1997–98 Atlanta Hawks season – Wikipedia

Posted on by
before-content-x4

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 after-content-x4

NBA professional basketball team season

NBA professional basketball team season

The 1997–98 NBA season was the Hawks’ 49th season in the National Basketball Association, and 30th season in Atlanta.[1] Due to the demolition of The Omni during the off-season, the Hawks played their home games between the Georgia Dome, home of the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons, and the Alexander Memorial Coliseum, home of the NCAA’s Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets basketball team.[2][3][4][5] The Alexander Memorial Coliseum (known as “Alexander Memorial Coliseum at McDonald’s Center” at the time) was also the Hawks’ original home from 1968 to 1972.[6] In the off-season, the team signed free agent Chucky Brown,[7] and re-signed Greg Anderson, who previously played for the Hawks during the 1994–95 season.[8] The Hawks got off to a fast start winning their first eleven games of the season.[9][10] However, after a 19–5 start, they would struggle losing seven straight games between December and January, but then won six straight afterwards and held a 29–20 record at the All-Star break.[11] The Hawks won eight of their final eleven games, finishing fourth in the Central Division with a solid 50–32 record.[12]

Dikembe Mutombo averaged 13.4 points, 11.4 rebounds and 3.4 blocks per game, and was named Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight year, and was also named to the All-NBA Third Team, and NBA All-Defensive First Team,[13][14][15] while Steve Smith led the Hawks in scoring averaging 20.1 points per game for the second straight season. Mutombo and Smith were both selected for the 1998 NBA All-Star Game.[16][17][18] In addition, Alan Henderson averaged 14.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, after replacing Christian Laettner as the team’s starting power forward at midseason, and was named Most Improved Player of the Year,[19][20][21][22] while Laettner provided the team with 13.8 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, and Mookie Blaylock contributed 13.2 points, 6.7 assists, led the league with 2.6 steals per game, and was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team. Tyrone Corbin provided with 10.2 points and 1.3 steals per game, and Eldridge Recasner contributed 9.3 points per game off the bench.[23] Blaylock also finished tied in fifth place in Defensive Player of the Year voting.[24]

However, in the playoffs, the Hawks lost in four games to the Charlotte Hornets in the Eastern Conference First Round,[25][26][27][28] despite a 32-point margin in a Game 3 home win over the Hornets, 96–64.[29][30][31] Following the season, Laettner was traded to the Detroit Pistons,[32][33][34] while Recasner and Brown both signed as free agents with the Charlotte Hornets,[35] and Anderson was released to free agency.

On March 27, 1998, the Hawks set a single game regular season attendance record of 62,046 fans at the Georgia Dome in a game against Michael Jordan, and the 2-time defending champion Chicago Bulls, who defeated the Hawks, 89–74.[36][37][38] The Bulls would go on to defeat the Utah Jazz in six games in the NBA Finals for their third consecutive championship, and sixth overall in eight years.[39][40][41][42][43]

 after-content-x4

Offseason[edit]

Draft picks[edit]

Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
1 22 Ed Gray SG  United States California
2 49 Alain Digbeu SG/SF  France
2 50 Chris Crawford PF/SF  United States Marquette
1997–98 Atlanta Hawks roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB (YYYY-MM-DD) From
C 0 Anderson, Greg 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1964–06–22 Houston
G 11 Barry, Drew 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 191 lb (87 kg) 1973–02–17 Georgia Tech
G 10 Blaylock, Mookie 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1967–03–20 Oklahoma
F 52 Brown, Chucky 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 214 lb (97 kg) 1968–02–29 NC State
F 33 Corbin, Tyrone 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1962–12–31 DePaul
F 4 Crawford, Chris 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1975–05–13 Marquette
G 22 Gray, Ed Injured (S) 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1975–09–27 California
F 44 Henderson, Alan 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1972–12–02 Indiana
F/C 32 Laettner, Christian 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1969–08–17 Duke
F 2 Miller, Anthony 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1971–10–22 Michigan State
C 55 Mutombo, Dikembe 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) 260 lb (118 kg) 1966–06–25 Georgetown
G 3 Recasner, Eldridge 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1967–12–14 Washington
G 8 Smith, Steve 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1969–03–31 Michigan State
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Roster

Roster Notes[edit]

  • Rookie shooting guard Ed Gray was suspended indefinitely after playing 30 games for missing medical appointments. Gray was on the injured reserve list with a sprained right foot.[44][45]

Regular season[edit]

Season standings[edit]

z – clinched division title
y – clinched division title
x – clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents[edit]

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[edit]

1997–98 game log
Total: 50–32 (home: 29–12; road: 21–20)

October: 1–0 (home: 0–0; road: 1–0)

November: 13–2 (home: 9–1; road: 4–1)

December: 5–8 (home: 1–3; road: 4–5)

January: 9–8 (home: 5–3; road: 4–5)

February: 5–6 (home: 2–2; road: 3–4)

March: 9–5 (home: 6–1; road: 3–4)

April: 8–3 (home: 6–2; road: 2–1)
1997–98 schedule

Playoffs[edit]

1998 playoff game log

First round: 1–3 (home: 1–1; road: 0–2)
1998 schedule

Player statistics[edit]

Season[edit]

Playoffs[edit]

Awards and records[edit]

Transactions[edit]

Trades[edit]

September 29, 1997

Free agents[edit]

September 26, 1997

October 2, 1997

October 8, 1997

October 10, 1997

October 19, 1997

November 7, 1997

November 20, 1997

December 9, 1997

  • Signed Randy Livingston as a free agent.

January 10, 1998

January 20, 1998

  • Signed Drew Barry to a 10-day contract.

February 11, 1998

  • Signed Drew Barry to a contract for the rest of the season.

February 13, 1998

February 15, 1998

February 17, 1998

Player Transactions Citation:[46]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ 1997–98 Atlanta Hawks
  2. ^ “Atlanta Barely Notes the Passing of the Omni Arena; Enters Its Final Days During NBA Playoffs”. The Spokesman-Review. Associated Press. April 27, 1997. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  3. ^ Newberry, Paul (May 11, 1997). “Bulls 89, Hawks 80”. The Washington Post. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  4. ^ Hill, Karen (July 22, 1997). “Demolition Experts Place Explosives Around Omni”. Associated Press. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  5. ^ Brynes, Mark (April 24, 2015). “A Look Back at the Omni Coliseum, and How It Helped Revitalize Downtown Atlanta”. Bloomberg CityLab. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
  6. ^ “The Omni”. Basketball Ballparks. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  7. ^ Reed, William F. (November 10, 1997). “No. 4: Atlanta Hawks”. Sports Illustrated Vault. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  8. ^ “Ex NBA-er Greg Anderson Sentenced”. Associated Press. June 15, 1999. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  9. ^ Wise, Mike (November 19, 1997). “N.B.A.: LAST NIGHT; Hawks Improve to 11-0”. The New York Times. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  10. ^ “Washington Wizards at Atlanta Hawks Box Score, November 18, 1997”. Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 22, 2023.
  11. ^ “NBA Games Played on February 5, 1998”. Basketball-Reference. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
  12. ^ “1997–98 Atlanta Hawks Schedule and Results”. Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  13. ^ “Mutombo NBA’s Top Defensive Player”. The Washington Post. Associated Press. May 5, 1998. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  14. ^ “Mutombo Earns Defensive Honor”. Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. May 6, 1998. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  15. ^ “NBA & ABA Defensive Player of the Year Award Winners”. Basketball-Reference. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  16. ^ Armour, Terry (January 26, 1998). “Jordan Top All-Star Vote-Getter; Bryant, 19, Youngest Ever Picked”. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  17. ^ “1997-98 All-Star Events and Contestants – in New York”. Eskimo North. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  18. ^ “1998 NBA All-Star Game: East 135, West 114”. Basketball-Reference. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  19. ^ Glier, Ray (April 22, 1998). “Hawks’ Henderson Is a Bird in Hand”. The Washington Post. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  20. ^ “Henderson Voted Most Improved”. CBS News. CBS News.com Staff. May 1, 1998. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
  21. ^ Povtak, Tim (May 1, 1998). “Hawks’ Henderson Wins Most Improved”. Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  22. ^ “NBA & ABA Most Improved Player Award Winners”. Basketball-Reference. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  23. ^ “1997–98 Atlanta Hawks Roster and Stats”. Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  24. ^ “1997–98 NBA Awards Voting”. Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
  25. ^ “N.B.A.: PLAYOFFS; Mason Leads Charge as Hornets Top Hawks”. The New York Times. Associated Press. May 2, 1998. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  26. ^ “Mason Has 29 Points as Hornets Advance”. The Washington Post. May 2, 1998. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
  27. ^ “‘Mase’ Is the Man as Hornets Eliminate Hawks from Playoffs”. Deseret News. Associated Press. May 2, 1998. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
  28. ^ “1998 NBA Eastern Conference First Round: Hawks vs. Hornets”. Basketball-Reference. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
  29. ^ “Hot Hawks Handle Hapless Hornets”. Deseret News. Associated Press. April 29, 1998. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  30. ^ “SuperSonics Facing Elimination Again”. Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. April 29, 1998. Retrieved October 5, 2022.
  31. ^ “Atlanta Laughs at Elimination”. Tampa Bay Times. April 29, 1998. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
  32. ^ Pilcher, James (January 22, 1999). “Hawks Trade Laettner to Pistons”. Associated Press. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
  33. ^ “Injured Laettner Goes to Detroit”. CBS News. Associated Press. January 22, 1999. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  34. ^ “N.B.A.: ROUNDUP — ATLANTA; Laettner Is Signed, Then Sent to Detroit”. The New York Times. Associated Press. January 23, 1999. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  35. ^ Wise, Mike (February 4, 1999). “PRO BASKETBALL; A Scrum for the Title”. The New York Times. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  36. ^ Myslenski, Skip (March 28, 1998). “Bulls 89, Hawks 74”. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  37. ^ “At Least Most of Them Got to See Jordan Play”. Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. March 28, 1998. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
  38. ^ “Jordan Shows Atlanta How It’s Done”. CBS News. Associated Press. March 28, 1998. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  39. ^ Araton, Harvey (June 15, 1998). “Sports of the Times; At the End, Jordan Lifts Bulls to Their Sixth N.B.A. Title”. The New York Times. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
  40. ^ Howard-Cooper, Scott (June 15, 1998). “A Rousing Six-cess”. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
  41. ^ Armour, Terry (June 15, 1998). “Michael Jordan Hits ‘The Shot’, and the Chicago Bulls Beat Utah Jazz for Their 6th NBA Championship”. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
  42. ^ Robinson, Doug (June 15, 1998). “M.J.’s Moment: A Finals Finale”. Deseret News. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  43. ^ “1998 NBA Finals: Bulls vs. Jazz”. Basketball-Reference. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
  44. ^ “Hawks’ Mookie Blaylock Injured”. Associated Press. January 9, 1998. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
  45. ^ “Blaylock Returns, Leads Hawks Past Bucks”. CBS News. Associated Press. January 21, 1998. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  46. ^ “1997–98 Atlanta Hawks Transactions”. Basketball-Reference. Retrieved July 2, 2021.



after-content-x4