1999–2000 New Jersey Nets season
| 1999–2000 New Jersey Nets season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Don Casey |
| Owners | Lewis Katz |
| Arena | Continental Airlines Arena |
| Results | |
| Record | 31–51 (.378) |
| Place | Division: 6th (Atlantic) Conference: 11th (Eastern) |
| Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
Stats at Basketball Reference | |
| Local media | |
| Television | WLNY Fox Sports Net New York Metro-TV |
| Radio | WOR |
The 1999–2000 New Jersey Nets season was the Nets' 33rd season in the National Basketball Association, and 24th season in East Rutherford, New Jersey. During the off-season, the team re-acquired former Nets guard Johnny Newman from the Los Angeles Clippers, and re-signed free agent and former Nets guard Sherman Douglas.
Without Jayson Williams, who missed the entire regular season due to a knee injury sustained from the previous season, the Nets struggled losing 15 of their first 17 games of the season. Despite the awful start, the team would eventually get hot by winning 13 of their next 18 games, later on holding a 19–30 record at the All-Star break, and find themselves near the playoff picture with a 31–40 record as of March 30, 2000. However, a rash of late-season injures cost the team to lose their final eleven games of the season, finishing in sixth place in the Atlantic Division with a 31–51 record.
Stephon Marbury averaged 22.2 points, 8.4 assists and 1.5 steals per game, and was named to the All-NBA Third Team, while Keith Van Horn averaged 19.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per game, and Kendall Gill provided the team with 13.1 points and led them with 1.8 steals per game. In addition, Kerry Kittles contributed 13.0 points and 1.3 steals per game, but only played 62 games due to a knee injury, while off the bench, Newman played a sixth man role, averaging 10.0 points per game, Lucious Harris contributed 6.7 points per game, and Jamie Feick contributed 5.7 points and led the team with 9.3 rebounds per game.
During the regular season, Marbury and Gill both reached different milestones, as Marbury dished out his 2,000th career assist, and Gill scored his 10,000th career point. Gill also finished tied in eighth place in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
Following the season, head coach Don Casey was fired, while Scott Burrell and Gheorghe Mureșan were both released to free agency, Elliot Perry signed as a free agent with the Orlando Magic, and Williams retired after nine seasons in the NBA.