Watson (8) of the Denver Nuggets puts his hand on the hip of Nikola Jokic (15) after blocking a shot during the third quarter of the Nuggets’ 122-112 win over the Miami Heat at Ball Arena in Denver on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
Nuggets inside the numbers
25.0
How many points guard Jamal Murray is averaging this season.
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29.2/12.3/11.0
The averages for points, rebounds and assists for three-time MVP Nikola Jokic.
10
The Nuggets’ current winning streak on the road.
11
The number of triple-doubles Jokic has this season.
3
The number of times Nuggets players have scored 50 or more points in a game this year. Jokic, Murray and Aaron Gordon each reached the mark this season.
New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox (23), left, and Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) battle for the puck during the first period as the Colorado Avalanche take on the New York Rangers at Ball Aren in Denver, Colorado on Nov. 20, 2025. (Photo by RJ Sangosti/The Denver Post)
Avs inside the numbers
51
How many total points Nathan MacKinnon has this season. He’s leading the NHL.
24
How many goals MacKinnon has this season. He’s leading the NHL in this category, too.
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+35
MacKinnon’s plus-minus stat this year. He leads the league, ahead of teammates Martin Necas (+28), Cale Makar (+27) and Artturi Lehkonen (+25).
Despite historically great start, Avalanche has a weakness to fix — the power play
118
How many goals the Avs have scored this year, the most among all NHL teams.
70
How many goals the Avs have allowed this year, the fewest among all NHL teams.
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