# 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. Due to a lockout, the regular season began on February 5, 1999, and was cut from 82 games to 50.
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. During the off-season, the team acquired Nick Van Exel from the Los Angeles Lakers, acquired second-year guard Chauncey Billups from the Toronto Raptors, and acquired second-year forward Johnny Taylor, and top draft pick Keon Clark from the Orlando Magic.
Despite the return of Antonio McDyess, who was re-signed by the team after one season with the Phoenix Suns, the Nuggets continued to struggle under new head coach Mike D'Antoni, 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. Without their top draft pick, the Nuggets lost their final seven games, and finished sixth in the Midwest Division with a 14–36 record. The Nuggets had the worst team defensive rating in the NBA.
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.
This was also the Nuggets' final season playing at McNichols Sports Arena before moving to the Pepsi Center the following season. Also following the season, Fortson, Williams and second-year guard Eric Washington were all traded to the Boston Celtics, and D'Antoni was fired as head coach.

## Draft picks

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | School/Club Team |
| 1 | 3 | Raef LaFrentz | PF/C | United States | Kansas |
| 1 | 23 | Tyronn Lue | PG | United States | Nebraska |
| 2 | 54 | Tremaine Fowlkes | SF | United States | Fresno State |
| 2 | 55 | Ryan Bowen | PF | United States | Iowa |

## Roster
### 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 Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
| y-San Antonio Spurs | 37 | 13 | .740 | – | 21–4 | 16–9 | 17–4 |
| x-Utah Jazz | 37 | 13 | .740 | – | 22–3 | 15–10 | 15–3 |
| x-Houston Rockets | 31 | 19 | .620 | 6 | 19–6 | 12–13 | 12–9 |
| x-Minnesota Timberwolves | 25 | 25 | .500 | 12 | 18–7 | 7–18 | 11–9 |
| Dallas Mavericks | 19 | 31 | .380 | 18 | 15–10 | 4–21 | 8–12 |
| Denver Nuggets | 14 | 36 | .280 | 23 | 12–13 | 2–23 | 5–16 |
| Vancouver Grizzlies | 8 | 42 | .160 | 29 | 7–18 | 1–24 | 3–18 |
| # | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| 1 | z-San Antonio Spurs | 37 | 13 | .740 | – |
| 2 | y-Portland Trail Blazers | 35 | 15 | .700 | 2 |
| 3 | x-Utah Jazz | 37 | 13 | .740 | – |
| 4 | x-Los Angeles Lakers | 31 | 19 | .620 | 6 |
| 5 | x-Houston Rockets | 31 | 19 | .620 | 6 |
| 6 | x-Sacramento Kings | 27 | 23 | .540 | 10 |
| 7 | x-Phoenix Suns | 27 | 23 | .540 | 10 |
| 8 | x-Minnesota Timberwolves | 25 | 25 | .500 | 12 |
| 9 | Seattle SuperSonics | 25 | 25 | .500 | 12 |
| 10 | Golden State Warriors | 21 | 29 | .420 | 16 |
| 11 | Dallas Mavericks | 19 | 31 | .380 | 18 |
| 12 | Denver Nuggets | 14 | 36 | .280 | 23 |
| 13 | Los Angeles Clippers | 9 | 41 | .180 | 28 |
| 14 | Vancouver Grizzlies | 8 | 42 | .160 | 29 |
    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 | – | 3–0 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 |
| Boston | 0–3 | – | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 |
| Charlotte | 0–3 | 2–1 | – | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 |
| Chicago | 1–3 | 1–2 | 1–2 | – | 0–3 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 |
| Cleveland | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 3–0 | – | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 |
| Dallas | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | – | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 0–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 0–0 |
| Denver | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | – | 0–0 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 0–3 | 0–3 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 0–1 |
| Detroit | 2–1 | 3–0 | 0–3 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | – | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 |
| Golden State | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 0–0 | – | 0–3 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–4 | 4–0 | 0–0 |
| Houston | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | – | 0–0 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 4–0 | 0–0 |
| Indiana | 1–2 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | – | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 |
| L.A. Clippers | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 0–0 | – | 0–4 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 0–0 |
| L.A. Lakers | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 4–0 | – | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 0–0 |
| Miami | 3–0 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | – | 2–1 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 3–0 |
| Milwaukee | 2–1 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | – | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 |
| Minnesota | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | – | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 0–0 |
| New Jersey | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 0–0 | – | 0–3 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 |
| New York | 1–2 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 3–0 | – | 0–3 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 |
| Orlando | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 3–0 | – | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 |
| Philadelphia | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 2–1 | – | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 |
| Phoenix | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | – | 0–3 | 0–3 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 0–0 |
| Portland | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | – | 4–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 4–0 | 0–0 |
| Sacramento | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 0–4 | – | 1–2 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 4–0 | 1–0 |
| San Antonio | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–1 | – | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 0–0 |
| Seattle | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–2 | – | 0–0 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–1 |
| Toronto | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | – | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 |
| Utah | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 4–0 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 0–0 | – | 3–0 | 1–0 |
| Vancouver | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 0–4 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–3 | 0–3 | 0–4 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 0–3 | – | 0–0 |
| Washington | 1–2 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | — |

### Game log
## Player statistics
### 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:

## Awards and records

* Antonio McDyess, All-NBA Third Team