1997–98 Portland Trail Blazers season

Off-season

The Trail Blazers had the 18th overall pick in the 1997 NBA draft, and selected Australian center Chris Anstey, but soon traded him to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for rookie center, and first-round draft pick Kelvin Cato out of Iowa State University; the team also selected shooting guard Alvin Williams out of Villanova University with the 48th overall pick.^[2][3][4] During the off-season, the Trail Blazers signed free agents Brian Grant,^[5][6][7] and Vincent Askew,^[8][9] and hired former Milwaukee Bucks General Manager, and head coach Mike Dunleavy as their new coach.^[10][11][12]

Regular season

Under Dunleavy and with the addition of Brian Grant, the Trail Blazers got off to a 13–6 start to the regular season, which included a five-game winning streak in early November. The team continued to play above .500 in winning percentage as the season progressed, later on holding a 26–20 record at the All-Star break.^[13] At mid-season, the team traded Kenny Anderson, Gary Trent and Alvin Williams to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Damon Stoudamire, Carlos Rogers and Walt Williams;^[14][15][16] however, Anderson never played for the Raptors and was soon traded to the Boston Celtics.^[17][18][19] Before the trade, Anderson averaged 12.6 points, 5.4 assists and 1.4 steals per game in 45 games; in 41 games, Trent provided with 11.5 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, and Alvin Williams contributed 6.9 points per game.^[20] The Trail Blazers later on signed free agent Gary Grant in March,^[21][22] while Askew was released to free agency after 30 games. The Trail Blazers finished in fourth place in the Pacific Division with a 46–36 record, and earned the sixth seed in the Western Conference;^[23] the team qualified for the NBA playoffs for the 16th consecutive year, and also for the 21st time in 22 years.^[1]

Isaiah Rider averaged 19.7 points per game and led the Trail Blazers with 135 three-point field goals, while Arvydas Sabonis averaged 16.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game, and Rasheed Wallace provided the team with 14.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. In addition, Stoudamire contributed 12.4 points, 8.2 assists and 1.5 steals per game in 22 games after the trade, while Brian Grant provided with 12.1 points and 9.1 rebounds per game, despite only playing 61 games due to a leg injury.^[24][25][26] Off the bench, Walt Williams contributed 8.4 points per game in 31 games, while Stacey Augmon contributed 5.7 points per game, Gary Grant averaged 4.8 points and 3.8 assists per game in 22 games, second-year forward Jermaine O'Neal averaged 4.5 points and 3.4 rebounds per game, and Cato provided with 3.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game.^[20]

During the NBA All-Star weekend at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York, and before the mid-season trade, Cato and Alvin Williams were both selected for the NBA Rookie Game, as members of the Western Conference Rookie team.^[27][28] Despite a stellar season, Rider was not selected for the 1998 NBA All-Star Game.^[29] The Trail Blazers finished third in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 846,559 at the Rose Garden Arena during the regular season.^[20][30]

NBA playoffs

In the Western Conference First Round of the 1998 NBA playoffs, and for the second consecutive year, the Trail Blazers faced off against the 3rd–seeded Los Angeles Lakers, who were led by the All-Star quartet of Shaquille O'Neal, Eddie Jones, second-year star Kobe Bryant, and Nick Van Exel. The result was identical to that of the previous year's playoffs; the Trail Blazers lost the first two games to the Lakers on the road at the Great Western Forum, before winning Game 3 at home, 99–94 at the Rose Garden Arena,^[31] and then losing Game 4 to the Lakers at home, 110–99, thus losing the series in four games. It was also the sixth consecutive year that the Trail Blazers lost in the opening round of the NBA playoffs.^[32][33][34]

Notable highlights

One notable game of the regular season occurred on November 14, 1997, in which the Trail Blazers lost to the Phoenix Suns at home in quadruple-overtime, 140–139 at the Rose Garden Arena. Three players posted double-doubles; Rider finished with 35 points and 11 rebounds, while Grant contributed 34 points and 17 rebounds, and Sabonis added 31 points and 10 rebounds.^[35][36][37]

The Trail Blazers also set an ignominious record during a road game against the Indiana Pacers at the Market Square Arena on February 27, 1998, which ended with an embarrassing loss by a score of 124–59; it was the first and only time in NBA history in which a team has had their score doubled.^[38][39][40]

Roster notes

• Small forward Vincent Askew was waived on March 24, 1998.
• Small forward Dontonio Wingfield was waived on March 5, 1998.

Season standings

z - clinched division title

y - clinched division title

x - clinched playoff spot

Game log

Regular season

Playoffs

Player statistics citation:^[20]