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 NBA and 31st season as a franchise.^[1]

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, Johnny Newman re-signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Bobby Jackson and Dean Garrett were both traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves, and 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

Main article: 1997 NBA Draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	School/Club Team
1	5	Tony Battie	PF/C	United States	Texas Tech
2	33	James Cotton	SG	United States	Long Beach State
2	42	Jason Lawson	C	United States	Villanova

Roster

Denver Nuggets roster

Players

Coaches

Pos.	No.	Name	Height	Weight	DOB (YYYY–MM–DD)
1.0 !PG	7	USA !	Alexander, Cory	7000185420000000000♠6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)	185 lb (84 kg)	Virginia
4.5 !PF	4	USA !	Battie, Tony	7000210820000000000♠6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)	230 lb (104 kg)	Texas Tech
3.0 !SF	3	USA !	Ellis, Harold	7000195580000000000♠6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)	200 lb (91 kg)	Morehouse
3.0 !SF	20	USA !	Ellis, LaPhonso	7000203200000000000♠6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)	240 lb (109 kg)	Notre Dame
4.5 !PF	15	USA !	Fortson, Danny	7000200659999999999♠6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)	260 lb (118 kg)	Cincinnati
6.0 !C	21	USA !	Garrett, Dean	7000208279999999999♠6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)	225 lb (102 kg)	Indiana
1.0 !PG	5	USA !	Goldwire, Anthony	7000185420000000000♠6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)	182 lb (83 kg)	Houston
1.0 !PG	13	USA !	Jackson, Bobby	7000185420000000000♠6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)	185 lb (84 kg)	Minnesota
6.0 !C	30	USA !	Lauderdale, Priest	7000223520000000000♠7 ft 4 in (2.24 m)	325 lb (147 kg)	Central State
3.0 !SF	22	USA !	Newman, Johnny	7000200659999999999♠6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)	190 lb (86 kg)	Richmond
2.0 !SG	23	USA !	Stith, Bryant	7000195580000000000♠6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)	208 lb (94 kg)	Virginia
2.0 !SG	14	USA !	Washington, Eric	7000193040000000000♠6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)	190 lb (86 kg)	Alabama
3.0 !SF	32	USA !	Williams, Eric	7000203200000000000♠6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)	220 lb (100 kg)	Providence
6.0 !C	17	USA !	Wolf, Joe	7000210820000000000♠6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)	230 lb (104 kg)	North Carolina

Head coach

Bill Hanzlik (Notre Dame)

Assistant coach(es)

Legend

(C) Team captain
(DP) Unsigned draft pick
(FA) Free agent
(S) Suspended
Injured

Roster • Transactions

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	62	20	.756	–	36–5	26–15	22–2
x-San Antonio Spurs	56	26	.683	6	31–10	25–16	18–6
x-Minnesota Timberwolves	45	37	.549	17	26–15	19–22	14–10
x-Houston Rockets	41	41	.500	21	24–17	17–24	14–10
Dallas Mavericks	20	62	.244	42	13–28	7–34	9–15
Vancouver Grizzlies	19	63	.232	43	14–27	5–36	4–20
Denver Nuggets	11	71	.134	51	9–32	2–39	3–21

#	Western Conference
#	Team	W	L	PCT	GB
1	z-Utah Jazz	62	20	.756	–
2	y-Seattle SuperSonics	61	21	.744	1
3	x-Los Angeles Lakers	61	21	.744	1
4	x-Phoenix Suns	56	26	.683	6
5	x-San Antonio Spurs	56	26	.683	6
6	x-Portland Trail Blazers	46	36	.561	16
7	x-Minnesota Timberwolves	45	37	.549	17
8	x-Houston Rockets	41	41	.500	21

9	Sacramento Kings	27	55	.329	35
10	Dallas Mavericks	20	62	.244	42
11	Vancouver Grizzlies	19	63	.232	43
11	Golden State Warriors	19	63	.232	43
13	Los Angeles Clippers	17	65	.207	45
14	Denver Nuggets	11	71	.134	51

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

Game Log

1997–98 Game Log

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

October: 0–1 (Home: 0–1 ; Road: 0–0)

November: 1–11 (Home: 1–4 ; Road: 0–7)

December: 1–14 (Home: 1–7 ; Road: 0–7)

January: 2–14 (Home: 1–7 ; Road: 1–7)

February: 1–12 (Home: 1–6 ; Road: 0–5)

March: 4–11 (Home: 3–4 ; Road: 1–7)

April: 2–8 (Home: 2–3 ; Road: 0–5)

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	82	82	32.1	.428	N/A	.648	7.9	1.1	0.7	1.6	7.3
Anthony Goldwire	82	32	27.0	.423	.384	.806	1.8	3.4	1.0	0.1	9.2
Danny Fortson	80	23	22.6	.452	.333	.776	5.6	1.0	0.6	0.4	10.2
LaPhonso Ellis	76	71	33.9	.407	.284	.805	7.2	2.8	0.9	0.6	14.3
Johnny Newman	74	15	29.4	.431	.343	.820	1.9	1.9	1.0	0.3	14.7
Bobby Jackson	68	53	30.0	.392	.259	.814	4.4	4.7	1.5	0.2	11.6
Eric Washington	66	36	23.3	.404	.321	.783	1.9	1.2	0.8	0.4	7.7
Tony Battie	65	49	23.2	.446	.214	.702	5.4	0.9	0.8	1.1	8.4
Joe Wolf	57	8	10.9	.331	.200	.500	2.6	0.5	0.4	0.1	1.5
Priest Lauderdale	39	0	8.8	.417	N/A	.551	2.2	0.5	0.2	0.4	3.7
Bryant Stith	31	15	23.2	.333	.208	.872	2.1	1.6	0.7	0.3	7.6
Kiwane Garris	28	0	8.0	.338	.357	.760	0.7	1.0	0.3	0.0	2.4
Harold Ellis	27	3	12.7	.559	.000	.635	1.9	0.7	0.7	0.1	6.1
Cory Alexander	23	19	34.7	.435	.411	.846	4.3	6.0	2.0	0.3	14.0
George Zidek	6	0	7.0	.267	N/A	.833	2.2	0.2	0.0	0.3	3.0
Eric Williams	4	4	36.3	.393	N/A	.689	5.3	3.0	1.0	0.0	19.8

Awards and records

Bobby Jackson, NBA All-Rookie Team 2nd Team

References

↑ 1997–98 Denver Nuggets
↑ "Nuggets Falter Again: Lose 87–75"; in Rocky Mountain News; December 24, 1997
↑ "Warriors Pound Nuggets 81–69; Wizards Win 97–95"; in Point Pleasant Register; December 27, 1997; p. 5
1 2 1997–98 Denver Nuggets Schedule and Results
↑ 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

Denver Nuggets

Founded in 1967 Formerly the Denver Rockets (1967–1974) Based in Denver, Colorado

Franchise	Franchise ABA–NBA merger All-time roster Head coaches Seasons Draft history Records Current season

Arenas	Denver Auditorium Arena Denver Coliseum McNichols Sports Arena Pepsi Center

Retired numbers	2 33 40 44 55 432

D-League affiliate	None

Culture	Alex English Knicks–Nuggets brawl Mt. Mutombo The Hey Song "Cartman Finds Love" (South Park)

Media	TV Altitude Sports Root Sports Rocky Mountain Radio KKFN Announcers Chris Marlowe Scott Hastings Jerry Schemmel