(Redirected from 1997-98 Atlanta Hawks season )
NBA professional basketball team season
NBA professional basketball team season
The 1997–98 NBA season was the Hawks' 49th season in the National Basketball Association , and 30th season in Atlanta . Due to the demolition of the Omni Coliseum during the off-season, the Hawks played their home games between the Georgia Dome , home of the NFL's Atlanta Falcons , and the Alexander Memorial Coliseum , home of the NCAA's Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets basketball team. The Alexander Memorial Coliseum (known as "Alexander Memorial Coliseum at McDonald's Center" at the time) was also the Hawks' original home from 1968 to 1972. In the off-season, the team signed free agent Chucky Brown , and re-signed Greg Anderson , who previously played for the Hawks during the 1994–95 season.
The Hawks got off to a fast start winning their first eleven games of the season. However, after a 19–5 start, they would struggle losing seven straight games between December and January, but then won six straight afterwards and held a 29–20 record at the All-Star break. The Hawks won eight of their final eleven games, finishing in fourth place in the Central Division with a solid 50–32 record.
Dikembe Mutombo averaged 13.4 points, 11.4 rebounds and 3.4 blocks per game, and was named Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive year, and was also named to the All-NBA Third Team, and NBA All-Defensive First Team, while Steve Smith led the Hawks in scoring averaging 20.1 points per game for the second straight season. Mutombo and Smith were both selected for the 1998 NBA All-Star Game in New York City, New York .
In addition, Alan Henderson averaged 14.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, after replacing Christian Laettner as the team's starting power forward at mid-season, and was named Most Improved Player of the Year, while Laettner provided the team with 13.8 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, and Mookie Blaylock contributed 13.2 points, 6.7 assists, led the league with 2.6 steals per game, and was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team. Tyrone Corbin provided with 10.2 points and 1.3 steals per game, and Eldridge Recasner contributed 9.3 points per game off the bench. Blaylock also finished tied in fifth place in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
However, in the playoffs , the Hawks lost in four games to the Charlotte Hornets in the Eastern Conference First Round, despite a 32-point margin in a Game 3 home win over the Hornets, 96–64.
The Hawks finished 24th in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 610,615 at the Georgia Dome, and the Alexander Memorial Coliseum during the regular season. Following the season, Laettner was traded to the Detroit Pistons , while Recasner and Brown both signed as free agents with the Charlotte Hornets , and Anderson was released to free agency.
On March 27, 1998, the Hawks set a single-game regular season attendance record of 62,046 fans at the Georgia Dome in a game against Michael Jordan , and the 2-time defending champion Chicago Bulls , who defeated the Hawks, 89–74. The Bulls would go on to defeat the Utah Jazz in six games in the NBA Finals for their third consecutive championship, and sixth overall in eight years.
Offseason
Draft picks
Main article: 1997 NBA draft
Round
Pick
Player
Position
Nationality
College
1
22
Ed Gray
SG
United States
California
2
49
Alain Digbeu
SG/SF
France
2
50
Chris Crawford
PF/SF
United States
Marquette
Roster
1997–98 Atlanta Hawks roster
Players
Coaches
Pos.
No.
Name
Height
Weight
DOB
From
C
0
Anderson, Greg
6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
230 lb (104 kg)
1964–06–22
Houston
G
11
Barry, Drew
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
191 lb (87 kg)
1973–02–17
Georgia Tech
G
10
Blaylock, Mookie
6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
180 lb (82 kg)
1967–03–20
Oklahoma
F
52
Brown, Chucky
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
214 lb (97 kg)
1968–02–29
NC State
F
33
Corbin, Tyrone
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
210 lb (95 kg)
1962–12–31
DePaul
F
4
Crawford, Chris
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
235 lb (107 kg)
1975–05–13
Marquette
G
22
Gray, Ed (S)
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
210 lb (95 kg)
1975–09–27
California
F
44
Henderson, Alan
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
235 lb (107 kg)
1972–12–02
Indiana
F/C
32
Laettner, Christian
6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
235 lb (107 kg)
1969–08–17
Duke
F
2
Miller, Anthony
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
235 lb (107 kg)
1971–10–22
Michigan State
C
55
Mutombo, Dikembe
7 ft 2 in (2.18 m)
260 lb (118 kg)
1966–06–25
Georgetown
G
3
Recasner, Eldridge
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
190 lb (86 kg)
1967–12–14
Washington
G
8
Smith, Steve
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
200 lb (91 kg)
1969–03–31
Michigan State
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
(DP) Unsigned draft pick(FA) Free agent(S) Suspended Injured
Roster
Roster Notes
Rookie shooting guard Ed Gray was suspended indefinitely after playing 30 games for missing medical appointments; Gray was on the injured reserve list with a sprained right foot.
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
1997–98 game log Total: 50–32 (home: 29–12; road: 21–20)
October: 1–0 (home: 0–0; road: 1–0)
November: 13–2 (home: 9–1; road: 4–1)
December: 5–8 (home: 1–3; road: 4–5)
January: 9–8 (home: 5–3; road: 4–5)
February: 5–6 (home: 2–2; road: 3–4)
March: 9–5 (home: 6–1; road: 3–4)
April: 8–3 (home: 6–2; road: 2–1)
1997–98 schedule
Playoffs
1998 playoff game log
First round: 1–3 (home: 1–1; road: 0–2)
1998 schedule
Player statistics
Season
Playoffs
Player Statistics Citation:
Awards and records
Transactions
Trades
September 29, 1997
Free agents
September 26, 1997
October 2, 1997
October 8, 1997
October 10, 1997
October 19, 1997
November 7, 1997
November 20, 1997
December 9, 1997
Signed Randy Livingston as a free agent.
January 10, 1998
January 20, 1998
Signed Drew Barry to a 10-day contract.
February 11, 1998
Signed Drew Barry to a contract for the rest of the season.
February 13, 1998
February 15, 1998
February 17, 1998
Player Transactions Citation:
See also
References
1997–98 Atlanta Hawks
"Atlanta Barely Notes the Passing of the Omni Arena; Enters Its Final Days During NBA Playoffs" . The Spokesman-Review . Associated Press. April 27, 1997. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
Newberry, Paul (May 11, 1997). "Bulls 89, Hawks 80" . The Washington Post . Retrieved January 28, 2023.
Hill, Karen (July 22, 1997). "Demolition Experts Place Explosives Around Omni" . Associated Press. Archived from the original on May 14, 2022. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
"Crowd Has a Blast at Omni" . The Washington Post . News Services. July 26, 1997. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
Brynes, Mark (April 24, 2015). "A Look Back at the Omni Coliseum, and How It Helped Revitalize Downtown Atlanta" . Bloomberg CityLab. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
"The Omni" . Basketball Ballparks. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
"Hawks Poised for Championship Run" . The Albany Herald . Associated Press. October 28, 1997. p. 5D. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
Carree, Chuck (October 31, 1997). "Brown Not Your Typical Success Story in NBA" . Star-News . p. 6C. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
Reed, William F. (November 10, 1997). "No. 4: Atlanta Hawks" . Sports Illustrated Vault . Retrieved November 18, 2022.
"Ex NBA-er Greg Anderson Sentenced" . Associated Press. June 15, 1999. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
Wise, Mike (November 19, 1997). "N.B.A.: LAST NIGHT; Hawks Improve to 11-0" . The New York Times . Retrieved February 18, 2022.
Wise, Mike (November 20, 1997). "PRO BASKETBALL: At 11-0, No Vacancy; The Hawks Surge, Despite Few Advantages of Home" . The New York Times . Retrieved October 12, 2023.
"Washington Wizards at Atlanta Hawks Box Score, November 18, 1997" . Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 22, 2023.
"NBA Games Played on February 5, 1998" . Basketball-Reference. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
"1997–98 Atlanta Hawks Schedule and Results" . Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
"Mutombo NBA's Top Defensive Player" . The Washington Post . Associated Press. May 5, 1998. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
"N.B.A.: PLAYOFFS; Late Miss By Duncan Lifts Jazz" . The New York Times . Associated Press. May 6, 1998. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
"Mutombo Earns Defensive Honor" . Los Angeles Times . Associated Press. May 6, 1998. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
"NBA & ABA Defensive Player of the Year Award Winners" . Basketball-Reference. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
^ "1997–98 Atlanta Hawks Roster and Stats" . Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
Armour, Terry (January 26, 1998). "Jordan Top All-Star Vote-Getter; Bryant, 19, Youngest Ever Picked" . Chicago Tribune . Retrieved December 27, 2022.
Howard-Cooper, Scott (January 28, 1998). "Lakers Get Four-Star Rating as Van Exel, Jones Honored" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved April 20, 2023.
"1998 NBA All-Star Recap" . NBA.com. NBA.com Staff. September 13, 2021. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
"1997–98 All-Star Events and Contestants - in New York" . Eskimo North . Retrieved December 27, 2022.
"1998 NBA All-Star Game: East 135, West 114" . Basketball-Reference. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
Glier, Ray (April 22, 1998). "Hawks' Henderson Is a Bird in Hand" . The Washington Post . Retrieved January 28, 2023.
"Henderson Voted Most Improved" . CBS News. CBS News.com Staff. May 1, 1998. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
Povtak, Tim (May 1, 1998). "Hawks' Henderson Wins Most Improved" . Orlando Sentinel . Retrieved December 27, 2022.
"NBA & ABA Most Improved Player Award Winners" . Basketball-Reference. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
Bender, Patricia. "1997–98 Regular Season Award Winners" . Eskimo.com . Retrieved December 24, 2024.
"1997–98 NBA Awards Voting" . Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
"N.B.A.: PLAYOFFS; Mason Leads Charge as Hornets Top Hawks" . The New York Times . Associated Press. May 2, 1998. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
"Mason Has 29 Points as Hornets Advance" . The Washington Post . May 2, 1998. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
""Mase" Is the Man as Hornets Eliminate Hawks from Playoffs" . Deseret News . Associated Press. May 2, 1998. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
"1998 NBA Eastern Conference First Round: Hawks vs. Hornets" . Basketball-Reference. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
"Hot Hawks Handle Hapless Hornets" . Deseret News . Associated Press. April 29, 1998. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
"SuperSonics Facing Elimination Again" . Los Angeles Times . Associated Press. April 29, 1998. Retrieved October 5, 2022.
"Atlanta Laughs at Elimination" . Tampa Bay Times . April 29, 1998. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
"1997–98 NBA Season Summary" . Basketball-Reference. Retrieved December 12, 2024.
Pilcher, James (January 22, 1999). "Hawks Trade Laettner to Pistons" . Associated Press. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
"Injured Laettner Goes to Detroit" . CBS News. Associated Press. January 22, 1999. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
"N.B.A.: ROUNDUP -- ATLANTA; Laettner Is Signed, Then Sent to Detroit" . The New York Times . Associated Press. January 23, 1999. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
"Around the NBA" . Los Angeles Times . Staff and Wire Reports. January 23, 1999. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
"Transactions" . Reading Eagle . January 20, 1999. p. C6. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
"The 29 Teams in the 50-Game, 1999 Season, in Predicted Order of Finish" . The Albany Herald . Associated Press. February 1, 1999. p. 4B. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
Wise, Mike (February 4, 1999). "PRO BASKETBALL; A Scrum for the Title" . The New York Times . Retrieved June 28, 2022.
Myslenski, Skip (March 28, 1998). "Bulls 89, Hawks 74" . Chicago Tribune . Retrieved February 18, 2022.
"At Least Most of Them Got to See Jordan Play" . Los Angeles Times . Associated Press. March 28, 1998. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
"Jordan Shows Atlanta How It's Done" . CBS News. Associated Press. March 28, 1998. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
Pickman, Ben (March 27, 2020). "This Day in Sports History: Bulls vs. Hawks Breaks NBA Single-Game Attendance Record" . Sports Illustrated . Retrieved April 20, 2023.
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