2002–03 Denver Nuggets season

The 2002–03 NBA season was the Nuggets' 27th season in the National Basketball Association, and 36th season as a franchise.^[1] The Nuggets had the fifth overall pick in the 2002 NBA draft, and selected Nikoloz Tskitishvili from the Republic of Georgia.^[2][3][4][5] Prior to the start of the season, the Nuggets acquired Marcus Camby and top draft pick Nenê Hilario from the New York Knicks,^[6] acquired second-year guard Rodney White from the Detroit Pistons, signed free agents Mark Blount and undrafted rookie Junior Harrington, and acquired Chris Whitney from the Washington Wizards. After a 2–9 start to the season with new head coach Jeff Bzdelik, the Nuggets won three straight games, but then lost 15 of their next 16 games, which included a ten-game losing streak, as Camby only played just 29 games due to ankle and hip injuries. In December, James Posey was traded to the Houston Rockets in a three-team trade,^[7] while Blount was traded back to his former team, the Boston Celtics in exchange for Shammond Williams in February. Also, that same month, Whitney was released and signed with the Orlando Magic for the rest of the season.

2002–03 Denver Nuggets season
Head coach	Jeff Bzdelik
General manager	Kiki VanDeWeghe
Owner(s)	Stan Kroenke
Arena	Pepsi Center
Results
Record	17–65 (.207)
Place	Division: 7th (Midwest) Conference: 14th (Western)
Playoff finish	Did not qualify
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television	KTVD Fox Sports Net Rocky Mountain
Radio	KKFN
< 2001–02 2003–04 >

However, the team struggled posting a 14-game losing streak between February and March. They lost their final eight games finishing last place in the Midwest Division and in the league with 17 wins and 65 losses, the franchise's worst record since 1997–98.^[8] They also missed the playoffs for eight consecutive seasons. Juwan Howard led the team with 18.4 points and 7.6 rebounds per game, while Nenê averaged 10.5 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, and was selected to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.^[9] Following the season, Howard signed as a free agent with the Orlando Magic, and Williams, Harrington and Donnell Harvey were all released to free agency.

Draft picks

Main article: 2002 NBA draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	School/Club Team
1	5	Nikoloz Tskitishvili	F/C	Georgia
1	25	Frank Williams	PG	United States	Illinois
2	33	Vincent Yarbrough	SF	United States	Tennessee

Roster

2002–03 Denver Nuggets roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From F/C 15 Andersen, Chris 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 230 lb (104 kg) Blinn G/F 32 Bowen, Ryan  6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Iowa F/C 23 Camby, Marcus 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 220 lb (100 kg) UMass G 21 Harrington, Adam 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Auburn G 6 Harrington, Junior 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Wingate F 1 Harvey, Donnell 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Florida F/C 5 Howard, Juwan 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 240 lb (109 kg) Michigan F/C 31 Nenê 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 260 lb (118 kg) Brazil G 4 Savović, Predrag  6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Hawaiʻi G 20 Trepagnier, Jeff 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 200 lb (91 kg) USC F 22 Tskitishvili, Nikoloz 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Republic of Georgia G/F 7 White, Rodney 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 238 lb (108 kg) Charlotte G 11 Williams, Shammond 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 201 lb (91 kg) North Carolina G 3 Yarbrough, Vincent 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Tennessee

Head coach Jeff Bzdelik (UIC) Assistant coach(es) Jarinn Akana (Hawaiʻi) Bill Branch (Lenoir–Rhyne) (assistant coach/scout) T. R. Dunn (Alabama) John MacLeod (Bellarmine) Mark Randall (Kansas) (player development) Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured Roster

Roster Notes

• Point guard Shammond Williams holds American and Georgian dual citizenship. He played for the Georgian national team although he was born in the United States.

Regular season

Season standings

Midwest Division v t e	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Div
y-San Antonio Spurs	60	22	.732	–	33–8	27–14	17–7
x-Dallas Mavericks	60	22	.732	–	33–8	27–14	18–6
x-Minnesota Timberwolves	51	31	.622	9	33–8	18–23	15–9
x-Utah Jazz	47	35	.573	13	29–12	18–23	15–9
Houston Rockets	43	39	.524	17	28–13	15–26	11–13
Memphis Grizzlies	28	54	.341	32	20–21	8–33	5–17
Denver Nuggets	17	65	.207	43	13–28	4–37	3–21

#	Western Conference v t e
	Team	W	L	PCT	GB
1	z-San Antonio Spurs	60	22	.732	–
2	y-Sacramento Kings	59	23	.720	1
3	x-Dallas Mavericks	60	22	.732	–
4	x-Minnesota Timberwolves	51	31	.622	9
5	x-Los Angeles Lakers	50	32	.610	10
6	x-Portland Trail Blazers	50	32	.610	10
7	x-Utah Jazz	47	35	.573	13
8	x-Phoenix Suns	44	38	.537	16
9	Houston Rockets	43	39	.524	17
10	Seattle SuperSonics	40	42	.488	20
11	Golden State Warriors	38	44	.463	22
12	Memphis Grizzlies	28	54	.341	32
13	Los Angeles Clippers	27	55	.329	33
14	Denver Nuggets	17	65	.207	43

z - clinched division title

y - clinched division title

x - clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

2002-03 NBA Records
Team	ATL	BOS	CHI	CLE	DAL	DEN	DET	GSW	HOU	IND	LAC	LAL	MEM	MIA	MIL	MIN	NJN	NOH	NYK	ORL	PHI	PHO	POR	SAC	SAS	SEA	TOR	UTA	WAS
Atlanta	–	0–3	2–2	4–0	0–2	2–0	1–3	0–2	1–1	2–2	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–3	2–2	0–2	1–3	2–2	1–3	2–1	3–1	0–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–3	1–1	2–2
Boston	3–0	–	2–2	4–0	0–2	1–1	2–2	1–1	0–2	2–2	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	1–2	2–0	1–3	3–1	4–0	3–2	2–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	2–0	1–2	1–1	1–3
Chicago	2–2	2–2	–	3–1	0–2	1–1	0–4	1–1	1–1	2–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–2	2–2	0–2	2–2	1–3	2–1	1–3	1–3	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	2–2	1–1	1–3
Cleveland	0–4	0–4	1–3	–	0–2	1–1	0–4	1–1	1–1	0–4	2–0	1–1	0–2	1–2	0–4	0–2	2–2	1–3	1–2	0–4	0–4	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–1	3–1	1–1	0–4
Dallas	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	–	4–0	2–0	4–0	4–0	1–1	4–0	1–3	4–0	2–0	0–2	2–2	2–0	2–0	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	2–2	1–3	2–2	2–2	2–0	2–2	2–0
Denver	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–4	–	0–2	0–4	0–4	1–1	1–3	0–4	2–2	2–0	1–1	0–4	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–3	2–2	0–4	1–3	1–3	1–1	0–4	1–1
Detroit	3–1	2–2	4–0	4–0	0–2	2–0	–	1–1	2–0	2–2	1–1	1–1	2–0	3–1	1–3	1–1	2–1	2–2	2–2	2–1	2–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	3–1	2–0	3–1
Golden State	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–4	4–0	1–1	–	1–3	1–1	2–2	2–2	2–2	1–1	0–2	1–3	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	0–4	0–4	1–3	2–2	2–0	2–2	2–0
Houston	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	0–4	4–0	0–2	3–1	–	1–1	2–2	2–2	3–1	1–1	1–1	2–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	2–0	2–0	3–1	1–3	2–2	1–3	2–2	2–0	1–3	1–1
Indiana	2–2	2–2	2–2	4–0	1–1	1–1	2–2	1–1	1–1	–	2–0	0–2	1–1	4–0	3–1	2–0	1–2	3–1	3–1	2–1	2–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	2–0	3–1	1–1	2–2
L.A. Clippers	0–2	0–2	2–0	0–2	0–4	3–1	1–1	2–2	2–2	0–2	–	0–4	2–2	2–0	1–1	1–3	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–3	1–3	1–3	1–3	1–3	1–1	1–3	0–2
L.A. Lakers	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	3–1	4–0	1–1	2–2	2–2	2–0	4–0	–	4–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	3–1	2–2	2–2	0–4	2–2	2–0	3–1	1–1
Memphis	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–0	0–4	2–2	0–2	2–2	1–3	1–1	2–2	0–4	–	2–0	2–0	0–4	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	1–3	1–3	0–4	1–3	1–3	1–1	1–3	1–1
Miami	3–1	2–2	2–1	2–1	0–2	0–2	1–3	1–1	1–1	0–4	0–2	1–1	0–2	–	1–3	1–1	0–4	0–4	2–2	0–4	0–4	2–0	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	4–0	0–2	1–3
Milwaukee	2–2	2–1	2–2	4–0	2–0	1–1	3–1	2–0	1–1	1–3	1–1	0–2	0–2	3–1	–	0–2	2–2	2–2	3–1	2–2	2–2	0–2	2–0	0–2	0–2	1–1	2–2	0–2	2–1
Minnesota	2–0	0–2	2–0	2–0	2–2	4–0	1–1	3–1	2–2	0–2	3–1	2–2	4–0	1–1	2–0	–	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	3–1	3–1	2–2	2–2	2–2	1–1	1–3	2–0
New Jersey	3–1	3–1	2–2	2–2	0–2	2–0	1–2	1–1	1–1	2–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	4–0	2–2	2–0	–	2–2	3–1	2–2	1–3	1–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	1–1	4–0	0–2	3–1
New Orleans	2–2	1–3	3–1	3–1	0–2	2–0	2–2	1–1	1–1	1–3	1–1	1–1	1–1	4–0	2–2	1–1	2–2	–	3–1	1–3	2–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	0–2	2–0	4–0	2–0	2–1
New York	3–1	0–4	1–2	2–1	0–2	2–0	2–2	0–2	2–0	1–3	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–2	1–3	0–2	1–3	1–3	–	2–2	2–2	2–0	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–1	3–1	1–1	2–2
Orlando	1–2	2–3	3–1	4–0	1–1	2–0	1–2	1–1	0–2	1–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	4–0	2–2	1–1	2–2	3–1	2–2	–	2–2	0–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	2–0	2–2	1–1	2–2
Philadelphia	1–3	2–2	3–1	4–0	0–2	2–0	2–2	0–2	0–2	2–2	2–0	1–1	2–0	4–0	2–2	1–1	3–1	1–2	2–2	2–2	–	0–2	2–0	0–2	1–1	1–1	3–0	1–1	4–0
Phoenix	2–0	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	3–1	1–1	2–2	1–3	1–1	3–1	1–3	3–1	0–2	2–0	1–3	1–1	0–2	0–2	2–0	2–0	–	3–1	2–2	3–1	1–3	1–1	1–3	1–1
Portland	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–2	2–2	2–0	4–0	3–1	2–0	3–1	2–2	3–1	2–0	0–2	1–3	0–2	2–0	2–0	2–0	0–2	1–3	–	1–3	2–2	4–0	2–0	1–3	1–1
Sacramento	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–0	3–1	4–0	1–1	4–0	2–2	2–0	3–1	2–2	4–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–2	3–1	–	1–3	3–1	1–1	3–1	2–0
San Antonio	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–2	3–1	2–0	3–1	3–1	2–0	3–1	4–0	3–1	2–0	2–0	2–2	1–1	2–0	0–2	2–0	1–1	1–3	2–2	3–1	–	3–1	2–0	4–0	1–1
Seattle	1–1	0–2	2–0	1–1	2–2	3–1	1–1	2–2	2–2	0–2	3–1	2–2	3–1	2–0	1–1	2–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	3–1	0–4	1–3	1–3	–	2–0	2–2	1–1
Toronto	3–1	2–1	2–2	1–3	0–2	1–1	1–3	0–2	0–2	1–3	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–4	2–2	1–1	0–4	0–4	1–3	2–2	0–3	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	–	0–2	3–1
Utah	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–2	4–0	0–2	2–2	3–1	1–1	3–1	1–3	3–1	2–0	2–0	3–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	3–1	3–1	1–3	0–4	2–2	2–0	–	1–1
Washington	2–2	3–1	3–1	4–0	0–2	1–1	1–3	0–2	1–1	2–2	2–0	1–1	1–1	3–1	1–2	0–2	1–3	1–2	2–2	2–2	0–4	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–3	1–1	—

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
Juwan Howard	77	77	35.5	.450	.500	.803	7.6	3.0	1.0	0.4	18.4
James Posey	25	24	34.9	.373	.273	.843	5.8	3.1	1.2	0.2	14.1
Nenê	80	53	28.2	.519	.000	.578	6.1	1.9	1.6	0.8	10.5
Chris Whitney	29	20	26.3	.360	.336	.807	1.6	4.3	0.6	0.0	9.6
Shammond Williams	27	9	26.4	.390	.363	.667	2.3	5.1	0.6	0.1	9.4
Rodney White	72	19	21.7	.408	.239	.784	3.0	1.7	0.6	0.4	9.0
Donnell Harvey	77	27	20.9	.446	.143	.670	5.3	1.3	0.6	0.4	7.9
Marcus Camby	29	9	21.2	.410	.400	.660	7.2	1.6	0.7	1.4	7.6
Vincent Yarbrough	59	39	23.4	.393	.269	.790	2.7	2.2	1.0	0.6	6.9
Devin Brown	3	2	23.7	.280	.000	.667	3.7	1.7	1.3	0.3	6.0
Kenny Satterfield	22	6	19.1	.309	.179	.696	1.6	2.4	0.8	0.1	5.6
Jeff Trepagnier	8	0	12.1	.425	.500	1.000	2.0	0.8	1.0	0.0	5.6
Mark Blount	54	24	16.4	.393		.717	3.4	0.6	0.4	0.9	5.2
Chris Andersen	59	3	15.4	.400	.000	.550	4.6	0.5	0.5	1.0	5.2
Junior Harrington	82	51	24.4	.362	.250	.652	3.0	3.4	1.0	0.2	5.1
Nikoloz Tskitishvili	81	16	16.3	.293	.243	.738	2.2	1.1	0.4	0.4	3.9
Ryan Bowen	62	31	16.1	.492	.286	.659	2.5	0.9	1.0	0.5	3.6
John Crotty	12	0	15.0	.341	.308	.600	1.3	2.4	0.3	0.0	3.4
Adam Harrington	6	0	12.3	.350	.364	.500	1.0	1.7	0.2	0.0	3.2
Predrag Savović	27	0	9.5	.312	.154	.724	0.9	0.8	0.5	0.0	3.1
Mark Bryant	3	0	4.7	.000		.500	0.7	0.7	0.0	0.0	0.3

Player Statistics Citation:^[9]

Awards and records

• Nenê, NBA All-Rookie Team 1st Team

Transactions

References

1. 2002-03 Denver Nuggets
2. Passan, Jeff (June 27, 2002). "Rockets Select Yao No. 1 Overall in Draft". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
3. Povtak, Tim (June 27, 2002). "Foreign Players Make Move". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
4. "Rockets Make Yao Ming First Overall Pick". ESPN. June 26, 2002. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
5. "2002 NBA Draft". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
6. "WESTERN CONFERENCE: Team-by-Team Preview". The New York Times. October 28, 2002. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
7. "Nuggets, Rockets, 76ers Agree to 3-Way Trade". Arizona Daily Sun. December 18, 2002. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
8. "2002–03 Denver Nuggets Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
9. "2002–03 Denver Nuggets Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 14, 2022.

See also

• 2002-03 NBA season