# 1992–93 Denver Nuggets season

The 1992–93 NBA season was the Nuggets' 17th season in the National Basketball Association and 26th season as a franchise. In the 1992 NBA draft, the Nuggets selected LaPhonso Ellis out of Notre Dame University with the fifth overall pick, and selected Bryant Stith from the University of Virginia with the thirteenth overall pick. During the off-season, the team acquired second-year guard Robert Pack from the Portland Trail Blazers, and brought back Dan Issel as their new head coach; Issel starred for the Nuggets for ten seasons as a player.
Under Issel, the Nuggets got off to a 7–7 start, but then suffered a 14-game losing streak from December 5, 1992 to January 5, 1993. At mid-season, the team signed free agent Tom Hammonds, who was previously released by the Charlotte Hornets. Despite the losing streak, the Nuggets showed significant improvement holding a 20–30 record at the All-Star break, and missed the playoffs by three games with a record of 36–46, fourth place in the Midwest Division.
The progress of second-year star Dikembe Mutombo into one of the league's best defensive players was reason for hope, as he averaged 13.8 points, 13.0 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game, while Chris Jackson led the team in scoring averaging 19.2 points per game, which resulted in him being named the Most Improved Player of the Year. In addition, Ellis averaged 14.7 points, 9.1 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, while Reggie Williams provided the team with 17.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game, and Pack contributed 10.5 points and 4.4 assists per game off the bench. Stith contributed 8.9 points per game, but only played just 39 games due to a broken toe, and right foot injury, and Marcus Liberty provided with 8.1 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.
Following the season, Jackson would change his name to Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf after converting to Islam two years ago, and Todd Lichti and Anthony Cook, who missed the entire season with a knee injury, were both traded to the Orlando Magic. It was also the final season the Nuggets wore their "rainbow skyline" uniforms.

## NBA draft

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | School/Club Team |
| 1 | 5 | LaPhonso Ellis | PF/SF | United States | Notre Dame |
| 1 | 13 | Bryant Stith | SG | United States | Virginia |
| 2 | 46 | Robert Werdann | C | United States | St. John's |

## Roster
### Roster Notes

* Power forward Anthony Cook missed the entire season due to a knee injury.

## Regular season
### Season standings

| Midwest Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
| y-Houston Rockets | 55 | 27 | .671 | — | 31–10 | 24–17 | 19–7 |
| x-San Antonio Spurs | 49 | 33 | .598 | 6 | 31–10 | 18–23 | 17–9 |
| x-Utah Jazz | 47 | 35 | .573 | 8 | 28–13 | 19–22 | 16–10 |
| Denver Nuggets | 36 | 46 | .439 | 19 | 28–13 | 8–33 | 13–13 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | 19 | 63 | .232 | 36 | 11–30 | 8–33 | 10–16 |
| Dallas Mavericks | 11 | 71 | .134 | 44 | 7–34 | 4–37 | 3–23 |
    y - clinched division title
    x - clinched playoff spot
| # | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| 1 | z-Phoenix Suns | 62 | 20 | .756 | – |
| 2 | y-Houston Rockets | 55 | 27 | .671 | 7 |
| 3 | x-Seattle SuperSonics | 55 | 27 | .671 | 7 |
| 4 | x-Portland Trail Blazers | 51 | 31 | .622 | 11 |
| 5 | x-San Antonio Spurs | 49 | 33 | .598 | 13 |
| 6 | x-Utah Jazz | 47 | 35 | .573 | 15 |
| 7 | x-Los Angeles Clippers | 41 | 41 | .500 | 21 |
| 8 | x-Los Angeles Lakers | 39 | 43 | .476 | 23 |
| 9 | Denver Nuggets | 36 | 46 | .439 | 26 |
| 10 | Golden State Warriors | 34 | 48 | .415 | 28 |
| 11 | Sacramento Kings | 25 | 57 | .305 | 37 |
| 12 | Minnesota Timberwolves | 19 | 63 | .232 | 43 |
| 13 | Dallas Mavericks | 11 | 71 | .134 | 51 |
    z - clinched division title
    y - clinched division title
    x - clinched playoff spot

### Record vs. opponents

1992-93 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 | UTA | WAS |
| Atlanta | – | 2–2 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 0–5 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 |
| Boston | 2–2 | – | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 1–4 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 4–1 |
| Charlotte | 2–3 | 1–3 | – | 2–3 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–5 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 |
| Chicago | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–2 | – | 2–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 |
| Cleveland | 5–0 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 3–2 | – | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| Dallas | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | – | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–5 | 1–3 | 0–5 | 1–1 |
| Denver | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 | – | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–4 | 1–3 | 2–3 | 2–0 |
| Detroit | 3–2 | 3–1 | 1–4 | 1–3 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | – | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 4–0 |
| Golden State | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 2–0 | – | 2–2 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 0–5 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 1–4 | 3–1 | 1–1 |
| Houston | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | – | 2–0 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 4–1 | 1–3 | 4–1 | 1–1 |
| Indiana | 2–2 | 2–2 | 5–0 | 0–5 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 0–2 | – | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–1 |
| L.A. Clippers | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 0–4 | 1–1 | – | 3–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 0–4 | 1–4 | 2–2 | 2–0 |
| L.A. Lakers | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–3 | – | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–5 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 1–4 | 1–3 | 2–0 |
| Miami | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | – | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 0–5 | 3–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–3 |
| Milwaukee | 2–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | – | 1–1 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 |
| Minnesota | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | – | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–4 | 0–4 | 1–4 | 1–1 |
| New Jersey | 3–1 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 1–1 | – | 1–3 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 |
| New York | 2–2 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 5–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | – | 2–2 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 |
| Orlando | 3–1 | 2–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 2–2 | – | 3–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 |
| Philadelphia | 1–3 | 1–4 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 0–5 | 2–3 | – | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–1 |
| Phoenix | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | – | 3–2 | 5–0 | 3–1 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 2–0 |
| Portland | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–3 | – | 5–0 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 1–1 |
| Sacramento | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–5 | 0–5 | – | 2–2 | 1–4 | 2–2 | 1–1 |
| San Antonio | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | – | 3–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 |
| Seattle | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 1–3 | – | 2–2 | 2–0 |
| Utah | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 1–4 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–3 | 2–2 | – | 1–1 |
| Washington | 2–2 | 1–4 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | — |

## Player statistics
### Regular season

| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf | 81 | 81 | 33.5 | .450 | .355 | .935 | 2.8 | 4.2 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 19.2 |
| Reggie Williams | 79 | 79 | 34.5 | .458 | .270 | .804 | 5.4 | 3.7 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 17.0 |
| LaPhonso Ellis | 82 | 82 | 33.5 | .504 | .154 | .748 | 9.1 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 14.7 |
| Dikembe Mutombo | 82 | 82 | 36.9 | .510 | | .681 | 13.0 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 3.5 | 13.8 |
| Robert Pack | 77 | 1 | 20.5 | .470 | .125 | .768 | 2.1 | 4.4 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 10.5 |
| Bryant Stith | 39 | 12 | 22.2 | .446 | .000 | .832 | 3.2 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 8.9 |
| Marcus Liberty | 78 | 32 | 20.3 | .406 | .373 | .654 | 4.3 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 8.1 |
| Mark Macon | 48 | 27 | 23.8 | .415 | .000 | .700 | 2.1 | 2.6 | 1.4 | 0.1 | 7.5 |
| Todd Lichti | 48 | 12 | 15.7 | .449 | .333 | .794 | 2.1 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 6.9 |
| Tom Hammonds | 35 | 0 | 16.3 | .489 | .000 | .611 | 2.7 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 5.9 |
| Gary Plummer | 60 | 0 | 12.3 | .465 | .000 | .726 | 2.9 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 4.7 |
| Kevin Brooks | 55 | 2 | 10.4 | .399 | .231 | .875 | 1.5 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 4.1 |
| Scott Hastings | 76 | 0 | 8.8 | .509 | .250 | .727 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 2.1 |
| Robert Werdann | 28 | 0 | 5.3 | .305 | .000 | .548 | 1.9 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 1.9 |
Player Statistics Citation:

## Awards, records, and honors

* Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, NBA Most Improved Player Award
* LaPhonso Ellis, NBA All-Rookie Team 1st Team