1998–99 Denver Nuggets season

The 1998–99 Denver Nuggets season was the 23rd season for the Denver Nuggets in the National Basketball Association, and their 32nd season as a franchise.^[1] Due to a lockout, the regular season began on February 5, 1999, and was cut from 82 games to 50.^[2]

After finishing with the league's worst record at 11–71 the previous season, the Nuggets received the third overall pick the 1998 NBA draft, and selected center Raef LaFrentz from the University of Kansas.^[3][4][5] During the off-season, the team re-signed former Nuggets forward Antonio McDyess after one season with the Phoenix Suns,^[6][7][8] acquired All-Star guard Nick Van Exel from the Los Angeles Lakers,^[3][9][10] acquired second-year guard Chauncey Billups from the Toronto Raptors,^[11][12][13] and acquired second-year forward Johnny Taylor, and rookie power forward, and top draft pick Keon Clark out of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas from the Orlando Magic.^[11][12][14] The Nuggets also hired Mike D'Antoni as their new head coach.^[15]

Under D'Antoni, and despite the return of McDyess, along with the addition of LaFrentz, Van Exel and Billups, the Nuggets continued to struggle losing eight of their first nine games of the regular season. After twelve games, LaFrentz suffered a knee injury and was out for the remainder of the season, averaging 13.8 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game.^[16][17] Without their top draft pick, the Nuggets posted a seven-game losing streak in March, and lost their final seven games of the season, finishing in sixth place in the Midwest Division with a 14–36 record.^[18] The Nuggets had the worst team defensive rating in the NBA.^[19]

McDyess had a stellar season averaging 21.2 points, 10.7 rebounds, 1.5 steals 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 contributed 72 three-point field goals, and Billups provided the team with 13.9 points, 3.8 assists and 1.3 steals per game, and also led them with 85 three-point field goals. In addition, second-year forward Danny Fortson stepped into the team's starting 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, and Bryant Stith provided with 7.0 points per game. Meanwhile, Taylor averaged 5.8 points per game, second-year guard Eric Washington contributed 5.4 points per game, and Clark provided with 3.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game.^[20] Fortson finished in fifth place in Most Improved Player voting, while McDyess finished tied in tenth place.^[21]

The Nuggets finished 28th in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 296,965 at the McNichols Sports Arena during the regular season, which was the second-lowest in the league;^[20][22] it was also the team's final season in which they played their home games at the McNichols Sports Arena, before moving to the Pepsi Center the following season.^[23] Also following the season, Fortson, Williams and Washington were all traded to the Boston Celtics, whom Williams previously played for,^[24][25][26] and D'Antoni was fired as head coach after only one season.^[27]