1991–92 Denver Nuggets season

The 1991–92 NBA season was the Nuggets' 16th season in the National Basketball Association, and 25th season as a franchise.[1] To improve defensively, the Nuggets selected 7'2" Georgetown center Dikembe Mutombo with the fourth overall pick in the 1991 NBA draft, and also selected Mark Macon out of Temple University with the eighth pick.[2][3] Mutombo was a native of Zaire, and spoke nine languages (English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, and five African dialects). The team also re-signed Walter Davis after a brief stint with the Portland Trail Blazers,[4][5] and acquired Winston Garland from the Los Angeles Clippers.[6][7] Mutombo had an immediate impact as the Nuggets showed improvement with an 8–8 start to the season, then holding a 17–26 record at the end of January. However, in the second half of the season, the Nuggets struggled losing nine consecutive games between February and March, then posting an 11-game losing streak near the end of the season. The Nuggets won just 7 of their last 39 games to post a record of 24–58, fifth in the Midwest Division.[8][9]

1991–92 Denver Nuggets season
Head coachPaul Westhead
General managerBernie Bickerstaff
PresidentBernie Bickerstaff
ArenaMcNichols Sports Arena
Results
Record24–58 (.293)
PlaceDivision: 5th (Midwest)
Conference: 11th (Western)
Playoff finishDid not qualify

Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television
RadioKOA
< 1990–91 1992–93 >

Mutombo averaged 16.6 points, 12.3 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, while being selected for the 1992 NBA All-Star Game,[10][11] and also finishing in second place in Rookie of the Year voting.[12][13] In addition, Reggie Williams averaged 18.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game, while Greg Anderson provided the team with 11.5 points and rebounds per game each, and Macon contributed 10.6 points and 2.0 steals per game, and was selected to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. Garland provided with 10.8 points, 5.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game, while off the bench, second-year guard Chris Jackson contributed 10.3 points per game, second-year forward Marcus Liberty averaged 9.3 points and 4.1 rebounds per game, and Davis provided with 9.9 points per game.[14]

Following the season, Davis retired, while Anderson and Garland were both released to free agency, and head coach Paul Westhead was fired.[15]

Draft picks

edit
Round Pick Player Position Nationality School/Club Team
1 4 Dikembe Mutombo C   Zaire Georgetown
1 8 Mark Macon SG   United States Temple

Roster

edit
1991–92 Denver Nuggets roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
PF 33 Anderson, Greg 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1964–06–22 Houston
SF 43 Brooks, Kevin 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1969–10–12 Louisiana
PF 45 Cook, Anthony 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1967–03–19 Arizona
SG 6 Davis, Walter 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 193 lb (88 kg) 1954–09–09 North Carolina
PG 12 Garland, Winston 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1964–12–19 Missouri State
PF 10 Hastings, Scott 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1960–06–03 Arkansas
PG 3 Jackson, Chris 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 162 lb (73 kg) 1969–03–09 LSU
SF 30 Liberty, Marcus 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1968–10–27 Illinois
SG 21 Lichti, Todd 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1967–01–08 Stanford
SG 1 Macon, Mark 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1969–04–14 Temple
C 55 Mutombo, Dikembe 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) 245 lb (111 kg) 1966–06–25 Georgetown
C 50 Scheffler, Steve 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 250 lb (113 kg) 1967–09–03 Purdue
SF 34 Williams, Reggie 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1964–03–05 Georgetown
C 42 Wolf, Joe 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1964–12–17 North Carolina
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  •   Injured

Roster
Last transaction: March 17, 1992

Regular season

edit

Season standings

edit
W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Utah Jazz 55 27 .671 37–4 18–23 20–6
x-San Antonio Spurs 47 35 .573 8 31–10 16–25 18–8
Houston Rockets 42 40 .512 13 28–13 14–27 12–14
Denver Nuggets 24 58 .293 31 18–23 6–35 8–18
Dallas Mavericks 22 60 .268 33 15–26 7–34 11–15
Minnesota Timberwolves 15 67 .183 40 9–32 6–35 9–17
y - clinched division title
x - clinched playoff spot
#
Team W L PCT GB
1 c-Portland Trail Blazers 57 25 .695
2 y-Utah Jazz 55 27 .671 2
3 x-Golden State Warriors 55 27 .671 2
4 x-Phoenix Suns 53 29 .646 4
5 x-San Antonio Spurs 47 35 .573 10
6 x-Seattle SuperSonics 47 35 .573 10
7 x-Los Angeles Clippers 45 37 .549 12
8 x-Los Angeles Lakers 43 39 .524 14
9 Houston Rockets 42 40 .512 15
10 Sacramento Kings 29 53 .354 28
11 Denver Nuggets 24 58 .293 33
12 Dallas Mavericks 22 60 .268 35
13 Minnesota Timberwolves 15 67 .183 42
z - clinched division title
y - clinched division title
x - clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

edit
1991-92 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 3–1 2–2 0–5 0–5 2–0 2–0 1–4 1–1 2–0 1–4 1–1 0–2 2–2 3–1 2–0 3–1 2–2 2–2 2–2 2–0 0–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 1–1 2–2
Boston 1–3 3–1 1–3 3–1 1–1 1–1 4–0 1–1 1–1 2–2 2–0 2–0 3–2 2–2 0–2 2–3 3–2 5–0 3–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 3–1
Charlotte 2–2 1–3 0–4 2–3 1–1 1–1 1–4 1–1 0–2 3–2 0–2 1–1 1–3 2–3 1–1 1–3 0–4 3–1 3–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 2–0 1–1 0–2 2–2
Chicago 5–0 3–1 4–0 3–2 2–0 2–0 4–1 1–1 1–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 4–0 3–2 2–0 4–0 4–0 3–1 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 4–0
Cleveland 5–0 1–3 3–2 2–3 1–1 1–1 3–1 1–1 1–1 5–0 1–1 2–0 3–1 3–1 2–0 2–2 4–0 3–1 4–0 1–1 0–2 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 4–0
Dallas 0–2 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 3–2 0–2 0–4 4–2 1–1 1–3 0–4 1–1 1–1 3–2 0–2 0–2 1–1 0–2 2–2 0–4 1–3 0–5 0–4 1–4 0–2
Denver 0–2 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 2–3 0–2 0–4 2–3 0–2 0–4 1–3 0–2 1–1 2–3 1–1 0–2 2–0 2–0 1–3 1–3 2–2 1–4 1–3 1–5 1–1
Detroit 4–1 0–4 4–1 1–4 1–3 2–0 2–0 1–1 2–0 2–2 0–2 2–0 2–2 3–2 1–1 2–2 2–2 4–0 3–1 0–2 2–0 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 3–1
Golden State 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 4–0 4–0 1–1 2–2 2–0 3–2 3–2 1–1 2–0 4–0 2–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 3–2 2–3 5–0 2–2 3–2 1–3 2–0
Houston 0–2 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 2–4 3–2 0–2 2–2 1–1 2–2 2–2 2–0 1–1 3–2 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–3 3–1 3–1 3–2 1–3 1–4 2–0
Indiana 4–1 2–2 2–3 1–3 0–5 1–1 2–0 2–2 0–2 1–1 0–2 2–0 3–1 4–1 2–0 2–2 1–3 2–2 2–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 2–0 0–2 1–1 2–2
L.A. Clippers 1–1 0–2 2–0 0–2 1–1 3–1 4–0 2–0 2–3 2–2 2–0 2–3 2–0 2–0 4–0 1–1 0–2 2–0 1–1 3–2 2–3 2–3 2–2 2–3 1–3 0–2
L.A. Lakers 2–0 0–2 1–1 1–1 0–2 4–0 3–1 0–2 2–3 2–2 0–2 3–2 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 2–0 2–0 2–0 2–3 1–4 4–1 1–3 1–4 1–3 1–1
Miami 2–2 2–3 3–1 0–4 1–3 1–1 2–0 2–2 1–1 0–2 1–3 0–2 0–2 4–0 2–0 2–2 1–4 3–1 1–4 0–2 0–2 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 5–0
Milwaukee 1–3 2–2 3–2 2–3 1–3 1–1 1–1 2–3 0–2 1–1 1–4 0–2 1–1 0–4 2–0 0–4 1–3 3–1 3–1 0–2 0–2 0–2 1–1 1–1 1–1 3–1
Minnesota 0–2 2–0 1–1 0–2 0–2 2–3 3–2 1–1 0–4 2–3 0–2 0–4 1–3 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–4 0–4 1–3 0–6 0–4 2–3 0–2
New Jersey 1–3 3–2 3–1 0–4 2–2 2–0 1–1 2–2 0–2 1–1 2–2 1–1 0–2 2–2 4–0 2–0 2–3 3–1 3–2 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–2 0–2 2–3
New York 2–2 2–3 4–0 0–4 0–4 2–0 2–0 2–2 1–1 1–1 3–1 2–0 0–2 4–1 3–1 2–0 3–2 4–1 3–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–2 2–0 2–0 4–0
Orlando 2–2 0–5 1–3 1–3 1–3 1–1 0–2 0–4 0–2 0–2 2–2 0–2 0–2 1–3 1–3 2–0 1–3 1–4 3–2 0–2 0–2 0–2 1–1 1–1 0–2 2–3
Philadelphia 2–2 1–3 1–3 1–3 0–4 2–0 0–2 1–3 1–1 1–1 2–2 1–1 0–2 4–1 1–3 2–0 2–3 1–3 2–3 0–2 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 0–2 5–0
Phoenix 0–2 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–2 3–1 2–0 2–3 3–1 1–1 2–3 3–2 2–0 2–0 4–0 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 3–2 4–1 3–1 3–2 2–2 2–0
Portland 2–0 1–1 2–0 0–2 2–0 4–0 3–1 0–2 3–2 1–3 2–0 3–2 4–1 2–0 2–0 4–0 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 2–3 5–0 2–2 4–1 2–2 2–0
Sacramento 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 0–2 3–1 2–2 0–2 0–5 1–3 1–1 3–2 1–4 0–2 2–0 3–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–4 0–5 1–3 1–4 1–3 2–0
San Antonio 2–0 1–1 0–2 1–1 1–1 5–0 4–1 1–1 2–2 2–3 0–2 2–2 3–1 1–1 1–1 6–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–3 2–2 3–1 3–1 1–4 0–2
Seattle 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 4–0 3–1 1–1 2–3 3–1 2–0 3–2 4–1 1–1 1–1 4–0 2–0 0–2 1–1 0–2 2–3 1–4 4–1 1–3 3–1 2–0
Utah 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 4–1 5–1 1–1 3–1 4–1 1–1 3–1 3–1 1–1 1–1 3–2 2–0 0–2 2–0 2–0 2–2 2–2 3–1 4–1 1–3 2–0
Washington 2–2 1–3 2–2 0–4 0–4 2–0 1–1 1–3 0–2 0–2 2–2 2–0 1–1 0–5 1–3 2–0 3–2 0–4 3–2 0–5 0–2 0–2 0–2 2–0 0–2 0–2

Game log

edit

Player statistics

edit
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

edit
Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Reggie Williams 81 80 32.4 .471 .359 .803 5.0 2.9 1.8 0.8 18.2
Dikembe Mutombo 71 71 38.3 .493 .642 12.3 2.2 0.6 3.0 16.6
Greg Anderson 82 82 34.1 .456 .000 .623 11.5 1.0 1.1 0.8 11.5
Winston Garland 78 67 28.3 .444 .321 .859 2.4 5.3 1.3 0.3 10.8
Mark Macon 76 67 30.3 .375 .133 .730 2.9 2.2 2.0 0.2 10.6
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf 81 11 19.0 .421 .330 .870 1.4 2.4 0.5 0.0 10.3
Walter Davis 46 0 16.1 .459 .313 .872 1.5 1.5 0.6 0.0 9.9
Marcus Liberty 75 13 20.4 .443 .340 .728 4.1 0.8 0.9 0.4 9.3
Todd Lichti 68 10 17.3 .460 .111 .839 1.7 1.1 0.6 0.2 6.6
Joe Wolf 67 0 17.3 .361 .091 .803 3.6 0.9 0.5 0.2 3.8
Jerome Lane 9 5 15.7 .250 .421 4.9 1.4 0.2 0.1 3.1
Kevin Brooks 37 0 7.3 .443 .182 .810 1.1 0.3 0.2 0.1 2.8
Steve Scheffler 7 0 6.6 .571 .667 1.6 0.0 0.4 0.0 1.7
Scott Hastings 40 4 10.5 .340 .000 .857 2.5 0.7 0.3 0.4 1.5
Anthony Cook 22 0 5.2 .600 .667 1.5 0.1 0.2 0.2 1.5

Player Statistics Citation:[14]

Awards, records, and honors

edit

Transactions

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "1991-92 Denver Nuggets". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 22, 2016.
  2. ^ "BASKETBALL; Hornets Make Johnson No. 1 Pick in the Draft". New York Times. June 27, 1991. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  3. ^ "UNLV's Johnson Is No. 1: NBA Draft: Coaches' Attempts in Charlotte and New Jersey to Select Billy Owens Are Overruled. Three UNLV Players Are Taken in the First Round". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. June 27, 1991. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
  4. ^ "SPORTS PEOPLE: BASKETBALL; Walter Davis Waived by Trail Blazers". New York Times. October 30, 1991. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  5. ^ "Pro Basketball". Los Angeles Times. November 2, 1991. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  6. ^ Howard-Cooper, Scott (June 27, 1991). "Clippers Make Point in Deal with Hawks: NBA Draft: Team Trades No. 9 Pick and Second-Round Selections in 1993 and 1994 for Guard Doc Rivers. Club Then Takes LeRon Ellis of Syracuse with 22nd Pick". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  7. ^ "Clippers Pull Off Two Trades". Tampa Bay Times. June 27, 1991. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  8. ^ "1991–92 Denver Nuggets Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  9. ^ Denver Nuggets (1967-Present)
  10. ^ Heisler, Mark (February 9, 1992). "Comeback or Farewell, a Magical All-Star Game". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  11. ^ "1992 NBA All-Star Game: West 153, East 113". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  12. ^ "BASKETBALL; Johnson Is Top Rookie". The New York Times. Associated Press. May 13, 1992. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  13. ^ "1991–92 NBA Awards Voting". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  14. ^ a b "1991–92 Denver Nuggets Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  15. ^ "NBA Firings: Westhead, Hamblen". Los Angeles Times. April 24, 1992. Retrieved November 25, 2022.