2000–01 Denver Nuggets season

The 2000–01 Denver Nuggets season was the 25th season for the Denver Nuggets in the National Basketball Association, and their 34th season as a franchise.^[1] During the off-season, the Nuggets acquired Calbert Cheaney, and former Nuggets guard Robert Pack from the Boston Celtics,^[2][3][4] and acquired Voshon Lenard from the Miami Heat,^[5][6][7] acquired Tracy Murray from the Washington Wizards,^[8][9] and re-signed free agent and former Nuggets guard Anthony Goldwire.^[10] However, Cheaney only played just nine games due to a strained left hamstring,^[11] and Tariq Abdul-Wahad only played just 29 games due to weight problems.^[12] At mid-season, the Nuggets traded Murray along with Keon Clark to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Kevin Willis.^[13][14][15]

With the addition of Lenard, the Nuggets got off to a 10–8 start to the regular season, then lost five straight games, but then won 14 of their next 17 games, and were a playoff contender posting a record of 26–18 as of January 27, 2001. The team held a 27–24 record at the All-Star break.^[16] However, the Nuggets lost 24 of their final 38 games of the season, as they missed the NBA playoffs for the sixth consecutive year, finishing in sixth place in the Midwest Division with a 40–42 record.^[17]

Antonio McDyess averaged 20.8 points, 12.1 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game, while Nick Van Exel averaged 17.7 points and 8.5 assists per game, and also contributed 135 three-point field goals, and Raef LaFrentz provided the team with 12.9 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game. In addition, Lenard contributed 12.2 points per game, and led the Nuggets with 147 three-point field goals, while sixth man George McCloud contributed 9.6 points per game off the bench, and Willis provided with 9.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game in 43 games after the trade. Meanwhile, second-year forward James Posey averaged 8.1 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, and Pack contributed 6.5 points and 4.0 assists per game.^[18]

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the MCI Center in Washington, D.C., McDyess was selected for the 2001 NBA All-Star Game, as a member of the Western Conference All-Star team; it was his first and only All-Star appearance.^[19][20][21] The Nuggets finished 20th in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 619,300 at the Pepsi Center during the regular season.^[18][22]

Following the season, Willis was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks, who then sent him back to the Houston Rockets,^[23][24][25] and Pack and Goldwire were both released to free agency.