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1998–99 Denver Nuggets season

NBA professional basketball team season

NBA professional basketball team season

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  • Fox Sports Rocky Mountain

The 1998–99 Denver Nuggets season was the 23rd season for the Denver Nuggets in the National Basketball Association, and their 32nd season as a franchise. Due to a lockout, the regular season began on February 5, 1999, and was cut from 82 games to 50.

After their dreadful season, where they finished with the league's worst record at 11–71, the Nuggets received the third overall pick the 1998 NBA draft, and selected center Raef LaFrentz from the University of Kansas. During the off-season, the team re-signed former Nuggets forward Antonio McDyess after one season with the Phoenix Suns, acquired All-Star guard Nick Van Exel from the Los Angeles Lakers, acquired second-year guard Chauncey Billups from the Toronto Raptors, and acquired second-year forward Johnny Taylor, and power forward, and top draft pick Keon Clark out of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas from the Orlando Magic.

Despite the return of McDyess, the Nuggets still continued to struggle under new head coach Mike D'Antoni, losing eight of their first nine games of the regular season. Things would get worse as LaFrentz suffered a knee injury after only just twelve games, and was out for the remainder of the season, averaging 13.8 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. Without their top draft pick, the Nuggets lost their final seven games of the season, finishing in sixth place in the Midwest Division with a 14–36 record. The Nuggets had the worst team defensive rating in the NBA.

McDyess had a stellar season averaging 21.2 points, 10.7 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 2.3 blocks per game, and was named to the All-NBA Third Team, while Van Exel averaged 16.5 points and 7.4 assists per game, and contributed 72 three-point field goals, and Billups provided the team with 13.9 points, 3.8 assists and 1.3 steals per game, and also led them with 85 three-point field goals. In addition, second-year forward Danny Fortson stepped into the team's starting lineup in LaFrentz's absence, averaging 11.0 points and 11.6 rebounds per game, while Eric Williams and Cory Alexander both contributed 7.3 points per game each off the bench, and Bryant Stith provided with 7.0 points per game. Fortson finished in fifth place in Most Improved Player voting, while McDyess finished tied in tenth place.

The Nuggets finished 28th in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 296,965 at the McNichols Sports Arena during the regular season, which was the second-lowest in the league; it was also the team's final season playing at the McNichols Sports Arena, before moving to the Pepsi Center the following season. Also following the season, Fortson, Williams and second-year guard Eric Washington were all traded to the Boston Celtics, and D'Antoni was fired as head coach.

Draft picks

Main article: 1998 NBA draft

RoundPickPlayerPositionNationalitySchool/Club team
13Raef LaFrentzPF/CKansas
123Tyronn LuePGNebraska
254Tremaine FowlkesSFFresno State
255Ryan BowenPFIowa

Roster

  • Mike D'Antoni
  • Louie Dampier
  • Mike Evans
  • Kim Hughes
  • John Lucas

Roster Notes

  • Head coach Mike D'Antoni holds American and Italian dual citizenship; he played for the Italian national team although he was born in the United States.
  • Rookie shooting guard Kelly McCarty holds American and Russian dual citizenship; he played for the Russian national team although he was born in the United States.

Regular season

Season standings

:z - clinched division title :y - clinched division title :x - clinched playoff spot

Game log

Player statistics

Regular season

PlayerGPGSMPGFG%3FG%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
Antonio McDyess505038.7.471.111.68010.71.61.52.321.2
Nick Van Exel505036.0.398.308.8112.37.40.80.116.5
Chauncey Billups454133.1.386.362.9132.13.81.30.313.9
Raef LaFrentz121232.3.457.387.7507.60.70.81.413.8
Danny Fortson503828.3.495.000.72711.60.60.60.411.0
Cory Alexander36421.6.373.286.8412.13.31.00.17.3
Eric Williams38820.5.365.231.7992.11.00.70.27.3
Bryant Stith463226.0.393.292.8592.31.80.60.37.0
Johnny Taylor36920.1.414.382.7392.80.70.80.55.8
Eric Washington38620.0.397.381.6882.30.80.70.55.4
Tyson Wheeler103.01.0001.000.5000.02.00.00.04.0
Keon Clark28014.6.450.000.5683.40.40.41.13.3
Carl Herrera24011.0.429.000.5562.30.00.50.32.5
Kelly McCarty202.0.6671.50.00.00.02.0
Loren Meyer1405.0.250.200.5001.10.10.00.21.1
Monty Williams106.0.000.5000.00.00.00.01.0

Player statistics citation:

Awards and records

  • Antonio McDyess, All-NBA Third Team

Transactions

References

References

  1. [https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/DEN/1999.html 1998-99 Denver Nuggets]
  2. (January 6, 1999). "NBA: Let The Games Begin!". CBS News.
  3. Wise, Mike. (June 25, 1998). "PRO BASKETBALL; 7 Feet 1 Inch of Potential at No. 1". The New York Times.
  4. (June 25, 1998). "Olowokandi Is the Center of Attention". Los Angeles Times.
  5. "1998 NBA Draft".
  6. (January 21, 1999). "Nuggets Finally Sign McDyess". CBS News.
  7. Heisler, Mark. (January 22, 1999). "McDyess, Nuggets Hit a Snag". Los Angeles Times.
  8. (January 22, 1999). "McDyess, Nuggets Agree to $67.5-Million Deal; Spurned Suns Now Expected to Turn Their Attention to Gugliotta". Deseret News.
  9. Howard-Cooper, Scott. (June 25, 1998). "Van Exel Is Exiled to Nuggets". Los Angeles Times.
  10. (June 25, 1998). "Van Exel Act Gets Him Exiled to the Nuggets". Deseret News.
  11. Gardner, Kris. (January 21, 1999). "Knicks Acquiring Sprewell Highlights Six-Deal Day". The Houston Roundball Review.
  12. (January 22, 1999). "Bucks: Signed F Robert Traylor to Three-Year...". The Baltimore Sun.
  13. "NBA Midwest Division Capsules". The Washington Post.
  14. Wise, Mike. (February 4, 1999). "PRO BASKETBALL; A Scrum for the Title". The New York Times.
  15. (September 23, 1998). "PLUS: PRO BASKETBALL -- DENVER; D'Antoni Is Named Coach of Nuggets". The New York Times.
  16. Thompson, Jack. (February 27, 1999). "Lafrentz Injury Worse Than Feared". Chicago Tribune.
  17. (March 4, 1999). "League Has $5,000 Gesture of Its Own for Polynice". Los Angeles Times.
  18. "1998–99 Denver Nuggets Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference.
  19. "Teams Defense". [[NBA.com]].
  20. "1998–99 Denver Nuggets Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference.
  21. "1998–99 NBA Awards Voting". Basketball-Reference.
  22. "1998–99 NBA Season Summary". Basketball-Reference.
  23. Teaford, Elliott. (September 28, 1999). "Another Scorer Added in Trade". Los Angeles Times.
  24. (August 4, 1999). "Celtics Trade Mercer in Six-Player Deal". Los Angeles Times.
  25. Greenberg, Alan. (August 4, 1999). "Celts Cash Out on Mercer". Hartford Courant.
  26. (August 4, 1999). "NBA Teams Get Busy Trading and Signing". Deseret News.
  27. (September 15, 1999). "D'Antoni Out, Issel In as Nugget Coach". Los Angeles Times.
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