1992–93 Denver Nuggets season

The 1992–93 Denver Nuggets season was the 17th season for the Denver Nuggets in the National Basketball Association, and their 26th season as a franchise.^[1] The Nuggets received the fifth overall pick in the 1992 NBA draft, and selected power forward LaPhonso Ellis out of Notre Dame University, and also selected shooting guard Bryant Stith from the University of Virginia with the 13th overall pick.^[2][3][4] During the off-season, the team acquired second-year guard Robert Pack from the Portland Trail Blazers,^[5][6][7] and brought back Dan Issel as their new head coach; Issel starred for the Nuggets for ten seasons as a player.^[8][9][10]

Under Issel, and with the addition of Ellis, Stith and Pack, the Nuggets got off to a 7–7 start to the regular season, but then suffered a 14-game losing streak between December and January afterwards, which led to a 7–21 start to the season.^[11] At mid-season, the team signed free agent Tom Hammonds, who was previously released by the Charlotte Hornets.^[12][13] Despite the losing streak, the Nuggets played above .500 in winning percentage for the remainder of the season, and held a 20–30 record at the All-Star break.^[14] The Nuggets posted a 7–5 record in April, and finished in fourth place in the Midwest Division with a 36–46 record, missing the NBA playoffs by finishing three games behind the 8th–seeded Los Angeles Lakers;^[15][16] the team also posted a very successful 28–13 home record at the McNichols Sports Arena during the regular season.

Chris Jackson became the Nuggets' starting point guard this season, as he averaged 19.2 points and 4.2 assists per game, shot .935 in free throw percentage, and was named the NBA Most Improved Player of the Year.^[17][18][19] In addition, Reggie Williams averaged 17.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game, while Ellis provided the team with 14.7 points, 9.1 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, and second-year star Dikembe Mutombo provided with 13.8 points, 13.0 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game. Meanwhile, 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,^[20][21] Marcus Liberty averaged 8.1 points and 4.3 rebounds per game, and second-year guard Mark Macon provided with 7.5 points and 1.4 steals per game, but only played just 48 games due to injury.^[22]

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, Jackson participated in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest.^[23][24] The Nuggets finished 19th in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 586,407 at the McNichols Sports Arena during the regular season.^[22][25] Following the season, Jackson would change his name to Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf after converting to Islam two years ago,^[26][27][28] while Todd Lichti and Anthony Cook, who missed the entire regular season due to a knee injury, were both traded to the Orlando Magic,^[29][30][31] and Scott Hastings retired.

This was also the final season in which the Nuggets wore their "rainbow skyline" uniforms until the 2018–19 season.^[32]