1997–98 Portland Trail Blazers season

1997–98 Portland Trail Blazers season
Head coach	Mike Dunleavy
Arena	Rose Garden Arena
Results
Record	46–36 (.561)
Place	Division: 4th (Pacific) Conference: 6th (Western)
Playoff finish	West First Round (eliminated 1–3)
Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com

The 1997–98 season was the 28th season of the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). During the offseason, head coach P.J. Carlesimo was fired and replaced by Mike Dunleavy; Carlesimo was hired by the Golden State Warriors. Midway through the season, point guard Damon Stoudamire was acquired from the Toronto Raptors.

The Blazers finished 46–36, fourth in the Pacific Division and sixth in the Western Conference, making their sixteenth straight trip to the postseason and 21st in 22 years. For the second straight season, the Blazers were pitted against the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, and the result was identical to that of the previous year, as Portland fell three games to one.

The Blazers also set an ignominious record during a game against the Indiana Pacers. The teams’ February 27, 1998, game ended with a Pacer win by the embarrassing score of 124–59, the only time in NBA history where a team has had their score doubled.

NBA Draft

Main article: 1997 NBA Draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	School/Club Team
2	48	Alvin Williams	SG	United States	Villanova

Roster

Portland TrailBlazers roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB (YYYY–MM–DD) From SG 2 Augmon, Stacey 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 205 lb (93 kg) UNLV PG 9 Brunson, Rick 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Temple C 31 Cato, Kelvin 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 255 lb (116 kg) Iowa State PG 12 Crotty, John 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Virginia PF 44 Grant, Brian 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 254 lb (115 kg) Xavier PG 23 Grant, Gary 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Michigan C 53 Lister, Alton 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 240 lb (109 kg) Arizona State PF 5 O'Neal, Jermaine 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 226 lb (103 kg) Eau Claire HS (SC) SG 34 Rider, Isaiah 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 215 lb (98 kg) UNLV C 4 Rogers, Carlos 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Tennessee State C 11 Sabonis, Arvydas 7 ft 3 in (2.21 m) 279 lb (127 kg) Lithuania PG 3 Stoudamire, Damon 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 171 lb (78 kg) Arizona PF 30 Wallace, Rasheed 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 225 lb (102 kg) North Carolina SF 42 Williams, Walt 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 219 lb (99 kg) Maryland	Head coach Mike Dunleavy (South Carolina) Legend (C) Team captain (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured Roster

Regular season

Season standings

Pacific Division	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
	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

Playoffs

West First Round

(3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Portland Trail Blazers Last Playoff Meeting: 1997 Western Conference First Round (Los Angeles won 3-1)

Game	Date	Home	Score	Visitor	Score	Record (LAL-POR)	Venue	Box score	Television
1	April 24	Los Angeles	104	Portland	102	1-0	Great Western Forum, Los Angeles, California	1	TNT 10:30et
2	April 26	Los Angeles	108	Portland	99	2-0	Great Western Forum, Los Angeles, California	2	NBC 3:00et
3	April 28	Portland	99	Los Angeles	94	2-1	Rose Garden, Portland, Oregon	3	TNT 10:30et
4	April 30	Portland	99	Los Angeles	110	3-1	Rose Garden, Portland, Oregon	4	TNT 10:30et
Los Angeles wins series 3–1

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