1998–99 Denver Nuggets season

The 1998–99 NBA season was the Nuggets' 23rd season in the National Basketball Association, and 32nd season as a franchise.[1] On March 23, 1998, the owners of all 29 NBA teams voted 27–2 to reopen the league's collective bargaining agreement, seeking changes to the league's salary cap system, and a ceiling on individual player salaries. The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) opposed to the owners' plan, and wanted raises for players who earned the league's minimum salary. After both sides failed to reach an agreement, the owners called for a lockout, which began on July 1, 1998, putting a hold on all team trades, free agent signings and training camp workouts, and cancelling many NBA regular season and preseason games.[2][3][4][5][6] Due to the lockout, the NBA All-Star Game, which was scheduled to be played in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on February 14, 1999, was also cancelled.[7][8][9][10][11] However, on January 6, 1999, NBA commissioner David Stern, and NBPA director Billy Hunter finally reached an agreement to end the lockout. The deal was approved by both the players and owners, and was signed on January 20, ending the lockout after 204 days. The regular season began on February 5, and was cut short to just 50 games instead of the regular 82-game schedule.[12][13][14][15][16]

1998–99 Denver Nuggets season
Head coachMike D'Antoni
General managerDan Issel
ArenaMcNichols Sports Arena
Results
Record14–36 (.280)
PlaceDivision: 6th (Midwest)
Conference: 13th (Western)
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television
RadioKKFN

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 Raef LaFrentz from the University of Kansas.[17][18][19][20][21] During the off-season, the team acquired Nick Van Exel from the Los Angeles Lakers,[17][18][22][23] acquired second-year guard Chauncey Billups from the Toronto Raptors,[24][25][26] and acquired second-year forward Johnny Taylor, and top draft pick Keon Clark from the Orlando Magic.[24][25][27]

Despite the return of Antonio McDyess, who was re-signed by the team after one season with the Phoenix Suns,[28][29][30][31] the Nuggets continued to struggle under new head coach Mike D'Antoni,[32] losing eight of their first nine games. 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.[33][34] Without their top draft pick, the Nuggets lost their final seven games, and finished sixth in the Midwest Division with a 14–36 record.[35] The Nuggets had the worst team defensive rating in the NBA.[36]

McDyess had a stellar season averaging 21.2 points, 10.7 rebounds 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 Billups provided the team with 13.9 points per game. In addition, second-year forward Danny Fortson stepped into the 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.[37]

This was also the Nuggets' final season playing at McNichols Sports Arena before moving to the Pepsi Center the following season.[38] Also following the season, Fortson, Williams and second-year guard Eric Washington were all traded to the Boston Celtics,[39][40][41][42] and D'Antoni was fired as head coach.[43]

Draft picks
Main article: 1998 NBA draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality School/Club Team
13Raef LaFrentzPF/C United StatesKansas
123Tyronn LuePG United StatesNebraska
254Tremaine FowlkesSF United StatesFresno State
255Ryan BowenPF United StatesIowa

Roster
1998–99 Denver Nuggets roster
Players Coaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOBFrom
G 7 Alexander, Cory 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 185 lb (84 kg) –– Virginia
G 4 Billups, Chauncey 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 202 lb (92 kg) –– Colorado
F/C 13 Clark, Keon Injured 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 220 lb (100 kg) –– UNLV
F 15 Fortson, Danny 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 260 lb (118 kg) –– Cincinnati
F 21 Herrera, Carl 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 215 lb (98 kg) –– Houston
C 45 LaFrentz, Raef Injured 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 240 lb (109 kg) –– Kansas
G 11 McCarty, Kelly 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 200 lb (91 kg) –– Southern Miss
F/C 24 McDyess, Antonio (C) 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 220 lb (100 kg) –– Alabama
C 34 Meyer, Loren 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 257 lb (117 kg) –– Iowa State
G/F 23 Stith, Bryant 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 208 lb (94 kg) –– Virginia
F 17 Taylor, Johnny 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 220 lb (100 kg) –– Chattanooga
G 31 Van Exel, Nick (C) 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 170 lb (77 kg) –– Cincinnati
G/F 14 Washington, Eric 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 190 lb (86 kg) –– Alabama
F 32 Williams, Eric 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) –– Providence
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Roster
Last transaction: {{{access-date}}}

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
Midwest Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-San Antonio Spurs 3713.740–21–416–917–4
x-Utah Jazz 3713.740–22–315–1015–3
x-Houston Rockets 3119.620619–612–1312–9
x-Minnesota Timberwolves 2525.5001218–77–1811–9
Dallas Mavericks 1931.3801815–104–218–12
Denver Nuggets 1436.2802312–132–235–16
Vancouver Grizzlies 842.160297–181–243–18
#
Western Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-San Antonio Spurs3713.740–
2 y-Portland Trail Blazers3515.7002
3 x-Utah Jazz3713.740–
4 x-Los Angeles Lakers3119.6206
5 x-Houston Rockets3119.6206
6 x-Sacramento Kings2723.54010
7 x-Phoenix Suns2723.54010
8 x-Minnesota Timberwolves2525.50012
9 Seattle SuperSonics2525.50012
10 Golden State Warriors2129.42016
11 Dallas Mavericks1931.38018
12 Denver Nuggets1436.28023
13 Los Angeles Clippers941.18028
14 Vancouver Grizzlies842.16029
z - clinched division title
y - clinched division title
x - clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents
1998-99 NBA Records
Team ATL BOS CHA CHI CLE DAL DEN DET GSW HOU IND LAC LAL MIA MIL MIN NJN NYK ORL PHI PHO POR SAC SAS SEA TOR UTA VAN WAS
Atlanta –3–03–03–12–10–10–01–20–01–03–11–00–00–31–20–01–22–12–22–11–00–00–00–00–02–10–01–02–1
Boston 0–3–1–22–12–20–01–00–30–00–00–31–00–03–00–30–11–21–21–21–20–00–10–10–00–01–20–01–03–1
Charlotte 0–32–1–2–12–10–00–03–00–10–01–20–00–11–22–20–03–01–31–21–21–01–00–00–00–02–11–00–02–1
Chicago 1–31–21–2–0–30–10–00–30–00–00–31–00–01–21–30–02–11–20–31–20–00–00–00–10–11–20–11–01–2
Cleveland 1–22–21–23–0–0–00–01–21–00–10–30–01–00–31–20–03–01–21–21–21–00–00–01–00–02–20–10–01–2
Dallas 1–00–00–01–00–0–2–10–12–22–20–03–00–30–10–01–20–10–01–00–01–30–32–21–30–30–00–32–10–0
Denver 0–00–10–00–00–01–2–0–01–30–40–13–01–20–11–00–31–00–00–00–00–30–30–30–42–20–01–23–10–1
Detroit 2–13–00–33–02–11–00–0–0–00–02–10–00–02–12–10–12–12–10–41–31–00–00–00–11–02–11–00–02–1
Golden State 0–00–01–00–00–12–23–10–0–0–31–02–11–20–00–12–20–00–00–10–01–22–21–20–31–20–00–44–00–0
Houston 0–10–00–00–01–02–24–00–03–0–0–03–11–20–10–02–11–00–00–10–02–22–13–00–32–11–00–34–00–0
Indiana 1–23–02–13–03–00–01–01–20–10–0–0–01–02–23–00–03–12–11–21–20–00–10–00–00–02–10–01–03–0
L.A. Clippers 0–10–10–00–10–00–30–30–01–21–30–0–0–40–00–02–21–00–10–00–00–31–21–20–30–30–11–31–30–0
L.A. Lakers 0–00–01–00–00–13–02–10–02–12–10–14–0–0–00–02–10–01–01–00–13–12–21–22–12–20–01–32–10–0
Miami 3–00–32–12–13–01–01–01–20–01–02–20–00–0–2–10–13–12–22–12–10–00–00–00–00–03–00–10–03–0
Milwaukee 2–13–02–23–12–10–00–11–21–00–00–30–00–01–2–1–02–12–11–21–20–10–00–00–01–03–10–00–02–1
Minnesota 0–01–00–00–00–02–13–01–02–21–20–02–21–21–00–1–0–00–10–00–01–20–33–12–22–10–10–33–10–0
New Jersey 2–12–10–31–20–31–00–11–20–00–11–30–10–01–31–20–0–0–30–31–20–00–10–00–01–02–10–00–02–1
New York 1–22–13–12–12–10–00–01–20–00–01–21–00–12–21–21–03–0–0–33–11–00–00–10–00–01–20–00–02–1
Orlando 2–22–12–13–02–10–10–04–01–01–02–10–00–11–22–10–03–03–0–1–20–00–01–00–10–01–20–00–02–1
Philadelphia 1–22–12–12–12–10–00–03–10–00–02–10–01–01–22–10–02–11–32–1–0–00–11–00–10–12–10–01–01–2
Phoenix 0–10–00–10–00–13–13–00–12–12–20–03–01–30–01–02–10–00–10–00–0–0–30–32–23–00–02–23–00–0
Portland 0–01–00–10–00–03–03–00–02–21–21–02–12–20–00–03–01–00–00–01–03–0–4–01–32–20–01–24–00–0
Sacramento 0–01–01–00–00–02–23–00–02–10–30–02–12–10–00–01–30–01–00–10–13–00–4–1–22–20–01–24–01–0
San Antonio 0–00–00–01–00–13–14–01–03–03–00–03–01–20–00–02–20–00–01–01–02–23–12–1–2–10–12–13–00–0
Seattle 0–00–00–01–00–03–02–20–12–11–20–03–02–20–00–11–20–10–00–01–00–32–22–21–2–0–02–22–10–1
Toronto 1–22–11–22–12–20–00–01–20–00–11–21–00–00–31–31–01–22–12–11–20–00–00–01–00–0–0–01–02–2
Utah 0–00–00–11–01–03–02–10–14–03–00–03–13–11–00–03–00–00–00–00–02–22–12–11–22–20–0–3–01–0
Vancouver 0–10–10–00–10–01–21–30–00–30–40–13–11–20–00–01–30–00–00–00–10–30–30–40–31–20–10–3–0–0
Washington 1–21–31–22–12–10–01–01–20–10–00–30–00–00–31–20–01–21–21–22–10–00–10–10–01–02–20–10–0—

Game log

Player statistics
Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game

Regular season
Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Antonio McDyess 50 50 38.7 .471 .111 .680 10.7 1.6 1.5 2.3 21.2
Nick Van Exel 50 50 36.0 .398 .308 .811 2.3 7.4 0.8 0.1 16.5
Chauncey Billups 45 41 33.1 .386 .362 .913 2.1 3.8 1.3 0.3 13.9
Raef LaFrentz 12 12 32.3 .457 .387 .750 7.6 0.7 0.8 1.4 13.8
Danny Fortson 50 38 28.3 .495 .000 .727 11.6 0.6 0.6 0.4 11.0
Cory Alexander 36 4 21.6 .373 .286 .841 2.1 3.3 1.0 0.1 7.3
Eric Williams 38 8 20.5 .365 .231 .799 2.1 1.0 0.7 0.2 7.3
Bryant Stith 46 32 26.0 .393 .292 .859 2.3 1.8 0.6 0.3 7.0
Johnny Taylor 36 9 20.1 .414 .382 .739 2.8 0.7 0.8 0.5 5.8
Eric Washington 38 6 20.0 .397 .381 .688 2.3 0.8 0.7 0.5 5.4
Tyson Wheeler 1 0 3.0 1.000 1.000 .500 0.0 2.0 0.0 0.0 4.0
Keon Clark 28 0 14.6 .450 .000 .568 3.4 0.4 0.4 1.1 3.3
Carl Herrera 24 0 11.0 .429 .000 .556 2.3 0.0 0.5 0.3 2.5
Kelly McCarty 2 0 2.0 .667 1.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.0
Loren Meyer 14 0 5.0 .250 .200 .500 1.1 0.1 0.0 0.2 1.1
Monty Williams 1 0 6.0 .000 .500 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0

Player Statistics Citation:[37]

Awards and records

References
  1. 1998-99 Denver Nuggets
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  4. "NBA Lockout Begins". CBS News. CBS News.com Staff. June 30, 1998. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  5. Bembry, Jerry (June 30, 1998). "Billion-Dollar Question: NBA Facing Long Timeout? Rising Salaries Spur Basketball Owners to Lock Out Players". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
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  9. Heisler, Mark (December 9, 1998). "NBA Dunks All-Star Game". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
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  16. Bembry, Jerry (January 7, 1999). "Just Beating Buzzer, NBA Unlocks Season; With Only Day Left to Make Deal, Owners, Players Union Agree". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
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  19. "Olowokandi Is the Center of Attention". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. June 25, 1998. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
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  30. "McDyess, Nuggets Agree to $67.5-Million Deal; Spurned Suns Now Expected to Turn Their Attention to Gugliotta". Deseret News. Associated Press. January 22, 1999. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
  31. "NBA DEALINGS: McDyess, Divac and Smith Sign". Kitsap Sun. Associated Press. January 23, 1999. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  32. "PLUS: PRO BASKETBALL -- DENVER; D'Antoni Is Named Coach of Nuggets". The New York Times. Associated Press. September 23, 1998. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  33. Thompson, Jack (February 27, 1999). "Lafrentz Injury Worse Than Feared". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
  34. "League Has $5,000 Gesture of Its Own for Polynice". Los Angeles Times. March 4, 1999. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
  35. "1998–99 Denver Nuggets Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  36. "Teams Defense". NBA.com. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
  37. "1998–99 Denver Nuggets Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  38. Teaford, Elliott (September 28, 1999). "Another Scorer Added in Trade". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  39. "Celtics Trade Mercer in Six-Player Deal". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. August 4, 1999. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
  40. Greenberg, Alan (August 4, 1999). "Celts Cash Out on Mercer". Hartford Courant. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  41. "NBA Teams Get Busy Trading and Signing". Deseret News. Associated Press. August 4, 1999. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  42. "NBA Trade Roundup". Associated Press. August 4, 1999. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  43. "D'Antoni Out, Issel In as Nugget Coach". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. September 15, 1999. Retrieved November 17, 2022.

See also
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