1996–97 Denver Nuggets season

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
1996–97 Denver Nuggets season
Head coach
General manager
PresidentBernie Bickerstaff
ArenaMcNichols Sports Arena
Results
Record21–61 (.256)
PlaceDivision: 5th (Midwest)
Conference: 12th (Western)
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television
RadioKKFN
< 1995–96 1997–98 >

The 1996–97 NBA season was the Nuggets' 21st season in the National Basketball Association, and 30th season as a franchise.[1] In the off-season, the Nuggets acquired Mark Jackson and Ricky Pierce from the Indiana Pacers,[2] acquired Šarūnas Marčiulionis from the Sacramento Kings, and signed free agents Ervin Johnson and Eric Murdock,[3] although Murdock was released to free agency in November after just 12 games. However, after a 4–9 start to the season, Bernie Bickerstaff resigned as head coach and replaced with Dick Motta, where the Nuggets then lost ten straight games. Midway through the season, Jackson was traded back to the Indiana Pacers, while Pierce was dealt to the Charlotte Hornets for second-year guard Anthony Goldwire.[4] The team also signed free agent and three-point specialist Kenny Smith, who won two championships with the Houston Rockets. As the season drew, the Nuggets still struggled losing 26 of their final 30 games, finishing fifth in the Midwest Division with a 21–61 record.[5]

Despite playing just 55 games due to a knee injury and a ruptured Achilles tendon, LaPhonso Ellis led the team in scoring with a career-high of 21.9 points per game, and contributed 7.0 rebounds per game, while second-year star Antonio McDyess averaged 18.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. In addition, Dale Ellis provided the team with 16.6 points per game, while Bryant Stith contributed 14.9 points per game, and Johnson provided with 7.1 points, 11.1 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game.[6] Following the season, McDyess was traded to the Phoenix Suns,[7] while Dale Ellis was traded back to his former team, the Seattle SuperSonics,[8] Johnson was dealt to the Milwaukee Bucks, Tom Hammonds signed as a free agent with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Smith and Marčiulionis both retired, and Motta was fired as head coach.

Draft picks[]

Main article: 1996 NBA Draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality School/Club Team
1 23 Efthimios Rentzias C  Greece PAOK
2 37 Jeff McInnis PG/SG  United States North Carolina

Roster[]

1996–97 Denver Nuggets roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB (YYYY-MM-DD) From
G 53 Allen, Jerome 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 184 lb (83 kg) 1973–01–28 Pennsylvania
G 17 Askew, Vincent 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1966–02–28 Memphis
F 3 Ellis, Dale 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1960–08–06 Tennessee
F 20 Ellis, LaPhonso Injured 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1970–05–05 Notre Dame
G 5 Goldwire, Anthony 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 182 lb (83 kg) 1971–09–06 Houston
F 21 Hammonds, Tom 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1967–03–27 Georgia Tech
C 50 Johnson, Ervin 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 245 lb (111 kg) 1967–12–21 New Orleans
G 13 King, Jimmy 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1973–08–09 Michigan
G 8 Marčiulionis, Šarūnas Injured 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1964–06–13 Lithuania
F 24 McDyess, Antonio 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1974–09–07 Alabama
G 30 Smith, Kenny 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1965–03–08 North Carolina
G 23 Stith, Bryant 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 208 lb (94 kg) 1970–12–10 Virginia
G 6 Thompson, Brooks 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 193 lb (88 kg) 1970–07–19 Oklahoma State
C 25 Zidek, George 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 250 lb (113 kg) 1973–08–02 UCLA
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Roster
Last transaction: April 6, 1997

Roster Notes[]

Regular season[]

Season standings[]

Midwest Division
W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Utah Jazz 64 18 .780 – 38–3 26–15 19–5
x-Houston Rockets 57 25 .695 7 30–11 27–14 19–5
x-Minnesota Timberwolves 40 42 .488 24 25–16 15–26 16–8
Dallas Mavericks 24 58 .293 40 14–27 10–31 9–15
Denver Nuggets 21 61 .256 43 12–29 9–32 7–17
San Antonio Spurs 20 62 .244 44 12–29 8–33 8–16
Vancouver Grizzlies 14 68 .171 50 8–33 6–35 6–18
1996–97 NBA West standings
# Western Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 c-Utah Jazz 64 18 .780 –
2 y-Seattle SuperSonics 57 25 .695 7
3 x-Houston Rockets 57 25 .695 7
4 x-Los Angeles Lakers 56 26 .683 8
5 x-Portland Trail Blazers 49 33 .598 15
6 x-Minnesota Timberwolves 40 42 .488 24
7 x-Phoenix Suns 40 42 .488 24
8 x-Los Angeles Clippers 36 46 .439 28
9 Sacramento Kings 34 48 .415 30
10 Golden State Warriors 30 52 .366 34
11 Dallas Mavericks 24 58 .293 40
12 Denver Nuggets 21 61 .256 43
13 San Antonio Spurs 20 62 .244 44
14 Vancouver Grizzlies 14 68 .171 50
z - clinched division title
y - clinched division title
x - clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents[]

1996-97 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 – 3–1 1–3 1–3 3–1 2–0 1–1 1–3 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 1–2 4–0 2–0 3–1 1–3 3–1 4–0 1–1 2–0 2–0 2–0 1–1 4–0 1–1 2–0 2–1
Boston 1–3 – 0–4 0–4 1–2 1–1 1–1 0–4 1–1 0–2 1–2 0–2 1–1 0–4 1–3 0–2 0–4 0–4 0–4 1–3 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 3–1 0–2 0–2 0–4
Charlotte 3–1 4–0 – 0–4 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–2 2–0 2–0 2–2 1–1 1–1 1–2 2–2 2–0 4–0 3–1 1–2 4–0 1–1 0–2 2–0 2–0 2–0 2–2 0–2 2–0 3–1
Chicago 3–1 4–0 4–0 – 3–1 2–0 2–0 3–1 2–0 1–1 4–0 2–0 1–1 2–2 4–0 2–0 3–1 2–2 3–0 4–0 2–0 2–0 2–0 2–0 2–0 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–1
Cleveland 1–3 2–1 1–3 1–3 – 2–0 1–1 2–2 1–1 0–2 3–1 2–0 1–1 0–4 2–2 2–0 4–0 1–3 2–2 3–0 1–1 1–1 2–0 0–2 0–2 3–1 1–1 2–0 1–3
Dallas 0–2 1–1 1–1 0–2 0–2 – 3–1 0–2 0–4 0–4 1–1 2–2 0–4 0–2 0–2 1–3 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–3 1–3 2–2 1–3 1–3 0–2 1–3 3–1 0–2
Denver 1–1 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 1–3 – 0–2 1–3 1–3 0–2 1–3 0–4 0–2 1–1 0–4 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 2–2 0–4 2–2 2–2 0–4 1–1 0–4 3–1 1–1
Detroit 3–1 4–0 2–2 1–3 2–2 2–0 2–0 – 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 0–4 3–1 2–0 4–0 1–2 2–2 2–1 0–2 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 3–1 1–1 2–0 4–0
Golden State 0–2 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 4–0 3–1 0–2 – 0–4 1–1 1–3 0–4 0–2 1–1 1–3 2–0 0–2 1–1 2–0 0–4 2–2 1–3 4–0 0–4 2–0 0–4 3–1 0–2
Houston 1–1 2–0 0–2 1–1 2–0 4–0 3–1 1–1 4–0 – 1–1 3–1 3–1 0–2 1–1 4–0 2–0 1–1 0–2 2–0 2–2 2–2 4–0 3–1 3–1 1–1 2–2 3–1 2–0
Indiana 1–3 2–1 2–2 0–4 1–3 1–1 2–0 1–3 1–1 1–1 – 2–0 1–1 1–3 2–2 2–0 2–2 1–3 1–3 3–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 4–0 0–2 2–0 1–3
L.A. Clippers 0–2 2–0 1–1 0–2 0–2 2–2 3–1 0–2 3–1 1–3 0–2 – 2–2 0–2 2–0 1–3 1–1 0–2 1–1 1–1 2–2 0–4 2–2 4–0 1–3 2–0 1–3 4–0 0–2
L.A. Lakers 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 4–0 4–0 1–1 4–0 1–3 1–1 2–2 – 1–1 2–0 3–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 2–0 4–0 1–3 4–0 2–2 3–1 1–1 1–3 4–0 2–0
Miami 2–1 4–0 2–1 2–2 4–0 2–0 2–0 4–0 2–0 2–0 3–1 2–0 1–1 – 4–0 1–1 3–1 1–3 2–2 3–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 2–0 0–2 3–1 0–2 2–0 3–1
Milwaukee 0–4 3–1 2–2 0–4 2–2 2–0 1–1 1–3 1–1 1–1 2–2 0–2 0–2 0–4 – 0–2 2–1 1–2 2–2 3–1 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 1–1 3–1 1–1 2–0 1–3
Minnesota 0–2 2–0 0–2 0–2 0–2 3–1 4–0 0–2 3–1 0–4 0–2 3–1 1–3 1–1 2–0 – 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 3–1 2–2 0–4 4–0 0–4 1–1 1–3 4–0 1–1
New Jersey 1–3 4–0 0–4 1–3 0–4 1–1 1–1 0–4 0–2 0–2 2–2 1–1 0–2 1–3 1–2 0–2 – 2–2 1–3 2–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 2–0 1–1 0–3 0–2 2–0 1–3
New York 3–1 4–0 1–3 2–2 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–1 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–1 1–1 2–2 – 3–1 3–2 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 0–2 3–0 1–1 2–0 4–0
Orlando 1–3 4–0 2–1 0–3 2–2 1–1 2–0 2–2 1–1 2–0 3–1 1–1 1–1 2–2 2–2 1–1 3–1 1–3 – 2–2 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 4–0 0–2 1–1 1–3
Philadelphia 0–4 3–1 0–4 0–4 0–3 0–2 1–1 1–2 0–2 0–2 0–3 1–1 0–2 1–3 1–3 1–1 2–2 2–3 2–2 – 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 1–3 0–2 2–0 1–3
Phoenix 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 3–1 2–2 2–0 4–0 2–2 1–1 2–2 0–4 0–2 1–1 1–3 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 – 1–3 4–0 3–1 2–2 0–2 1–3 2–2 1–1
Portland 0–2 1–1 2–0 0–2 1–1 3–1 4–0 1–1 2–2 2–2 1–1 4–0 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–2 2–0 1–1 0–2 1–1 3–1 – 2–2 4–0 1–3 0–2 2–2 4–0 0–2
Sacramento 0–2 2–0 0–2 0–2 0–2 2–2 2–2 1–1 3–1 0–4 1–1 2–2 0–4 0–2 2–0 4–0 1–1 0–2 1–1 2–0 0–4 2–2 – 3–1 1–3 1–1 0–4 4–0 0–2
San Antonio 0–2 1–1 0–2 0–2 2–0 3–1 2–2 0–2 0–4 1–3 1–1 0–4 2–2 0–2 1–1 0–4 0–2 0–2 1–1 1–1 1–3 0–4 1–3 – 0–4 1–1 1–3 1–3 0–2
Seattle 1–1 2–0 0–2 0–2 2–0 3–1 4–0 1–1 4–0 1–3 1–1 3–1 1–3 2–0 1–1 4–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 2–2 3–1 3–1 4–0 – 2–0 1–3 4–0 2–0
Toronto 0–4 1–3 2–2 1–3 1–3 2–0 1–1 1–3 0–2 1–1 0–4 0–2 1–1 1–3 1–3 1–1 3–0 0–3 0–4 3–1 2–0 2–0 1–1 1–1 0–2 – 1–1 1–1 2–2
Utah 1–1 2–0 2–0 1–1 1–1 3–1 4–0 1–1 4–0 2–2 2–0 3–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 2–0 3–1 2–2 4–0 3–1 3–1 1–1 – 4–0 2–0
Vancouver 0–2 2–0 0–2 0–2 0–2 1–3 1–3 0–2 1–3 1–3 0–2 0–4 0–4 0–2 0–2 0–4 0–2 0–2 1–1 0–2 2–2 0–4 0–4 3–1 0–4 1–1 0–4 – 1–1
Washington 1–2 4–0 1–3 1–2 3–1 2–0 1–1 0–4 2–0 0–2 3–1 2–0 0–2 1–3 3–1 1–1 3–1 0–4 3–1 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 2–0 0–2 2–2 0–2 1–1 —

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
LaPhonso Ellis 55 49 36.4 .439 .367 .773 7.0 2.4 0.8 0.7 21.9
Antonio McDyess 74 73 34.7 .463 .171 .708 7.3 1.4 0.8 1.7 18.3
Dale Ellis 82 51 35.9 .414 .364 .817 3.6 2.0 0.7 0.1 16.6
Bryant Stith 52 52 34.4 .416 .385 .863 4.2 2.6 1.2 0.4 14.9
Mark Jackson 52 52 38.5 .425 .397 .801 5.2 12.3 1.0 0.2 10.4
Ricky Pierce 33 10 18.2 .462 .308 .902 1.6 0.9 0.4 0.2 10.2
Kenny Smith 33 3 19.8 .422 .425 .854 1.1 3.1 0.5 0.0 7.9
Anthony Goldwire 27 21 22.7 .392 .394 .816 1.7 4.6 0.5 0.0 7.3
Ervin Johnson 82 82 31.7 .520 .000 .615 11.1 0.9 0.8 2.8 7.1
Brooks Thompson 65 6 16.1 .400 .398 .632 1.5 2.8 0.8 0.0 6.8
Sarunas Marciulionis 17 0 15.0 .376 .367 .806 1.8 1.5 0.7 0.1 6.8
Tom Hammonds 81 8 21.7 .480 .000 .721 5.0 0.8 0.2 0.3 6.2
Aaron Williams 1 0 10.0 .600 5.0 0.0 0.0 3.0 6.0
Vincent Askew 1 0 9.0 .667 1.000 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 6.0
Jeff McInnis 13 0 9.0 .469 .462 .700 0.5 1.4 0.2 0.1 5.0
Eric Murdock 12 0 9.5 .455 .400 .917 0.9 2.0 0.8 0.2 3.8
George Zidek 16 0 5.5 .485 .800 1.4 0.3 0.1 0.0 3.3
Jimmy King 2 0 11.0 .333 .500 1.0 1.0 1.5 0.0 3.0
Jerome Allen 25 0 10.0 .284 .206 .600 1.3 1.7 0.2 0.2 2.6
Elmer Bennett 5 0 11.8 .308 .333 .500 0.6 1.4 0.4 0.0 2.4
Darvin Ham 35 3 8.9 .525 .485 1.6 0.4 0.2 0.2 2.3
Melvin Booker 5 0 4.2 .500 .500 0.2 0.6 0.0 0.0 1.0
LaSalle Thompson 17 0 6.2 .188 .500 1.5 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.4

Player Statistics Citation:[6]

Awards and records[]

Transactions[]

References[]

  1. ^ 1996-97 Denver Nuggets
  2. ^ "Pacers trade Jackson, Pierce to Denver". UPI Archives. June 13, 1996. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
  3. ^ "C Ervin Johnson signs with Nuggets". UPI Archives. July 23, 1996. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  4. ^ "Nuggets made three trades, Hornets and Pacers two each". AP News. February 20, 1997. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
  5. ^ "1996–97 Denver Nuggets Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  6. ^ a b "1996–97 Denver Nuggets Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  7. ^ "Suns Make Trade for McDyess". Los Angeles Times. October 2, 1997. Retrieved July 26, 2017.
  8. ^ "SONICS: Long-range bomber Ellis returns a 'changed man'". Kitsap Sun. October 3, 1997. Retrieved December 30, 2021.

See also[]

  • 1996-97 NBA season
Retrieved from ""