1997–98 Boston Celtics season

The 1997–98 NBA season was the 52nd season for the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association.[1] In the 1997 NBA draft, the Celtics selected Chauncey Billups from the University of Colorado with the third overall pick, and selected Ron Mercer from the University of Kentucky with the sixth pick.[2] Billups only spent half of his rookie season in Boston, and was traded along with Dee Brown to the Toronto Raptors for Kenny Anderson at midseason.[3] In the off-season, the team acquired second-year forward Walter McCarty from the New York Knicks,[4] and signed free agents Travis Knight, Andrew DeClercq and Bruce Bowen.

1997–98 Boston Celtics season
Head coachRick Pitino
General managerChris Wallace
Owner(s)Paul Gaston
ArenaFleet Center
Results
Record36–46 (.439)
PlaceDivision: 6th (Atlantic)
Conference: 12th (Eastern)
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionWSBK-TV
SportsChannel/Fox Sports New England
RadioWEEI

Despite finishing with the NBA's second worst record in 1996–97, the Celtics were back in the headlines after hiring University of Kentucky head coach Rick Pitino as their new coach.[5] Pitino's Celtics career had an auspicious beginning on opening night when the Celtics upset Michael Jordan, and the 5-time defending NBA Champion Chicago Bulls, 92–85 at the FleetCenter on October 31.[6] After a 1–5 start to the season, the Celtics held a 16–14 record as of January 3, but then lost eight of their next nine games, and later posted a six-game losing streak in March. Although the Celtics did not make the playoffs, they improved their win total by 21 games from the previous season, finishing sixth in the Atlantic Division with a 36–46 record.[7]

Second-year star Antoine Walker averaged 22.4 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game, and was selected for the 1998 NBA All-Star Game,[8] while Mercer averaged 15.3 points and 1.6 steals per game, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. In addition, McCarty provided the team with 9.6 points and 1.3 steals per game, and Dana Barros contributed 9.8 points and 3.6 assists per game off the bench.[9] Following the season, Knight was traded back to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Draft picks
Main article: 1997 NBA Draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
1 3 Chauncey Billups PG  United States Colorado
1 6 Ron Mercer SF/SG  United States Kentucky
2 56 Ben Pepper C  Australia Newcastle Falcons

Roster
1997–98 Boston Celtics roster
Players Coaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOB (YYYY-MM-DD)From
G 7 Anderson, Kenny 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 168 lb (76 kg) 1970–10–09 Georgia Tech
G 11 Barros, Dana 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 163 lb (74 kg) 1967–04–13 Boston College
F 12 Bowen, Bruce  6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1971–06–14 Cal State Fullerton
C 45 DeClercq, Andrew 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1973–02–01 Florida
G 20 Edney, Tyus 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 152 lb (69 kg) 1973–02–14 UCLA
F 29 Ellison, Pervis  (C) 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1967–04–03 Louisville
F 34 Hanson, Reggie 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1968–10–06 Kentucky
F 13 Jones, Dontae' 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1975–06–02 Mississippi State
F 4 Jones, Popeye  (IN) 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 250 lb (113 kg) 1970–06–17 Murray State
C 40 Knight, Travis 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1974–09–13 Connecticut
F 0 McCarty, Walter 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1974–02–01 Kentucky
G 5 Mercer, Ron 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1976–05–18 Kentucky
G 9 Minor, Greg 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1971–09–18 Louisville
C 55 Tabak, Žan 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 245 lb (111 kg) 1970–06–15 Croatia
F 8 Walker, Antoine (C) 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 224 lb (102 kg) 1976–08–12 Kentucky
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • (IN) Inactive
  • Injured

Roster
Last transaction: April 14, 1998

Roster Notes
  • Power forward Popeye Jones was acquired from the Toronto Raptors at midseason, but did not play for the Celtics this season due to a torn ACL.

Regular season

Season standings
Atlantic Division W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Miami Heat 5527.671–30-1125–1618–6
x-New York Knicks 4339.5241228–1315–2613–11
x-New Jersey Nets 4339.5241226–1517–2412–12
Washington Wizards 4240.5121324–1718–2312–13
Orlando Magic 4141.5001424–1717–2411–13
Boston Celtics 3646.4391924–1712–2912–12
Philadelphia 76ers 3151.3782419–2212–297–17
# Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 c-Chicago Bulls6220.756–
2 y-Miami Heat5527.6717
3 x-Indiana Pacers5824.7074
4 x-Charlotte Hornets5131.62211
5 x-Atlanta Hawks5032.61012
6 x-Cleveland Cavaliers4735.57315
7 x-New York Knicks4339.52419
8 x-New Jersey Nets4339.52419
9 Washington Wizards4240.51220
10 Orlando Magic4141.50021
11 Detroit Pistons3745.45125
12 Boston Celtics3646.43926
12 Milwaukee Bucks3646.43926
14 Philadelphia 76ers3151.37831
15 Toronto Raptors1666.19546

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

Awards and records

References
  1. 1997-98 Boston Celtics
  2. "After Duncan, Utah Forward Steals Show". New York Times. June 26, 1997. Retrieved July 25, 2021.
  3. "BASKETBALL; Kenny Anderson Is Traded To Celtics in 7-Player Deal". New York Times. February 19, 1998. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
  4. "PRO BASKETBALL; Knicks Send Four Players To the Celtics for Mills". New York Times. October 23, 1997. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  5. "With Pitino In Boston, Bird Goes to Pacers". New York Times. May 9, 1997. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  6. "PRO BASKETBALL; Pitino Begins Era by Beating Bulls". New York Times. November 1, 1997. Retrieved July 26, 2017.
  7. "1997–98 Boston Celtics Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  8. "1998 NBA All-Star Game: East 135, West 114". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  9. "1997–98 Boston Celtics Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 28, 2021.

See also
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