1996–97 Denver Nuggets season

The 1996–97 NBA season was the 21st season for the Denver Nuggets in the National Basketball Association, and their 30th season as a franchise.^[1] During the off-season, the Nuggets acquired Mark Jackson and Ricky Pierce from the Indiana Pacers,^[2][3][4] acquired Šarūnas Marčiulionis from the Sacramento Kings,^[5][3][4] and signed free agents Ervin Johnson and Eric Murdock,^[6][7][8] although Murdock was released to free agency in November after just 12 games.^[9] Early into the regular season, the Nuggets signed Brooks Thompson, who was previously released by the Utah Jazz.

1996–97 Denver Nuggets season
Head coach	Bernie Bickerstaff (resigned) Dick Motta
President	Bernie Bickerstaff
General manager	Bernie Bickerstaff Allan Bristow
Arena	McNichols Sports Arena
Results
Record	21–61 (.256)
Place	Division: 5th (Midwest) Conference: 12th (Western)
Playoff finish	Did not qualify
Stats at Basketball Reference
Local media
Television	KWGN-TV Fox Sports Rocky Mountain
Radio	KKFN
< 1995–96 1997–98 >

However, after a 4–9 start to the regular season, Bernie Bickerstaff resigned as head coach and was replaced with Dick Motta,^[10][11] where the Nuggets then lost ten straight games, and held a 16–32 record at the All-Star break.^[12] At mid-season, Jackson was traded back to his former team, the Indiana Pacers, while Pierce was dealt to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for second-year guard Anthony Goldwire.^[13][14][15] The team also signed free agent and three-point specialist Kenny Smith, who won two championships with the Houston Rockets.^[16][17][18] As the season progressed, the Nuggets still struggled losing 26 of their final 30 games, finishing in fifth place in the Midwest Division with a 21–61 record.^[19]

LaPhonso Ellis had a stellar season, averaging 21.9 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, and finishing tied in ninth place in Most Improved Player voting,^[20] but only played 55 games due to knee injuries and a ruptured Achilles tendon,^[21][22][23] while second-year star Antonio McDyess averaged 18.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game, and Dale Ellis provided the team with 16.6 points per game, and led them with 192 three-point field goals. In addition, Bryant Stith contributed 14.9 points per game, but only played 52 games due to a foot injury,^[24] and Johnson provided with 7.1 points, 11.1 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game, while off the bench, Thompson contributed 6.8 points and 2.8 assists per game, and Tom Hammonds averaged 6.2 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.^[25]

Following the season, McDyess was traded to the Phoenix Suns in a three-team trade,^[26][27][28] while Dale Ellis was traded back to his former team, the Seattle SuperSonics,^[29][30][31] Johnson was dealt to the Milwaukee Bucks,^[32][33][34] Hammonds signed as a free agent with the Minnesota Timberwolves during the next season,^[35][36] Smith and Marčiulionis both retired, Thompson was released to free agency, and Motta was fired as head coach.^[37][38]

Draft picks

Main article: 1996 NBA draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	School/Club Team
1	23	Efthimios Rentzias	C	Greece	PAOK
2	37	Jeff McInnis	PG/SG	United States	North Carolina

Roster

1996–97 Denver Nuggets roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Player Height Weight DOB From G 53 Jerome Allen 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 184 lb (83 kg) 1973–01–28 Penn G 17 Vincent Askew 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1966–02–28 Memphis F 3 Dale Ellis 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1960–08–06 Tennessee F 20 LaPhonso Ellis  6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1970–05–05 Notre Dame G 5 Anthony Goldwire 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 182 lb (83 kg) 1971–09–06 Houston F 21 Tom Hammonds 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1967–03–27 Georgia Tech C 50 Ervin Johnson 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 245 lb (111 kg) 1967–12–21 New Orleans G 13 Jimmy King 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1973–08–09 Michigan G 8 Šarūnas Marčiulionis  6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1964–06–13 Lithuania F 24 Antonio McDyess 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1974–09–07 Alabama G 30 Kenny Smith 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1965–03–08 North Carolina G 23 Bryant Stith 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 208 lb (94 kg) 1970–12–10 Virginia G 6 Brooks Thompson 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 193 lb (88 kg) 1970–07–19 Oklahoma State C 25 George Zidek 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 250 lb (113 kg) 1973–08–02 UCLA

Head coach Bernie Bickerstaff (resigned) Dick Motta Assistant(s) Jim Brovelli Gene Littles Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured Roster Updated: April 6, 1997

Roster Notes

• Point guard Eric Murdock was waived on November 26, 1996.

Regular season

Season standings

Midwest Division v t e	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Div
y-Utah Jazz	64	18	.780	–	38–3	26–15	19–5
x-Houston Rockets	57	25	.695	7	30–11	27–14	19–5
x-Minnesota Timberwolves	40	42	.488	24	25–16	15–26	16–8
Dallas Mavericks	24	58	.293	40	14–27	10–31	9–15
Denver Nuggets	21	61	.256	43	12–29	9–32	7–17
San Antonio Spurs	20	62	.244	44	12–29	8–33	8–16
Vancouver Grizzlies	14	68	.171	50	8–33	6–35	6–18

1996–97 NBA West standings

#	Western Conference v t e
	Team	W	L	PCT	GB
1	c-Utah Jazz	64	18	.780	–
2	y-Seattle SuperSonics	57	25	.695	7
3	x-Houston Rockets	57	25	.695	7
4	x-Los Angeles Lakers	56	26	.683	8
5	x-Portland Trail Blazers	49	33	.598	15
6	x-Minnesota Timberwolves	40	42	.488	24
7	x-Phoenix Suns	40	42	.488	24
8	x-Los Angeles Clippers	36	46	.439	28
9	Sacramento Kings	34	48	.415	30
10	Golden State Warriors	30	52	.366	34
11	Dallas Mavericks	24	58	.293	40
12	Denver Nuggets	21	61	.256	43
13	San Antonio Spurs	20	62	.244	44
14	Vancouver Grizzlies	14	68	.171	50

z - clinched division title

y - clinched division title

x - clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

1996-97 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	–	3–1	1–3	1–3	3–1	2–0	1–1	1–3	2–0	1–1	3–1	2–0	1–1	1–2	4–0	2–0	3–1	1–3	3–1	4–0	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–0	1–1	4–0	1–1	2–0	2–1
Boston	1–3	–	0–4	0–4	1–2	1–1	1–1	0–4	1–1	0–2	1–2	0–2	1–1	0–4	1–3	0–2	0–4	0–4	0–4	1–3	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–2	3–1	0–2	0–2	0–4
Charlotte	3–1	4–0	–	0–4	3–1	1–1	2–0	2–2	2–0	2–0	2–2	1–1	1–1	1–2	2–2	2–0	4–0	3–1	1–2	4–0	1–1	0–2	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–2	0–2	2–0	3–1
Chicago	3–1	4–0	4–0	–	3–1	2–0	2–0	3–1	2–0	1–1	4–0	2–0	1–1	2–2	4–0	2–0	3–1	2–2	3–0	4–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	3–1	1–1	2–0	2–1
Cleveland	1–3	2–1	1–3	1–3	–	2–0	1–1	2–2	1–1	0–2	3–1	2–0	1–1	0–4	2–2	2–0	4–0	1–3	2–2	3–0	1–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	0–2	3–1	1–1	2–0	1–3
Dallas	0–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–2	–	3–1	0–2	0–4	0–4	1–1	2–2	0–4	0–2	0–2	1–3	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–3	1–3	2–2	1–3	1–3	0–2	1–3	3–1	0–2
Denver	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–2	1–1	1–3	–	0–2	1–3	1–3	0–2	1–3	0–4	0–2	1–1	0–4	1–1	0–2	0–2	1–1	2–2	0–4	2–2	2–2	0–4	1–1	0–4	3–1	1–1
Detroit	3–1	4–0	2–2	1–3	2–2	2–0	2–0	–	2–0	1–1	3–1	2–0	1–1	0–4	3–1	2–0	4–0	1–2	2–2	2–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	3–1	1–1	2–0	4–0
Golden State	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	1–1	4–0	3–1	0–2	–	0–4	1–1	1–3	0–4	0–2	1–1	1–3	2–0	0–2	1–1	2–0	0–4	2–2	1–3	4–0	0–4	2–0	0–4	3–1	0–2
Houston	1–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	2–0	4–0	3–1	1–1	4–0	–	1–1	3–1	3–1	0–2	1–1	4–0	2–0	1–1	0–2	2–0	2–2	2–2	4–0	3–1	3–1	1–1	2–2	3–1	2–0
Indiana	1–3	2–1	2–2	0–4	1–3	1–1	2–0	1–3	1–1	1–1	–	2–0	1–1	1–3	2–2	2–0	2–2	1–3	1–3	3–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	4–0	0–2	2–0	1–3
L.A. Clippers	0–2	2–0	1–1	0–2	0–2	2–2	3–1	0–2	3–1	1–3	0–2	–	2–2	0–2	2–0	1–3	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	2–2	0–4	2–2	4–0	1–3	2–0	1–3	4–0	0–2
L.A. Lakers	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	4–0	4–0	1–1	4–0	1–3	1–1	2–2	–	1–1	2–0	3–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–0	4–0	1–3	4–0	2–2	3–1	1–1	1–3	4–0	2–0
Miami	2–1	4–0	2–1	2–2	4–0	2–0	2–0	4–0	2–0	2–0	3–1	2–0	1–1	–	4–0	1–1	3–1	1–3	2–2	3–1	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–0	0–2	3–1	0–2	2–0	3–1
Milwaukee	0–4	3–1	2–2	0–4	2–2	2–0	1–1	1–3	1–1	1–1	2–2	0–2	0–2	0–4	–	0–2	2–1	1–2	2–2	3–1	1–1	0–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	3–1	1–1	2–0	1–3
Minnesota	0–2	2–0	0–2	0–2	0–2	3–1	4–0	0–2	3–1	0–4	0–2	3–1	1–3	1–1	2–0	–	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	3–1	2–2	0–4	4–0	0–4	1–1	1–3	4–0	1–1
New Jersey	1–3	4–0	0–4	1–3	0–4	1–1	1–1	0–4	0–2	0–2	2–2	1–1	0–2	1–3	1–2	0–2	–	2–2	1–3	2–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–1	0–3	0–2	2–0	1–3
New York	3–1	4–0	1–3	2–2	3–1	1–1	2–0	2–1	2–0	1–1	3–1	2–0	1–1	3–1	2–1	1–1	2–2	–	3–1	3–2	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–0	0–2	3–0	1–1	2–0	4–0
Orlando	1–3	4–0	2–1	0–3	2–2	1–1	2–0	2–2	1–1	2–0	3–1	1–1	1–1	2–2	2–2	1–1	3–1	1–3	–	2–2	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	4–0	0–2	1–1	1–3
Philadelphia	0–4	3–1	0–4	0–4	0–3	0–2	1–1	1–2	0–2	0–2	0–3	1–1	0–2	1–3	1–3	1–1	2–2	2–3	2–2	–	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–3	0–2	2–0	1–3
Phoenix	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	3–1	2–2	2–0	4–0	2–2	1–1	2–2	0–4	0–2	1–1	1–3	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	–	1–3	4–0	3–1	2–2	0–2	1–3	2–2	1–1
Portland	0–2	1–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	3–1	4–0	1–1	2–2	2–2	1–1	4–0	3–1	1–1	2–0	2–2	2–0	1–1	0–2	1–1	3–1	–	2–2	4–0	1–3	0–2	2–2	4–0	0–2
Sacramento	0–2	2–0	0–2	0–2	0–2	2–2	2–2	1–1	3–1	0–4	1–1	2–2	0–4	0–2	2–0	4–0	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–0	0–4	2–2	–	3–1	1–3	1–1	0–4	4–0	0–2
San Antonio	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	2–0	3–1	2–2	0–2	0–4	1–3	1–1	0–4	2–2	0–2	1–1	0–4	0–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–3	0–4	1–3	–	0–4	1–1	1–3	1–3	0–2
Seattle	1–1	2–0	0–2	0–2	2–0	3–1	4–0	1–1	4–0	1–3	1–1	3–1	1–3	2–0	1–1	4–0	1–1	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	3–1	3–1	4–0	–	2–0	1–3	4–0	2–0
Toronto	0–4	1–3	2–2	1–3	1–3	2–0	1–1	1–3	0–2	1–1	0–4	0–2	1–1	1–3	1–3	1–1	3–0	0–3	0–4	3–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	0–2	–	1–1	1–1	2–2
Utah	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	3–1	4–0	1–1	4–0	2–2	2–0	3–1	3–1	2–0	1–1	3–1	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–0	3–1	2–2	4–0	3–1	3–1	1–1	–	4–0	2–0
Vancouver	0–2	2–0	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–3	1–3	0–2	1–3	1–3	0–2	0–4	0–4	0–2	0–2	0–4	0–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	2–2	0–4	0–4	3–1	0–4	1–1	0–4	–	1–1
Washington	1–2	4–0	1–3	1–2	3–1	2–0	1–1	0–4	2–0	0–2	3–1	2–0	0–2	1–3	3–1	1–1	3–1	0–4	3–1	3–1	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–0	0–2	2–2	0–2	1–1	—

Game log

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
LaPhonso Ellis	55	49	36.4	.439	.367	.773	7.0	2.4	0.8	0.7	21.9
Antonio McDyess	74	73	34.7	.463	.171	.708	7.3	1.4	0.8	1.7	18.3
Dale Ellis	82	51	35.9	.414	.364	.817	3.6	2.0	0.7	0.1	16.6
Bryant Stith	52	52	34.4	.416	.385	.863	4.2	2.6	1.2	0.4	14.9
Mark Jackson	52	52	38.5	.425	.397	.801	5.2	12.3	1.0	0.2	10.4
Ricky Pierce	33	10	18.2	.462	.308	.902	1.6	0.9	0.4	0.2	10.2
Kenny Smith	33	3	19.8	.422	.425	.854	1.1	3.1	0.5	0.0	7.9
Anthony Goldwire	27	21	22.7	.392	.394	.816	1.7	4.6	0.5	0.0	7.3
Ervin Johnson	82	82	31.7	.520	.000	.615	11.1	0.9	0.8	2.8	7.1
Brooks Thompson	65	6	16.1	.400	.398	.632	1.5	2.8	0.8	0.0	6.8
Sarunas Marciulionis	17	0	15.0	.376	.367	.806	1.8	1.5	0.7	0.1	6.8
Tom Hammonds	81	8	21.7	.480	.000	.721	5.0	0.8	0.2	0.3	6.2
Aaron Williams	1	0	10.0	.600			5.0	0.0	0.0	3.0	6.0
Vincent Askew	1	0	9.0	.667		1.000	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	6.0
Jeff McInnis	13	0	9.0	.469	.462	.700	0.5	1.4	0.2	0.1	5.0
Eric Murdock	12	0	9.5	.455	.400	.917	0.9	2.0	0.8	0.2	3.8
George Zidek	16	0	5.5	.485		.800	1.4	0.3	0.1	0.0	3.3
Jimmy King	2	0	11.0	.333		.500	1.0	1.0	1.5	0.0	3.0
Jerome Allen	25	0	10.0	.284	.206	.600	1.3	1.7	0.2	0.2	2.6
Elmer Bennett	5	0	11.8	.308	.333	.500	0.6	1.4	0.4	0.0	2.4
Darvin Ham	35	3	8.9	.525		.485	1.6	0.4	0.2	0.2	2.3
Melvin Booker	5	0	4.2	.500	.500		0.2	0.6	0.0	0.0	1.0
LaSalle Thompson	17	0	6.2	.188		.500	1.5	0.0	0.2	0.4	0.4

Player Statistics Citation:^[25]

Awards and records

Transactions