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 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.

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 @ Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionKCAL-TV
Fox Sports West 2
(Ralph Lawler, Bill Walton)
RadioKXTA
(Rory Markas)

Draft picks
Main article: 1997 NBA Draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
114Maurice TaylorPF United StatesMichigan

Roster
Roster listing
Los Angeles Clippers roster
Players Coaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOB (YYYY-MM-DD)From
C 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
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

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

See also

References
  1. 1997-98 Los Angeles Clippers
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