1997–98 Denver Nuggets season

1997–98 Denver Nuggets season
Head coach Bill Hanzlik
Arena McNichols Sports Arena
Results
Record 11–71 (.134)
Place Division: 7th (Midwest)
Conference: 14th (Western)
Playoff finish DNQ
Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television Fox Sports Rocky Mountain, KWGN

The 1997–98 NBA season was the Nuggets’ 22nd season in the National Basketball Association, and 31st season as a franchise.[1] During the offseason, the Nuggets acquired Eric Williams from the Boston Celtics, Johnny Newman from the Milwaukee Bucks, and signed free agent Dean Garrett. However, Williams only played just four games due to a knee injury. At midseason, the team signed free agent Cory Alexander, who was released by the San Antonio Spurs.

The Nuggets set numerous unwanted records during this season. They won only eleven games, the equal third-fewest in an 82-game NBA season with the 1992–93 Dallas Mavericks, and just like the Mavericks were for a long time viewed as likely to beat the 1972–73 76ers record of winning only nine games in a full season, and the 2015–16 76ers, who only won just ten games.[2][3] After forty games, the Nuggets had a 2–38 record (winning percentage .050),[4] a mark equalled only by the 1993–94 Mavericks and they later lost sixteen consecutive games,[4] before finally avoiding a possibility of the worst-ever NBA record against the Golden State Warriors on 27 March.

The unfortunate season meant head coach Bill Hanzlik was fired after a single season in charge of the team. Following the season, LaPhonso Ellis signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Hawks, Newman re-signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Garrett was traded along with rookie Bobby Jackson back to the Minnesota Timberwolves, and top draft pick Tony Battie was dealt to the Los Angeles Lakers, who then traded him to the Boston Celtics several months later.

In his 2007 study The NBA from Top to Bottom, basketball enthusiast Kyle Wright argued that in fact the 1997–98 Nuggets were a worse team than the 1972–73 76ers, saying that they played a worse schedule in the Midwest Division than the 1972–73 76ers did in their Atlantic Division where a dominant Boston Celtics team was played seven times by the 76ers.[5] In contrast, Wright says, "the Nuggets got to play the 62–20 Utah Jazz only four times".

Draft picks

Round Pick Player Position Nationality School/Club Team
15Tony BattiePF/C United StatesTexas Tech
233James CottonSG United StatesLong Beach State
242Jason LawsonC United StatesVillanova

Roster

Denver Nuggets roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOB (YYYY-MM-DD)From
PG 7 United States Alexander, Cory 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Virginia
PF 4 United States Battie, Tony 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 230 lb (104 kg) Texas Tech
SF 3 United States Ellis, Harold 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Morehouse
SF 20 United States Ellis, LaPhonso 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 240 lb (109 kg) Notre Dame
PF 15 United States Fortson, Danny 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 260 lb (118 kg) Cincinnati
C 21 United States Garrett, Dean 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Indiana
PG 5 United States Goldwire, Anthony 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 182 lb (83 kg) Houston
PG 13 United States Jackson, Bobby 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Minnesota
C 30 United States Lauderdale, Priest 7 ft 4 in (2.24 m) 325 lb (147 kg) Central State
SF 22 United States Newman, Johnny 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Richmond
SG 23 United States Stith, Bryant 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 208 lb (94 kg) Virginia
SG 14 United States Washington, Eric 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Alabama
SF 32 United States Williams, Eric  6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Providence
C 17 United States Wolf, Joe  6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 230 lb (104 kg) North Carolina
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured

Roster

Roster Notes

  • Assistant 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.
  • Center Priest Lauderdale holds American and Bulgarian dual citizenship.

Regular season

Season standings

Midwest Division W L PCT GB Home Road Div
z-Utah Jazz 6220.756–36–526–1522–2
x-San Antonio Spurs 5626.683631–1025–1618–6
x-Minnesota Timberwolves 4537.5491726–1519–2214–10
x-Houston Rockets 4141.5002124–1717–2414–10
Dallas Mavericks 2062.2444213–287–349–15
Vancouver Grizzlies 1963.2324314–275–364–20
Denver Nuggets 1171.134519–322–393–21
# Western Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Utah Jazz6220.756–
2 y-Seattle SuperSonics6121.7441
3 x-Los Angeles Lakers6121.7441
4 x-Phoenix Suns5626.6836
5 x-San Antonio Spurs5626.6836
6 x-Portland Trail Blazers4636.56116
7 x-Minnesota Timberwolves4537.54917
8 x-Houston Rockets4141.50021
9 Sacramento Kings2755.32935
10 Dallas Mavericks2062.24442
11 Vancouver Grizzlies1963.23243
11 Golden State Warriors1963.23243
13 Los Angeles Clippers1765.20745
14 Denver Nuggets1171.13451
z – clinched division title
y – clinched division title
x – clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

1997-98 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 —2–14–01–34–02–02–02–22–01–11–32–00–21–33–10–21–22–22–23–10–21–12–01–11–14–00–22–04–0
Boston 1–2—1–21–31–31–11–12–21–11–10–42–01–10–42–21–12–22–22–23–10–21–11–10–21–13–00–22–03–2
Charlotte 0–42–1—1–32–22–02–03–11–12–03–12–01–13–13–11–12–21–33–12–11–12–01–11–11–14–01–12–02–2
Chicago 3–13–13–1—2–21–12–03–12–02–02–22–01–12–14–01–14–04–03–12–11–11–12–02–01–14–00–22–03–1
Cleveland 0–43–12–22–2—1–12–03–12–01–12–22–01–11–32–22–03–11–22–23–12–01–12–00–20–23–11–12–01–2
Dallas 0–21–10–21–11–1—3–10–21–30–41–11–30–40–20–22–20–21–10–20–20–40–40–40–42–21–10–44–01–1
Denver 0–21–10–20–20–21–3—0–21–30–40–22–20–40–20–21–30–20–20–20–20–42–21–30–40–40–20–41–31–1
Detroit 2–22–21–31–31–32–02–0—2–01–11–32–00–21–22–20–22–22–21–23–11–10–21–11–10–24–00–20–22–2
Golden State 0–21–11–10–20–23–13–10–2—1–30–21–31–30–20–20–40–21–11–10–20–41–32–21–31–30–20–41–30–2
Houston 1–11–10–20–21–14–04–01–13–1—1–14–01–30–21–11–31–11–10–21–11–31–34–02–21–32–00–43–11–1
Indiana 3–14–01–32–22–21–12–03–12–01–1—2–00–23–14–02–02–12–13–14–01–11–12–00–20–24–01–12–04–0
L.A. Clippers 0–20–20–20–20–23–12–20–23–10–40–2—0–40–20–20–41–10–20–21–10–40–43–11–30–41–11–31–30–2
L.A. Lakers 2–01–11–11–11–14–04–02–03–13–12–04–0—1–12–04–01–11–11–10–22–22–24–04–01–32–03–14–01–1
Miami 3–14–01–31–23–12–02–02–12–02–01–32–01–1—3–11–13–12–23–14–00–22–02–00–20–24–01–12–02–2
Milwaukee 1–32–21–30–42–22–02–02–22–01–10–42–00–21–3—1–10–43–12–12–20–22–02–00–21–13–10–21–11–2
Minnesota 2–01–11–11–10–22–23–12–04–03–10–24–00–41–11–1—2–01–10–22–03–11–33–11–31–31–11–34–00–2
New Jersey 2–12–22–20–41–32–02–02–22–01–11–21–11–11–34–00–2—2–23–13–11–11–12–01–10–23–10–22–01–3
New York 2–22–23–10–42–11–12–02–21–11–11–22–01–12–21–31–12–2—4–02–22–01–11–10–21–13–10–22–01–3
Orlando 2–22–21–31–32–22–02–02–11–12–01–32–01–11–31–22–01–30–4—4–00–22–00–20–21–13–10–22–03–1
Philadelphia 1–31–31–21–21–32–02–01–32–01–10–41–12–00–42–20–21–32–20–4—1–11–11–10–20–22–20–22–03–1
Phoenix 2–02–01–11–10–24–04–01–14–03–11–14–02–22–02–01–31–10–22–01–1—2–23–13–12–22–01–34–01–1
Portland 1–11–10–21–11–14–02–22–03–13–11–14–02–20–20–23–11–11–10–21–12–2—3–12–20–42–03–12–21–1
Sacramento 0–21–11–10–20–24–03–11–12–20–40–21–30–40–20–21–30–21–12–01–11–31–3—0–41–31–12–22–21–1
San Antonio 1–12–01–10–22–04–04–01–13–12–22–03–10–42–02–03–11–12–02–02–01–32–24–0—2–22–01–34–01–1
Seattle 1–11–11–11–12–02–24–02–03–13–12–04–03–12–01–13–12–01–11–12–02–24–03–12–2—2–02–24–01–1
Toronto 0–40–30–40–41–31–12–00–42–00–20–41–10–20–41–31–11–31–31–32–20–20–21–10–20–2—0–21–10–3
Utah 2–02–01–12–01–14–04–02–04–04–01–13–11–31–12–03–12–02–02–02–03–11–32–23–12–22–0—4–00–2
Vancouver 0–20–20–20–20–20–43–12–03–11–30–23–10–40–21–10–40–20–20–20–20–42–22–20–40–41–10–4—1–1
Washington 0–42–32–21–32–11–11–12–22–01–10–42–01–12–22–12–03–13–11–31–31–11–11–11–11–13–02–01–1—

Game Log

1997–98 Game Log

Total: 11–71 (Home: 9–32 ; Road: 2–39)

1997–98 Schedule

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
Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Dean Garrett 828232.1.428N/A.6487.91.10.71.67.3
Anthony Goldwire823227.0.423.384.8061.83.41.00.19.2
Danny Fortson802322.6.452.333.7765.61.00.60.410.2
LaPhonso Ellis767133.9.407.284.8057.22.80.90.614.3
Johnny Newman741529.4.431.343.8201.91.91.00.314.7
Bobby Jackson685330.0.392.259.8144.44.71.50.211.6
Eric Washington663623.3.404.321.7831.91.20.80.47.7
Tony Battie654923.2.446.214.7025.40.90.81.18.4
Joe Wolf57810.9.331.200.5002.60.50.40.11.5
Priest Lauderdale3908.8.417N/A.5512.20.50.20.43.7
Bryant Stith311523.2.333.208.8722.11.60.70.37.6
Kiwane Garris2808.0.338.357.7600.71.00.30.02.4
Harold Ellis27312.7.559.000.6351.90.70.70.16.1
Cory Alexander231934.7.435.411.8464.36.02.00.314.0
George Zidek607.0.267N/A.8332.20.20.00.33.0
Eric Williams4436.3.393N/A.6895.33.01.00.019.8

Awards and records

References

  1. ↑ 1997–98 Denver Nuggets
  2. ↑ "Nuggets Falter Again: Lose 87–75"; in Rocky Mountain News; December 24, 1997
  3. ↑ "Warriors Pound Nuggets 81–69; Wizards Win 97–95"; in Point Pleasant Register; December 27, 1997; p. 5
  4. 1 2 1997–98 Denver Nuggets Schedule and Results
  5. ↑ Wright, Kyle; The NBA from Top to Bottom: A History of the NBA from the No. 1 Team to the No. 1,153; pp. 80-87. ISBN 9780595697960

See also

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.