1997–98 Los Angeles Clippers season explained

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 signed free agent James Robinson,^{[2] [3] [4]} and acquired Stojko Vrankovic from the Minnesota Timberwolves.^{[5] [6] [7]} With Loy Vaught going down early into the season with a back injury after only just ten games, averaging 7.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game,^{[8] [9] [10] [11]} 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, and held an 11–37 record at the All-Star break.^[12]

At mid-season, the team traded Brent Barry to the Miami Heat in exchange for last year's Most Improved Player Isaac Austin, and rookie guard Charles Smith.^{[13] [14] [15] [16]} The Clippers lost 15 of their final 17 games, including a 10-game losing streak between March and April,^[17] finishing last place in the Pacific Division with a 17–65 record.^[18]

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,^[19] 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.^[20]

Following the season, Austin signed as a free agent with the Orlando Magic,^{[21] [22] [23]} while Vaught signed with the Detroit Pistons after eight seasons with the Clippers,^{[24] [25] [26] [27]} and head coach Bill Fitch was fired.^{[28] [29]} 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.^[30]

Draft picks

See main article: 1997 NBA draft.

Roster

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.^[31]

Regular season

Season standings

z - clinched division title

y - clinched division title

x - clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

1997-98 NBA Records
width=100	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

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:^[32]

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
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
	August 8	Los Angeles Lakers
	August 16	Minnesota Timberwolves

Subtractions

Player	Left	New team
	waived, July 2	Sacramento Kings
	released, July 2	Boston Celtics
	renounced, August 8	Detroit Pistons
	free agency, September 5	Orlando Magic
	waived, October 28	Oyak Renault (TBL)

Player Transactions Citation:^[33]

See also

• 1997-98 NBA season

Notes and References

1. https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAC/1998.html 1997-98 Los Angeles Clippers
2. News: Clippers Sign James Robinson for $10.5 Million . Los Angeles Times . August 17, 1997 . September 17, 2022.
3. News: Basketball Briefs . Deseret News . August 17, 1997 . November 1, 2024.
4. News: Baker . Chris . Robinson Resuscitates Clippers . Los Angeles Times . December 28, 1997 . December 27, 2022.
5. News: Gardner . Kris . ARCHIVE: Houston Roundball Review NBA Trade Analyses -- 1997 NBA Draft Day Deals . The Houston Roundball Review . June 25, 1997 . September 25, 2023.
6. News: Howard-Cooper . Scott . Draft Over, But Not Finished . Los Angeles Times . June 26, 1997 . October 19, 2022.
7. News: Howard-Cooper . Scott . Goodbye, Stanley, We Barely Knew You . Los Angeles Times . June 27, 1997 . December 15, 2022.
8. News: Baker . Chris . Back Spasms Sideline Vaught . Los Angeles Times . November 22, 1997 . October 3, 2022.
9. News: Baker . Chris . Vaught Expected Out for Season . Los Angeles Times . December 4, 1997 . December 1, 2022.
10. News: Vaught Placed on Injured List; May Need Surgery . Associated Press . December 4, 1997 . October 12, 2021.
11. Associated Press . NBA Notes; Cleamons Fired as Mavs Coach; G.M. Nelson Takes Over Job . Star-News . December 5, 1997 . 2C . November 1, 2024.
12. Web site: NBA Games Played on February 5, 1998 . Basketball-Reference . January 2, 2023.
13. News: Associated Press . N.B.A.: TRADES; Miami Acquires Brent Barry . The New York Times . February 20, 1998 . July 26, 2021.
14. News: Heisler . Mark . It's a Big Deal for Clippers: There Are No Slam Dunks in the Flurry of NBA Deals . Los Angeles Times . February 20, 1998 . December 4, 2022.
15. News: Smith . Sam . NBA's Rash of Trades Ends with Another Seikaly Deal . Chicago Tribune . February 20, 1998 . June 21, 2023.
16. News: Winderman . Ira . Austin Heads West - to L.A. . Sun Sentinel . February 20, 1998 . December 1, 2022.
17. News: Associated Press . Clippers Show Some Spark, But Still Lose . Los Angeles Times . April 17, 1998 . April 22, 2023.
18. Web site: 1997–98 Los Angeles Clippers Schedule and Results. Basketball-Reference. June 28, 2021.
19. Web site: 1997–98 NBA Awards Voting . Basketball-Reference . January 30, 2023.
20. Web site: 1997–98 Los Angeles Clippers Roster and Stats. Basketball-Reference. June 28, 2021.
21. News: Povtak . Tim . Austin Remains Center of Attention . Orlando Sentinel . January 15, 1999 . June 25, 2022.
22. News: Austin Says He Will Sign with Magic . Tampa Bay Times . January 16, 1999 . October 3, 2022.
23. News: Goodall . Fred . Austin Gives Magic Contender Hopes Again . The Ledger . January 21, 1999 . February 2, 2023.
24. News: CBS News.com Staff . Pistons Sign Vaught, Laettner . CBS News . January 20, 1999 . December 5, 2022.
25. News: Bloomberg News . Vaught to Sign Five-Year Piston Deal . Los Angeles Times . January 21, 1999 . October 18, 2022.
26. News: Associated Press . NBA DEALINGS: McDyess, Divac and Smith Sign . Kitsap Sun . January 23, 1999 . June 25, 2023.
27. News: Wise . Mike . PRO BASKETBALL; A Scrum for the Title . The New York Times . February 4, 1999 . June 28, 2022.
28. News: Springer . Steve . Clippers Scratch Fitch . Los Angeles Times . April 21, 1998 . October 18, 2022.
29. News: Peters . Ken . Clippers Fire Coach Bill Fitch . Associated Press . April 21, 1998 . December 1, 2022.
30. News: Raptors End 7-Game Road Losing Streak . Midland Daily News . April 1, 2003 . June 27, 2022.
31. News: Baker . Chris . Tall Tale . Los Angeles Times . October 23, 1997 . November 7, 2022.
32. Web site: 1997–98 Los Angeles Clippers Roster and Stats. Basketball-Reference. June 28, 2021.
33. Web site: 1997–98 Los Angeles Clippers Transactions. Basketball-Reference. July 4, 2021.