Ty Lawson

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Lawson's tenure in Denver began after he slipped to the 18th pick due to concerns over his height and ankle history. Serving as a backup to Chauncey Billups for one and a half seasons, he took over the starting role when Billups was traded on February 22, 2011. On April 9, 2011, Lawson made NBA history by becoming the first player to make his first 10 three-point attempts in a game, finishing with a career-high 37 points alongside 7 rebounds and 6 assists. The team reached its peak during the 2012–13 season with a franchise-best 57–25 record, where Lawson led Denver in scoring (21.3) and assists (8.0) during their first-round playoff exit against Golden State. In the following year, with Danilo Gallinari injured, he led the squad in points, assists, and steals.

In Their Own Story

The 2014–15 season presented a stark contrast to Denver's previous success as the team plummeted to a 30–52 record, the ninth-worst in franchise history. Amidst turmoil that saw coach Brian Shaw replaced by Melvin Hunt mid-season, Lawson delivered his most statistically significant individual performance. He averaged 15.2 points and set a career-high with 9.6 assists per game. His cumulative total of 720 assists shattered the Nuggets' single-season record of 714 held by Nick Van Exel. Despite the team's struggles, Lawson's playmaking ability kept Denver competitive in many games until his departure in July 2015.

Reader's Guide

To understand Ty Lawson's impact on the Nuggets, one must look at his evolution from a backup to the franchise leader. He arrived as a junior college champion who returned for one more year before entering the draft. His playing style relied on speed and vision, evident in his historic 10-of-11 three-point shooting game against Portland where he scored 37 points. Even during the team's decline in the 2014–15 season, Lawson broke a long-standing franchise record for assists, proving his value as an elite distributor regardless of the roster's surrounding talent.

Did You Know?

• Lawson set a record with 8 steals in the 2009 NCAA championship game against Michigan State.
• He was the first player in NBA history to make his first 10 three-point attempts in a single game on April 9, 2011.
• In the 2014–15 season, Lawson broke Nick Van Exel's record with 720 total assists for the Nuggets.
• During his junior year at UNC, he won the Bob Cousy Award as the best collegiate point guard.