The 1995-96 Denver Nuggets experienced a challenging season in the NBA. Despite the presence of key players like Dikembe Mutombo and Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, the team struggled to find consistency. Mutombo was a defensive anchor, leading the league in blocked shots, but his efforts were not enough to lift the team significantly in the standings.
The Nuggets finished the season with a 35-47 record, failing to secure a playoff berth. They ranked 10th in the Western Conference, well short of the postseason cut. Midseason changes included the departure of head coach Bernie Bickerstaff, who was replaced by Dick Motta. This transition, however, did not lead to an improvement in performance.
Overall, the 1995-96 season was marked by underachievement and roster instability. The Nuggets’ inability to capitalize on the talents of their star players underscored the need for strategic restructuring in the subsequent seasons.
- Regular Season Record: 35-47
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
Denver Nuggets Roster and Stats for 1995-96 Season
POINTS
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf
19.2
REBOUNDS
Dikembe Mutombo
11.8
ASSISTS
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf
6.8
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf | 57 | 19.2 | 2.4 | 6.8 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 39.2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Dale Ellis | 81 | 14.9 | 3.9 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 41.2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Bryant Stith | 82 | 13.6 | 4.9 | 2.9 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 27.7 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Antonio McDyess | 76 | 13.4 | 7.5 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Don MacLean | 56 | 11.2 | 3.7 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 28.6 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Dikembe Mutombo | 74 | 11.0 | 11.8 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 4.5 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| LaPhonso Ellis | 45 | 10.5 | 7.2 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 18.2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Jalen Rose | 80 | 10.0 | 3.3 | 6.2 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 29.6 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Tom Hammonds | 71 | 4.8 | 3.1 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Reggie Williams | 52 | 4.6 | 2.3 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 22.5 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Reggie Slater | 4 | 3.5 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Doug Overton | 55 | 3.3 | 1.1 | 1.9 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 30.8 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Matt Fish | 16 | 2.5 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Randy Woods | 8 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 23.8 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Greg Grant | 10 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 33.3 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Rastko Cvetković | 14 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Elmore Spencer | 6 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Denver Nuggets 1995-96 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1995-96 season for the Denver Nuggets.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 03, 1995 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 98-96 | |
| Nov 04, 1995 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 116-108 | |
| Nov 07, 1995 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 98-93 | |
| Nov 08, 1995 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 122-117 | |
| Nov 10, 1995 | @ Utah Jazz | L 109-86 | |
| Nov 12, 1995 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | L 108-103 | |
| Nov 15, 1995 | @ Phoenix Suns | W 137-127 | |
| Nov 17, 1995 | vs. New York Knicks | L 103-94 | |
| Nov 18, 1995 | @ Houston Rockets | L 101-97 | |
| Nov 21, 1995 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 107-99 | |
| Nov 24, 1995 | @ Dallas Mavericks | W 112-109 | |
| Nov 25, 1995 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 94-91 | |
| Nov 28, 1995 | @ Sacramento Kings | L 91-85 | |
| Dec 02, 1995 | vs. Minnesota Timberwolves | W 109-105 | |
| Dec 04, 1995 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 85-82 | |
| Dec 07, 1995 | @ Utah Jazz | W 124-119 | |
| Dec 08, 1995 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 103-98 | |
| Dec 11, 1995 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | W 104-91 | |
| Dec 12, 1995 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 125-92 | |
| Dec 14, 1995 | @ New York Knicks | W 103-94 | |
| Dec 16, 1995 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 95-86 | |
| Dec 17, 1995 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 92-79 | |
| Dec 20, 1995 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 109-104 | |
| Dec 21, 1995 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 114-96 | |
| Dec 23, 1995 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | L 107-92 | |
| Dec 26, 1995 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 114-102 | |
| Dec 27, 1995 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 99-83 | |
| Dec 29, 1995 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 103-92 | |
| Dec 30, 1995 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 108-100 | |
| Jan 02, 1996 | vs. Indiana Pacers | L 102-87 | |
| Jan 04, 1996 | @ Sacramento Kings | L 126-96 | |
| Jan 06, 1996 | vs. Miami Heat | L 88-86 | |
| Jan 07, 1996 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 96-93 | |
| Jan 10, 1996 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | W 91-85 | |
| Jan 12, 1996 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 90-83 | |
| Jan 13, 1996 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | L 118-117 | |
| Jan 16, 1996 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 87-69 | |
| Jan 17, 1996 | vs. Houston Rockets | L 120-112 | |
| Jan 20, 1996 | vs. Sacramento Kings | L 115-110 | |
| Jan 24, 1996 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 86-79 | |
| Jan 25, 1996 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | L 94-93 | |
| Jan 27, 1996 | vs. Toronto Raptors | W 93-82 | |
| Jan 30, 1996 | @ Minnesota Timberwolves | W 88-86 | |
| Feb 01, 1996 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 108-102 | |
| Feb 04, 1996 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 105-99 | |
| Feb 06, 1996 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 99-78 | |
| Feb 08, 1996 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | W 115-95 | |
| Feb 13, 1996 | @ Orlando Magic | L 121-93 | |
| Feb 15, 1996 | @ Miami Heat | L 97-91 | |
| Feb 16, 1996 | @ Charlotte Hornets | L 107-100 | |
| Feb 18, 1996 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 117-93 | |
| Feb 22, 1996 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 107-78 | |
| Feb 24, 1996 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 99-90 | |
| Feb 27, 1996 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 96-92 | |
| Feb 29, 1996 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | L 137-120 | |
| Mar 02, 1996 | vs. Vancouver Grizzlies | W 108-82 | |
| Mar 04, 1996 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 101-90 | |
| Mar 06, 1996 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 100-90 | |
| Mar 07, 1996 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 103-92 | |
| Mar 09, 1996 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 102-88 | |
| Mar 10, 1996 | vs. New Jersey Nets | L 99-88 | |
| Mar 12, 1996 | vs. Orlando Magic | W 110-93 | |
| Mar 15, 1996 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 108-87 | |
| Mar 17, 1996 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 91-81 | |
| Mar 18, 1996 | @ Toronto Raptors | W 122-114 | |
| Mar 21, 1996 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 97-89 | |
| Mar 22, 1996 | @ Boston Celtics | L 99-98 | |
| Mar 24, 1996 | @ Washington Bullets | L 92-90 | |
| Mar 26, 1996 | vs. Charlotte Hornets | L 119-112 | |
| Mar 28, 1996 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | W 92-88 | |
| Mar 30, 1996 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 98-85 | |
| Apr 02, 1996 | vs. Minnesota Timberwolves | W 86-78 | |
| Apr 04, 1996 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 98-90 | |
| Apr 05, 1996 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | L 97-91 | |
| Apr 07, 1996 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 111-105 | |
| Apr 09, 1996 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 98-91 | |
| Apr 11, 1996 | @ Houston Rockets | L 113-109 | |
| Apr 14, 1996 | @ Minnesota Timberwolves | W 98-91 | |
| Apr 15, 1996 | vs. Sacramento Kings | L 90-86 | |
| Apr 18, 1996 | @ Dallas Mavericks | L 132-98 | |
| Apr 19, 1996 | vs. Vancouver Grizzlies | L 92-78 | |
| Apr 21, 1996 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 99-88 |