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1997–98 New York Knicks season

Season of National Basketball Association team the New York Knicks From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 1997–98 New York Knicks season was the 52nd season for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association (NBA).[1] During the off-season, the Knicks acquired Chris Mills from the Boston Celtics,[2][3][4] and acquired Chris Dudley from the Portland Trail Blazers in a three-team trade.[5][6][7] At mid-season, the team traded Herb Williams to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for former All-Star forward Terry Cummings.[8][9][10][11] However, Williams never played for the 76ers, and was re-signed by the Knicks for the remainder of the season.[12][13][14][15]

Quick Facts New York Knicks season, Head coach ...
1997–98 New York Knicks season
Head coachJeff Van Gundy
General managerErnie Grunfeld
OwnersCablevision
ArenaMadison Square Garden
Results
Record43–39 (.524)
PlaceDivision: 2nd (Atlantic)
Conference: 7th (Eastern)
Playoff finishConference semifinals
(lost to Pacers 1–4)
Stats at Basketball Reference
Local media
TelevisionMSG Network
RadioWFAN
< 1996–97 1998–99 >
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In the regular season, the Knicks held a 25–21 record at the All-Star break, and finished with a 43–39 record,[16][17] which placed them in a tie for second place in the Atlantic Division with the New Jersey Nets.[18] Despite their lowest winning percentage since the 1990–91 season,[1] the team qualified for the NBA playoffs as the #7 seed.[18] They also hosted the 1998 NBA All-Star Game at Madison Square Garden.[19] The Knicks had the fourth-best team defensive rating in the NBA.[20]

This season saw All-Star center Patrick Ewing break his wrist trying to catch an alley-oop during a road game against the Milwaukee Bucks on December 20, 1997.[21][22][23][24] The injury kept Ewing out for the remainder of the regular season, and the entire Eastern Conference first round series against the Miami Heat. However, he did return for Game 2 against the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference semi-finals.[25][26][27] Ewing averaged 20.8 points, 10.2 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game in 26 games.[28]

Without their star center for most of the season, Allan Houston finished second on the team in scoring, averaging 18.4 points per game, while Larry Johnson averaged 15.5 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.[28] In addition, John Starks provided scoring off the bench, averaging 12.9 points per game and leading the Knicks with 130 three-point field goals,[28] while Charles Oakley provided the team with 9.0 points and 9.2 rebounds per game,[28] and was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team,[18] and Mills contributed 9.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per game off the bench.[28] The team also used Charlie Ward as its starting point guard, with Chris Childs coming off the bench.[29][30][28] Ward contributed 7.8 points, 5.7 assists and 1.8 steals per game, and Childs provided the Knicks with 6.3 points and 3.9 assists per game.[28]

During the All-Star Weekend, Houston participated in the 2Ball competition, which replaced the Slam Dunk Contest this season, and Ward participated in the Three-Point Contest.[31][32][33][34] Starks also finished in fourth place in Sixth Man of the Year voting,[35][36] and head coach Jeff Van Gundy finished tied in ninth place in Coach of the Year voting.[35][36]

The 1998 NBA Playoffs matched the Knicks against the #2 seed Heat, who had eliminated the Knicks in the 1997 playoffs in a series that featured a brawl during Game 5.[37][38] The altercation led to the suspension of six players, including five Knicks.[39] In the 1998 series, after the Heat took a 2–1 series lead,[40][41][42] another brawl occurred in the closing seconds of Game 4, which the Knicks won at home, 90–85 to even the series at two games each. Johnson and Heat center Alonzo Mourning, both former teammates on the Charlotte Hornets, exchanged punches, and Van Gundy clung to one of Mourning's legs at one point in an attempt to separate the two.[43][44][45][46][47] Three players were suspended for Game 5: Johnson and Mourning were both suspended for two games, and Mills, who left the bench during the fight, was suspended for one game.[48][49] The Knicks won Game 5 at Miami, 98–81, to advance to the second round,[50][51][52][53] where they lost to the Pacers in five games.[54][55][56][57]

The Knicks finished fifth in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 810,283 at Madison Square Garden during the regular season.[18][28] Following the season, Oakley was traded to the Toronto Raptors after ten seasons in New York,[58][59][60][61] while Starks, Mills and Cummings were all traded to the Golden State Warriors,[62][63][64][65] who Starks had previously played for during the 1988–89 season.[66] Meanwhile, former All-Star forward Buck Williams retired after seventeen seasons in the NBA.[67][68][69]

For the season, the Knicks changed their home uniforms, adding blue side panels to their jerseys and shorts,[70] while their alternate uniforms they wore on the road frequently for the previous two seasons became their primary road jerseys.[71] Both uniforms remained in use until 2012, although they were slightly redesigned in 2001, where the side panels were removed from the bottom of their shorts.[72][73]

NBA draft

Main article: 1997 NBA draft
More information Round, Pick ...
Round Pick Player Position Nationality School/Club Team
1 25 John Thomas PF  United States Minnesota
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Roster

Summarize
Perspective
More information Players, Coaches ...
1997–98 New York Knicks roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
G 13 Bowie, Anthony 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1963–11–09 Oklahoma
G 1 Childs, Chris 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1970–11–20 Boise State
F 35 Cummings, Terry 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1961–03–15 DePaul
F 4 Davis, Ben Injured 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1972–12–26 Arizona
C 14 Dudley, Chris 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1965–02–22 Yale
C 33 Ewing, Patrick 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1962–08–05 Georgetown
G 20 Houston, Allan 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1971–04–20 Tennessee
F 2 Johnson, Larry 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 250 lb (113 kg) 1969–03–14 UNLV
F 42 Mills, Chris 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1970–01–25 Arizona
F 34 Oakley, Charles 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1963–12–18 Virginia Union
G 3 Starks, John 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1965–08–10 Oklahoma State
G 7 Thompson, Brooks 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 193 lb (88 kg) 1970–07–19 Oklahoma State
G 21 Ward, Charlie 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1970–10–12 Florida State
F 52 Williams, Buck 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1960–03–08 Maryland
C 32 Williams, Herb 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 242 lb (110 kg) 1958–02–16 Ohio State
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Roster

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Roster notes

Regular season

Season standings

More information W, L ...
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
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More information #, Team ...
#
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
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Record vs. opponents

More information Team, ATL ...
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—
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Playoffs

More information 1998 playoff game log, Game ...
1998 playoff game log
First Round: 3–2 (home: 1–1; road: 2–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Series
1 April 24 @ Miami L 79–94 Larry Johnson (21) Charles Oakley (12) Charles Oakley (4) Miami Arena
15,200		 0–1
2 April 26 @ Miami W 96–86 John Starks (25) Terry Cummings (14) Charlie Ward (7) Miami Arena
15,200		 1–1
3 April 28 Miami L 85–91 Allan Houston (27) Johnson, Oakley (7) four players tied (3) Madison Square Garden
19,763		 1–2
4 April 30 Miami W 90–85 Houston, Johnson (18) Larry Johnson (9) Charlie Ward (7) Madison Square Garden
19,763		 2–2
5 May 3 @ Miami W 98–81 Allan Houston (30) Buck Williams (14) Charlie Ward (14) Miami Arena
15,200		 3–2
Conference semifinals: 1–4 (home: 1–1; road: 0–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Series
1 May 5 @ Indiana L 83–93 John Starks (17) Charles Oakley (11) Charlie Ward (6) Market Square Arena
16,630		 0–1
2 May 7 @ Indiana L 77–85 John Starks (20) Charles Oakley (9) Charlie Ward (10) Market Square Arena
16,765		 0–2
3 May 9 Indiana W 83–76 Patrick Ewing (19) Chris Mills (8) Chris Childs (5) Madison Square Garden
19,763		 1–2
4 May 10 Indiana L 107–118 (OT) Houston, Starks (19) Charles Oakley (10) Chris Childs (6) Madison Square Garden
19,763		 1–3
5 May 13 @ Indiana L 88–99 Allan Houston (33) Patrick Ewing (7) Patrick Ewing (11) Market Square Arena
16,767		 1–4
1998 schedule
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Player statistics

Summarize
Perspective
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

Regular season

More information Player, GP ...
Player GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Anthony Bowie 2738.3.542.750.8891.0.4.2.12.8
Chris Childs 68023.5.421.310.8252.43.9.8.16.3
Terry Cummings† 30117.6.477.7004.5.9.5.27.8
Ben Davis 701.9.200.9.0.1.0.6
Chris Dudley 512216.8.406.4465.4.4.31.03.1
Patrick Ewing 262632.6.504.000.72010.21.1.62.220.8
Allan Houston 828234.7.447.385.8513.32.6.8.318.4
Larry Johnson 707034.5.485.238.7565.72.1.6.215.5
Chris Mills 802927.3.433.292.8045.11.7.6.49.7
Pete Myers 904.4.500.6671.1.3.4.01.6
Charles Oakley 797934.6.440.000.8519.22.51.6.39.0
John Starks 821026.7.393.327.7872.82.71.0.112.9
Brooks Thompson† 1707.1.448.286.600.61.4.4.11.9
Charlie Ward 828228.3.455.377.8053.35.71.8.57.8
Buck Williams 41618.0.503.7324.5.5.4.44.9
Herb Williams 2706.6.419.1251.1.1.2.31.4
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Playoffs

More information Player, GP ...
Player GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Anthony Bowie 703.3.500.0.1.1.0.6
Chris Childs 10025.4.414.308.7332.53.3.6.06.3
Terry Cummings 8115.0.441.2504.4.6.5.34.0
Chris Dudley 638.8.333.5003.0.0.3.21.3
Patrick Ewing 4433.0.357.5938.01.3.81.314.0
Allan Houston 101040.3.434.391.8623.82.8.5.121.1
Larry Johnson 8838.8.486.200.7406.61.61.3.417.9
Chris Mills 9218.7.429.400.8333.0.6.9.24.9
Charles Oakley 101034.2.408.9208.51.41.1.28.1
John Starks 10231.4.472.424.8754.02.31.6.116.4
Charlie Ward 101026.1.418.429.6882.86.02.0.26.6
Buck Williams 3015.0.444.7505.3.3.0.34.7
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  • † Denotes player spent time with another team in the season. Stats reflect time with the Knicks only.

Player Statistics Citation:[28]

Awards and records

Transactions

References

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