series. The following season, Issel played in 83 of 84 games and raised his scoring average to 30.6 points per game. He was named the MVP of his second All-Star Game for scoring 21 points and collaring nine rebounds. Issel made the All-ABA First Team of that season. Helped by dominant 7'2" center Artis Gilmore, the 1974–75 Kentucky Colonels won the 1975 ABA championship, with key support from Issel and sharp-shooting guard (and fellow ex-Kentucky Wildcat) Louie Dampier. In Game 4 of the series, Issel led all scorers with 26 points. In six seasons, Issel led the league in total points three times (including a record 2,538 in 1971–72) and was an All-Star each year. Denver Nuggets (1975-1985) Prior to the 1975–76 season, the Colonels traded Issel to the Baltimore Claws (formerly the Memphis Sounds) for Tom Owens and cash. The Claws folded before the season's start, and Issel was subsequently traded to the Denver Nuggets for Dave Robisch and cash. During his first season on the Nuggets, Issel and his new team finished with an ABA best 60-24 record and advanced to the ABA Finals, where he averaged 22.8 points and 12.8 rebounds during a contested six game series loss. For his ABA career, Issel was a 6-Time ABA All-Star, 5-Time Member of ABA All-Pro Team, the ABA's 2nd All-Time Scorer (behind Louie Dampier, was the 1972 ABA All-Star Game MVP, 1971 ABA Co-Rookie of the Year, Led ABA in scoring in 70-71 with 29.4 ppg and holds the ABA Record for most points in a season with 2,538 in 71-72. Issel remained with the Nuggets following the ABA–NBA merger in June 1976, and represented Denver in the 1977 NBA All-Star Game. He remained productive, topping 20 points per game five of his remaining eight years. Issel played a key role in helping the Nuggets make the postseason every year of his tenure, alongside (at various points) fellow stars David Thompson, Bobby Jones, Kiki Vandeweghe, and Alex English. On January 31, 1980, Issel scored an NBA career high 47 points, including making 19 of 23 free throw attempts, in a 127-126 win over the New Jersey Nets. On January 21, 1981, Issel grabbed an NBA career high 21 rebounds, while also scoring 32 points, during a 129-115 win over the San Antonio Spurs. During the 1984 NBA Playoffs, Issel averaged his highest postseason per game scoring average since his