1997–98 Cleveland Cavaliers season

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1997–98 Cleveland Cavaliers season
Head coachMike Fratello
General managerWayne Embry
Owners
ArenaGund Arena
Results
Record47–35 (.573)
PlaceDivision: 5th (Central)
Conference: 6th (Eastern)
Playoff finishFirst round
(Lost to Pacers 1–3)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television
  • SportsChannel/Fox Sports Ohio
  • WUAB
RadioWTAM
< 1996–97 1998–99 >

The 1997–98 NBA season was the 28th season of the National Basketball Association in Cleveland, Ohio.[1] In the off-season, the Cavaliers acquired All-Star forward Shawn Kemp from the Seattle SuperSonics in a three-team trade,[2] and acquired Wesley Person from the Phoenix Suns in another three-team trade.[3] After a 4–6 start to the season, the Cavs posted a ten-game winning streak between November and December,[4] and played above .500 for the remainder of the season finishing 5th in the Central Division with a 47–35 record, qualifying for the playoffs after a one-year absence.[5] Kemp led the team with 18.0 points and 9.3 rebounds per game, and was selected for the 1998 NBA All-Star Game, which would be his sixth and final All-Star appearance.[6] Person averaged 14.7 points per game and led the league with 192 three-point field goals.[7] The Cavaliers had the best team defensive rating in the NBA.[8]

Last year's first round draft pick Zydrunas Ilgauskas from Lithuania, who missed the previous season with a foot injury, averaged 13.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game, while first round draft pick Brevin Knight averaged 9.0 points, 8.2 assists, and led the league with 196 total steals averaging 2.5 per game. Top draft pick Derek Anderson provided the team with 11.7 points per game, and second round draft pick Cedric Henderson contributed 10.1 points per game.[7] Both Ilgauskas and Knight were selected to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, while Anderson and Henderson both made the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. However, the Cavaliers would lose in four games in the Eastern Conference First Round of the playoffs to the Indiana Pacers,[9] and they would not make it back to the postseason until 2006.

Offseason[]

Free Agents[]

Trades[]

Draft picks[]

Main article: 1997 NBA Draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality School/Club Team
1 13 Derek Anderson SG  United States Kentucky
1 16* Brevin Knight PG  United States Stanford
2 45 Cedric Henderson SF  United States Memphis

*1st round pick acquired from Phoenix in three-way Antonio McDyess deal.[10]

Roster[]

1997–98 Cleveland Cavaliers roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB (YYYY-MM-DD) From
SF 23 Anderson, Derek 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1974–07–18 Kentucky
PG 2 Brooks, Scott 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 165 lb (75 kg) 1965–07–31 UC Irvine
SG 6 Butler, Mitchell Injured 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1970–12–15 UCLA
SG 27 Dumas, Tony 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1972–08–25 UKMC
PF 35 Ferry, Danny 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1966–10–17 Duke
SF 45 Henderson, Cedric 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1975–03–11 Memphis
C 11 Ilgauskas, Zydrunas 7 ft 3 in (2.21 m) 238 lb (108 kg) 1975–06–05 Lithuania
PF 32 James, Henry Injured 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1965–07–29 St. Mary's (TX)
PF 4 Kemp, Shawn (C) 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1969–11–26 Trinity Valley CC
PG 12 Knight, Brevin 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1975–11–08 Stanford
SG 1 Person, Wesley 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1971–03–28 Auburn
C 52 Potapenko, Vitaly 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 280 lb (127 kg) 1975–03–21 Wright State
C 44 Scott, Shawnelle 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 250 lb (113 kg) 1972–06–16 St. John's
SG 3 Sura, Bob 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1973–03–25 Florida State
SG 30 Thomas, Carl 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1969–10–03 Eastern Michigan
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Roster
Last transaction: February 22, 1998

Regular season[]

Season standings[]

Central Division
W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Chicago Bulls 62 20 .756 – 37–4 25–16 21–7
x-Indiana Pacers 58 24 .707 4 32–9 26–15 19–9
x-Charlotte Hornets 51 31 .622 11 32–9 19–22 16–12
x-Atlanta Hawks 50 32 .610 12 29–12 21–20 19–9
x-Cleveland Cavaliers 47 35 .573 15 27–14 20–21 14–14
Detroit Pistons 37 45 .451 25 25–16 12–29 12–16
Milwaukee Bucks 36 46 .439 26 21–20 15–26 9–19
Toronto Raptors 16 66 .195 46 9–32 7–34 2–26
# Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 c-Chicago Bulls 62 20 .756 –
2 y-Miami Heat 55 27 .671 7
3 x-Indiana Pacers 58 24 .707 4
4 x-Charlotte Hornets 51 31 .622 11
5 x-Atlanta Hawks 50 32 .610 12
6 x-Cleveland Cavaliers 47 35 .573 15
7 x-New York Knicks 43 39 .524 19
8 x-New Jersey Nets 43 39 .524 19
9 Washington Wizards 42 40 .512 20
10 Orlando Magic 41 41 .500 21
11 Detroit Pistons 37 45 .451 25
12 Boston Celtics 36 46 .439 26
12 Milwaukee Bucks 36 46 .439 26
14 Philadelphia 76ers 31 51 .378 31
15 Toronto Raptors 16 66 .195 46
z - clinched division title
y - clinched division title
x - clinched playoff spot

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

Game log[]

1997–98 Game Log
Total: 47–35 (Home: 27–14; Road: 20–21)
October: 0-1 (Home: 0–0; Road: 0–1)
Game Date Opponent Score Location/Attendance Record
November: 9-5 (Home: 4–3; Road: 5–2)
Game Date Opponent Score Location/Attendance Record
December: 8-5 (Home: 4–3; Road: 4–2)
Game Date Opponent Score Location/Attendance Record
January: 9-7 (Home: 5–3; Road: 4–4)
Game Date Opponent Score Location/Attendance Record
February: 4-9 (Home: 2–3; Road: 2–6)
Game Date Opponent Score Location/Attendance Record
March: 11-4 (Home: 7–1; Road: 4–3)
Game Date Opponent Score Location/Attendance Record
April: 6-4 (Home: 5–1; Road: 1–3)
Game Date Opponent Score Location/Attendance Record

Playoffs[]

1998 playoff game log
First round: 1–3 (Home: 1–1; Road: 0–2)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 April 23 @ Indiana L 77–106 Shawn Kemp (25) Shawn Kemp (13) Brevin Knight (5) Market Square Arena
16,644 		0–1
2 April 25 @ Indiana L 86–92 Shawn Kemp (27) Zydrunas Ilgauskas (10) Brevin Knight (7) Market Square Arena
16,617 		0–2
3 April 27 Indiana W 86–77 Shawn Kemp (31) Kemp, Knight (7) three players tied (5) Gund Arena
17,495 		1–2
4 April 30 Indiana L 74–80 Shawn Kemp (21) Shawn Kemp (12) Brevin Knight (6) Gund Arena
18,188 		1–3
1998 schedule

Player stats[]

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[]

Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Shawn Kemp 80 80 34.6 44.5 25.0 72.7 9.3 2.5 1.4 1.1 18.0
Wesley Person 82 82 39.0 46.0 43.0 77.6 4.4 2.3 1.6 0.6 14.7
Zydrunas Ilgauskas 82 81 29.0 51.8 25.0 76.2 8.8 0.9 0.6 1.6 13.9
Derek Anderson 66 13 27.9 40.8 20.2 87.3 2.8 3.4 1.3 0.2 11.7
Cedric Henderson 82 71 30.8 48.0 0.0 71.6 4.0 2.0 1.2 0.5 10.1
Brevin Knight 80 76 31.0 44.1 0.0 80.1 3.2 8.2 2.5 0.2 9.0
Vitaly Potapenko 80 0 17.7 48.0 0.0 70.8 3.9 0.7 0.3 0.4 7.1
Bob Sura 46 4 20.5 37.7 31.7 56.5 2.0 3.7 1.0 0.2 5.8
Danny Ferry 69 3 15.0 39.5 33.3 80.0 1.7 0.9 0.4 0.2 4.2
Henry James 28 0 5.9 40.7 44.0 95.5 0.5 0.2 0.0 0.0 2.9
Carl Thomas 29 0 9.4 38.6 39.5 61.5 1.3 0.3 0.6 0.2 2.7
Greg Graham 6 0 9.3 58.3 0.0 100.0 0.2 1.0 0.2 0.0 2.7
Mitchell Butler 18 0 11.4 31.9 16.7 60.0 1.2 1.0 0.4 0.0 2.1
Tony Dumas 7 0 6.7 50.0 50.0 0.0 0.7 0.7 0.0 0.0 2.0
Scott Brooks 43 0 7.3 42.4 45.5 90.0 0.7 1.1 0.4 0.1 1.8
Shawnelle Scott 41 0 4.6 44.4 0.0 66.7 1.4 0.2 0.1 0.2 1.1

Playoffs[]

Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Shawn Kemp 4 4 38.0 46.5 0.0 84.4 10.3 2.0 1.3 1.0 26.0
Zydrunas Ilgauskas 4 4 36.8 57.1 0.0 52.0 7.5 0.5 0.5 1.3 17.3
Derek Anderson 4 0 25.8 45.5 0.0 88.5 2.3 2.8 1.3 0.3 10.8
Wesley Person 4 4 34.0 37.9 36.8 75.0 2.3 2.5 0.8 0.0 8.0
Cedric Henderson 4 4 39.3 39.3 0.0 61.5 4.3 2.8 1.5 0.0 7.5
Brevin Knight 4 4 33.0 28.6 0.0 60.0 4.0 5.8 2.5 0.3 4.5
Vitaly Potapenko 4 0 17.5 40.0 0.0 50.0 2.8 0.8 0.5 0.0 4.3
Carl Thomas 1 0 11.0 0.0 0.0 66.7 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.0
Scott Brooks 1 0 8.0 0.0 0.0 100.0 0.0 2.0 0.0 0.0 2.0
Shawnelle Scott 1 0 3.0 50.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 2.0
Bob Sura 3 0 10.3 20.0 0.0 66.7 1.0 1.3 0.3 0.0 1.3
Danny Ferry 3 0 3.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Player Statistics Citation:[7]

Awards and records[]

Awards[]

Records[]

Milestones[]

All-Star[]

Shawn Kemp - 1998 NBA All-Star Game

Transactions[]

Trades[]

Free Agents[]

Development League[]

References[]

  1. ^ 1997-98 Cleveland Cavaliers
  2. ^ "PRO BASKETBALL; Sonics' Kemp Gets Wish And Is Traded, to Cavs". New York Times. September 26, 1997. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
  3. ^ "Nuggets Send McDyess to Phoenix". AP News. October 1, 1997. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  4. ^ "N.B.A.: LAST NIGHT; Cleveland Wins It At the Line". New York Times. December 12, 1997. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  5. ^ "1997–98 Cleveland Cavaliers Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  6. ^ "1998 NBA All-Star Game: East 135, West 114". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  7. ^ a b c "1997–98 Cleveland Cavaliers Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  8. ^ "Teams Defense". NBA.com. Retrieved April 16, 2021.
  9. ^ "N.B.A.: PLAYOFFS; Cleveland Ousted". New York Times. May 1, 1998. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
  10. ^ SUNS: Suns Rise Again in West
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