1989–90 Denver Nuggets season

1989–90 Denver Nuggets season
Head coachDoug Moe
ArenaMcNichols Sports Arena
Results
Record43–39 (.524)
PlaceDivision: 4th (Midwest)
Conference: 7th (Western)
Playoff finishWest First Round
(lost to Spurs 0–3)
Stats at Basketball Reference
Local media
TelevisionKTVD
KMGH-TV
Prime Sports Rocky Mountain
RadioKOA

The 1989–90 NBA season was the 14th season for the Denver Nuggets in the National Basketball Association, and their 23rd season as a franchise.[1] The Nuggets had the fifteenth overall pick in the 1989 NBA draft, and selected shooting guard Todd Lichti out of Stanford University.[2]

The Nuggets got off to a fast start by winning 11 of their first 15 games, on their way to a solid 19–9 start to the regular season, and holding a 26–20 record at the All-Star break.[3] At mid-season, the team acquired Joe Barry Carroll from the New Jersey Nets.[4][5] However, the team began to show their age as they finished in fourth place in the Midwest Division with a 43–39 record, and earned the seventh seed in the Western Conference.[6]

Fat Lever averaged 18.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 2.1 steals per game, and was selected for the 1990 NBA All-Star Game in Miami, Florida,[7][8][9][10] while Alex English averaged 17.9 points per game, and sixth man Walter Davis provided the team with 17.5 points per game off the bench. In addition, Michael Adams contributed 15.5 points, 6.3 assists and 1.5 steals per game, while Blair Rasmussen provided with 12.4 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game, and Danny Schayes averaged 10.4 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, Lichti contributed 8.0 points per game, Bill Hanzlik averaged 6.2 points per game, Tim Kempton provided with 5.4 points and 3.1 rebounds per game, and second-year forward Jerome Lane averaged 5.0 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.[11]

In the Western Conference First Round of the 1990 NBA playoffs, the Nuggets were swept by the San Antonio Spurs in three straight games.[12][13][14][15] Following the season, an era would come to an end in Denver as head coach Doug Moe was fired,[16][17] while English signed as a free agent with the Dallas Mavericks,[18][19][20] Lever was traded to the Mavericks,[21][22][23] Schayes signed with the Milwaukee Bucks,[24][25] and Barry Carroll was released to free agency.

Draft picks

Main article: 1989 NBA draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality School/Club Team
1 15 Todd Lichti SG  United States Stanford
2 42 Michael Cutright SG  United States McNeese State
2 47 Reginald Turner SF  United States Alabama-Birmingham

Roster

1989–90 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
C 11 Joe Barry Carroll 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1958–07–24 Purdue
G/F 6 Walter Davis 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 193 lb (88 kg) 1954–09–09 North Carolina
G 23 T.R. Dunn 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1955–02–01 Alabama
F 2 Alex English 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1954–01–05 South Carolina
F 24 Bill Hanzlik 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1957–12–06 Notre Dame
F 45 Tim Kempton 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 245 lb (111 kg) 1964–01–25 Notre Dame
F 35 Jerome Lane 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1966–12–04 Pittsburgh
G 12 Fat Lever 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1960–08–18 Arizona State
G 21 Todd Lichti 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1967–01–08 Stanford
C 41 Blair Rasmussen 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 250 lb (113 kg) 1962–11–13 Oregon
C 34 Danny Schayes 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1959–05–10 Syracuse
Head coach
Assistant(s)
Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured

Roster notes

Regular season

Season standings

Midwest Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-San Antonio Spurs 56 26 .683 – 34–7 22–19 19–9
x-Utah Jazz 55 27 .671 1 36–5 19–22 21–7
x-Dallas Mavericks 47 35 .573 9 30–11 17–24 17–11
x- 43 39 .524 13 28–13 15–26 15–13
x-Houston Rockets 41 41 .500 15 31–10 10–31 13–15
Minnesota Timberwolves 22 60 .268 34 17–24 5–36 6–22
Charlotte Hornets 19 63 .232 37 13–28 6–35 7–21
#
Western Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Los Angeles Lakers 63 19 .768 –
2 y-San Antonio Spurs 56 26 .683 7
3 x-Portland Trail Blazers 59 23 .720 4
4 x-Utah Jazz 55 27 .671 8
5 x-Phoenix Suns 54 28 .659 9
6 x-Dallas Mavericks 47 35 .573 16
7 x- 43 39 .524 20
8 x-Houston Rockets 41 41 .500 22
9 Seattle SuperSonics 41 41 .500 22
10 Golden State Warriors 37 45 .451 26
11 Los Angeles Clippers 30 52 .366 33
12 Sacramento Kings 23 59 .280 40
13 Minnesota Timberwolves 22 60 .268 41
14 Charlotte Hornets 19 63 .232 44
z - clinched division title
y - clinched division title
x - clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

1989-90 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 – 1–3 2–0 0–5 2–3 0–2 1–1 3–2 2–0 2–0 2–3 1–1 0–2 4–0 3–2 1–1 2–2 1–3 5–0 2–2 0–2 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–2
Boston 3–1 – 2–0 2–2 3–1 1–1 1–1 2–2 1–1 2–0 1–3 1–1 0–2 5–0 2–2 1–1 5–1 4–1 4–0 3–2 1–1 0–2 2–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 2–3
Charlotte 0–2 0–2 – 0–2 1–1 1–3 3–2 0–2 2–2 1–4 1–1 2–2 0–4 1–1 0–2 2–2 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–3 0–4 1–3 0–5 0–4 0–5 0–2
Chicago 5–0 2–2 2–0 – 5–0 2–0 1–1 1–4 2–0 1–1 2–3 1–1 1–1 4–0 4–1 2–0 3–1 3–1 3–2 2–2 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–2 3–1
Cleveland 3–2 1–3 1–1 0–5 – 0–2 0–2 1–4 1–1 0–2 3–2 1–1 1–1 4–0 3–2 1–1 4–0 2–2 4–1 2–2 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 3–1
Dallas 2–0 1–1 3–1 0–2 2–0 – 2–3 1–1 3–1 4–1 2–0 3–1 0–4 2–0 1–1 4–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–3 0–4 3–1 3–2 2–2 1–3 1–1
Denver 1–1 1–1 2–3 1–1 2–0 3–2 – 0–2 2–2 4–1 0–2 2–2 0–4 2–0 1–1 5–0 2–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–3 2–2 4–0 1–3 2–2 0–4 1–1
Detroit 2–3 2–2 2–0 4–1 4–1 1–1 2–0 – 1–1 1–1 4–1 1–1 1–1 3–1 3–2 2–0 4–0 4–0 5–0 1–3 2–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 4–0
Golden State 0–2 1–1 2–2 0–2 1–1 1–3 2–2 1–1 – 2–2 1–1 3–1 1–4 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 0–2 2–0 1–1 0–5 2–2 3–2 1–3 2–3 2–2 1–1
Houston 0–2 0–2 4–1 1–1 2–0 1–4 1–4 1–1 2–2 – 1–1 2–2 2–2 1–1 1–1 2–2 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 2–2 1–3 4–0 2–2 2–2 3–2 1–1
Indiana 3–2 3–1 1–1 3–2 2–3 0–2 2–0 1–4 1–1 1–1 – 0–2 0–2 3–1 3–2 1–1 4–0 1–3 4–1 0–4 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 3–1
L.A. Clippers 1–1 1–1 2–2 1–1 1–1 1–3 2–2 1–1 1–3 2–2 2–0 – 1–4 0–2 1–1 3–1 2–0 0–2 2–0 0–2 0–4 0–5 2–3 0–4 3–2 0–4 1–1
L.A. Lakers 2–0 2–0 4–0 1–1 1–1 4–0 4–0 1–1 4–1 2–2 2–0 4–1 – 2–0 1–1 4–0 2–0 2–0 1–1 1–1 3–1 2–3 5–0 2–2 4–0 2–2 1–1
Miami 0–4 0–5 1–1 0–4 0–4 0–2 0–2 1–3 0–2 1–1 1–3 2–0 0–2 – 2–2 1–1 1–4 1–5 3–1 0–5 0–2 0–2 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 2–3
Milwaukee 2–3 2–2 2–0 1–4 2–3 1–1 1–1 2–3 1–1 1–1 2–3 1–1 1–1 2–2 – 2–0 4–0 2–2 5–0 1–3 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 0–2 3–1
Minnesota 1–1 1–1 2–2 0–2 1–1 1–4 0–5 0–2 1–3 2–2 1–1 1–3 0–4 1–1 0–2 – 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–4 1–3 2–2 1–4 1–3 0–5 1–1
New Jersey 2–2 1–5 1–1 1–3 0–4 0–2 0–2 0–4 0–2 1–1 0–4 0–2 0–2 4–1 0–4 1–1 – 1–4 1–3 1–4 0–2 0–2 1–1 0–2 0–2 0–2 2–3
New York 3–1 1–4 1–1 1–3 2–2 1–1 1–1 0–4 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 0–2 5–1 2–2 1–1 4–1 – 2–2 2–3 1–1 0–2 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 5–0
Orlando 0–5 0–4 1–1 2–3 1–4 0–2 0–2 0–5 0–2 0–2 1–4 0–2 1–1 1–3 0–5 1–1 3–1 2–2 – 2–2 0–2 0–2 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–4
Philadelphia 2–2 2–3 2–0 2–2 2–2 1–1 1–1 3–1 1–1 1–1 4–0 2–0 1–1 5–0 3–1 1–1 4–1 3–2 2–2 – 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 5–1
Phoenix 2–0 1–1 3–1 0–2 1–1 3–1 3–1 0–2 5–0 2–2 1–1 4–0 1–3 2–0 1–1 4–0 2–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 – 2–3 5–0 0–4 3–2 3–1 2–0
Portland 1–1 2–0 4–0 1–1 1–1 4–0 2–2 1–1 2–2 3–1 1–1 5–0 3–2 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 2–0 2–0 1–1 3–2 – 4–0 3–1 3–2 2–2 1–1
Sacramento 1–1 0–2 3–1 1–1 0–2 1–3 0–4 0–2 2–3 0–4 1–1 3–2 0–5 1–1 1–1 2–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 1–1 0–5 0–4 – 0–4 2–2 1–3 1–1
San Antonio 1–1 1–1 5–0 1–1 1–1 2–3 3–1 1–1 3–1 2–2 1–1 4–0 2–2 2–0 1–1 4–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 4–0 1–3 4–0 – 3–1 3–2 2–0
Seattle 1–1 0–2 4–0 1–1 1–1 2–2 2–2 1–1 3–2 2–2 1–1 2–3 0–4 2–0 0–2 3–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 2–3 2–3 2–2 1–3 – 1–3 2–0
Utah 1–1 1–1 5–0 2–0 1–1 3–1 4–0 1–1 2–2 2–3 1–1 4–0 2–2 1–1 2–0 5–0 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–3 2–2 3–1 2–3 3–1 – 2–0
Washington 2–2 3–2 2–0 1–3 1–3 1–1 1–1 0–4 1–1 1–1 1–3 1–1 1–1 3–2 1–3 1–1 3–2 0–5 4–0 1–5 0–2 1–1 1–1 0–2 0–2 0–2 —

Game log

Playoffs

1990 playoff game log
First round: 0–3 (home: 0–1; road: 0–2)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 April 26 @ San Antonio L 103–119 Todd Lichti (22) Todd Lichti (13) Lichti, Adams (8) HemisFair Arena
15,910 		0–1
2 April 28 @ San Antonio L 120–129 Fat Lever (26) Fat Lever (16) Fat Lever (9) HemisFair Arena
15,910 		0–2
3 May 1 San Antonio L 120–131 Alex English (24) Lever, Rasmussen (10) Fat Lever (8) McNichols Sports Arena
15,604 		0–3
1990 schedule

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

Season

Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Michael Adams 79 74 34.1 .402 .366 .850 2.8 6.3 1.5 .0 15.5
Joe Barry Carroll† 30 27 24.0 .432 .743 6.4 1.8 .9 2.0 11.9
Walter Davis 69 0 23.7 .481 .130 .912 2.6 2.2 .9 .1 17.5
T. R. Dunn 65 2 10.1 .454 .000 .667 2.1 .7 .6 .1 1.8
Alex English 80 80 27.6 .491 .400 .880 3.6 2.8 .6 .3 17.9
Bill Hanzlik 81 0 19.8 .452 .194 .743 2.6 2.3 1.0 .4 6.2
Mike Higgins† 5 0 6.4 .375 .875 .6 .4 .2 .0 2.6
Eddie Hughes 60 7 14.9 .411 .408 .676 1.2 1.9 .8 .0 3.5
Tim Kempton 71 14 14.9 .490 .000 .675 3.1 1.7 .4 .1 5.4
Jerome Lane 67 46 14.3 .469 .000 .367 5.4 1.6 .8 .3 5.0
Fat Lever 79 79 35.8 .443 .414 .804 9.3 6.5 2.1 .2 18.3
Todd Lichti 79 4 16.8 .486 .000 .747 1.9 1.5 .7 .2 8.0
Blair Rasmussen 81 55 24.6 .497 .000 .828 7.3 1.0 .5 1.3 12.4
Danny Schayes 53 22 22.5 .494 .000 .852 6.5 1.2 .8 .8 10.4

Playoffs

Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Michael Adams 3 3 35.0 .382 .300 .875 2.0 6.0 1.3 .0 13.0
Joe Barry Carroll 3 3 15.3 .563 1.000 3.0 1.0 .3 1.7 6.7
Walter Davis 3 0 23.3 .400 .000 1.000 3.0 2.0 .3 .0 14.0
T. R. Dunn 3 0 10.3 2.3 .7 1.3 .3 .0
Alex English 3 3 25.3 .568 .818 3.0 3.0 .7 .3 19.7
Bill Hanzlik 3 0 26.3 .294 .333 1.000 3.3 3.7 1.7 .7 7.0
Tim Kempton 3 1 10.7 .778 1.000 1.7 1.3 .0 .0 6.0
Jerome Lane 2 2 7.0 .000 .500 .5 1.0 .0 .0 .5
Fat Lever 3 3 37.7 .373 .143 .929 10.7 7.0 2.7 .3 17.3
Todd Lichti 3 0 23.3 .517 .000 .737 6.0 3.0 .3 .0 14.7
Blair Rasmussen 3 0 28.0 .396 .900 8.7 .3 .7 1.3 15.7

Player Statistics Citation:[11]

Awards and records

Transactions

References

  1. ^ "1989-90 Denver Nuggets Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
  2. ^ "1989 NBA Draft". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved July 5, 2025.
  3. ^ "NBA Games Played on February 8, 1990". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  4. ^ Goldaper, Sam (February 22, 1990). "Knicks Trade Strickland to Spurs for Cheeks". The New York Times. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  5. ^ "NBA WEDNESDAY'S TRADES: Cheeks Dealt for Strickland; Carroll to Nuggets". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. February 22, 1990. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  6. ^ "1989–90 Denver Nuggets Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  7. ^ Howard-Cooper, Scott (February 11, 1990). "NBA ALL-STAR GAME: Entire Family Is Back Together--Almost". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  8. ^ "Bird, Johnson Return Magic to All-Star Game". Sun Sentinel. February 11, 1990. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  9. ^ "1990 NBA All-Star Recap". NBA.com. NBA.com Staff. September 13, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  10. ^ "1990 NBA All-Star Game: East 130, West 113". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  11. ^ a b "1989–90 Denver Nuggets Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  12. ^ Hafner, Dan (May 2, 1990). "Portland Victory Could Prove Costly: NBA Playoffs: Trail Blazers Win at Dallas, But Williams and Duckworth Are Injured. The Pistons and Spurs Also Sweep Their Series". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
  13. ^ "Spurs 131, Nuggets 120". United Press International. May 2, 1990. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  14. ^ "1990 NBA Western Conference First Round Game 3: San Antonio Spurs at Denver Nuggets Box Score, May 1, 1990". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  15. ^ "1990 NBA Western Conference First Round: Nuggets vs. Spurs". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  16. ^ "SPORTS PEOPLE: PRO BASKETBALL; Doug Moe Dismissed as Coach of Nuggets". The New York Times. September 7, 1990. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  17. ^ "Moe Fired as Nuggets Coach". United Press International. September 6, 1990. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  18. ^ "Mavericks Will Sign Alex English to Make Up for the Loss of Perkins". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. August 15, 1990. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  19. ^ "Mavericks Sign English to One-Year Deal". United Press International. August 15, 1990. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  20. ^ "SPORTS PEOPLE: PRO BASKETBALL; Mavericks Sign English". The New York Times. August 16, 1990. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  21. ^ "SPORTS PEOPLE: PRO BASKETBALL; Nuggets Trade Lever to Dallas for 2 Picks". The New York Times. June 22, 1990. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  22. ^ "Mavericks Get Lever for a Pair of No. 1 Picks: NBA: Nuggets Receive the Ninth Selection in Next Wednesday's Draft, and a First-Round Choice in 1991". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. June 22, 1990. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  23. ^ "Mavericks Trade Two First-Round Draft Choices to Nuggets for Lever". United Press International. June 21, 1990. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  24. ^ "A Trading Flurry Uncapped in NBA: Basketball: Ainge Goes to Portland, Schayes to Milwaukee, Pressey to San Antonio, Bol to Philadelphia After Salary Cap Raised by Nearly $2 Million". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. August 2, 1990. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  25. ^ Hente, Karl (August 2, 1990). "As Salary Cap Rises, Players Fly Around NBA". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 23, 2022.

See also

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