The

1994–95 NBA season The 1994–95 NBA season was the 49th season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The season ended with the Houston Rockets defeating the Orlando Magic 4–0 in the NBA Finals to be crowned champions. Notable occurrences *The Housto ...

was the 19th season for the

Denver Nuggets The Denver Nuggets are an American professional basketball team based in Denver. The Nuggets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division (NBA), Northwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA), W ...

in the

National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...

, and their 28th season as a franchise. The Nuggets had the thirteenth overall pick in the

1994 NBA draft The 1994 NBA draft took place on June 29, 1994, at Hoosier Dome in Indianapolis. Two NBA rookies of the year were picked in the first round, as Jason Kidd and Grant Hill were co-winners of the award for the 1994–95 NBA season. Kidd and Hill ...

, and selected shooting guard

Jalen Rose Jalen Anthony Rose (born January 30, 1973) is an American sports analyst and former professional basketball player. In college, he was a member of the University of Michigan Michigan Wolverines, Wolverines' "Fab Five (University of Michigan), Fa ...

from the

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

, and signed free agent Dale Ellis during the off-season. Coming off their improbable playoff run, the Nuggets were bitten by the injury bug, losing

LaPhonso Ellis LaPhonso Darnell Ellis (born May 5, 1970) is an American former professional basketball player and college basketball analyst. He played for 11 years in the National Basketball Association after starring at Notre Dame. He worked as a broadcaster ...

for all but the final six games of the regular season due to a knee injury from an off-season pickup game. Without their star forward, second-year forward

Rodney Rogers Rodney Ray Rogers (born June 20, 1971) is an American former professional basketball player who played for several teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. Early life R ...

became the team's starting power forward, while the Nuggets also replaced scoring leader

Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (born Chris Wayne Jackson; March 9, 1969) is an American former professional basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for nine years with the Denver Nuggets, Sacramento Kings and Vancouver Griz ...

as the team's starting point guard with Robert Pack, as the team won five of their first six games. However, head coach

Dan Issel Daniel Paul Issel (born October 25, 1948) is an American former professional basketball player and coach. He played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats, earning All-American twice en route to a school-record 25.7 points per game for his ...

resigned with the team holding an 18–16 record. Under his assistant

Gene Littles Eugene Scape Littles (June 29, 1943 – September 10, 2021) was an American basketball player and coach. He played six seasons in the American Basketball Association (ABA) for the Carolina Cougars and Kentucky Colonels between 1969 and 1975. Li ...

, the Nuggets struggled losing 13 of their next 16 games as Littles was replaced with General Manager

Bernie Bickerstaff Bernard Tyrone Bickerstaff (born February 11, 1944) is an American basketball coach and front office executive, currently serving as the Senior Basketball Advisor for the Cleveland Cavaliers. As a coach, he previously worked as the head coach for ...

. The team was out of playoff position with a 20–26 record at the All-Star break. Pack would come down with a knee injury in February, as Abdul-Rauf returned to the lineup; Pack would return during the final month of the season in April, but would then re-injure his knee after only playing just 42 games, starting in 32 of them, averaging 12.1 points, 6.9 assists and 1.5 steals per game. Under Bickerstaff, the Nuggets would recover making a late push winning 20 of their final 32 games. On the final day of the regular season on April 23, 1995, they faced off against the

Sacramento Kings The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. The Kings compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Confere ...

, as both teams were fighting for the #8 seed in the Western Conference; the Nuggets would defeat the Kings, 102–89 at the

McNichols Sports Arena McNichols Sports Arena was an indoor arena located in Denver, Colorado, United States. Located adjacent to Mile High Stadium and completed in 1975, at a cost of $16 million, it seated 16,061 for hockey games and 17,171 for basketball games. Sp ...

to enter the

NBA playoffs The NBA playoffs is the annual Playoffs, postseason Tournament#Knockout tournaments, tournament of the National Basketball Association (NBA) held to determine the league champion. Since 1949, the four-round, best-of-seven tournament is held afte ...

, finishing in fourth place in the Midwest Division with a 41–41 record.

Dikembe Mutombo Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo (June 25, 1966 – September 30, 2024) was a Congolese-American professional basketball player. He played 18 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "Mount Mutombo ...

was named the

NBA Defensive Player of the Year The NBA Defensive Player of the Year is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1982–83 NBA season to the best defensive player of the regular season. The winner is selected by a panel of 124 sportswriters and b ...

, averaging 11.5 points, 12.5 rebounds and 3.9 blocks per game, and was named to the

NBA All-Defensive Second Team The NBA All-Defensive Team is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) honor given since the 1968–69 NBA season to the best defensive players during the regular season. The All-Defensive Team is generally composed of ten players in two ...

, and selected for the

1995 NBA All-Star Game The 1995 NBA All-Star Game was the 45th edition of the All-Star Game. The Western Conference won 139–112. The city of Phoenix hosted the event for the second time (the only previous All-Star game there occurred in 1975). Mitch Richmond of th ...

Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona. With over 1.6 million residents at the 2020 census, it is the ...

. In addition, Abdul-Rauf led the team in scoring averaging 16.0 points per game, while Reggie Williams provided the team with 13.4 points and 1.5 steals per game, and Rogers contributed 12.2 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, and finished tied in ninth place in Most Improved Player voting. Meanwhile, Dale Ellis played a sixth man role, averaging 11.3 points per game and leading the Nuggets with 106 three-point field goals off the bench, while

Bryant Stith Bryant Lamonica Stith (born December 10, 1970) is an American former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is currently a men's assistant basketball coach at University of North Carolina Gree ...

contributed 11.2 points per game, Rose provided with 8.2 points and 4.8 assists per game, and was named to the

NBA All-Rookie Second Team The NBA All-Rookie Team is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) honor given since the 1962–63 NBA season to the top rookies during the regular season. Voting is conducted by the NBA head coaches who are not allowed to vote for play ...

, and

Brian Williams Brian Douglas Williams (born May 5, 1959) is an American journalist and television news anchor. He was a correspondent for ''NBC Nightly News'' starting in 1993, before his promotion to anchorman, anchor and managing editor of the broadcast in ...

averaged 7.9 points and 4.7 rebounds per game off the bench. However, in the Western Conference First Round of the 1995 NBA playoffs, the Nuggets were unable to repeat their previous playoff run, as they were swept by the

San Antonio Spurs The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...

in three straight games. This would also be the Nuggets' final playoff appearance until

2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...

. Following the season, Rogers and Williams were both traded to the

Los Angeles Clippers The Los Angeles Clippers are an American professional basketball team based in the Greater Los Angeles area. The Clippers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. The ...

, and Pack was dealt to the

Washington Bullets The Washington Wizards are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Wizards compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference. The team plays i ...

Draft picks

Roster

Regular season

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Game log

Regular season

, - align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" , 8 , November 19, 1994
7:00p.m. MST ,

Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...

L 101–109
, Williams (26) , Williams (9) , Abdul-Rauf (5) ,

17,171 , 5–3 , - align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" , 12 , November 29, 1994
6:30p.m. MST , @

L 81–96
, Rogers (16) , Mutombo (10) ,

Pack Pack or packs may refer to: Music * Packs (band), a Canadian indie rock band * ''Packs'' (album), by Your Old Droog * ''Packs'', a Berner album Places * Pack, Styria, defunct Austrian municipality * Pack, Missouri, United States (US) * ...

, Rogers (4) , The Summit
14,295 , 6–6 , - align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" , 34 , January 14, 1995
7:00p.m. MST ,

W 118–104
, Abdul-Rauf (36) , Williams (10) , Williams (11) ,

17,171 , 18–16 , - align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" , 42 , January 31, 1995
6:30p.m. MST , @

L 74–86
, Rogers (23) , Mutombo (13) , Rogers (5) , The Summit
14,761 , 19–23 , - align="center" , colspan="9" bgcolor="#bbcaff", All-Star Break , - style="background:#cfc;" , - bgcolor="#bbffbb" , - align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" , 74 , April 9, 1995
1:30p.m. MDT ,

L 120–123
, Abdul-Rauf (34) , Mutombo (14) , Abdul-Rauf (7) ,

17,171 , 35–39

Playoffs

, - align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" , 1 , April 28 , @

San Antonio San Antonio ( ; Spanish for " Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio. San Antonio is the third-largest metropolitan area in Texas and the 24th-largest metropolitan area in the ...

L 88–104
,

(16) ,

Bison Dele Bison Dele ( ; born Brian Carson Williams; April 6, 1969 – disappeared July 7, 2002) was an American professional basketball player who played center for the NBA's Orlando Magic, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, Chicago Bulls and Detroit ...

(12) , three players tied (3) ,

Alamodome The Alamodome is a 64,000-seat domed indoor multi-purpose stadium in San Antonio, Texas. It is located on the southeastern fringe of downtown San Antonio. The facility opened on May 15, 1993, having been constructed at a cost of $186 milli ...

25,235 , 0–1 , - align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" , 2 , April 30 , @

L 96–122
,

(21) , Dale Ellis (10) ,

(10) ,

, 0–2 , - align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" , 3 , May 2 ,

L 95–99
, Rogers, Stith (18) ,

(9) ,

(7) ,

17,171 , 0–3 , -

Player statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

Player Statistics Citation:

Awards, records, and honors

NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award The NBA Defensive Player of the Year is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1982–83 NBA season to the best defensive player of the regular season. The winner is selected by a panel of 124 sportswriters and b ...

NBA All-Rookie Team The NBA All-Rookie Team is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) honor given since the 1962–63 NBA season to the top rookies during the regular season. Voting is conducted by the NBA head coaches who are not allowed to vote for play ...

2nd Team

Transactions

Free agents

Additions

Subtractions

Trades

The Denver Nuggets did not make any trades in the off-season and the regular season. Player Transactions Citation:

References

Nuggets on Basketball Reference
{{DEFAULTSORT:1994-95 Denver Nuggets season Denver Nuggets seasons Denver Nuggets season Denver Nuggets season Denver Nug