1990–91 Denver Nuggets season

The 1990–91 NBA season was the Nuggets' 15th season in the National Basketball Association, and 24th season as a franchise.[1] Bernie Bickerstaff took over as General Manager and decided it was time to rebuild the Nuggets. At the time, the club had the oldest team in the league. The Nuggets would make radical changes trading off stars for draft picks. The team selected LSU guard Chris Jackson with the third overall pick in the 1990 NBA draft,[2][3] while acquiring Orlando Woolridge from the Los Angeles Lakers during the off-season.[4][5]

1990–91 Denver Nuggets season
Head coachPaul Westhead
General managerBernie Bickerstaff
PresidentBernie Bickerstaff
ArenaMcNichols Sports Arena
Results
Record20–62 (.244)
PlaceDivision: 6th (Midwest)
Conference: 13th (Western)
Playoff finishDid not qualify

Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television
RadioKOA
< 1989–90 1991–92 >

Under new head coach Paul Westhead, the Nuggets got off to a bad start losing their first seven games. At midseason, the team acquired Reggie Williams from the San Antonio Spurs, and traded Walter Davis to the Portland Trail Blazers.[6][7] The Nuggets won six consecutive games between January and February, but their struggles continued as they lost seven in a row afterwards. They lost ten consecutive games late in the season, and finished last place in the Midwest Division with a league worst 20–62 record.[8]

By season's end, the Nuggets led the league in team scoring with 119.9 ppg, but also allowed 130.8 ppg, setting a new record for NBA defensive generosity.[9][10] Jackson was selected to the All-Rookie Second Team. Following the season, Woolridge was traded to the Detroit Pistons,[11][12] and Michael Adams was traded back to the Washington Bullets.[13][14]

NBA draft

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Round Pick Player Position Nationality School/Club Team
1 3 Chris Jackson PG   United States LSU
2 42 Marcus Liberty SF   United States Illinois

Roster

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1990–91 Denver Nuggets roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
G 14 Adams, Michael 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 162 lb (73 kg) 1963-01-19 Boston College
F 33 Anderson, Cadillac 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1964-06-22 Houston
G 5 Battle, Kenny 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1964-10-10 Illinois
F 00 Cook, Anthony 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1967-03-19 Arizona
G 22 Farmer, Jim 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1964-09-23 Alabama
G 3 Jackson, Chris 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 162 lb (73 kg) 1969-03-09 LSU
F 35 Lane, Jerome 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1966-12-04 Pittsburgh
F 30 Liberty, Marcus 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1968-10-27 Illinois
G 21 Lichti, Todd 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1967-01-08 Stanford
F 34 Mason, Anthony 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 250 lb (113 kg) 1966-12-14 Tennessee State
C 41 Rasmussen, Blair 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 250 lb (113 kg) 1962-11-13 Oregon
G/F 34 Williams, Reggie 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1964-03-05 Georgetown
F 0 Woolridge, Orlando 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1959-12-16 Notre Dame
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

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

Roster
Last transaction: March 17, 1991

Regular season

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Season standings

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W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-San Antonio Spurs 55 27 .671 33–8 22–19 20–8
x-Utah Jazz 54 28 .659 1 36–5 18–23 21-7
x-Houston Rockets 52 30 .634 3 31-10 21–20 20-8
Orlando Magic 31 51 .378 24 24-17 7–34 13–15
Minnesota Timberwolves 29 53 .354 26 21-20 8-33 9-19
Dallas Mavericks 28 54 .341 27 20-21 8–33 7-21
Denver Nuggets 20 62 .244 35 17-24 3-38 8–20
y - clinched division title
x - clinched playoff spot
#
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Portland Trail Blazers 63 19 .768
2 y-San Antonio Spurs 55 27 .671 8
3 x-Los Angeles Lakers 58 24 .707 5
4 x-Phoenix Suns 55 27 .671 8
5 x-Utah Jazz 54 28 .659 9
6 x-Houston Rockets 52 30 .634 11
7 x-Golden State Warriors 44 38 .537 19
8 x-Seattle SuperSonics 41 41 .500 22
9 Orlando Magic 31 51 .378 32
10 Los Angeles Clippers 31 51 .378 32
11 Minnesota Timberwolves 29 53 .354 34
12 Dallas Mavericks 28 54 .341 35
13 Sacramento Kings 25 57 .305 38
14 Denver Nuggets 20 62 .244 43
z - clinched division title
y - clinched division title
x - clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

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1990-91 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 1–4 1–4 3–2 2–0 1–1 0–5 1–1 1–1 4–1 2–0 1–1 4–0 2–3 1–1 3–1 3–1 1–1 0–4 0–2 1–1 2–0 2–0 1–1 1–1 2–2
Boston 1–3 3–1 2–2 3–1 2–0 2–0 2–2 1–1 2–0 2–2 2–0 1–1 4–1 2–2 2–0 4–1 5–0 1–1 2–3 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 5–1
Charlotte 4–1 1–3 0–5 1–4 1–1 0–2 1–4 1–1 0–2 0–5 1–1 0–2 2–2 2–3 1–1 2–2 0–4 2–0 2–2 0–2 0–2 2–0 1–1 0–2 0–2 2–2
Chicago 4–1 2–2 5–0 5–0 2–0 2–0 3–2 1–1 0–2 4–1 2–0 1–1 4–0 4–1 2–0 3–1 4–0 2–0 1–3 1–1 0–2 2–0 0–2 2–0 2–0 3–1
Cleveland 2–3 1–3 4–1 0–5 2–0 1–1 2–3 0–2 0–2 1–4 1–1 1–1 3–1 2–3 1–1 2–2 3–1 2–0 2–2 0–2 0–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 1–3
Dallas 0–2 0–2 1–1 0–2 0–2 3–1 0–2 2–2 1–3 2–0 1–3 2–2 0–2 1–1 1–4 2–0 2–0 1–4 1–1 0–4 1–3 2–2 1–4 2–2 0–5 2–0
Denver 1–1 0–2 2–0 0–2 1–1 1–3 0–2 1–3 0–5 0–2 0–4 0–4 0–2 1–1 3–2 1–1 1–1 2–3 0–2 0–4 0–4 3–1 1–4 0–4 1–3 1–1
Detroit 5–0 2–2 4–1 2–3 3–2 2–0 2–0 1–1 2–0 3–2 2–0 0–2 3–1 2–3 2–0 3–1 1–3 2–0 2–2 0–2 1–1 2–0 0–2 1–1 0–2 3–1
Golden State 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–2 3–1 1–1 2–2 1–1 3–2 2–3 2–0 1–1 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–2 2–0 1–3 2–3 2–3 2–2 3–1 1–3 0–2
Houston 1–1 0–2 2–0 2–0 2–0 3–1 5–0 0–2 2–2 1–1 2–2 1–3 2–0 2–0 5–0 2–0 2–0 3–2 2–0 3–1 0–4 3–1 2–3 2–2 2–2 1–1
Indiana 1–4 2–2 5–0 1–4 4–1 0–2 2–0 2–3 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–2 2–2 2–3 1–1 3–1 2–2 1–1 1–3 1–1 0–2 2–0 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–2
L.A. Clippers 0–2 0–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 3–1 4–0 0–2 2–3 2–2 1–1 0–4 0–2 1–1 3–1 1–1 0–2 1–3 0–2 2–3 1–3 3–2 2–2 2–3 1–3 0–2
L.A. Lakers 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 2–2 4–0 2–0 3–2 3–1 2–0 4–0 2–0 0–2 3–1 2–0 1–1 4–0 1–1 3–2 2–3 4–0 3–1 3–2 2–2 2–0
Miami 0–4 1–4 2–2 0–4 1–3 2–0 2–0 1–3 0–2 0–2 2–2 2–0 0–2 0–4 0–2 3–3 1–4 1–1 1–4 0–2 0–2 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 3–2
Milwaukee 3–2 2–2 3–2 1–4 3–2 1–1 1–1 3–2 1–1 0–2 3–2 1–1 2–0 4–0 1–1 2–2 4–0 2–0 2–2 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 3–1
Minnesota 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 4–1 2–3 0–2 1–3 0–5 1–1 1–3 1–3 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–2 2–0 0–4 0–4 3–1 0–4 2–2 1–4 1–1
New Jersey 1–3 1–4 2–2 1–3 2–2 0–2 1–1 1–3 1–1 0–2 1–3 1–1 0–2 3–3 2–2 1–1 0–5 1–1 2–3 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 2–3
New York 1–3 0–5 4–0 0–4 1–3 0–2 1–1 3–1 0–2 0–2 2–2 2–0 1–1 4–1 0–4 1–1 5–0 0–2 5–1 0–2 0–2 2–0 1–1 1–1 2–0 3–2
Orlando 1–1 1–1 0–2 0–2 0–2 4–1 3–2 0–2 2–2 2–3 1–1 3–1 0–4 1–1 0–2 2–2 1–1 2–0 0–2 2–2 0–4 2–2 1–3 1–3 1–4 1–1
Philadelphia 4–0 3–2 2–2 3–1 2–2 1–1 2–0 2–2 0–2 0–2 3–1 2–0 1–1 4–1 2–2 0–2 3–2 1–5 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 3–2
Phoenix 2–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 4–0 4–0 2–0 3–1 1–3 1–1 3–2 2–3 2–0 1–1 4–0 1–1 2–0 2–2 1–1 3–2 3–1 1–3 3–2 2–2 2–0
Portland 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 2–0 3–1 4–0 1–1 3–2 4–0 2–0 3–1 3–2 2–0 1–1 4–0 2–0 2–0 4–0 1–1 2–3 3–2 2–2 4–0 3–1 2–0
Sacramento 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–2 1–1 2–2 1–3 0–2 3–2 1–3 0–2 2–3 0–4 1–1 1–1 1–3 1–1 0–2 2–2 1–1 1–3 2–3 1–3 1–4 1–3 2–0
San Antonio 0–2 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 4–1 4–1 2–0 2–2 3–2 1–1 2–2 1–3 2–0 1–1 4–0 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 3–1 2–2 3–1 3–1 2–3 2–0
Seattle 1–1 0–2 2–0 0–2 1–1 2–2 4–0 1–1 1–3 2–2 1–1 3–2 2–3 2–0 1–1 2–2 1–1 1–1 3–1 1–1 2–3 0–4 4–1 1–3 1–3 2–0
Utah 1–1 1–1 2–0 0–2 2–0 5–0 3–1 2–0 3–1 2–2 0–2 3–1 2–2 1–1 1–1 4–1 2–0 0–2 4–1 2–0 2–2 1–3 3–1 3–2 3–1 2–0
Washington 2–2 1–5 2–2 1–3 3–1 0–2 1–1 1–3 2–0 1–1 2–2 2–0 0–2 2–3 1–3 1–1 3–2 2–3 1–1 2–3 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–2

Game log

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Player statistics

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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

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Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Michael Adams 66 66 35.5 .394 .296 .879 3.9 10.5 2.2 0.1 26.5
Orlando Woolridge 53 50 34.4 .498 .000 .797 6.8 2.2 1.3 0.4 25.1
Walter Davis 39 13 26.8 .474 .303 .915 3.2 2.2 1.6 0.1 18.7
Reggie Williams 51 46 30.2 .444 .328 .840 4.8 1.7 1.8 0.6 16.1
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf 67 19 22.5 .413 .240 .857 1.8 3.1 0.8 0.1 14.1
Todd Lichti 29 25 29.7 .439 .298 .855 3.9 2.5 1.6 0.3 14.0
Blair Rasmussen 70 69 33.2 .458 .400 .677 9.7 1.0 0.7 1.9 12.5
Jim Farmer 25 1 17.7 .458 .227 .730 2.5 1.5 0.5 0.1 10.0
Corey Gaines 10 2 22.6 .400 .238 .846 1.4 9.1 1.0 0.2 8.3
Jerome Lane 62 25 22.3 .438 .250 .411 9.3 2.0 0.8 0.2 7.5
Terry Mills 17 0 16.4 .467 .000 .727 5.2 0.9 0.9 0.5 7.5
Joe Wolf 74 38 21.5 .451 .133 .831 5.4 1.4 0.8 0.4 7.3
Marcus Liberty 76 18 15.4 .421 .298 .630 2.9 0.8 0.6 0.3 6.7
Kenny Battle 40 4 17.1 .485 .136 .781 3.1 1.2 1.0 0.3 6.1
Tim Legler 10 0 14.8 .347 .250 .833 1.8 1.2 0.2 0.0 5.8
Anthony Cook 58 25 19.3 .417 .000 .550 5.6 0.4 0.6 1.2 5.3
Greg Anderson 41 2 16.1 .440 .506 5.8 0.3 0.6 0.9 5.2
Craig Neal 10 0 12.5 .400 .333 .591 1.6 3.7 0.4 0.0 4.4
Avery Johnson 21 4 10.3 .426 .000 .656 1.0 3.7 0.7 0.1 3.8
Anthony Mason 3 0 7.0 .500 .750 1.7 0.0 0.3 0.0 3.3
T.R. Dunn 17 3 12.8 .447 .250 .900 2.5 1.4 0.7 0.1 3.1

Player Statistics Citation:[15]

Awards and records

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Transactions

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References

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  1. ^ "1990-91 Denver Nuggets Roster and Stats".
  2. ^ Cotton, Anthony (June 28, 1990). "Coleman No. 1 to Nets, Then the Guards Go Forward". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  3. ^ "Clippers Go with Kimble: NBA Draft: Derrick Coleman, as Expected, Is No. 1 Overall with Nets. Clippers Also Grab Michigan's Vaught with 13th Pick". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. June 28, 1990. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  4. ^ Heisler, Mark (August 4, 1990). "Lakers Send Woolridge to Denver: Pro Basketball: Trade Nets Second-Round Draft Picks for 1993 and '95, Helps Reduce Payroll". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  5. ^ "Nuggets Obtain Woolridge from Lakers". United Press International. August 3, 1990. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  6. ^ Curry, Jack (January 24, 1991). "BASKETBALL; Nets Obtain Petrovic and Look Out for No. 1". The New York Times. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
  7. ^ "Trail Blazers Use 3-Team Trade to Get Walter Davis". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. January 24, 1991. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
  8. ^ "1990–91 Denver Nuggets Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  9. ^ "1990-91 Denver Nuggets Roster and Stats".
  10. ^ Denver Nuggets (1967-Present)
  11. ^ "Report: Nuggets May Trade Woolridge to Pistons". Tampa Bay Times. August 2, 1991. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  12. ^ "SPORTS PEOPLE: PRO BASKETBALL; 2 Big Trades for Pistons". The New York Times. August 14, 1991. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  13. ^ "SPORTS PEOPLE: PRO BASKETBALL; Nuggets Trade Adams to Bullets". The New York Times. June 12, 1991. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  14. ^ Aldridge, David (September 28, 1991). "After Proving Them Wrong, Adams Returns to Right Bullets". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  15. ^ "1990-91 Denver Nuggets Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 7, 2021.