1997–98 Los Angeles Clippers season

1997–98 Los Angeles Clippers season
Head coach	Bill Fitch
Owner(s)	Donald Sterling
Arena	Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena Arrowhead Pond
Results
Record	17–65 (.207)
Place	Division: 7th (Pacific) Conference: 13th (Western)
Playoff finish	DNQ
Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television	KCAL-TV Fox Sports West 2 (Ralph Lawler, Bill Walton)
Radio	KXTA (Rory Markas)
< 1996–97 1998–99 >

The 1997–98 NBA season was the Clippers' 28th season in the National Basketball Association, and their 4th season in Anaheim.^[1] During the offseason, the Clippers acquired James Robinson and Stojko Vrankovic from the Minnesota Timberwolves. With Loy Vaught going down early into the season with a back injury after playing just ten games, the Clippers struggled losing 12 of their first 13 games. Midway through the season, Brent Barry was traded to the Miami Heat for last year's Most Improved Player Isaac Austin. The Clippers lost 15 of their final 17 games, including a 10-game losing streak in April, finishing last place in the Pacific Division with a 17–65 record. Lamond Murray led them in scoring with 15.4 points per game, and top draft pick Maurice Taylor made the All-Rookie Second Team. Following the season, Austin signed as a free agent with the Orlando Magic, Vaught signed with the Detroit Pistons, and head coach Bill Fitch was fired.

Contents

• 
  1 Draft Picks
  


• 
  2 Roster
  
  
  
  • 
    2.1 Roster Notes
    
  
  
  
  


• 
  3 Regular season
  
  
  
  • 
    3.1 Season standings
    
  
  
  • 
    3.2 Record vs. opponents
    
  
  
  • 
    3.3 Game log
    
  
  
  
  


• 
  4 Player statistics
  


• 
  5 Awards and records
  


• 
  6 Transactions
  
  
  
  • 
    6.1 Trades
    
  
  
  • 
    6.2 Free Agents
    
    
    
    • 
      6.2.1 Additions
      
    
    
    • 
      6.2.2 Subtractions
      
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• 
  7 References
  


• 
  8 See also
  

Draft Picks

Main article: 1997 NBA Draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College
1	14	Maurice Taylor	PF	United States	Michigan

Roster

Los Angeles Clippers roster v t e
Players	Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB (YYYY-MM-DD) From C 8 Austin, Isaac 7000208279999999999♠6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 270 lb (122 kg) Arizona State C 33 Closs, Keith 7000220980000000000♠7 ft 3 in (2.21 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Central Connecticut State SG 32 Collins, James 7000193040000000000♠6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 196 lb (89 kg) Florida State PG 15 Martin, Darrick 7000180340000000000♠5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 170 lb (77 kg) UCLA SF 7 Murray, Lamond 7000200659999999999♠6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 236 lb (107 kg) California SG 52 Piatkowski, Eric  7000200659999999999♠6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Nebraska PG 24 Richardson, Pooh (C) 7000185420000000000♠6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) UCLA SG 26 Robinson, James 7000187960000000000♠6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Alabama SF 54 Rogers, Rodney 7000200659999999999♠6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 260 lb (118 kg) Wake Forest SG 14 Smith, Charles 7000195580000000000♠6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 194 lb (88 kg) New Mexico PF 23 Taylor, Maurice 7000205740000000000♠6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 260 lb (118 kg) Michigan PF 35 Vaught, Loy  7000205740000000000♠6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 230 lb (104 kg) Michigan C 11 Vrankovic, Stojko 7000218440000000000♠7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) 260 lb (118 kg) Croatia C 55 Wright, Lorenzen 7000210820000000000♠6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 240 lb (109 kg) Memphis	Head coach Bill Fitch (Coe College) Assistant coach(es) Jim Brewer (Minnesota) Barry Hecker (Frostburg State) Legend (C) Team captain (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured Roster Last transaction: 2009-10-04

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

Pacific Division v t e	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Div
y-Seattle SuperSonics	61	21	.744	–	35–6	26–15	19–5
x-Los Angeles Lakers	61	21	.744	–	33–8	28–13	16–8
x-Phoenix Suns	56	26	.683	5	30–11	26–15	17–7
x-Portland Trail Blazers	46	36	.561	15	26–15	20–21	14–10
Sacramento Kings	27	55	.329	34	21–20	6–35	6–18
Golden State Warriors	19	63	.232	42	12–29	7–34	6–18
Los Angeles Clippers	17	65	.207	44	11–30	6–35	6–18

#	Western Conference v t e
	Team	W	L	PCT	GB
1	z-Utah Jazz	62	20	.756	–
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

z - clinched division title

y - clinched division title

x - clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

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	—	2–1	4–0	1–3	4–0	2–0	2–0	2–2	2–0	1–1	1–3	2–0	0–2	1–3	3–1	0–2	1–2	2–2	2–2	3–1	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	4–0	0–2	2–0	4–0
Boston	1–2	—	1–2	1–3	1–3	1–1	1–1	2–2	1–1	1–1	0–4	2–0	1–1	0–4	2–2	1–1	2–2	2–2	2–2	3–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	3–0	0–2	2–0	3–2
Charlotte	0–4	2–1	—	1–3	2–2	2–0	2–0	3–1	1–1	2–0	3–1	2–0	1–1	3–1	3–1	1–1	2–2	1–3	3–1	2–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	4–0	1–1	2–0	2–2
Chicago	3–1	3–1	3–1	—	2–2	1–1	2–0	3–1	2–0	2–0	2–2	2–0	1–1	2–1	4–0	1–1	4–0	4–0	3–1	2–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	4–0	0–2	2–0	3–1
Cleveland	0–4	3–1	2–2	2–2	—	1–1	2–0	3–1	2–0	1–1	2–2	2–0	1–1	1–3	2–2	2–0	3–1	1–2	2–2	3–1	2–0	1–1	2–0	0–2	0–2	3–1	1–1	2–0	1–2
Dallas	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	—	3–1	0–2	1–3	0–4	1–1	1–3	0–4	0–2	0–2	2–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–4	0–4	0–4	0–4	2–2	1–1	0–4	4–0	1–1
Denver	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–3	—	0–2	1–3	0–4	0–2	2–2	0–4	0–2	0–2	1–3	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–4	2–2	1–3	0–4	0–4	0–2	0–4	1–3	1–1
Detroit	2–2	2–2	1–3	1–3	1–3	2–0	2–0	—	2–0	1–1	1–3	2–0	0–2	1–2	2–2	0–2	2–2	2–2	1–2	3–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	4–0	0–2	0–2	2–2
Golden State	0–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–2	3–1	3–1	0–2	—	1–3	0–2	1–3	1–3	0–2	0–2	0–4	0–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–4	1–3	2–2	1–3	1–3	0–2	0–4	1–3	0–2
Houston	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–2	1–1	4–0	4–0	1–1	3–1	—	1–1	4–0	1–3	0–2	1–1	1–3	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–3	1–3	4–0	2–2	1–3	2–0	0–4	3–1	1–1
Indiana	3–1	4–0	1–3	2–2	2–2	1–1	2–0	3–1	2–0	1–1	—	2–0	0–2	3–1	4–0	2–0	2–1	2–1	3–1	4–0	1–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	0–2	4–0	1–1	2–0	4–0
L.A. Clippers	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	3–1	2–2	0–2	3–1	0–4	0–2	—	0–4	0–2	0–2	0–4	1–1	0–2	0–2	1–1	0–4	0–4	3–1	1–3	0–4	1–1	1–3	1–3	0–2
L.A. Lakers	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	4–0	4–0	2–0	3–1	3–1	2–0	4–0	—	1–1	2–0	4–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	2–2	2–2	4–0	4–0	1–3	2–0	3–1	4–0	1–1
Miami	3–1	4–0	1–3	1–2	3–1	2–0	2–0	2–1	2–0	2–0	1–3	2–0	1–1	—	3–1	1–1	3–1	2–2	3–1	4–0	0–2	2–0	2–0	0–2	0–2	4–0	1–1	2–0	2–2
Milwaukee	1–3	2–2	1–3	0–4	2–2	2–0	2–0	2–2	2–0	1–1	0–4	2–0	0–2	1–3	—	1–1	0–4	3–1	2–1	2–2	0–2	2–0	2–0	0–2	1–1	3–1	0–2	1–1	1–2
Minnesota	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	2–2	3–1	2–0	4–0	3–1	0–2	4–0	0–4	1–1	1–1	—	2–0	1–1	0–2	2–0	3–1	1–3	3–1	1–3	1–3	1–1	1–3	4–0	0–2
New Jersey	2–1	2–2	2–2	0–4	1–3	2–0	2–0	2–2	2–0	1–1	1–2	1–1	1–1	1–3	4–0	0–2	—	2–2	3–1	3–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	0–2	3–1	0–2	2–0	1–3
New York	2–2	2–2	3–1	0–4	2–1	1–1	2–0	2–2	1–1	1–1	1–2	2–0	1–1	2–2	1–3	1–1	2–2	—	4–0	2–2	2–0	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	3–1	0–2	2–0	1–3
Orlando	2–2	2–2	1–3	1–3	2–2	2–0	2–0	2–1	1–1	2–0	1–3	2–0	1–1	1–3	1–2	2–0	1–3	0–4	—	4–0	0–2	2–0	0–2	0–2	1–1	3–1	0–2	2–0	3–1
Philadelphia	1–3	1–3	1–2	1–2	1–3	2–0	2–0	1–3	2–0	1–1	0–4	1–1	2–0	0–4	2–2	0–2	1–3	2–2	0–4	—	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–2	2–2	0–2	2–0	3–1
Phoenix	2–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	0–2	4–0	4–0	1–1	4–0	3–1	1–1	4–0	2–2	2–0	2–0	1–3	1–1	0–2	2–0	1–1	—	2–2	3–1	3–1	2–2	2–0	1–3	4–0	1–1
Portland	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	4–0	2–2	2–0	3–1	3–1	1–1	4–0	2–2	0–2	0–2	3–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–2	—	3–1	2–2	0–4	2–0	3–1	2–2	1–1
Sacramento	0–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–2	4–0	3–1	1–1	2–2	0–4	0–2	1–3	0–4	0–2	0–2	1–3	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–3	1–3	—	0–4	1–3	1–1	2–2	2–2	1–1
San Antonio	1–1	2–0	1–1	0–2	2–0	4–0	4–0	1–1	3–1	2–2	2–0	3–1	0–4	2–0	2–0	3–1	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–0	1–3	2–2	4–0	—	2–2	2–0	1–3	4–0	1–1
Seattle	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–2	4–0	2–0	3–1	3–1	2–0	4–0	3–1	2–0	1–1	3–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–2	4–0	3–1	2–2	—	2–0	2–2	4–0	1–1
Toronto	0–4	0–3	0–4	0–4	1–3	1–1	2–0	0–4	2–0	0–2	0–4	1–1	0–2	0–4	1–3	1–1	1–3	1–3	1–3	2–2	0–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	—	0–2	1–1	0–3
Utah	2–0	2–0	1–1	2–0	1–1	4–0	4–0	2–0	4–0	4–0	1–1	3–1	1–3	1–1	2–0	3–1	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	3–1	1–3	2–2	3–1	2–2	2–0	—	4–0	0–2
Vancouver	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–4	3–1	2–0	3–1	1–3	0–2	3–1	0–4	0–2	1–1	0–4	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–4	2–2	2–2	0–4	0–4	1–1	0–4	—	1–1
Washington	0–4	2–3	2–2	1–3	2–1	1–1	1–1	2–2	2–0	1–1	0–4	2–0	1–1	2–2	2–1	2–0	3–1	3–1	1–3	1–3	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	3–0	2–0	1–1	—

Game log

Player statistics

Legend
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
Isaac Austin
Brent Barry
Keith Closs
James Collins
Darrick Martin
Lamond Murray
Eric Piatkowski
Pooh Richardson
James Robinson
Rodney Rogers
Charles Smith
Maurice Taylor
Loy Vaught
Stojko Vrankovic
Lorenzen Wright

Awards and records

Transactions

The Clippers have been involved in the following transactions during the 1997-98 season.

Trades

June 25, 1997	To Los Angeles Clippers Stojko Vrankovic	To Minnesota Timberwolves Stanley Roberts
June 25, 1997	To Los Angeles Clippers Draft rights to James Collins	To Philadelphia 76ers 1998 2nd round draft pick
February 19, 1998	To Los Angeles Clippers Isaac Austin, Charles C. Smith & 1998 1st round draft pick	To Miami Heat Brent Barry

Free Agents

Additions Player Signed Former team Keith Closs August 8 Los Angeles Lakers James Robinson August 16 Minnesota Timberwolves

Subtractions Player Left New team Terry Dehere waived, July 2 Sacramento Kings Dwayne Schintzius released, July 2 Boston Celtics Malik Sealy renounced, August 8 Detroit Pistons Bo Outlaw free agency, September 5 Orlando Magic Rich Manning waived, October 28 Oyak Renault (TBL)

References

1. 
   ^ 1997-98 Los Angeles Clippers
   

See also

• 1997-98 NBA season

v t e 1997–98 NBA season by team
1997 NBA draft All-Star Game Playoffs Finals Transactions
Eastern	Atlantic Boston Miami New Jersey New York Orlando Philadelphia Washington Central Atlanta Charlotte Chicago Cleveland Detroit Indiana Milwaukee Toronto
Western	Midwest Dallas Denver Houston Minnesota San Antonio Utah Vancouver Pacific Golden State L.A. Clippers L.A. Lakers Phoenix Portland Sacramento Seattle

v t e Los Angeles Clippers seasons
Franchise History Seasons
1970s	1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79
1980s	1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89
1990s	1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99
2000s	1999–00 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09
2010s	2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19

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