1997–98_San_Antonio_Spurs_season

1997–98 San Antonio Spurs season

1997–98 San Antonio Spurs season

NBA professional basketball team season

The 1997–98 NBA season was the Spurs' 22nd season in the National Basketball Association, and 31st season as a franchise.[1] This season is most memorable when the Spurs selected Tim Duncan out of Wake Forest University with the first overall pick in the 1997 NBA draft.[2][3][4][5][6] After finishing with the third-worst record in 1996–97, the Spurs won the 1997 NBA Draft Lottery, dubbed as the "Tim Duncan Sweepstakes".[7][8] During the off-season, the team signed free agents, three-point specialist Jaren Jackson, and second-year forward Malik Rose.[9]

Quick Facts San Antonio Spurs season, Head coach ...

The Spurs got off to a mediocre 10–10 start, but then won 17 of their next 19 games, and held a 34–14 record at the All-Star break.[10] Despite losing Sean Elliott for the remainder of the season to a knee injury after 36 games,[11][12] the Spurs finished second in the Midwest Division with a 56–26 record, and returned to the playoffs after a one-year absence.[13] The Spurs had the second best team defensive rating in the NBA.[14]

Duncan averaged 21.1 points, 11.9 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game, and was named Rookie of the Year,[15][16][17][18] and was also named to the All-NBA First Team and NBA All-Rookie First Team, while David Robinson averaged 21.6 points, 10.6 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game, and was named to the All-NBA Second Team. In addition, Avery Johnson provided the team with 10.2 points and 7.9 assists per game, while Vinny Del Negro contributed 9.5 points per game, and Elliott provided with 9.3 points per game. Off the bench, Jackson contributed 8.8 points per game, while three-point specialist Chuck Person contributed 6.7 points per game, and Will Perdue averaged 5.0 points and 6.8 rebounds per game.[19] Both Duncan and Robinson were named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team, and selected for the 1998 NBA All-Star Game, which was Duncan's first ever All-Star appearance.[20][21][22][23][24] Duncan finished in fifth place in Most Valuable Player voting,[25] while Robinson finished in seventh place. Robinson also finished in third place in Defensive Player of the Year voting,[26][27] while Duncan finished tied in fifth place.[28]

In the playoffs, the Spurs defeated the 4th-seeded Phoenix Suns, 3–1 in the Western Conference First Round,[29][30][31][32] but lost 4–1 to the Utah Jazz in the Western Conference Semi-finals.[33][34][35][36] The Jazz would go on to lose in six games to the Chicago Bulls in the NBA Finals for the second consecutive year.[37][38][39][40][41] Following the season, Del Negro signed as a free agent with the Milwaukee Bucks,[42][43] while Person signed with the Charlotte Hornets,[44] Monty Williams was released to free agency, and Carl Herrera was traded to the Vancouver Grizzlies.[45]

Following the 1997–98 season, the Spurs enjoyed immense levels of success, winning five championships between 1999 and 2014, and qualifying for the playoffs every year until 2019, the longest playoff streak in NBA history, tied with the Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers from 1950 to 1971.

NBA draft

Main article: 1997 NBA draft
More information Round, Pick ...

Roster

More information Players, Coaches ...

Regular season

Tim Duncan

The Spurs were coming off a poor 1996–97 NBA season; in which their best player, David Robinson—himself a number one draft pick in 1987—was sidelined for most of the year with an injury. The Spurs had finished with a 20–62 win–loss record.[46] However, as the 1997–98 NBA season approached, the Spurs were considered a notable threat in the NBA. With both an experienced center in Robinson and the number one pick in Duncan, the Spurs featured one of the best frontcourts in the NBA. Duncan and Robinson became known as the "Twin Towers", having earned a reputation for their exceptional defense close to the basket, forcing opponents to take lower percentage shots from outside. From the beginning, Duncan established himself as a quality player: in his second-ever road game, he grabbed 22 rebounds against opposing Chicago Bulls power forward Dennis Rodman, a multiple rebounding champion and NBA Defensive Player of the Year.[47]

Later, when Duncan played against opposing Houston Rockets Hall-of-Fame power forward Charles Barkley, Barkley was so impressed he said: "I have seen the future and he wears number 21 [Duncan's jersey number]."[48] In his rookie season, Duncan lived up the expectations of being the number one draft pick, starting in all 82 regular-season games, and averaging 21.1 points, 11.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.5 blocks per game. His defensive contributions ensured that he was elected to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team and was also named NBA Rookie of the Year. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich lauded Duncan's mental toughness, stating his rookie's "demeanor was singularly remarkable", Duncan always "put things into perspective" and never got "too upbeat or too depressed."[49] Center Robinson was equally impressed with Duncan: "He's the real thing. I'm proud of his attitude and effort. He gives all the extra effort and work and wants to become a better player."[50]

Season standings

More information W, L ...
More information #, Team ...

Record vs. opponents

More information Team, ATL ...

Game log

Playoffs

More information 1998 playoff game log, Game ...

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

Season

More information Player, GP ...

Playoffs

More information Player, GP ...

Award winners

Transactions

References

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    1997-98 San Antonio Spurs
  2. [2]
    Wise, Mike (June 26, 1997). "After Duncan, Utah Forward Steals Show". The New York Times. Retrieved July 25, 2021.
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    Heisler, Mark (June 26, 1997). "Draft Over, But Not Finished". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
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    Cotton, Anthony (June 26, 1997). "No. 1 Pick Turns Duncan Into Spur of Moment". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
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    "First Round Selections in the 1997 NBA Draft Wednesday in Charlotte, N.C." Hartford Courant. June 26, 1997. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
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    "1997 NBA Draft". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
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    El-Bashir, Tarik (May 19, 1997). "Spurs Win the Tim Duncan Sweepstakes". The New York Times. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
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    "Spurs Win Big with Top Pick". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. May 19, 1997. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  9. [9]
    Broussard, Chris (June 18, 1999). "N.B.A. FINALS; For Spurs' Jackson, Depth Is the Key". The New York Times. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
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    "NBA Games Played on February 5, 1998". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
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    "Spurs Satisfied, But Have Work to Do". Deseret News. Associated Press. May 14, 1998. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
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    "1997–98 San Antonio Spurs Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  14. [14]
    "Teams Defense". NBA.com. Retrieved April 16, 2021.
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    "Duncan Wins Rookie of Year Award". The Washington Post. Associated Press. April 27, 1998. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
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    "Jordan Finishes Off the Nets; Rockets Put Jazz on the Ropes". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. April 30, 1998. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
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    "Spurs' Johnson Soars In Game of 'Small Ball'". Deseret News. Associated Press. April 30, 1998. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
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    "1998 NBA Western Conference First Round: Spurs vs. Suns". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
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    "THE N.B.A. PLAYOFFS; The Finals In the West: It's Jazz Vs. Lakers". The New York Times. Associated Press. May 13, 1998. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
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    1996-97 Standings Archived 2015-11-25 at the Wayback Machine, nba.com/history, accessed 19 April 2007.
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    Kernan, Kevin (2000). Slam Duncan. Sports Pub. pp. 47. ISBN 978-1-58261-179-2.
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    Kernan, Kevin (2000). Slam Duncan. Sports Pub. pp. 13. ISBN 978-1-58261-179-2.
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    Kernan, Kevin (2000). Slam Duncan. Sports Pub. pp. 44. ISBN 978-1-58261-179-2.
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