1998–99 Denver Nuggets season

NBA professional basketball team season August 2023 March 2026 Denver Nuggets 1999 14 36 Midwest 6 13 Mike D'Antoni Dan Issel McNichols Sports Arena Did not qualify DEN KPXC-TV Fox Sports Rocky Mountain KKFN 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. Denver Nuggets Basketball-Reference https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/DEN/ August 6, 2026 Due to a lockout, the regular season began on February 5, 1999, and was cut from 82 games to 50. CBS News.com Staff NBA: Let The Games Begin! CBS News January 6, 1999 https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nba-let-the-games-begin/ December 15, 2022 Season summary Off-season After finishing with the league's worst record at 11–71 the previous season, the Nuggets received the third overall pick the 1998 NBA draft, and selected center Raef LaFrentz from the University of Kansas. Wise Mike Pro Basketball: 7 Feet 1 Inch of Potential at No. 1 The New York Times June 25, 1998 https://www.nytimes.com/1998/06/25/sports/pro-basketball-7-feet-1-inch-of-potential-at-no-1.html July 25, 2021 Associated Press Olowokandi Is the Center of Attention Los Angeles Times June 25, 1998 https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-jun-25-sp-63550-story.html October 18, 2022 1998 NBA Draft Basketball-Reference https://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/NBA_1998.html December 1, 2022 During the off-season, the team re-signed former Nuggets forward Antonio McDyess after one season with the Phoenix Suns, CBS News.com Staff Nuggets Finally Sign McDyess CBS News January 21, 1999 https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nuggets-finally-sign-mcdyess/ June 24, 2023 Heisler Mark McDyess, Nuggets Hit a Snag Los Angeles Times January 22, 1999 https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-jan-22-sp-699-story.html October 3, 2022 Associated Press McDyess, Nuggets Agree to $67.5-Million Deal; Spurned Suns Now Expected to Turn Their Attention to Gugliotta Deseret News January 22, 1999 https://www.deseret.com/1999/1/22/19424938/mcdyess-nuggets-agree-to-67-5-million-deal-br-spurned-suns-now-expected-to-turn-their-attention-to-g January 9, 2023 acquired All-Star guard Nick Van Exel from the Los Angeles Lakers on draft day, Howard-Cooper Scott Van Exel Is Exiled to Nuggets Los Angeles Times June 25, 1998 https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-jun-25-sp-63555-story.html December 28, 2021 Associated Press Van Exel Act Gets Him Exiled to the Nuggets Deseret News June 25, 1998 https://www.deseret.com/1998/6/25/19387762/van-exel-act-gets-him-exiled-to-the-nuggets December 5, 2022 acquired second-year guard Chauncey Billups from the Toronto Raptors, Gardner Kris Knicks Acquiring Sprewell Highlights Six-Deal Day The Houston Roundball Review January 21, 1999 https://www.thehrr.com/nba/trade_archive/'98-'99season/0121Sprewell_5more.html#CHAUNCEY December 15, 2022 Bucks: Signed F Robert Traylor to Three-Year... The Baltimore Sun January 22, 1999 https://www.baltimoresun.com/1999/01/22/bucks-signed-f-robert-traylor-to-three-year/ June 26, 2023 NBA Midwest Division Capsules The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/nba/longterm/1999/preview/midwest.htm June 26, 2023 and acquired second-year forward Johnny Taylor, and rookie power forward, and first-round draft pick Keon Clark out of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas from the Orlando Magic. Wise Mike Pro Basketball: A Scrum for the Title The New York Times February 4, 1999 https://www.nytimes.com/1999/02/04/sports/pro-basketball-a-scrum-for-the-title.html June 28, 2022 The Nuggets also hired Mike D'Antoni as their new head coach. Associated Press Plus: Pro Basketball -- Denver: D'Antoni Is Named Coach of Nuggets The New York Times September 23, 1998 https://www.nytimes.com/1998/09/23/sports/plus-pro-basketball-denver-d-antoni-is-named-coach-of-nuggets.html November 17, 2022 Regular season Under D'Antoni and despite the return of McDyess, along with the addition of LaFrentz, Van Exel and Billups, the Nuggets continued to struggle losing eight of their first nine games of the regular season. After twelve games, LaFrentz suffered a knee injury and was out for the remainder of the season, averaging 13.8 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. Thompson Jack Lafrentz Injury Worse Than Feared Chicago Tribune February 27, 1999 https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1999-02-27-9902270015-story.html March 2, 2017 League Has $5,000 Gesture of Its Own for Polynice Los Angeles Times March 4, 1999 https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-mar-04-sp-13999-story.html October 3, 2022 Without their top draft pick, the Nuggets posted a seven-game losing streak in March, and lost their final seven games of the season, finishing in sixth place in the Midwest Division with a 14–36 record. 1998–99 Denver Nuggets Schedule and Results Basketball-Reference https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/DEN/1999_games.html July 15, 2021 The Nuggets had the worst team defensive rating in the NBA.https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/defense/?sort=DEF_RATING&dir=-1&Season=1998-99&SeasonType=Regular%20Season Teams Defense NBA.com April 17, 2021 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, and Bryant Stith provided with 7.0 points per game. Meanwhile, Taylor averaged 5.8 points per game, second-year guard Eric Washington contributed 5.4 points per game, and Clark provided with 3.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game. 1998–99 Denver Nuggets Roster and Stats Basketball-Reference https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/DEN/1999.html July 15, 2021 Fortson finished in fifth place in Most Improved Player voting, while McDyess finished tied in tenth place. 1998–99 NBA Awards Voting Basketball-Reference https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/awards_1999.html October 23, 2025 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; 1998–99 NBA Season Summary Basketball-Reference https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_1999.html January 23, 2026 Aftermath This was also the Nuggets' final season in which they played their home games at the McNichols Sports Arena, before moving to the Pepsi Center the following season. Teaford Elliott Another Scorer Added in Trade Los Angeles Times September 28, 1999 https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-sep-28-sp-15075-story.html November 17, 2022 Meanwhile, Fortson, Williams and Washington were all traded to the Boston Celtics, whom Williams previously played for, Associated Press Celtics Trade Mercer in Six-Player Deal Los Angeles Times August 4, 1999 https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-aug-04-sp-62584-story.html October 9, 2022 Greenberg Alan Celts Cash Out on Mercer Hartford Courant August 4, 1999 https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-xpm-1999-08-04-9908040321-story.html December 15, 2022 Associated Press NBA Teams Get Busy Trading and Signing Deseret News August 4, 1999 https://www.deseret.com/1999/8/4/19458947/nba-teams-get-busy-trading-and-signing July 3, 2023 and D'Antoni was fired as head coach after only one season. Associated Press D'Antoni Out, Issel in as Nugget Coach Los Angeles Times September 15, 1999 https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-sep-15-sp-10466-story.html November 17, 2022 Draft picks 1998 NBA draft Round Pick Player Position Nationality School/Club team 1 3 Raef LaFrentz PF/C Kansas 1 23 Tyronn Lue PG Nebraska 2 54 Tremaine Fowlkes SF Fresno State 2 55 Ryan Bowen PF Iowa Roster Denver Nuggets 1998–99 #002147 #CBA135 #A50021 #FFFFFF 7 Cory Alexander G 6 1 185 –– Virginia 4 Chauncey Billups G 6 3 202 –– Colorado 13 Keon Clark F/C 6 11 220 –– UNLV 15 Danny Fortson F 6 7 260 –– Cincinnati 21 Carl Herrera F 6 9 215 –– Houston 45 Raef LaFrentz C 6 11 240 –– Kansas 11 Kelly McCarty G 6 7 200 –– Southern Mississippi 24 Antonio McDyess F/C 6 9 220 –– Alabama 34 Loren Meyer C 6 10 257 –– Iowa State 23 Bryant Stith G/F 6 5 208 –– Virginia 17 Johnny Taylor basketball F 6 9 220 –– Chattanooga 31 Nick Van Exel G 6 1 170 –– Cincinnati 14 Eric Washington basketball G/F 6 4 190 –– Alabama 32 Eric Williams basketball, born 1972 F 6 8 220 –– Providence Mike D'Antoni Louie Dampier Mike Evans Kim Hughes John Lucas https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/DEN/1999.html 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 DEN DEN z - clinched division title y - clinched division title x - clinched playoff spot Game log January 2011 Player statistics Regular season Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPGAntonio McDyess505038.7.471.111.68010.71.61.52.321.2Nick Van Exel505036.0.398.308.8112.37.40.80.116.5Chauncey Billups454133.1.386.362.9132.13.81.30.313.9Raef LaFrentz121232.3.457.387.7507.60.70.81.413.8Danny Fortson503828.3.495.000.72711.60.60.60.411.0Cory Alexander36421.6.373.286.8412.13.31.00.17.3Eric Williams38820.5.365.231.7992.11.00.70.27.3Bryant Stith463226.0.393.292.8592.31.80.60.37.0Johnny Taylor36920.1.414.382.7392.80.70.80.55.8Eric Washington38620.0.397.381.6882.30.80.70.55.4Tyson Wheeler103.01.0001.000.5000.02.00.00.04.0Keon Clark28014.6.450.000.5683.40.40.41.13.3Carl Herrera24011.0.429.000.5562.30.00.50.32.5Kelly McCarty202.0.6671.50.00.00.02.0Loren Meyer1405.0.250.200.5001.10.10.00.21.1Monty Williams106.0.000.5000.00.00.00.01.0 Player statistics citation: Awards and records Antonio McDyess, All-NBA Third Team Transactions January 2011 References See also 1998-99 NBA season Category:Denver Nuggets seasons Category:1998 in sports in Colorado Category:1999 in sports in Colorado Denver Nug