Fansided

Every NBA team’s worst iteration ever

By Rich Kraetsch

BOSTON - NOVEMBER 20: Guard Chris Herren and coach Rick Pitino's expressions on the bench reflected their loss against the 76ers. (Photo by Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
BOSTON - NOVEMBER 20: Guard Chris Herren and coach Rick Pitino's expressions on the bench reflected their loss against the 76ers. (Photo by Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) /
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OAKLAND, CA – 1996: Antonio McDyess #24 of the Denver Nuggets drives to the basket against the Golden State Warriors during the 1996 season at the San Jose Arena in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1996 NBAE (Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA – 1996: Antonio McDyess #24 of the Denver Nuggets drives to the basket against the Golden State Warriors during the 1996 season at the San Jose Arena in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1996 NBAE (Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Denver Nuggets (1997-98, 11-71, -11.74 SRS)

I wanted to add some variety to the list and find a year off the grid that could be pegged as the Nuggets’ worst. I couldn’t. The 1997-98 team was so pathetically bad that it would be criminal not to add them to this list.

After a down year in 1996-97 (21-61), Denver sent their star Antonio McDyess to Phoenix and shipped Dale Ellis off to Seattle. This set the stage of an all-time bad season from the Nuggets. Denver nearly set the record for fewest wins in a season with just 11. They had a then-NBA all-time worst single-season losing streak of 23 games and found themselves at 2-36 during one point of the season. 2-36!

The Nuggets were 2-36 at one point in 1997-98. Through 64 games, Denver was tied for the third worst start in NBA history at 6-58. The Nuggets top player (Win Shares) was Anthony Goldwire at 3.0. Goldwire wouldn’t play in the NBA the next season. Only one player—Cory Alexander—had a positive Box Plus-Minus (1.1).

Head coach Bill Hanzlik survived the year—his first ever as an NBA head coach—but was replaced in the offseason by current Houston Rockets coach and the architect of the “Seven Seconds or Less” Phoenix Suns Mike D’Antoni. This would be Hanzlik’s last stint as a basketball coach on any level.

Today, he still owns the worst mark ever for a rookie head coach.

Hanzlik was just one of many career casualties from this historically awful team that featured guys named Kiwane Garris and Priest Lauderdale. Dean Garrett—who had originally been drafted in 1988 NBA Draft and had not played in the league for eight season prior to signing with the Timberwolves and then the Nuggets—had the most starts on the team.

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