NBA professional basketball team season
NBA professional basketball team season
The 1991–92 NBA season was the Nuggets' 16th season in the National Basketball Association , and 25th season as a franchise.[ 1] To improve defensively, the Nuggets selected 7'2" Georgetown center Dikembe Mutombo with the fourth overall pick in the 1991 NBA draft , and also selected Mark Macon out of Temple University with the eighth pick.[ 2] [ 3] Mutombo was a native of Zaire , and spoke nine languages (English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, and five African dialects). The team also re-signed Walter Davis after a brief stint with the Portland Trail Blazers ,[ 4] [ 5] and acquired Winston Garland from the Los Angeles Clippers .[ 6] [ 7] Mutombo had an immediate impact as the Nuggets showed improvement with an 8–8 start to the season, then holding a 17–26 record at the end of January. However, in the second half of the season, the Nuggets struggled losing nine consecutive games between February and March, then posting an 11-game losing streak near the end of the season. The Nuggets won just 7 of their last 39 games to post a record of 24–58, fifth in the Midwest Division.[ 8] [ 9]
Mutombo averaged 16.6 points, 12.3 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, while being selected for the 1992 NBA All-Star Game ,[ 10] [ 11] and also finishing in second place in Rookie of the Year voting.[ 12] [ 13] In addition, Reggie Williams averaged 18.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game, while Greg Anderson provided the team with 11.5 points and rebounds per game each, and Macon contributed 10.6 points and 2.0 steals per game, and was selected to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. Garland provided with 10.8 points, 5.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game, while off the bench, second-year guard Chris Jackson contributed 10.3 points per game, second-year forward Marcus Liberty averaged 9.3 points and 4.1 rebounds per game, and Davis provided with 9.9 points per game.[ 14]
Following the season, Davis retired, while Anderson and Garland were both released to free agency, and head coach Paul Westhead was fired.[ 15]
Draft picks
Roster
1991–92 Denver Nuggets roster
Players
Coaches
Pos.
No.
Name
Height
Weight
DOB
From
PF
33
Anderson, Greg
6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
230 lb (104 kg)
1964–06–22
Houston
SF
43
Brooks, Kevin
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
210 lb (95 kg)
1969–10–12
Louisiana
PF
45
Cook, Anthony
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
205 lb (93 kg)
1967–03–19
Arizona
SG
6
Davis, Walter
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
193 lb (88 kg)
1954–09–09
North Carolina
PG
12
Garland, Winston
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
170 lb (77 kg)
1964–12–19
Missouri State
PF
10
Hastings, Scott
6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
235 lb (107 kg)
1960–06–03
Arkansas
PG
3
Jackson, Chris
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
162 lb (73 kg)
1969–03–09
LSU
SF
30
Liberty, Marcus
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
205 lb (93 kg)
1968–10–27
Illinois
SG
21
Lichti, Todd
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
205 lb (93 kg)
1967–01–08
Stanford
SG
1
Macon, Mark
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
1969–04–14
Temple
C
55
Mutombo, Dikembe
7 ft 2 in (2.18 m)
245 lb (111 kg)
1966–06–25
Georgetown
C
50
Scheffler, Steve
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
250 lb (113 kg)
1967–09–03
Purdue
SF
34
Williams, Reggie
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
190 lb (86 kg)
1964–03–05
Georgetown
C
42
Wolf, Joe
6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
230 lb (104 kg)
1964–12–17
North Carolina
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
(DP) Unsigned draft pick(FA) Free agent(S) Suspended Injured
Roster Last transaction: March 17, 1992
Regular season
Season standings
y - clinched division title
x - clinched playoff spot
z - clinched division title
y - clinched division title
x - clinched playoff spot
Record vs. opponents
1991-92 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
2–2
0–5
0–5
2–0
2–0
1–4
1–1
2–0
1–4
1–1
0–2
2–2
3–1
2–0
3–1
2–2
2–2
2–2
2–0
0–2
1–1
0–2
1–1
1–1
2–2
Boston
1–3
–
3–1
1–3
3–1
1–1
1–1
4–0
1–1
1–1
2–2
2–0
2–0
3–2
2–2
0–2
2–3
3–2
5–0
3–1
1–1
1–1
2–0
1–1
2–0
1–1
3–1
Charlotte
2–2
1–3
–
0–4
2–3
1–1
1–1
1–4
1–1
0–2
3–2
0–2
1–1
1–3
2–3
1–1
1–3
0–4
3–1
3–1
1–1
0–2
1–1
2–0
1–1
0–2
2–2
Chicago
5–0
3–1
4–0
–
3–2
2–0
2–0
4–1
1–1
1–1
3–1
2–0
1–1
4–0
3–2
2–0
4–0
4–0
3–1
3–1
1–1
2–0
2–0
1–1
2–0
1–1
4–0
Cleveland
5–0
1–3
3–2
2–3
–
1–1
1–1
3–1
1–1
1–1
5–0
1–1
2–0
3–1
3–1
2–0
2–2
4–0
3–1
4–0
1–1
0–2
2–0
1–1
1–1
1–1
4–0
Dallas
0–2
1–1
1–1
0–2
1–1
–
3–2
0–2
0–4
4–2
1–1
1–3
0–4
1–1
1–1
3–2
0–2
0–2
1–1
0–2
2–2
0–4
1–3
0–5
0–4
1–4
0–2
Denver
0–2
1–1
1–1
0–2
1–1
2–3
–
0–2
0–4
2–3
0–2
0–4
1–3
0–2
1–1
2–3
1–1
0–2
2–0
2–0
1–3
1–3
2–2
1–4
1–3
1–5
1–1
Detroit
4–1
0–4
4–1
1–4
1–3
2–0
2–0
–
1–1
2–0
2–2
0–2
2–0
2–2
3–2
1–1
2–2
2–2
4–0
3–1
0–2
2–0
2–0
1–1
1–1
1–1
3–1
Golden State
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
4–0
4–0
1–1
–
2–2
2–0
3–2
3–2
1–1
2–0
4–0
2–0
1–1
2–0
1–1
3–2
2–3
5–0
2–2
3–2
1–3
2–0
Houston
0–2
1–1
2–0
1–1
1–1
2–4
3–2
0–2
2–2
–
1–1
2–2
2–2
2–0
1–1
3–2
1–1
1–1
2–0
1–1
1–3
3–1
3–1
3–2
1–3
1–4
2–0
Indiana
4–1
2–2
2–3
1–3
0–5
1–1
2–0
2–2
0–2
1–1
–
0–2
2–0
3–1
4–1
2–0
2–2
1–3
2–2
2–2
1–1
0–2
1–1
2–0
0–2
1–1
2–2
L.A. Clippers
1–1
0–2
2–0
0–2
1–1
3–1
4–0
2–0
2–3
2–2
2–0
–
2–3
2–0
2–0
4–0
1–1
0–2
2–0
1–1
3–2
2–3
2–3
2–2
2–3
1–3
0–2
L.A. Lakers
2–0
0–2
1–1
1–1
0–2
4–0
3–1
0–2
2–3
2–2
0–2
3–2
–
2–0
1–1
3–1
2–0
2–0
2–0
2–0
2–3
1–4
4–1
1–3
1–4
1–3
1–1
Miami
2–2
2–3
3–1
0–4
1–3
1–1
2–0
2–2
1–1
0–2
1–3
0–2
0–2
–
4–0
2–0
2–2
1–4
3–1
1–4
0–2
0–2
2–0
1–1
1–1
1–1
5–0
Milwaukee
1–3
2–2
3–2
2–3
1–3
1–1
1–1
2–3
0–2
1–1
1–4
0–2
1–1
0–4
–
2–0
0–4
1–3
3–1
3–1
0–2
0–2
0–2
1–1
1–1
1–1
3–1
Minnesota
0–2
2–0
1–1
0–2
0–2
2–3
3–2
1–1
0–4
2–3
0–2
0–4
1–3
0–2
0–2
–
0–2
0–2
0–2
0–2
0–4
0–4
1–3
0–6
0–4
2–3
0–2
New Jersey
1–3
3–2
3–1
0–4
2–2
2–0
1–1
2–2
0–2
1–1
2–2
1–1
0–2
2–2
4–0
2–0
–
2–3
3–1
3–2
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
0–2
0–2
2–3
New York
2–2
2–3
4–0
0–4
0–4
2–0
2–0
2–2
1–1
1–1
3–1
2–0
0–2
4–1
3–1
2–0
3–2
–
4–1
3–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
0–2
2–0
2–0
4–0
Orlando
2–2
0–5
1–3
1–3
1–3
1–1
0–2
0–4
0–2
0–2
2–2
0–2
0–2
1–3
1–3
2–0
1–3
1–4
–
3–2
0–2
0–2
0–2
1–1
1–1
0–2
2–3
Philadelphia
2–2
1–3
1–3
1–3
0–4
2–0
0–2
1–3
1–1
1–1
2–2
1–1
0–2
4–1
1–3
2–0
2–3
1–3
2–3
–
0–2
1–1
1–1
1–1
2–0
0–2
5–0
Phoenix
0–2
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
2–2
3–1
2–0
2–3
3–1
1–1
2–3
3–2
2–0
2–0
4–0
1–1
1–1
2–0
2–0
–
3–2
4–1
3–1
3–2
2–2
2–0
Portland
2–0
1–1
2–0
0–2
2–0
4–0
3–1
0–2
3–2
1–3
2–0
3–2
4–1
2–0
2–0
4–0
1–1
1–1
2–0
1–1
2–3
–
5–0
2–2
4–1
2–2
2–0
Sacramento
1–1
0–2
1–1
0–2
0–2
3–1
2–2
0–2
0–5
1–3
1–1
3–2
1–4
0–2
2–0
3–1
1–1
1–1
2–0
1–1
1–4
0–5
–
1–3
1–4
1–3
2–0
San Antonio
2–0
1–1
0–2
1–1
1–1
5–0
4–1
1–1
2–2
2–3
0–2
2–2
3–1
1–1
1–1
6–0
1–1
2–0
1–1
1–1
1–3
2–2
3–1
–
3–1
1–4
0–2
Seattle
1–1
0–2
1–1
0–2
1–1
4–0
3–1
1–1
2–3
3–1
2–0
3–2
4–1
1–1
1–1
4–0
2–0
0–2
1–1
0–2
2–3
1–4
4–1
1–3
–
3–1
2–0
Utah
1–1
1–1
2–0
1–1
1–1
4–1
5–1
1–1
3–1
4–1
1–1
3–1
3–1
1–1
1–1
3–2
2–0
0–2
2–0
2–0
2–2
2–2
3–1
4–1
1–3
–
2–0
Washington
2–2
1–3
2–2
0–4
0–4
2–0
1–1
1–3
0–2
0–2
2–2
2–0
1–1
0–5
1–3
2–0
3–2
0–4
3–2
0–5
0–2
0–2
0–2
2–0
0–2
0–2
—
Game log
Player statistics
Regular season
Player Statistics Citation:[ 14]
Awards, records, and honors
Transactions
References
^ "1991-92 Denver Nuggets" . Basketball-Reference.com . Retrieved July 22, 2016 .
^ "BASKETBALL; Hornets Make Johnson No. 1 Pick in the Draft" . New York Times . June 27, 1991. Retrieved October 14, 2021 .
^ "UNLV's Johnson Is No. 1: NBA Draft: Coaches' Attempts in Charlotte and New Jersey to Select Billy Owens Are Overruled. Three UNLV Players Are Taken in the First Round" . Los Angeles Times . Associated Press. June 27, 1991. Retrieved November 21, 2022 .
^ "SPORTS PEOPLE: BASKETBALL; Walter Davis Waived by Trail Blazers" . New York Times . October 30, 1991. Retrieved February 3, 2022 .
^ "Pro Basketball" . Los Angeles Times . November 2, 1991. Retrieved November 22, 2022 .
^ Howard-Cooper, Scott (June 27, 1991). "Clippers Make Point in Deal with Hawks: NBA Draft: Team Trades No. 9 Pick and Second-Round Selections in 1993 and 1994 for Guard Doc Rivers. Club Then Takes LeRon Ellis of Syracuse with 22nd Pick" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved November 22, 2022 .
^ "Clippers Pull Off Two Trades" . Tampa Bay Times . June 27, 1991. Retrieved November 22, 2022 .
^ "1991–92 Denver Nuggets Schedule and Results" . Basketball-Reference. Retrieved February 3, 2022 .
^ Denver Nuggets (1967-Present)
^ Heisler, Mark (February 9, 1992). "Comeback or Farewell, a Magical All-Star Game" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved January 28, 2023 .
^ "1992 NBA All-Star Game: West 153, East 113" . Basketball-Reference . Retrieved December 31, 2021 .
^ "BASKETBALL; Johnson Is Top Rookie" . The New York Times . Associated Press. May 13, 1992. Retrieved November 22, 2022 .
^ "1991–92 NBA Awards Voting" . Basketball-Reference . Retrieved January 3, 2022 .
^ a b "1991–92 Denver Nuggets Roster and Stats" . Basketball-Reference. Retrieved February 3, 2022 .
^ "NBA Firings: Westhead, Hamblen" . Los Angeles Times . April 24, 1992. Retrieved November 25, 2022 .
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