1995–96 Denver Nuggets season

The 1995–96 NBA season was the Nuggets' 20th season in the National Basketball Association, and 29th season as a franchise.[1] During the off-season, the Nuggets acquired top draft pick Antonio McDyess from the Los Angeles Clippers,[2] and acquired Don MacLean and Doug Overton from the Washington Bullets.[3] However, the team got off to a horrible start losing eight of their first nine games, as LaPhonso Ellis missed the first 37 games of the season with a knee injury. Despite the slow start, the Nuggets would then recover winning eight of their next nine games leading to a 9–9 start, but later on lost six straight games in January slipping below .500 with a 20–27 record at the All-Star break.[4]

1995–96 Denver Nuggets season
Head coachBernie Bickerstaff
General managerBernie Bickerstaff
PresidentBernie Bickerstaff
ArenaMcNichols Sports Arena
Results
Record35–47 (.427)
PlaceDivision: 4th (Midwest)
Conference: 9th (Western)
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television
RadioKOA

In March, the Nuggets found themselves in the middle of an ugly controversy as Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf refused to stand for the Star-Spangled Banner, protesting what he felt was the country's poor treatment to Muslims in the world; he was suspended by the league.[5][6] After a one-game suspension, Abdul-Rauf agreed to stand and pray during the anthem. However, the damage was done, and his reputation could not be repaired as he was the consistent target of boos from fans before missing the remainder of the season with a foot injury, leading the Nuggets with 19.2 points and 6.8 assists per game in 57 games.[7] The Nuggets finished fourth in the Midwest Division with a 35–47 record, missing the playoffs.[4]

McDyess averaged 13.4 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, while Dale Ellis finished second on the team in scoring averaging 14.9 points per game, and Dikembe Mutombo provided the team with 11.0 points, 11.8 rebounds and 4.5 blocks per game, and was selected for the 1996 NBA All-Star Game.[8] In addition, Bryant Stith contributed 13.6 points and 1.4 steals per game, while MacLean provided with 11.2 points per game off the bench, LaPhonso Ellis averaged 10.5 points and 7.2 rebounds per game, and second-year guard Jalen Rose contributed 10.0 points and 6.2 assists per game.[9] Mutombo also finished in third place in Defensive Player of the Year voting.[10]

Following the season, Abdul-Rauf was traded to the Sacramento Kings,[11] while Mutombo signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Hawks,[12] Rose and Reggie Williams were both dealt to the Indiana Pacers,[13] and MacLean and Overton were both sent to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Draft picks
Main article: 1995 NBA draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality School/Club Team
1 15 Brent Barry (traded to LA Clippers) Shooting guard  United States Oregon State
2 44 Anthony Pelle Center  United States Fresno State

Roster
1995–96 Denver Nuggets roster
Players Coaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOB (YYYY-MM-DD)From
G 1 Abdul-Rauf, Mahmoud  6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 162 lb (73 kg) 1969–03–09 LSU
C 8 Cvetković, Rastko  7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) 260 lb (118 kg) 1970–06–22 Serbia
F 3 Ellis, Dale 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1960–08–06 Tennessee
F 20 Ellis, LaPhonso 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1970–05–05 Notre Dame
C 50 Fish, Matt 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1969–11–18 UNC Wilmington
G 9 Grant, Greg 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) 140 lb (64 kg) 1966–08–29 Trenton State
F 21 Hammonds, Tom 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1967–03–27 Georgia Tech
F 7 MacLean, Don 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1970–01–16 UCLA
F 24 McDyess, Antonio 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1974–09–07 Alabama
C 55 Mutombo, Dikembe 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) 245 lb (111 kg) 1966–06–25 Georgetown
G 11 Overton, Doug 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1969–08–03 La Salle
G 5 Rose, Jalen 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1973–01–30 Michigan
G 23 Stith, Bryant 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 208 lb (94 kg) 1970–12–10 Virginia
F 34 Williams, Reggie 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1964–03–05 Georgetown
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured

Roster
Last transaction: March 29, 1996

Regular season

Season standings
Midwest Division W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-San Antonio Spurs5923.720–33–826–1519–5
x-Utah Jazz5527.671434–721–2014–10
x-Houston Rockets4834.5851127–1421–2015–9
Denver Nuggets3547.4272424–1711–3013–11
Minnesota Timberwolves2656.3173317–249–3210–14
Dallas Mavericks2656.3173316–2510–3110–14
Vancouver Grizzlies1567.1834410–315–363–21
Western Conference
# Team W L PCT GB GP
1 c-Seattle SuperSonics *6418.780–82
2 y-San Antonio Spurs *5923.720582
3 x-Utah Jazz5527.671982
4 x-Los Angeles Lakers5329.6461182
5 x-Houston Rockets4834.5851682
6 x-Portland Trail Blazers4438.5372082
7 x-Phoenix Suns4141.5002382
8 x-Sacramento Kings3943.4762582
9 Golden State Warriors3646.4392882
10 Denver Nuggets3547.4272982
11 Los Angeles Clippers2953.3543582
12 Minnesota Timberwolves2656.3173882
13 Dallas Mavericks2656.3173882
14 Vancouver Grizzlies1567.1834982

Record vs. opponents
1995-96 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 —4–03–10–43–11–11–12–21–11–11–32–00–22–22–21–14–02–12–22–10–22–02–00–20–24–01–12–01–3
Boston 0–4—2–20–31–30–21–12–10–21–10–42–00–23–13–12–02–20–41–34–01–10–22–00–20–23–10–21–12–2
Charlotte 1–32–2—1–33–12–02–01–30–20–21–31–12–02–23–11–10–33–00–43–12–01–11–10–20–23–11–12–03–1
Chicago 4–03–03–1—4–02–01–14–02–02–02–22–02–03–14–02–03–03–13–14–01–12–02–02–01–13–12–02–04–0
Cleveland 1–33–11–30–4—2–01–12–22–01–12–22–02–01–34–02–01–23–11–24–02–01–11–10–20–23–10–22–03–1
Dallas 1–12–00–20–20–2—2–20–22–21–30–22–20–40–21–10–41–10–21–10–21–30–42–22–22–21–11–34–00–2
Denver 1–11–10–21–11–12–2—1–12–21–30–21–32–20–21–14–00–21–11–12–03–10–40–40–41–32–03–13–11–1
Detroit 2–21–23–10–42–22–01–1—2–01–12–22–00–21–32–21–14–00–41–34–02–02–01–12–01–14–00–22–01–2
Golden State 1–12–02–00–20–22–22–20–2—2–21–13–11–31–11–13–12–00–20–22–01–31–31–31–30–41–11–34–01–1
Houston 1–11–12–00–21–13–13–11–12–2—2–04–03–10–22–02–22–00–20–22–03–12–22–21–30–42–02–24–01–1
Indiana 3–14–03–12–22–22–02–02–21–10–2—2–01–13–03–11–11–31–32–23–11–11–10–21–12–04–00–22–03–0
L.A. Clippers 0–20–21–10–20–22–23–10–21–30–40–2—0–41–11–13–11–11–10–22–03–12–22–21–30–40–21–33–11–1
L.A. Lakers 2–02–00–20–20–24–02–22–03–11–31–14–0—2–02–03–12–01–11–11–13–12–23–11–32–22–02–24–01–1
Miami 2–21–32–21–33–12–02–03–11–12–00–31–10–2—3–01–15–01–31–33–11–10–21–11–10–22–10–21–12–2
Milwaukee 2–21–31–30–40–41–11–12–21–10–21–31–10–20–3—1–11–32–21–32–10–22–00–21–10–22–20–21–11–3
Minnesota 1–10–21–10–20–24–00–41–11–32–21–11–31–31–11–1—1–10–20–21–11–30–43–11–30–41–11–32–20–2
New Jersey 0–42–23–00–32–11–12–00–40–20–23–11–10–20–53–11–1—2–20–42–20–21–11–10–20–22–20–22–02–2
New York 1–24–00–31–31–32–01–14–02–02–03–11–11–13–12–22–02–2—1–33–10–20–20–21–11–14–01–11–13–1
Orlando 2–23–14–01–32–11–11–13–12–02–02–22–01–13–13–12–04–03–1—4–02–01–11–11–11–12–11–12–04–0
Philadelphia 1–20–41–30–40–42–00–20–40–20–21–30–21–11–31–21–12–21–30–4—0–20–20–20–20–23–11–11–11–3
Phoenix 2–01–10–21–10–23–11–30–23–11–31–11–31–31–12–03–12–02–00–22–0—2–22–21–30–42–01–34–02–0
Portland 0–22–01–10–21–14–04–00–23–12–21–12–22–22–00–24–01–12–01–12–02–2—1–31–31–32–01–32–20–2
Sacramento 0–20–21–10–21–12–24–01–13–12–22–02–21–31–12–01–31–12–01–12–02–23–1—1–30–42–00–42–20–2
San Antonio 2–02–02–00–22–02–24–00–23–13–11–13–13–11–11–13–12–01–11–12–03–13–13–1—2–22–03–14–01–1
Seattle 2–02–02–01–12–02–23–11–14–04–00–24–02–22–02–04–02–01–11–12–04–03–14–02–2—1–13–13–11–1
Toronto 0–41–31–31–31–31–10–20–41–10–20–42–00–21–22–21–12–20–41–21–30–20–20–20–21–1—0–21–13–1
Utah 1–12–01–10–22–03–11–32–03–12–22–03–12–22–02–03–12–01–11–11–13–13–14–01–31–32–0—4–01–1
Vancouver 0–21–10–20–20–20–41–30–20–40–40–21–30–41–11–12–20–21–10–21–10–42–22–20–41–31–10–4—0–2
Washington 3–12–21–30–41–32–01–12–11–11–10–31–11–12–23–12–02–21–30–43–10–22–02–01–11–11–31–12–0—

Game log
GameDateOpponentResultNuggets pointsOpponentsRecordStreakOT
1November 3@ LA LakersLoss96980-1Lost 1
2November 4San AntonioLoss1081160-2Lost 2
3November 7@ Golden StateLoss93980-3Lost 3
4November 8SeattleLoss1171220-4Lost 4
5November 10@ UtahLoss861090-5Lost 5
6November 12@ LA ClippersLoss1031080-6Lost 6
7November 15@ PhoenixWin1371271-6Won 13OT
8November 17New YorkLoss941031-7Lost 1
9November 18@ HoustonLoss971011-8Lost 2
10November 21AtlantaWin107992-8Won 1
11November 24@ DallasWin1121093-8Won 2OT
12November 25UtahWin94914-8Won 3
13November 28@ SacramentoLoss85914-9Lost 1
14December 2MinnesotaWin1091055-9Won 1
15December 4DetroitWin85826-9Won 2
16December 7@ UtahWin1241197-9Won 3
17December 8PhoenixWin103988-9Won 4
18December 11@ PhiladelphiaWin104919-9Won 5
19December 12@ IndianaLoss921259-10Lost 1
20December 14@ New YorkWin1039410-10Won 1
21December 16@ AtlantaLoss869510-11Lost 1
22December 17@ ClevelandLoss799210-12Lost 2
23December 20Golden StateWin10910411-12Won 1
24December 21@ San AntonioLoss9611411-13Lost 1
25December 23LA ClippersLoss9210711-14Lost 2
26December 26DallasWin11410212-14Won 1
27December 27@ SeattleLoss839912-15Lost 1
28December 29@ PhoenixLoss9210312-16Lost 2
29December 30PhiladelphiaWin10810013-16Won 1
30January 2IndianaLoss8710213-17Lost 1
31January 4@ SacramentoLoss9612613-18Lost 2
32January 6MiamiLoss868813-19Lost 3
33January 7@ LA LakersWin969314-19Won 1
34January 10@ VancouverWin918515-19Won 2
35January 12ClevelandWin908316-19Won 3
36January 13PortlandLoss11711816-20Lost 1
37January 16@ PortlandLoss698716-21Lost 2
38January 17HoustonLoss11212016-22Lost 3
39January 20SacramentoLoss11011516-23Lost 4
40January 24@ SeattleLoss798616-24Lost 5
41January 25@ LA ClippersLoss939416-25Lost 6
42January 27TorontoWin938217-25Won 1
43January 30@ MinnesotaWin888618-25Won 2
44February 1@ MilwaukeeLoss10210818-26Lost 1
45February 4ChicagoWin1059919-26Won 1
46February 6LA LakersLoss789919-27Lost 1
47February 8LA ClippersWin1159520-27Won 1
48February 13@ OrlandoLoss9312120-28Lost 1
49February 15@ MiamiLoss919720-29Lost 2
50February 16@ CharlotteLoss10010720-30Lost 3
51February 18BostonWin1179321-30Won 1
52February 22@ PortlandLoss7810721-31Lost 1
53February 24UtahWin999022-31Won 1
54February 27WashingtonWin969223-31Won 2
55February 29DallasLoss12013723-32Lost 1
56March 2VancouverWin1088224-32Won 1
57March 4San AntonioLoss9010124-33Lost 1
58March 6@ San AntonioLoss9010024-34Lost 2
59March 7PhoenixWin1039225-34Won 1
60March 9Golden StateWin1028826-34Won 2
61March 10New JerseyLoss889926-35Lost 1
62March 12OrlandoWin1109327-35Won 1
63March 15@ ChicagoLoss8710827-36Lost 1
64March 17@ DetroitLoss819127-37Lost 2
65March 18@ TorontoWin12211428-37Won 1
66March 21@ New JerseyLoss899728-38Lost 1
67March 22@ BostonLoss989928-39Lost 2
68March 24@ WashingtonLoss909228-40Lost 3
69March 26CharlotteLoss11211928-41Lost 42OT
70March 28@ VancouverWin928829-41Won 1
71March 30MilwaukeeWin988530-41Won 2
72April 2MinnesotaWin867831-41Won 3
73April 4@ Golden StateLoss909831-42Lost 1
74April 5PortlandLoss919731-43Lost 2
75April 7HoustonWin11110532-43Won 1
76April 9LA LakersWin989133-43Won 2
77April 11@ HoustonLoss10911333-44Lost 1
78April 14@ MinnesotaWin989134-44Won 1
79April 15SacramentoLoss869034-45Lost 1
80April 18@ DallasLoss9813234-46Lost 2
81April 19VancouverLoss789234-47Lost 3
82April 21SeattleWin998835-47Won 1

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
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf 57 53 35.6 .434 .392 .930 2.4 6.8 1.1 0.1 19.2
Dale Ellis 81 52 32.4 .479 .412 .760 3.9 1.7 0.7 0.1 14.9
Bryant Stith 82 77 34.3 .416 .277 .844 4.9 2.9 1.4 0.2 13.6
Antonio McDyess 76 75 30.0 .485 .000 .683 7.5 1.0 0.7 1.5 13.4
Don MacLean 56 5 19.8 .426 .286 .732 3.7 1.6 0.4 0.1 11.2
Dikembe Mutombo 74 74 36.7 .499 .000 .695 11.8 1.5 0.5 4.5 11.0
LaPhonso Ellis 45 28 28.2 .438 .182 .601 7.2 1.6 0.8 0.7 10.5
Jalen Rose 80 37 26.7 .480 .296 .690 3.3 6.2 0.7 0.5 10.0
Tom Hammonds 71 4 14.7 .474 .765 3.1 0.3 0.3 0.2 4.8
Reggie Williams 52 5 15.7 .370 .225 .846 2.3 1.4 0.7 0.4 4.6
Reggie Slater 4 0 6.5 .545 .400 1.8 0.5 0.3 0.3 3.5
Doug Overton 55 0 11.0 .376 .308 .727 1.1 1.9 0.2 0.1 3.3
Matt Fish 16 0 7.3 .577 .556 1.1 0.4 0.2 0.4 2.5
Randy Woods 8 0 9.0 .273 .238 1.000 0.8 1.5 0.8 0.1 2.4
Greg Grant 10 0 10.9 .261 .333 0.7 1.4 0.2 0.0 1.4
Rastko Cvetkovic 14 0 3.4 .313 .000 .000 0.8 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.7
Elmore Spencer 6 0 3.5 .000 0.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Player Statistics Citation:[9]

Awards, records, and honors

References
  1. 1995-96 Denver Nuggets
  2. "PRO BASKETBALL; Underclassmen Rule Atop N.B.A. Draft Board". New York Times. June 29, 1995. Retrieved July 25, 2021.
  3. "PRO BASKETBALL; The Bullets Pick Up Pack". New York Times. October 31, 1995. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  4. "1995–96 Denver Nuggets Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
  5. "PRO BASKETBALL; Abdul-Rauf Vows Not to Back Down From N.B.A." New York Times. March 14, 1996. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
  6. "PRO BASKETBALL; N.B.A. Suspends Rauf". New York Times. March 13, 1996. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  7. "PRO BASKETBALL; Abdul-Rauf Is Calm In Face of Controversy". New York Times. March 21, 1996. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
  8. "1996 NBA All-Star Game: East 129, West 118". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  9. "1995–96 Denver Nuggets Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
  10. "1995–96 NBA Awards Voting". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  11. "PRO BASKETBALL; Nuggets Trade Abdul-Rauf, Acquire Pacers' Jackson". New York Times. June 14, 1996. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
  12. "Hawks Get Big With Mutombo". Los Angeles Times. July 16, 1996. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
  13. "Pacers trade Jackson, Pierce to Denver". UPI Archives. June 13, 1996. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
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