1996–97 Los Angeles Clippers season

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1996–97 Los Angeles Clippers season
Head coachBill Fitch
OwnersDonald Sterling
ArenaLos Angeles Memorial Sports Arena
Arrowhead Pond
Results
Record36–46 (.439)
PlaceDivision: 5th (Pacific)
Conference: 8th (Western)
Playoff finishWest First Round
(Lost to Jazz 0–3)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionKCAL-TV
(Ralph Lawler, Bill Walton)
RadioKNNS
(Rory Markas)
< 1995–96 1997–98 >

The 1996–97 NBA season was the Clippers' 27th season in the National Basketball Association, 13th in Los Angeles and 3rd in which they played occasional home games in Anaheim.[1] The Clippers had the seventh pick in the 1996 NBA draft, and selected Lorenzen Wright from the University of Memphis.[2] During the off-season, the team signed free agents Darrick Martin and former All-Star center Kevin Duckworth. With the loss of Brian Williams to free agency, the Clippers were expected to sink in the bottom of the NBA again. After a 6–4 start to the season, the team lost ten of their next eleven games, as Duckworth only played just 26 games due to a sore heel injury, and Stanley Roberts only played just 18 games due to a herniated disk injury.[3] However, with the continued solid play of Loy Vaught, who once again led the team in scoring and rebounding, the Clippers managed to slip into the playoffs as the #8 seed in the Western Conference with a below .500 record of 36–46, fifth in the Pacific Division.[4]

Vaught led the team with 14.9 points and 10.0 rebounds per game, while Malik Sealy averaged 13.5 points and 1.6 steals per game, and Rodney Rogers provided the team with 13.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. In addition, Martin contributed 10.9 points and 4.1 assists per game, and Wright provided with 7.3 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. Off the bench, Roberts averaged 9.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game, while Bo Outlaw provided with 7.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game, and second-year guard Brent Barry contributed 7.5 points per game.[5] However, in the Western Conference First Round of the playoffs, the Clippers were swept by the top-seeded Utah Jazz in three straight games.[6] This would be their final playoff appearance until 2006.

Following the season, Sealy signed as a free agent with the Detroit Pistons,[7] while Roberts was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves,[8] Outlaw signed with the Orlando Magic, Terry Dehere signed with the Sacramento Kings and Duckworth retired.

Draft picks[]

Main article: 1996 NBA draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
1 7 Lorenzen Wright C/PF  United States Memphis
2 36 Doron Sheffer F  Israel UConn

Roster[]

1996–97 Los Angeles Clippers roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB (YYYY-MM-DD) From
G 31 Barry, Brent 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1971–12–31 Oregon State
G 24 Dehere, Terry 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1971–09–12 Seton Hall
C 00 Duckworth, Kevin Injured 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 300 lb (136 kg) 1964–04–01 Eastern Illinois
C 50 Manning, Rich 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 260 lb (118 kg) 1970–06–23 Washington
G 15 Martin, Darrick 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1971–03–06 UCLA
F 7 Murray, Lamond 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 236 lb (107 kg) 1973–04–20 California
F 45 Outlaw, Bo 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1971–04–13 Houston
G/F 52 Piatkowski, Eric 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1970–09–30 Nebraska
G 2 Richardson, Pooh (C) 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1966–05–14 UCLA
C 53 Roberts, Stanley Injured 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 285 lb (129 kg) 1970–02–07 LSU
F 54 Rogers, Rodney 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 260 lb (118 kg) 1971–06–20 Wake Forest
C 33 Schintzius, Dwayne Injured 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) 260 lb (118 kg) 1968–10–14 Florida
G/F 21 Sealy, Malik 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1970–02–01 St. John's
F 35 Vaught, Loy 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1968–02–27 Michigan
F/C 55 Wright, Lorenzen 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1975–11–04 Memphis
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Roster
Last transaction: 2009-10-04

Roster Notes[]

A number of players from the 1996–97 roster have either died prematurely, or ended up in unfortunate circumstances; these players are:

[9]

Interestingly enough, one player, Brent Barry, would enjoy a long and productive career in the NBA, winning two titles (2005 and 2007) with the San Antonio Spurs, as well as being a consistent starter for the Seattle SuperSonics in the 2000s, but was divorced from his wife Erin in 2011, allegedly due to an extra-martial affair with his Spurs teammate Tony Parker.

Regular season[]

Season standings[]

Pacific Division
W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Seattle SuperSonics 57 25 .695 – 31–10 26–15 16–8
x-Los Angeles Lakers 56 26 .683 1 31–10 25–16 18–6
x-Portland Trail Blazers 49 33 .598 8 29–12 20–21 15–9
x-Phoenix Suns 40 42 .488 17 25–16 15–26 13–11
x-Los Angeles Clippers 36 46 .439 21 21–20 15–26 10–14
Sacramento Kings 34 48 .415 23 22–19 12–29 8–16
Golden State Warriors 30 52 .366 27 18–23 12–29 4–20
1996–97 NBA West standings
# Western Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 c-Utah Jazz 64 18 .780 –
2 y-Seattle SuperSonics 57 25 .695 7
3 x-Houston Rockets 57 25 .695 7
4 x-Los Angeles Lakers 56 26 .683 8
5 x-Portland Trail Blazers 49 33 .598 15
6 x-Minnesota Timberwolves 40 42 .488 24
7 x-Phoenix Suns 40 42 .488 24
8 x-Los Angeles Clippers 36 46 .439 28
9 Sacramento Kings 34 48 .415 30
10 Golden State Warriors 30 52 .366 34
11 Dallas Mavericks 24 58 .293 40
12 Denver Nuggets 21 61 .256 43
13 San Antonio Spurs 20 62 .244 44
14 Vancouver Grizzlies 14 68 .171 50
z – clinched division title
y – clinched division title
x – clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents[]

1996-97 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 – 3–1 1–3 1–3 3–1 2–0 1–1 1–3 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 1–2 4–0 2–0 3–1 1–3 3–1 4–0 1–1 2–0 2–0 2–0 1–1 4–0 1–1 2–0 2–1
Boston 1–3 – 0–4 0–4 1–2 1–1 1–1 0–4 1–1 0–2 1–2 0–2 1–1 0–4 1–3 0–2 0–4 0–4 0–4 1–3 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 3–1 0–2 0–2 0–4
Charlotte 3–1 4–0 – 0–4 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–2 2–0 2–0 2–2 1–1 1–1 1–2 2–2 2–0 4–0 3–1 1–2 4–0 1–1 0–2 2–0 2–0 2–0 2–2 0–2 2–0 3–1
Chicago 3–1 4–0 4–0 – 3–1 2–0 2–0 3–1 2–0 1–1 4–0 2–0 1–1 2–2 4–0 2–0 3–1 2–2 3–0 4–0 2–0 2–0 2–0 2–0 2–0 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–1
Cleveland 1–3 2–1 1–3 1–3 – 2–0 1–1 2–2 1–1 0–2 3–1 2–0 1–1 0–4 2–2 2–0 4–0 1–3 2–2 3–0 1–1 1–1 2–0 0–2 0–2 3–1 1–1 2–0 1–3
Dallas 0–2 1–1 1–1 0–2 0–2 – 3–1 0–2 0–4 0–4 1–1 2–2 0–4 0–2 0–2 1–3 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–3 1–3 2–2 1–3 1–3 0–2 1–3 3–1 0–2
Denver 1–1 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 1–3 – 0–2 1–3 1–3 0–2 1–3 0–4 0–2 1–1 0–4 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 2–2 0–4 2–2 2–2 0–4 1–1 0–4 3–1 1–1
Detroit 3–1 4–0 2–2 1–3 2–2 2–0 2–0 – 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 0–4 3–1 2–0 4–0 1–2 2–2 2–1 0–2 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 3–1 1–1 2–0 4–0
Golden State 0–2 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 4–0 3–1 0–2 – 0–4 1–1 1–3 0–4 0–2 1–1 1–3 2–0 0–2 1–1 2–0 0–4 2–2 1–3 4–0 0–4 2–0 0–4 3–1 0–2
Houston 1–1 2–0 0–2 1–1 2–0 4–0 3–1 1–1 4–0 – 1–1 3–1 3–1 0–2 1–1 4–0 2–0 1–1 0–2 2–0 2–2 2–2 4–0 3–1 3–1 1–1 2–2 3–1 2–0
Indiana 1–3 2–1 2–2 0–4 1–3 1–1 2–0 1–3 1–1 1–1 – 2–0 1–1 1–3 2–2 2–0 2–2 1–3 1–3 3–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 4–0 0–2 2–0 1–3
L.A. Clippers 0–2 2–0 1–1 0–2 0–2 2–2 3–1 0–2 3–1 1–3 0–2 – 2–2 0–2 2–0 1–3 1–1 0–2 1–1 1–1 2–2 0–4 2–2 4–0 1–3 2–0 1–3 4–0 0–2
L.A. Lakers 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 4–0 4–0 1–1 4–0 1–3 1–1 2–2 – 1–1 2–0 3–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 2–0 4–0 1–3 4–0 2–2 3–1 1–1 1–3 4–0 2–0
Miami 2–1 4–0 2–1 2–2 4–0 2–0 2–0 4–0 2–0 2–0 3–1 2–0 1–1 – 4–0 1–1 3–1 1–3 2–2 3–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 2–0 0–2 3–1 0–2 2–0 3–1
Milwaukee 0–4 3–1 2–2 0–4 2–2 2–0 1–1 1–3 1–1 1–1 2–2 0–2 0–2 0–4 – 0–2 2–1 1–2 2–2 3–1 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 1–1 3–1 1–1 2–0 1–3
Minnesota 0–2 2–0 0–2 0–2 0–2 3–1 4–0 0–2 3–1 0–4 0–2 3–1 1–3 1–1 2–0 – 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 3–1 2–2 0–4 4–0 0–4 1–1 1–3 4–0 1–1
New Jersey 1–3 4–0 0–4 1–3 0–4 1–1 1–1 0–4 0–2 0–2 2–2 1–1 0–2 1–3 1–2 0–2 – 2–2 1–3 2–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 2–0 1–1 0–3 0–2 2–0 1–3
New York 3–1 4–0 1–3 2–2 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–1 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–1 1–1 2–2 – 3–1 3–2 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 0–2 3–0 1–1 2–0 4–0
Orlando 1–3 4–0 2–1 0–3 2–2 1–1 2–0 2–2 1–1 2–0 3–1 1–1 1–1 2–2 2–2 1–1 3–1 1–3 – 2–2 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 4–0 0–2 1–1 1–3
Philadelphia 0–4 3–1 0–4 0–4 0–3 0–2 1–1 1–2 0–2 0–2 0–3 1–1 0–2 1–3 1–3 1–1 2–2 2–3 2–2 – 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 1–3 0–2 2–0 1–3
Phoenix 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 3–1 2–2 2–0 4–0 2–2 1–1 2–2 0–4 0–2 1–1 1–3 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 – 1–3 4–0 3–1 2–2 0–2 1–3 2–2 1–1
Portland 0–2 1–1 2–0 0–2 1–1 3–1 4–0 1–1 2–2 2–2 1–1 4–0 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–2 2–0 1–1 0–2 1–1 3–1 – 2–2 4–0 1–3 0–2 2–2 4–0 0–2
Sacramento 0–2 2–0 0–2 0–2 0–2 2–2 2–2 1–1 3–1 0–4 1–1 2–2 0–4 0–2 2–0 4–0 1–1 0–2 1–1 2–0 0–4 2–2 – 3–1 1–3 1–1 0–4 4–0 0–2
San Antonio 0–2 1–1 0–2 0–2 2–0 3–1 2–2 0–2 0–4 1–3 1–1 0–4 2–2 0–2 1–1 0–4 0–2 0–2 1–1 1–1 1–3 0–4 1–3 – 0–4 1–1 1–3 1–3 0–2
Seattle 1–1 2–0 0–2 0–2 2–0 3–1 4–0 1–1 4–0 1–3 1–1 3–1 1–3 2–0 1–1 4–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 2–2 3–1 3–1 4–0 – 2–0 1–3 4–0 2–0
Toronto 0–4 1–3 2–2 1–3 1–3 2–0 1–1 1–3 0–2 1–1 0–4 0–2 1–1 1–3 1–3 1–1 3–0 0–3 0–4 3–1 2–0 2–0 1–1 1–1 0–2 – 1–1 1–1 2–2
Utah 1–1 2–0 2–0 1–1 1–1 3–1 4–0 1–1 4–0 2–2 2–0 3–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 2–0 3–1 2–2 4–0 3–1 3–1 1–1 – 4–0 2–0
Vancouver 0–2 2–0 0–2 0–2 0–2 1–3 1–3 0–2 1–3 1–3 0–2 0–4 0–4 0–2 0–2 0–4 0–2 0–2 1–1 0–2 2–2 0–4 0–4 3–1 0–4 1–1 0–4 – 1–1
Washington 1–2 4–0 1–3 1–2 3–1 2–0 1–1 0–4 2–0 0–2 3–1 2–0 0–2 1–3 3–1 1–1 3–1 0–4 3–1 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 2–0 0–2 2–2 0–2 1–1 —

Game log[]

Playoffs[]

1997 playoff game log
First round: 0–3 (Home: 0–1; Road: 0–2)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 April 24 @ Utah L 86–106 Loy Vaught (20) Loy Vaught (11) three players tied (3) Delta Center
19,911 		0–1
2 April 26 @ Utah L 99–105 Lorenzen Wright (17) Loy Vaught (9) Darrick Martin (6) Delta Center
19,911 		0–2
3 April 28 Utah L 92–104 Loy Vaught (20) Vaught, Wright (9) Darrick Martin (5) Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena
11,747 		0–3
1997 schedule

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[]

Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Brent Barry 59 0 18.5 .409 .324 .817 1.9 2.6 .9 .3 7.5
Terry Dehere 73 3 14.4 .386 .325 .824 1.3 2.2 .4 .0 6.4
Kevin Duckworth 26 22 14.8 .437 .750 .688 2.3 .6 .3 .4 4.0
Rich Manning 10 1 7.3 .412 .000 .500 1.6 .1 .1 .1 3.1
Darrick Martin 82 64 22.2 .407 .389 .872 1.4 4.1 .7 .0 10.9
Lamond Murray 74 1 17.5 .416 .341 .739 3.1 .8 .7 .4 7.4
Bo Outlaw 82 25 26.8 .609 .000 .504 5.5 1.9 1.1 1.7 7.6
Eric Piatkowski 65 0 11.5 .450 .425 .821 1.6 .8 .5 .2 6.0
Pooh Richardson 59 18 18.1 .381 .328 .605 1.7 2.9 .9 .1 5.6
Stanley Roberts 18 2 21.0 .426 . .703 5.1 .5 .4 1.3 9.5
Rodney Rogers 81 62 30.6 .462 .361 .663 5.1 2.7 1.1 .8 13.2
Dwayne Schintzius 15 0 7.7 .361 .500 .875 1.5 .3 .1 .6 2.3
Malik Sealy 80 79 30.7 .396 .356 .876 3.0 2.1 1.6 .6 13.5
Loy Vaught 82 82 34.6 .500 .167 .702 10.0 1.3 1.0 .3 14.9
Lorenzen Wright 77 51 25.1 .481 .250 .587 6.1 .6 .6 .8 7.3

Playoffs[]

Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Brent Barry 3 0 28.0 .407 .455 .889 2.3 3.3 1.3 .0 11.7
Terry Dehere 2 0 2.5 .000 .000 . .5 .0 .0 .0 .0
Rich Manning 3 0 7.0 .222 . .833 1.3 .3 .0 .3 3.0
Darrick Martin 3 3 25.7 .440 .556 .667 .7 4.3 .0 .0 11.0
Lamond Murray 3 0 21.7 .300 .250 1.000 3.7 1.0 .7 1.0 7.0
Bo Outlaw 3 0 22.0 .545 .000 .300 4.7 1.3 .3 .7 5.0
Eric Piatkowski 3 0 12.7 .364 .400 .857 .7 .0 .3 .0 5.3
Pooh Richardson 2 0 9.0 .500 .000 .000 .0 1.5 .5 .0 2.0
Rodney Rogers 3 3 28.3 .414 .200 .750 2.3 2.0 1.3 1.0 10.7
Malik Sealy 3 3 26.3 .480 .200 .733 1.0 1.7 .0 .0 12.0
Loy Vaught 3 3 30.0 .613 .333 .667 9.0 .7 1.0 .7 15.0
Lorenzen Wright 3 3 30.7 .406 . 1.000 7.3 .7 1.0 .7 10.3

Awards and records[]

Transactions[]

The Clippers have been involved in the following transactions during the 1996-97 season.

Trades[]

No trades occurred for this team this season.

Free agents[]

Player Transactions Citation:[10]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ 1996-97 Los Angeles Clippers
  2. ^ "For 76ers, Iverson Is No. 1 Choice". Washington Post. June 27, 1996. Retrieved July 25, 2021.
  3. ^ "Wright Script, Wrong Result for Clippers". Los Angeles Times. December 28, 1996. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  4. ^ "1996–97 Los Angeles Clippers Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  5. ^ "1996–97 Los Angeles Clippers Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  6. ^ "It's Over, but at Least There Is Hope Now". Los Angeles Times. April 29, 1997. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
  7. ^ "Pistons Sign Sealy". New York Times. August 26, 1997. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
  8. ^ "Draft Over, But Not Finished". Los Angeles Times. June 26, 1997. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
  9. ^ "1996–97 Los Angeles Clippers Tragic Team". MaceoBarry90. February 2014. Retrieved June 24, 2021.
  10. ^ "1996–97 Los Angeles Clippers Transactions". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
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