1990–91 Denver Nuggets season

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

The 1990–91 Denver Nuggets season was the 15th season for the Denver Nuggets in the National Basketball Association, and their 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. Despite finishing with a 43–39 record the previous season, the Nuggets had the third overall pick in the 1990 NBA draft, and selected point guard Chris Jackson out of Louisiana State University.[2][3][4] During the off-season, the team acquired Orlando Woolridge from the Los Angeles Lakers,[5][6] acquired rookie power forward, and top draft pick Terry Mills from the Milwaukee Bucks, and signed free agent Joe Wolf.

Under new head coach, former Loyola Marymount coach Paul Westhead, the Nuggets got off to a bad start by losing their first seven games of the regular season. At mid-season, the team signed free agent Reggie Williams, who was previously released by the San Antonio Spurs. In a three-team trade, the team traded Walter Davis to the Portland Trail Blazers, and traded Mills to the New Jersey Nets in exchange for Greg Anderson.[7][8][9] The Nuggets won six consecutive games between January and February, but their struggles continued as they lost seven in a row afterwards. The team lost ten consecutive games late in the season, and finished in last place in the Midwest Division with a league-worst 20–62 record.[10]

Michael Adams averaged 26.5 points, 10.0 assists and 2.2 steals per game, led the Nuggets with 167 three-point field goals, but only shot .296 in three-point field-goal percentage, and finished tied in eighth place in Most Improved Player voting.[11] In addition, Woolridge averaged 25.1 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, but only played 53 games due to injury, while Williams provided the team with 16.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game in 51 games, and Jackson contributed 14.1 points and 3.1 assists per game, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. Meanwhile, second-year guard Todd Lichti provided with 14.0 points and 1.6 steals per game, but only appeared in just 29 games also due to injury, Blair Rasmussen averaged 12.5 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game, Jerome Lane provided with 7.5 points and 9.3 rebounds per game, Wolf averaged 7.3 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, second-round draft pick Marcus Liberty contributed 6.7 points per game, and Anthony Cook provided with 5.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game.[12]

One of the most notable games that best signified the Nuggets' woes throughout this season was on November 10, 1990, where the Phoenix Suns defeated the Nuggets, 173–143, which not only tied the 1959 Boston Celtics for the most points scored in a game that did not go into at least one overtime (and did not involve the winning team making a single three-point field goal in Phoenix's case), but also saw the Suns score a record-high 107 points in the first half, which remains the only game to have a team scoring over 100 points in a half as of 2025.[13]

However, the Nuggets also had preseason games that had the Boston Celtics scoring 172 points (one point shy from their highest mark), the Suns scoring 186 points (which would have tied the scoring record the Detroit Pistons (who previously won the lowest-scoring game in NBA history back when they were the Fort Wayne Pistons) had back in 1983 against the Nuggets themselves had it counted as a regular season game), and the Atlanta Hawks scoring 194 points (which would have broken the Pistons' scoring record against Denver back in 1983 had it counted as a regular season game, as well as became six points shy from breaking the 200 point barrier that would only be reached properly by the Eastern Conference All-Star team in the 2024 NBA All-Star Game) under blowout losses that Denver had during this time, which became precursors for what was to come for them during this season.[14]

By season's end, the Nuggets led the league in team scoring with 119.9 points per game (PPG), but also allowed 130.8 PPG, setting an NBA record for the most PPG and most total points allowed by a team in a season.[15][16][17] Following the season, Woolridge was traded to the Detroit Pistons,[18][19] while Adams was traded back to his former team, the Washington Bullets,[20][21] and Rasmussen was dealt to the Atlanta Hawks.

NBA draft

Main article: 1990 NBA draft
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

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

Roster
Updated: March 17, 1991

Regular season

Season standings

Midwest Division
 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
#
Western Conference
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

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
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:[22]

Awards and records

Transactions

References

  1. ^ "1990-91 Denver Nuggets Roster and Stats".
  2. ^ Goldaper, Sam (June 28, 1990). "Nets Make Coleman No. 1 Pick in N.B.A. Draft". The New York Times. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
  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 July 10, 2025.
  4. ^ "1990 NBA Draft". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ "Nuggets Obtain Woolridge from Lakers". United Press International. August 3, 1990. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  7. ^ Shain, Jeff (January 23, 1991). "Nets Acquire Petrovic, Mills". United Press International. Retrieved December 8, 2025.
  8. ^ Curry, Jack (January 24, 1991). "BASKETBALL; Nets Obtain Petrovic and Look Out for No. 1". The New York Times. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
  9. ^ "Trail Blazers Use 3-Team Trade to Get Walter Davis". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. January 24, 1991. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
  10. ^ "1990–91 Denver Nuggets Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  11. ^ "1990–91 NBA Awards Voting". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved December 7, 2025.
  12. ^ "1990–91 Denver Nuggets Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved December 7, 2025.
  13. ^ https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/199011100PHO.html
  14. ^ https://nbahoopsonline.com/History/Records/Mostpointsbyateam.html
  15. ^ "Most points allowed by an nba team in a season". StatMuse. Archived from the original on June 16, 2025. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  16. ^ "1990-91 Denver Nuggets Roster and Stats".
  17. ^ Denver Nuggets (1967-Present)
  18. ^ "Report: Nuggets May Trade Woolridge to Pistons". Tampa Bay Times. August 2, 1991. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  19. ^ "SPORTS PEOPLE: PRO BASKETBALL; 2 Big Trades for Pistons". The New York Times. August 14, 1991. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  20. ^ "SPORTS PEOPLE: PRO BASKETBALL; Nuggets Trade Adams to Bullets". The New York Times. June 12, 1991. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  21. ^ Aldridge, David (September 28, 1991). "After Proving Them Wrong, Adams Returns to Right Bullets". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  22. ^ "1990-91 Denver Nuggets Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
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