NBA team season
The 1997–98 NBA season was the Pistons' 50th season in the National Basketball Association , and 41st season in the city of Detroit .[1] During the off-season, the Pistons signed free agents Brian Williams and Malik Sealy .[2] After winning their first two games, the Pistons lost five straight and struggled with a 6–11 start as Joe Dumars missed ten games due to a shoulder injury during the first month of the season.[3] In late December, the team traded Theo Ratliff and Aaron McKie to the Philadelphia 76ers for Jerry Stackhouse and Eric Montross .[4] Stackhouse played a sixth man role averaging 15.7 points per game off the bench. At midseason, head coach Doug Collins was fired after a 21–24 start, and was replaced with assistant Alvin Gentry . Collins would later on get a job as color analyst for the NBA on NBC .[5]
Despite another stellar season from Grant Hill , the Pistons went on a 7-game losing streak between March and April, missing the playoffs finishing sixth in the Central Division with a disappointing 37–45 record.[6] Hill averaged 21.1 points, 7.7 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.8 steals per game, and was named to the All-NBA Second Team, and selected for the 1998 NBA All-Star Game .[7] Williams had a stellar season averaging 16.2 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, while Dumars provided the team with 13.1 points per game, and Lindsey Hunter contributed 12.1 points and 1.7 steals per game.[8] Following the season, Sealy signed as a free agent with the Minnesota Timberwolves , Grant Long re-signed with his former team, the Atlanta Hawks , and Rick Mahorn re-signed with the Philadelphia 76ers .[9]
Draft picks [ ]
Main article: 1997 NBA Draft
Roster [ ]
1997–98 Detroit Pistons roster
Players
Coaches
Pos.
No.
Name
Height
Weight
DOB (YYYY-MM-DD)
From
SG
4
Dumars, Joe (C)
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
190 lb (86 kg)
1963–05–24
McNeese State
PG
12
Henson, Steve
5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
177 lb (80 kg)
1968–02–02
Kansas State
SF
33
Hill, Grant (C)
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
225 lb (102 kg)
1972–10–05
Duke
PG
1
Hunter, Lindsey
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
170 lb (77 kg)
1970–12–03
Jackson State
PF
43
Long, Grant
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
225 lb (102 kg)
1966–03–12
Eastern Michigan
C
44
Mahorn, Rick
6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
240 lb (109 kg)
1958–09–21
Hampton
C
00
Montross, Eric
7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)
270 lb (122 kg)
1971–09–23
North Carolina
SG
5
O'Bannon, Charles
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
209 lb (95 kg)
1975–02–22
UCLA
C
31
Pollard, Scot
6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
265 lb (120 kg)
1975–02–12
Kansas
PF
52
Reid, Don
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
250 lb (113 kg)
1973–12–30
Georgetown
SF
14
Sealy, Malik
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
190 lb (86 kg)
1970–02–01
St. John's
SG
42
Stackhouse, Jerry
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
218 lb (99 kg)
1974–11–05
North Carolina
C
8
Williams, Brian
6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
260 lb (118 kg)
1969–04–06
Arizona
PF
13
Williams, Jerome
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
206 lb (93 kg)
1973–05–10
Georgetown
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
(C) Team captain(DP) Unsigned draft pick(FA) Free agent(S) Suspended Injured
Roster Last transaction: February 9, 1998
Regular season [ ]
Season standings [ ]
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 [ ]
This section is empty. You can help by . (January 2011 )
Player statistics [ ]
Player
GP
GS
MPG
FG%
3FG%
FT%
RPG
APG
SPG
BPG
PPG
Joe Dumars
72
72
32.3
.416
.371
.825
1.4
3.5
0.6
0.0
13.1
Steve Henson
23
0
2.8
.500
.375
1.000
0.1
0.2
0.0
0.0
1.6
Grant Hill
81
81
40.7
.452
.143
.740
7.7
6.8
1.8
0.7
21.1
Lindsey Hunter
71
67
35.3
.383
.321
.740
3.5
3.2
1.7
0.1
12.1
Grant Long
40
17
18.5
.427
.000
.719
3.8
0.6
0.7
0.3
3.5
Rick Mahorn
59
0
12.0
.457
—
.676
3.3
0.3
0.2
0.1
2.4
Aaron McKie
24
1
19.7
.413
.176
.870
2.8
1.6
1.0
0.0
4.5
Eric Montross
28
10
12.6
.456
—
.429
3.8
0.1
0.2
0.5
2.5
Charles O'Bannon
30
0
7.8
.377
.000
.800
1.1
0.6
0.3
0.0
2.1
Scot Pollard
33
0
9.6
.500
—
.826
2.2
0.3
0.2
0.3
2.7
Theo Ratliff
24
12
24.4
.514
—
.683
5.0
0.6
0.5
2.3
6.5
Don Reid
68
44
14.6
.534
—
.704
2.6
0.4
0.4
0.8
3.5
Malik Sealy
77
10
21.3
.428
.220
.824
2.8
1.3
0.8
0.3
7.7
Jerry Stackhouse
57
15
31.5
.428
.208
.782
3.3
3.1
1.0
0.7
15.7
Brian Williams
78
78
33.6
.511
.333
.707
8.9
1.2
0.9
0.7
16.2
Jerome Williams
77
3
16.9
.524
.000
.651
4.9
0.6
0.7
0.1
5.3
Player Statistics Citation:[8]
Awards and records [ ]
Grant Hill , All-NBA Second Team
Transactions [ ]
References [ ]
^ 1997-98 Detroit Pistons
^ "BRIAN WILLIAMS SIGNS WITH PISTONS" . Chicago Tribune . August 17, 1997. Retrieved July 26, 2021 .
^ "N.B.A: YESTERDAY; Magic Takes Charge Early And Cruises Past the 76ers" . New York Times . November 23, 1997. Retrieved July 17, 2017 .
^ "PRO BASKETBALL; 76ers Send Stackhouse And Montross to Pistons" . New York Times . December 19, 1997. Retrieved June 20, 2021 .
^ "COLLINS TO JOIN COSTAS, THOMAS ON NBC TEAM" . Chicago Tribune . March 18, 1998. Retrieved July 4, 2021 .
^ "1997–98 Detroit Pistons Schedule and Results" . Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 22, 2021 .
^ "1998 NBA All-Star Game: East 135, West 114" . Basketball-Reference . Retrieved November 27, 2021 .
^ a b "1997–98 Detroit Pistons Roster and Stats" . Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 22, 2021 .
^ "Sixers Sign Rick Mahorn" . CBS News . February 24, 1999. Retrieved October 14, 2021 .
See also [ ]
Franchise Arenas Personnel G League affiliate Retired numbers NBA Championships Rivalries Culture and lore
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