Let's get this out of the way up front: The Denver Nuggets' 36-46 finish certainly wasn't a Laker-esque disaster (27-55, worst record since moving to L.A.), and it wasn't even one of the 10 worst single-season records in franchise history.
But the Nugs' first sub-.500, non-playoff season in more than a decade did mark the second-largest single-season decline in the franchise's 48 years.
In their history, the Nuggets have seen their win total drop 10 or more victories nine times from one season to the next. Only twice has the dropoff reached 20 or more wins, and in falling from a franchise-best 57-25 (.695) last season to 36-46, the 2013-14 squad's 21-game fall checks in solidly at No. 2 on the list.
The worst?Try Paul Westhead's lowlight of a debut season in the MIle High City as his 1990-91 crew finished 20-62 (.244) on the heels of a 43-39 (.524) campaign the year prior.
Ouch.
Still, Brian Shaw's injury-addled team wasn't far behind, losing 23 of its final 35 games to post the franchise's worst mark since the 17-65 embarrassment of 2002-03.
Those Nuggets wound up missing out on the LeBron James sweepstakes that summer but did wind up with the third overall pick in the draft and some cat named Carmelo.
These current Nugs should be so lucky.
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