1997β98 Los Angeles Clippers season | |
---|---|
Head coach | Bill Fitch |
Owners | Donald Sterling |
Arena |
Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena Arrowhead Pond |
Results | |
Record | 17–65 (.207) |
Place | Division: 7th (
Pacific) Conference: 13th ( Western) |
Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Local media | |
Television |
KCAL-TV Fox Sports West 2 ( Ralph Lawler, Bill Walton) |
Radio |
KXTA ( Rory Markas) |
The 1997β98 NBA season was the Clippers' 28th season in the National Basketball Association, and their 4th season in Anaheim. [1] During the off-season, the Clippers signed free agent James Robinson, [2] [3] and acquired Stojko Vrankovic from the Minnesota Timberwolves. [4] [5] [6] With Loy Vaught going down early into the season with a back injury after only playing just ten games, averaging just 7.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, [7] [8] [9] the Clippers struggled losing 14 of their first 16 games. After holding a 5β24 start, the team managed to win four of their next five games, but then lost 12 of their next 13 games afterwards, and held an 11β37 record at the All-Star break. [10] At midseason, the team traded Brent Barry to the Miami Heat in exchange for last year's Most Improved Player Isaac Austin. [11] [12] [13] [14] The Clippers lost 15 of their final 17 games, including a 10-game losing streak between March and April, [15] finishing last place in the Pacific Division with a 17β65 record. [16]
Lamond Murray showed improvement becoming the team's starting small forward, averaging 15.4 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game, and finishing tied in eighth place in Most Improved Player voting, [17] while Rodney Rogers averaged 15.1 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, and top draft pick Maurice Taylor averaged 11.5 points and 4.2 rebounds per game off the bench, and was selected to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. In addition, three-point specialist Eric Piatkowski contributed 11.3 points per game, while Darrick Martin provided the team with 10.3 points and 4.0 assists per game, and second-year center Lorenzen Wright provided with 9.0 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game. [18]
Following the season, Austin signed as a free agent with the Orlando Magic, [19] [20] [21] while Vaught signed with the Detroit Pistons after eight seasons with the Clippers, [22] [23] [24] [25] and head coach Bill Fitch was fired. [26] [27] Fitch's most losses record in NBA history with 1,106 losses stood for five years, until Lenny Wilkens broke his mark during the 2002β03 season while coaching for the Toronto Raptors. [28]
Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 14 | Maurice Taylor | PF | ![]() |
Michigan |
Players | Coaches | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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|
Roster |
W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
y- Seattle SuperSonics | 61 | 21 | .744 | β | 35β6 | 26β15 | 19β5 |
x- Los Angeles Lakers | 61 | 21 | .744 | β | 33β8 | 28β13 | 16β8 |
x- Phoenix Suns | 56 | 26 | .683 | 5 | 30β11 | 26β15 | 17β7 |
x- Portland Trail Blazers | 46 | 36 | .561 | 15 | 26β15 | 20β21 | 14β10 |
Sacramento Kings | 27 | 55 | .329 | 34 | 21β20 | 6β35 | 6β18 |
Golden State Warriors | 19 | 63 | .232 | 42 | 12β29 | 7β34 | 6β18 |
Los Angeles Clippers | 17 | 65 | .207 | 44 | 11β30 | 6β35 | 6β18 |
# | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Team | W | L | PCT | GB | |
1 | z- Utah Jazz | 62 | 20 | .756 | β |
2 | y- Seattle SuperSonics | 61 | 21 | .744 | 1 |
3 | x- Los Angeles Lakers | 61 | 21 | .744 | 1 |
4 | x- Phoenix Suns | 56 | 26 | .683 | 6 |
5 | x- San Antonio Spurs | 56 | 26 | .683 | 6 |
6 | x- Portland Trail Blazers | 46 | 36 | .561 | 16 |
7 | x- Minnesota Timberwolves | 45 | 37 | .549 | 17 |
8 | x- Houston Rockets | 41 | 41 | .500 | 21 |
9 | Sacramento Kings | 27 | 55 | .329 | 35 |
10 | Dallas Mavericks | 20 | 62 | .244 | 42 |
11 | Vancouver Grizzlies | 19 | 63 | .232 | 43 |
11 | Golden State Warriors | 19 | 63 | .232 | 43 |
13 | Los Angeles Clippers | 17 | 65 | .207 | 45 |
14 | Denver Nuggets | 11 | 71 | .134 | 51 |
1997-98 NBA Records | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Team | ATL | BOS | CHA | CHI | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | LAC | LAL | MIA | MIL | MIN | NJN | NYK | ORL | PHI | PHO | POR | SAC | SAS | SEA | TOR | UTA | VAN | WAS |
Atlanta | β | 2β1 | 4β0 | 1β3 | 4β0 | 2β0 | 2β0 | 2β2 | 2β0 | 1β1 | 1β3 | 2β0 | 0β2 | 1β3 | 3β1 | 0β2 | 1β2 | 2β2 | 2β2 | 3β1 | 0β2 | 1β1 | 2β0 | 1β1 | 1β1 | 4β0 | 0β2 | 2β0 | 4β0 |
Boston | 1β2 | β | 1β2 | 1β3 | 1β3 | 1β1 | 1β1 | 2β2 | 1β1 | 1β1 | 0β4 | 2β0 | 1β1 | 0β4 | 2β2 | 1β1 | 2β2 | 2β2 | 2β2 | 3β1 | 0β2 | 1β1 | 1β1 | 0β2 | 1β1 | 3β0 | 0β2 | 2β0 | 3β2 |
Charlotte | 0β4 | 2β1 | β | 1β3 | 2β2 | 2β0 | 2β0 | 3β1 | 1β1 | 2β0 | 3β1 | 2β0 | 1β1 | 3β1 | 3β1 | 1β1 | 2β2 | 1β3 | 3β1 | 2β1 | 1β1 | 2β0 | 1β1 | 1β1 | 1β1 | 4β0 | 1β1 | 2β0 | 2β2 |
Chicago | 3β1 | 3β1 | 3β1 | β | 2β2 | 1β1 | 2β0 | 3β1 | 2β0 | 2β0 | 2β2 | 2β0 | 1β1 | 2β1 | 4β0 | 1β1 | 4β0 | 4β0 | 3β1 | 2β1 | 1β1 | 1β1 | 2β0 | 2β0 | 1β1 | 4β0 | 0β2 | 2β0 | 3β1 |
Cleveland | 0β4 | 3β1 | 2β2 | 2β2 | β | 1β1 | 2β0 | 3β1 | 2β0 | 1β1 | 2β2 | 2β0 | 1β1 | 1β3 | 2β2 | 2β0 | 3β1 | 1β2 | 2β2 | 3β1 | 2β0 | 1β1 | 2β0 | 0β2 | 0β2 | 3β1 | 1β1 | 2β0 | 1β2 |
Dallas | 0β2 | 1β1 | 0β2 | 1β1 | 1β1 | β | 3β1 | 0β2 | 1β3 | 0β4 | 1β1 | 1β3 | 0β4 | 0β2 | 0β2 | 2β2 | 0β2 | 1β1 | 0β2 | 0β2 | 0β4 | 0β4 | 0β4 | 0β4 | 2β2 | 1β1 | 0β4 | 4β0 | 1β1 |
Denver | 0β2 | 1β1 | 0β2 | 0β2 | 0β2 | 1β3 | β | 0β2 | 1β3 | 0β4 | 0β2 | 2β2 | 0β4 | 0β2 | 0β2 | 1β3 | 0β2 | 0β2 | 0β2 | 0β2 | 0β4 | 2β2 | 1β3 | 0β4 | 0β4 | 0β2 | 0β4 | 1β3 | 1β1 |
Detroit | 2β2 | 2β2 | 1β3 | 1β3 | 1β3 | 2β0 | 2β0 | β | 2β0 | 1β1 | 1β3 | 2β0 | 0β2 | 1β2 | 2β2 | 0β2 | 2β2 | 2β2 | 1β2 | 3β1 | 1β1 | 0β2 | 1β1 | 1β1 | 0β2 | 4β0 | 0β2 | 0β2 | 2β2 |
Golden State | 0β2 | 1β1 | 1β1 | 0β2 | 0β2 | 3β1 | 3β1 | 0β2 | β | 1β3 | 0β2 | 1β3 | 1β3 | 0β2 | 0β2 | 0β4 | 0β2 | 1β1 | 1β1 | 0β2 | 0β4 | 1β3 | 2β2 | 1β3 | 1β3 | 0β2 | 0β4 | 1β3 | 0β2 |
Houston | 1β1 | 1β1 | 0β2 | 0β2 | 1β1 | 4β0 | 4β0 | 1β1 | 3β1 | β | 1β1 | 4β0 | 1β3 | 0β2 | 1β1 | 1β3 | 1β1 | 1β1 | 0β2 | 1β1 | 1β3 | 1β3 | 4β0 | 2β2 | 1β3 | 2β0 | 0β4 | 3β1 | 1β1 |
Indiana | 3β1 | 4β0 | 1β3 | 2β2 | 2β2 | 1β1 | 2β0 | 3β1 | 2β0 | 1β1 | β | 2β0 | 0β2 | 3β1 | 4β0 | 2β0 | 2β1 | 2β1 | 3β1 | 4β0 | 1β1 | 1β1 | 2β0 | 0β2 | 0β2 | 4β0 | 1β1 | 2β0 | 4β0 |
L.A. Clippers | 0β2 | 0β2 | 0β2 | 0β2 | 0β2 | 3β1 | 2β2 | 0β2 | 3β1 | 0β4 | 0β2 | β | 0β4 | 0β2 | 0β2 | 0β4 | 1β1 | 0β2 | 0β2 | 1β1 | 0β4 | 0β4 | 3β1 | 1β3 | 0β4 | 1β1 | 1β3 | 1β3 | 0β2 |
L.A. Lakers | 2β0 | 1β1 | 1β1 | 1β1 | 1β1 | 4β0 | 4β0 | 2β0 | 3β1 | 3β1 | 2β0 | 4β0 | β | 1β1 | 2β0 | 4β0 | 1β1 | 1β1 | 1β1 | 0β2 | 2β2 | 2β2 | 4β0 | 4β0 | 1β3 | 2β0 | 3β1 | 4β0 | 1β1 |
Miami | 3β1 | 4β0 | 1β3 | 1β2 | 3β1 | 2β0 | 2β0 | 2β1 | 2β0 | 2β0 | 1β3 | 2β0 | 1β1 | β | 3β1 | 1β1 | 3β1 | 2β2 | 3β1 | 4β0 | 0β2 | 2β0 | 2β0 | 0β2 | 0β2 | 4β0 | 1β1 | 2β0 | 2β2 |
Milwaukee | 1β3 | 2β2 | 1β3 | 0β4 | 2β2 | 2β0 | 2β0 | 2β2 | 2β0 | 1β1 | 0β4 | 2β0 | 0β2 | 1β3 | β | 1β1 | 0β4 | 3β1 | 2β1 | 2β2 | 0β2 | 2β0 | 2β0 | 0β2 | 1β1 | 3β1 | 0β2 | 1β1 | 1β2 |
Minnesota | 2β0 | 1β1 | 1β1 | 1β1 | 0β2 | 2β2 | 3β1 | 2β0 | 4β0 | 3β1 | 0β2 | 4β0 | 0β4 | 1β1 | 1β1 | β | 2β0 | 1β1 | 0β2 | 2β0 | 3β1 | 1β3 | 3β1 | 1β3 | 1β3 | 1β1 | 1β3 | 4β0 | 0β2 |
New Jersey | 2β1 | 2β2 | 2β2 | 0β4 | 1β3 | 2β0 | 2β0 | 2β2 | 2β0 | 1β1 | 1β2 | 1β1 | 1β1 | 1β3 | 4β0 | 0β2 | β | 2β2 | 3β1 | 3β1 | 1β1 | 1β1 | 2β0 | 1β1 | 0β2 | 3β1 | 0β2 | 2β0 | 1β3 |
New York | 2β2 | 2β2 | 3β1 | 0β4 | 2β1 | 1β1 | 2β0 | 2β2 | 1β1 | 1β1 | 1β2 | 2β0 | 1β1 | 2β2 | 1β3 | 1β1 | 2β2 | β | 4β0 | 2β2 | 2β0 | 1β1 | 1β1 | 0β2 | 1β1 | 3β1 | 0β2 | 2β0 | 1β3 |
Orlando | 2β2 | 2β2 | 1β3 | 1β3 | 2β2 | 2β0 | 2β0 | 2β1 | 1β1 | 2β0 | 1β3 | 2β0 | 1β1 | 1β3 | 1β2 | 2β0 | 1β3 | 0β4 | β | 4β0 | 0β2 | 2β0 | 0β2 | 0β2 | 1β1 | 3β1 | 0β2 | 2β0 | 3β1 |
Philadelphia | 1β3 | 1β3 | 1β2 | 1β2 | 1β3 | 2β0 | 2β0 | 1β3 | 2β0 | 1β1 | 0β4 | 1β1 | 2β0 | 0β4 | 2β2 | 0β2 | 1β3 | 2β2 | 0β4 | β | 1β1 | 1β1 | 1β1 | 0β2 | 0β2 | 2β2 | 0β2 | 2β0 | 3β1 |
Phoenix | 2β0 | 2β0 | 1β1 | 1β1 | 0β2 | 4β0 | 4β0 | 1β1 | 4β0 | 3β1 | 1β1 | 4β0 | 2β2 | 2β0 | 2β0 | 1β3 | 1β1 | 0β2 | 2β0 | 1β1 | β | 2β2 | 3β1 | 3β1 | 2β2 | 2β0 | 1β3 | 4β0 | 1β1 |
Portland | 1β1 | 1β1 | 0β2 | 1β1 | 1β1 | 4β0 | 2β2 | 2β0 | 3β1 | 3β1 | 1β1 | 4β0 | 2β2 | 0β2 | 0β2 | 3β1 | 1β1 | 1β1 | 0β2 | 1β1 | 2β2 | β | 3β1 | 2β2 | 0β4 | 2β0 | 3β1 | 2β2 | 1β1 |
Sacramento | 0β2 | 1β1 | 1β1 | 0β2 | 0β2 | 4β0 | 3β1 | 1β1 | 2β2 | 0β4 | 0β2 | 1β3 | 0β4 | 0β2 | 0β2 | 1β3 | 0β2 | 1β1 | 2β0 | 1β1 | 1β3 | 1β3 | β | 0β4 | 1β3 | 1β1 | 2β2 | 2β2 | 1β1 |
San Antonio | 1β1 | 2β0 | 1β1 | 0β2 | 2β0 | 4β0 | 4β0 | 1β1 | 3β1 | 2β2 | 2β0 | 3β1 | 0β4 | 2β0 | 2β0 | 3β1 | 1β1 | 2β0 | 2β0 | 2β0 | 1β3 | 2β2 | 4β0 | β | 2β2 | 2β0 | 1β3 | 4β0 | 1β1 |
Seattle | 1β1 | 1β1 | 1β1 | 1β1 | 2β0 | 2β2 | 4β0 | 2β0 | 3β1 | 3β1 | 2β0 | 4β0 | 3β1 | 2β0 | 1β1 | 3β1 | 2β0 | 1β1 | 1β1 | 2β0 | 2β2 | 4β0 | 3β1 | 2β2 | β | 2β0 | 2β2 | 4β0 | 1β1 |
Toronto | 0β4 | 0β3 | 0β4 | 0β4 | 1β3 | 1β1 | 2β0 | 0β4 | 2β0 | 0β2 | 0β4 | 1β1 | 0β2 | 0β4 | 1β3 | 1β1 | 1β3 | 1β3 | 1β3 | 2β2 | 0β2 | 0β2 | 1β1 | 0β2 | 0β2 | β | 0β2 | 1β1 | 0β3 |
Utah | 2β0 | 2β0 | 1β1 | 2β0 | 1β1 | 4β0 | 4β0 | 2β0 | 4β0 | 4β0 | 1β1 | 3β1 | 1β3 | 1β1 | 2β0 | 3β1 | 2β0 | 2β0 | 2β0 | 2β0 | 3β1 | 1β3 | 2β2 | 3β1 | 2β2 | 2β0 | β | 4β0 | 0β2 |
Vancouver | 0β2 | 0β2 | 0β2 | 0β2 | 0β2 | 0β4 | 3β1 | 2β0 | 3β1 | 1β3 | 0β2 | 3β1 | 0β4 | 0β2 | 1β1 | 0β4 | 0β2 | 0β2 | 0β2 | 0β2 | 0β4 | 2β2 | 2β2 | 0β4 | 0β4 | 1β1 | 0β4 | β | 1β1 |
Washington | 0β4 | 2β3 | 2β2 | 1β3 | 2β1 | 1β1 | 1β1 | 2β2 | 2β0 | 1β1 | 0β4 | 2β0 | 1β1 | 2β2 | 2β1 | 2β0 | 3β1 | 3β1 | 1β3 | 1β3 | 1β1 | 1β1 | 1β1 | 1β1 | 1β1 | 3β0 | 2β0 | 1β1 | β |
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 |
Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lamond Murray | 79 | 65 | 32.6 | 48.1 | 35.3 | 74.8 | 6.1 | 1.8 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 15.4 |
Isaac Austin | 26 | 25 | 34.4 | 45.4 | 0.0 | 65.2 | 8.7 | 3.4 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 15.2 |
Rodney Rogers | 76 | 70 | 32.9 | 45.6 | 34.0 | 68.6 | 5.6 | 2.7 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 15.1 |
Brent Barry | 41 | 36 | 32.7 | 42.8 | 40.0 | 84.4 | 3.5 | 3.2 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 13.7 |
Maurice Taylor | 71 | 3 | 21.3 | 47.6 | 0.0 | 70.9 | 4.2 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 11.5 |
Eric Piatkowski | 67 | 35 | 26.0 | 45.2 | 40.9 | 82.4 | 3.5 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 11.3 |
Darrick Martin | 82 | 63 | 28.0 | 37.7 | 36.5 | 84.8 | 2.0 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 10.3 |
Lorenzen Wright | 69 | 38 | 30.0 | 44.5 | 0.0 | 65.9 | 8.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 9.0 |
James Robinson | 70 | 13 | 17.6 | 38.9 | 32.9 | 72.0 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 7.7 |
Loy Vaught | 10 | 6 | 26.5 | 42.9 | 0.0 | 37.5 | 6.5 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 7.5 |
Charles Smith | 23 | 0 | 11.3 | 42.1 | 31.8 | 55.6 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 4.7 |
Pooh Richardson | 69 | 17 | 18.1 | 37.2 | 19.3 | 69.8 | 1.4 | 3.3 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 4.2 |
Keith Closs | 58 | 1 | 12.8 | 44.9 | 0.0 | 59.7 | 2.9 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 1.4 | 4.0 |
Stojko Vrankovic | 65 | 38 | 15.3 | 42.5 | 0.0 | 56.9 | 4.0 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 3.0 |
James Collins | 23 | 0 | 4.5 | 38.2 | 45.0 | 57.1 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 2.6 |
Player Statistics Citation: [18]
![]() | This section is empty. You can help by
adding to it. (February 2013) |
The Clippers have been involved in the following transactions during the 1997-98 season.
June 25, 1997 | To
Los Angeles Clippers |
To
Minnesota Timberwolves |
June 25, 1997 | To
Los Angeles Clippers
|
To
Philadelphia 76ers
|
February 19, 1998 | To
Los Angeles Clippers
|
To
Miami Heat |
Additions
|
Subtractions
|
Player Transactions Citation: [30]