1997–98 Los Angeles Clippers season

The 1997–98 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 acquired James Robinson from the Minnesota Timberwolves. With Loy Vaught going down early into the season with a back injury after playing just ten games,[2] the Clippers struggled losing 14 of their first 16 games. After holding a 5–24 start, the team managed to win four of their next five games, but then lost 12 of their next 13 games afterwards. Midway through the season, Brent Barry was traded to the Miami Heat for last year's Most Improved Player Isaac Austin.[3] The Clippers lost 15 of their final 17 games, including a 10-game losing streak between March and April, finishing last place in the Pacific Division with a 17–65 record.[4]

1997–98 Los Angeles Clippers season
Head coachBill Fitch
OwnersDonald Sterling
ArenaLos Angeles Memorial Sports Arena
Arrowhead Pond
Results
Record17–65 (.207)
PlaceDivision: 7th (Pacific)
Conference: 13th (Western)
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionKCAL-TV
Fox Sports West 2
(Ralph Lawler, Bill Walton)
RadioKXTA
(Rory Markas)

Lamond Murray showed improvement leading the team in scoring with 15.4 points per game, while Rodney Rogers finished second on the team in scoring averaging 15.1 points per game, and top draft pick Maurice Taylor averaged 11.5 points per game off the bench, and made the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. 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 led them with 8.8 rebounds per game.[5] 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. Fitch's most losses record in NBA history with 1,106 losses a record 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
114Maurice TaylorPF United StatesMichigan

Roster
1997–98 Los Angeles Clippers roster
Players Coaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOB (YYYY-MM-DD)From
PF 8 Austin, Isaac 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 270 lb (122 kg) –– Arizona State
C 33 Closs, Keith 7 ft 3 in (2.21 m) 215 lb (98 kg) –– Central Connecticut State
SG 32 Collins, James 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 196 lb (89 kg) –– Florida State
PG 15 Martin, Darrick 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 170 lb (77 kg) –– UCLA
SF 7 Murray, Lamond 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 236 lb (107 kg) –– California
SG 52 Piatkowski, Eric  6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) –– Nebraska
PG 24 Richardson, Pooh (C) 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) –– UCLA
SG 26 Robinson, James 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 180 lb (82 kg) –– Alabama
SF 54 Rogers, Rodney 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 260 lb (118 kg) –– Wake Forest
SG 14 Smith, Charles 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 194 lb (88 kg) –– New Mexico
PF 23 Taylor, Maurice 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 260 lb (118 kg) –– Michigan
PF 35 Vaught, Loy  6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 230 lb (104 kg) –– Michigan
C 11 Vrankovic, Stojko 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) 260 lb (118 kg) –– Croatia
C 55 Wright, Lorenzen 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 240 lb (109 kg) –– Memphis
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
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 W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Seattle SuperSonics 6121.744–35–626–1519–5
x-Los Angeles Lakers 6121.744 –33–828–1316–8
x-Phoenix Suns 5626.683530–1126–1517–7
x-Portland Trail Blazers 4636.5611526–1520–2114–10
Sacramento Kings 2755.3293421–206–356–18
Golden State Warriors 1963.2324212–297–346–18
Los Angeles Clippers 1765.2074411–306–356–18
# Western Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Utah Jazz6220.756–
2 y-Seattle SuperSonics6121.7441
3 x-Los Angeles Lakers6121.7441
4 x-Phoenix Suns5626.6836
5 x-San Antonio Spurs5626.6836
6 x-Portland Trail Blazers4636.56116
7 x-Minnesota Timberwolves4537.54917
8 x-Houston Rockets4141.50021
9 Sacramento Kings2755.32935
10 Dallas Mavericks2062.24442
11 Vancouver Grizzlies1963.23243
11 Golden State Warriors1963.23243
13 Los Angeles Clippers1765.20745
14 Denver Nuggets1171.13451
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 —2–14–01–34–02–02–02–22–01–11–32–00–21–33–10–21–22–22–23–10–21–12–01–11–14–00–22–04–0
Boston 1–2—1–21–31–31–11–12–21–11–10–42–01–10–42–21–12–22–22–23–10–21–11–10–21–13–00–22–03–2
Charlotte 0–42–1—1–32–22–02–03–11–12–03–12–01–13–13–11–12–21–33–12–11–12–01–11–11–14–01–12–02–2
Chicago 3–13–13–1—2–21–12–03–12–02–02–22–01–12–14–01–14–04–03–12–11–11–12–02–01–14–00–22–03–1
Cleveland 0–43–12–22–2—1–12–03–12–01–12–22–01–11–32–22–03–11–22–23–12–01–12–00–20–23–11–12–01–2
Dallas 0–21–10–21–11–1—3–10–21–30–41–11–30–40–20–22–20–21–10–20–20–40–40–40–42–21–10–44–01–1
Denver 0–21–10–20–20–21–3—0–21–30–40–22–20–40–20–21–30–20–20–20–20–42–21–30–40–40–20–41–31–1
Detroit 2–22–21–31–31–32–02–0—2–01–11–32–00–21–22–20–22–22–21–23–11–10–21–11–10–24–00–20–22–2
Golden State 0–21–11–10–20–23–13–10–2—1–30–21–31–30–20–20–40–21–11–10–20–41–32–21–31–30–20–41–30–2
Houston 1–11–10–20–21–14–04–01–13–1—1–14–01–30–21–11–31–11–10–21–11–31–34–02–21–32–00–43–11–1
Indiana 3–14–01–32–22–21–12–03–12–01–1—2–00–23–14–02–02–12–13–14–01–11–12–00–20–24–01–12–04–0
L.A. Clippers 0–20–20–20–20–23–12–20–23–10–40–2—0–40–20–20–41–10–20–21–10–40–43–11–30–41–11–31–30–2
L.A. Lakers 2–01–11–11–11–14–04–02–03–13–12–04–0—1–12–04–01–11–11–10–22–22–24–04–01–32–03–14–01–1
Miami 3–14–01–31–23–12–02–02–12–02–01–32–01–1—3–11–13–12–23–14–00–22–02–00–20–24–01–12–02–2
Milwaukee 1–32–21–30–42–22–02–02–22–01–10–42–00–21–3—1–10–43–12–12–20–22–02–00–21–13–10–21–11–2
Minnesota 2–01–11–11–10–22–23–12–04–03–10–24–00–41–11–1—2–01–10–22–03–11–33–11–31–31–11–34–00–2
New Jersey 2–12–22–20–41–32–02–02–22–01–11–21–11–11–34–00–2—2–23–13–11–11–12–01–10–23–10–22–01–3
New York 2–22–23–10–42–11–12–02–21–11–11–22–01–12–21–31–12–2—4–02–22–01–11–10–21–13–10–22–01–3
Orlando 2–22–21–31–32–22–02–02–11–12–01–32–01–11–31–22–01–30–4—4–00–22–00–20–21–13–10–22–03–1
Philadelphia 1–31–31–21–21–32–02–01–32–01–10–41–12–00–42–20–21–32–20–4—1–11–11–10–20–22–20–22–03–1
Phoenix 2–02–01–11–10–24–04–01–14–03–11–14–02–22–02–01–31–10–22–01–1—2–23–13–12–22–01–34–01–1
Portland 1–11–10–21–11–14–02–22–03–13–11–14–02–20–20–23–11–11–10–21–12–2—3–12–20–42–03–12–21–1
Sacramento 0–21–11–10–20–24–03–11–12–20–40–21–30–40–20–21–30–21–12–01–11–31–3—0–41–31–12–22–21–1
San Antonio 1–12–01–10–22–04–04–01–13–12–22–03–10–42–02–03–11–12–02–02–01–32–24–0—2–22–01–34–01–1
Seattle 1–11–11–11–12–02–24–02–03–13–12–04–03–12–01–13–12–01–11–12–02–24–03–12–2—2–02–24–01–1
Toronto 0–40–30–40–41–31–12–00–42–00–20–41–10–20–41–31–11–31–31–32–20–20–21–10–20–2—0–21–10–3
Utah 2–02–01–12–01–14–04–02–04–04–01–13–11–31–12–03–12–02–02–02–03–11–32–23–12–22–0—4–00–2
Vancouver 0–20–20–20–20–20–43–12–03–11–30–23–10–40–21–10–40–20–20–20–20–42–22–20–40–41–10–4—1–1
Washington 0–42–32–21–32–11–11–12–22–01–10–42–01–12–22–12–03–13–11–31–31–11–11–11–11–13–02–01–1—

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
Lamond Murray 796532.648.135.374.86.11.81.50.715.4
Isaac Austin 262534.445.40.065.28.73.40.70.815.2
Rodney Rogers 767032.945.634.068.65.62.71.20.515.1
Brent Barry 413632.742.840.084.43.53.21.20.613.7
Maurice Taylor 71321.347.60.070.94.20.70.50.611.5
Eric Piatkowski 673526.045.240.982.43.51.30.80.211.3
Darrick Martin 826328.037.736.584.82.04.01.00.110.3
Lorenzen Wright 693830.044.50.065.98.80.80.81.39.0
James Robinson 701317.638.932.972.01.61.90.50.17.7
Loy Vaught 10626.542.90.037.56.50.70.40.27.5
Charles Smith 23011.342.131.855.60.80.80.40.24.7
Pooh Richardson 691718.137.219.369.81.43.30.60.04.2
Keith Closs 58112.844.90.059.72.90.30.21.44.0
Stojko Vrankovic 653815.342.50.056.94.00.60.21.03.0
James Collins 2304.538.245.057.10.60.10.30.12.6

Player Statistics Citation:[5]

Transactions

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

Trades
June 25, 1997
 To Los Angeles Clippers
 To Minnesota Timberwolves
June 25, 1997
 To Los Angeles Clippers
 To Philadelphia 76ers
  • 1998 2nd round draft pick
February 19, 1998
 To Los Angeles Clippers
 To Miami Heat

Free agents

[6]

See also

References
  1. 1997-98 Los Angeles Clippers
  2. "Vaught placed on injured list; may need surgery". AP News. December 4, 1997. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  3. "N.B.A.: TRADES; Miami Acquires Brent Barry". New York Times. February 20, 1998. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
  4. "1997–98 Los Angeles Clippers Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  5. "1997–98 Los Angeles Clippers Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  6. "1997–98 Los Angeles Clippers Transactions". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved July 4, 2021.
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