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1997–98 Los Angeles Clippers season
NBA professional basketball team season
NBA professional basketball team season
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| team | Los Angeles Clippers |
| league | National Basketball Association |
| end_year | 1998 |
| wins | 17 |
| losses | 65 |
| division | Pacific |
| division_place | 7 |
| conf_place | 13 |
| coach | Bill Fitch |
| arena | Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena |
| Arrowhead Pond | |
| owners | Donald Sterling |
| television | KCAL-TV |
| Fox Sports West 2 | |
| (Ralph Lawler, Bill Walton) | |
| radio | KXTA |
| (Rory Markas) | |
| playoffs | Did not qualify |
| bbr_team | LAC |
Arrowhead Pond Fox Sports West 2 (Ralph Lawler, Bill Walton) (Rory Markas)
The 1997–98 Los Angeles Clippers season was the 28th season for the Los Angeles Clippers in the National Basketball Association, their 14th season in Los Angeles, California, and their fourth season in which they played occasional home games in Anaheim, California. The Clippers had the 14th overall pick in the 1997 NBA draft, and selected power forward Maurice Taylor from the University of Michigan. During the off-season, the team signed free agent James Robinson, and acquired Stojko Vrankovic from the Minnesota Timberwolves.
With Loy Vaught going down early into the regular season due to a season-ending back injury after only just ten games, averaging 7.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, the Clippers struggled losing 14 of their first 16 games. After holding a 5–24 start to the season, the team managed to win four of their next five games, but then lost 12 of their next 13 games afterwards, and held an 11–37 record at the All-Star break. At mid-season, the team traded Brent Barry to the Miami Heat in exchange for last season's Most Improved Player Isaac Austin, and rookie shooting guard Charles Smith. The Clippers lost 15 of their final 17 games of the season, including a 10-game losing streak between March and April, and finished in last place in the Pacific Division with a 17–65 record.
Lamond Murray showed improvement becoming the team's starting small forward, averaging 15.4 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game, while Austin averaged 15.2 points and 8.7 rebounds per game in 26 games after the trade, and Rodney Rogers provided the team with 15.1 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. In addition, Taylor provided with 11.5 points and 4.2 rebounds per game off the bench, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team, while three-point specialist Eric Piatkowski contributed 11.3 points per game and 106 three-point field goals, Darrick Martin provided with 10.3 points and 4.0 assists per game, and led the Clippers with 107 three-point field goals, and second-year center Lorenzen Wright averaged 9.0 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game. Meanwhile, Robinson contributed 7.7 points per game, Pooh Richardson provided with 4.2 points and 3.3 assists per game, and Vrankovic averaged 3.0 points and 4.0 rebounds per game.
During the NBA All-Star weekend at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York, Taylor was selected for the NBA Rookie Game, as a member of the Western Conference Rookie team. Murray finished tied in eighth place in Most Improved Player voting. For the fifth consecutive year, the Clippers finished last in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 254,840 at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena during the regular season, which was 29th in the league. Following the season, Austin signed as a free agent with the Orlando Magic, while Vaught signed with the Detroit Pistons after eight seasons with the Clippers, and head coach Bill Fitch was fired.
Fitch's most losses record in NBA history with 1,106 losses stood for five years, until Lenny Wilkens broke his mark during the 2002–03 season while coaching for the Toronto Raptors.
Draft picks
Main article: 1997 NBA draft
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14 | Maurice Taylor | PF | Michigan |
Roster
- Bill Fitch
- Jim Brewer
- Barry Hecker
- Rex Kalamian
Roster Notes
- Rookie center Keith Closs played for the Lakers during the pre-season and had a strong performance. When he was released, the Clippers quickly signed him to their roster.
Regular season
Season standings
:z - clinched division title :y - clinched division title :x - clinched playoff spot
Game log
Player statistics
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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:
Transactions
The Clippers have been involved in the following transactions during the 1997–98 season.
Trades
| February 19, [1998](1997-98-nba-season) | To **Los Angeles Clippers** | To **Miami Heat** |
|---|
Free agents
Additions
| James Robinson | August 16 | Minnesota Timberwolves |
|---|
Subtractions
| Rich Manning | waived, October 28 | Oyak Renault (TBL) |
|---|
Player Transactions Citation:
References
References
- [https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAC/1998.html 1997-98 Los Angeles Clippers]
- Heisler, Mark. (June 26, 1997). "Draft Over, But Not Finished". Los Angeles Times.
- Cotton, Anthony. (June 26, 1997). "No. 1 Pick Turns Duncan Into Spur of Moment". The Washington Post.
- "1997 NBA Draft". Basketball-Reference.
- (August 17, 1997). "Clippers Sign James Robinson for $10.5 Million". Los Angeles Times.
- (August 17, 1997). "Basketball Briefs". Deseret News.
- Gardner, Kris. (June 25, 1997). "ARCHIVE: Houston Roundball Review NBA Trade Analyses -- 1997 NBA Draft Day Deals". The Houston Roundball Review.
- Baker, Chris. (November 22, 1997). "Back Spasms Sideline Vaught". Los Angeles Times.
- Baker, Chris. (December 1, 1997). "Vaught Considers Season-Ending Surgery". Los Angeles Times.
- Baker, Chris. (December 4, 1997). "Vaught Expected Out for Season". Los Angeles Times.
- "NBA Games Played on February 5, 1998". Basketball-Reference.
- (February 20, 1998). "N.B.A.: TRADES; Miami Acquires Brent Barry". The New York Times.
- Heisler, Mark. (February 20, 1998). "It's a Big Deal for Clippers: There Are No Slam Dunks in the Flurry of NBA Deals". Los Angeles Times.
- Winderman, Ira. (February 20, 1998). "Austin Heads West - to L.A.". Sun Sentinel.
- (April 17, 1998). "Clippers Show Some Spark, But Still Lose". Los Angeles Times.
- "1997–98 Los Angeles Clippers Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference.
- "1997–98 Los Angeles Clippers Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference.
- (February 6, 1998). "1998 NBA Rookie Game Roster". Times-Union.
- "1998 NBA Rising Stars: East 85, West 80". Basketball-Reference.
- "1997–98 NBA Awards Voting". Basketball-Reference.
- "1997–98 NBA Season Summary". Basketball-Reference.
- Povtak, Tim. (January 15, 1999). "Austin Remains Center of Attention". Orlando Sentinel.
- (January 16, 1999). "Austin Says He Will Sign with Magic". Tampa Bay Times.
- Goodall, Fred. (January 21, 1999). "Austin Gives Magic Contender Hopes Again". The Ledger.
- (January 20, 1999). "Pistons Sign Vaught, Laettner". CBS News.
- (January 21, 1999). "Vaught to Sign Five-Year Piston Deal". Los Angeles Times.
- Wise, Mike. (February 4, 1999). "PRO BASKETBALL; A Scrum for the Title". The New York Times.
- Springer, Steve. (April 21, 1998). "Clippers Scratch Fitch". Los Angeles Times.
- Peters, Ken. (April 21, 1998). "Clippers Fire Coach Bill Fitch". Associated Press.
- (April 1, 2003). "Raptors End 7-Game Road Losing Streak". Midland Daily News.
- Baker, Chris. (October 23, 1997). "Tall Tale". Los Angeles Times.
- "1997–98 Los Angeles Clippers Transactions". Basketball-Reference.
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