1997–98 Atlanta Hawks season

The 1997–98 Atlanta Hawks season was the 49th season for the Atlanta Hawks in the National Basketball Association, and their 30th season in Atlanta, Georgia.

Season summary

Off-season The Hawks had the 22nd overall pick in the 1997 NBA draft, and selected shooting guard Ed Gray from the University of California. During 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.

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, which was known as the Alexander Memorial Coliseum at McDonald's Center at the time, was also the Hawks' original home from 1968 to 1972, after the team relocated to Atlanta from St. Louis, Missouri.

Regular season The Hawks got off to a fast start by winning their first eleven games of the regular season. However, after a 19–5 start to the season, the team struggled posting a seven-game losing streak between December and January, but then posted a six-game winning streak afterwards, and later on held a 29–20 record at the All-Star break. In February, head coach Lenny Wilkens changed the team's starting lineup, replacing Christian Laettner at power forward with sixth man Alan Henderson for the remainder of the season. The Hawks won eight of their final eleven games of the season, and finished in fourth place in the Central Division with a solid 50–32 record, earning the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference; the team qualified for the NBA playoffs for the sixth consecutive year.

Steve Smith averaged 20.1 points and 4.0 assists per game, while Henderson averaged 14.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, and was named the NBA Most Improved Player of the Year, and Laettner provided the team with 13.8 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. In addition, Dikembe Mutombo provided with 13.4 points, 11.4 rebounds and 3.4 blocks per game, and was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive year; he was also named to the All-NBA Third Team, and to the NBA All-Defensive First Team. Meanwhile, Mookie Blaylock contributed 13.2 points, 6.7 assists and 2.6 steals per game, but struggled shooting .269 in three-point field-goal percentage, and was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team, and Tyrone Corbin averaged 10.2 points and 1.3 steals per game. Off the bench, Eldridge Recasner contributed 9.3 points per game, while Gray contributed 7.6 points per game, but only played just 30 games due to a sprained right foot injury, and was suspended indefinitely for missing medical appointments, and Brown averaged 5.0 points per game.

During the NBA All-Star weekend at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York, Mutombo and Smith were both selected for the 1998 NBA All-Star Game, as members of the Eastern Conference All-Star team; it was Smith's first and only All-Star appearance. Blaylock finished tied in fifth place in Defensive Player of the Year voting. 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.

NBA playoffs In the Eastern Conference First Round of the 1998 NBA playoffs, the Hawks faced off against the 4th–seeded Charlotte Hornets, who were led by All-Star forward Glen Rice, Anthony Mason and Vlade Divac; Rice was Smith's former teammate on the Miami Heat. The Hawks lost the first two games to the Hornets on the road at the Charlotte Coliseum, but managed to win Game 3 at home by a 32-point margin, 96–64 at the Georgia Dome. However, the Hawks lost Game 4 to the Hornets at home, 91–82, thus losing the series in four games.

Notable highlights One notable highlight of the regular season occurred on March 27, 1998, in which the Hawks set a then single-game regular season attendance record of 62,046 at the Georgia Dome in a game against All-Star guard Michael Jordan, and the 2-time defending NBA champion Chicago Bulls. However, the Hawks lost to the Bulls by a score of 89–74. The Bulls would go on to defeat the Utah Jazz in six games in the 1998 NBA Finals for their third consecutive NBA championship, and sixth overall in eight years.

Aftermath 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.

Offseason

Draft picks

Round Pick Player Position Nationality College 1 22 Ed Gray SG California 2 49 Alain Digbeu SG/SF 2 50 Chris Crawford PF/SF Marquette

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 due to a sprained right foot.

Regular season

Season standings

z – clinched division title y – clinched division title x – clinched playoff spot

Game log

|| 1 || October 31 || @ Orlando Magic || W 105–99 || Orlando Arena || 1–0

|| 2 || November 1 || Toronto Raptors || W 90–85 || Alexander Memorial Coliseum || 2–0 |- || 3 || November 4 || Detroit Pistons || W 82–71 || Georgia Dome || 3–0 |- || 4 || November 5 || @ Philadelphia 76ers || W 93–88|| CoreStates Center || 4–0 |- || 5 || November 7 || Chicago Bulls || W 80–78 || Georgia Dome || 5–0 |- || 6 || November 8 || @ Cleveland Cavaliers || W 99–97 (OT) || Gund Arena || 6–0 |- || 7 || November 11 || Seattle SuperSonics || W 89–87 || Georgia Dome || 7–0 |- || 8 || November 12 || @ Indiana Pacers || W 89–86 || Market Square Arena || 8–0 |- || 9 || November 14 || Sacramento Kings || W 104–103 || Georgia Dome || 9–0 |- || 10 || November 16 || Los Angeles Clippers || W 89–83 || Alexander Memorial Coliseum || 10–0 |- || 11 || November 18 || Washington Wizards || W 98–89 (OT) || Georgia Dome || 11–0 |- || 12 || November 20 || New York Knicks || L 79–100 || Georgia Dome || 11–1 |- || 13 || November 22 || @ Detroit Pistons || L 85–87 || The Palace of Auburn Hills || 11–2 |- || 14 || November 26 || @ Toronto Raptors || W 109–104 (2OT) || SkyDome || 12–2 |- || 15 || November 29 || Charlotte Hornets || W 98–80 || Georgia Dome || 13–2 |- || 16 || November 30 || San Antonio Spurs || W 108–96 || Georgia Dome || 14–2

|| 17 || December 2 || @ Dallas Mavericks || W 112–79 || Reunion Arena || 15–2 |- || 18 || December 4 || @ Houston Rockets || L 87–94 || The Summit || 15–3 |- || 19 || December 9 || Miami Heat || L 81–97 || Alexander Memorial Coliseum || 15–4 |- || 20 || December 11 || @ Phoenix Suns || L 78–94 || America West Arena || 15–5 |- || 21 || December 12 || @ Los Angeles Clippers || W 83–74 || Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena || 16–5 |- || 22 || December 14 || @ Sacramento Kings || W 93–89 || ARCO Arena || 17–5 |- || 23 || December 15 || @ Portland Trail Blazers || W 99–90 || Rose Garden || 18–5 |- || 24 || December 17 || Cleveland Cavaliers || W 94–83 || Georgia Dome || 19–5 |- || 25 || December 19 || Los Angeles Lakers || L 96–98 || Georgia Dome || 19–6 |- || 26 || December 20 || @ Miami Heat || L 92–99 || Miami Arena || 19–7 |- || 27 || December 22 || Utah Jazz || L 99–101 || Georgia Dome || 19–8 |- || 28 || December 26 || @ Milwaukee Bucks || L 94–99 (OT) || Bradley Center || 19–9 |- || 29 || December 27 || @ Chicago Bulls || L 90–97 || United Center || 19–10

|| 30 || January 2 || @ Los Angeles Lakers || L 106–116 || Great Western Forum || 19–11 |- || 31 || January 3 || @ Utah Jazz || L 82–97 || Delta Center || 19–12 |- || 32 || January 7 || @ Golden State Warriors || W 106–86 || Oakland Arena || 20–12 |- || 33 || January 9 || Washington Wizards || W 82–77 || Alexander Memorial Coliseum || 21–12 |- || 34 || January 11 || @ Washington Wizards || W 107–102 (OT) || MCI Center || 22–12 |- || 35 || January 13 || @ New York Knicks || W 91–89 || Madison Square Garden || 23–12 |- || 36 || January 14 || Dallas Mavericks || W 108–82 || Alexander Memorial Coliseum || 24–12 |- || 37 || January 16 || Golden State Warriors || W 102–89 || Alexander Memorial Coliseum || 25–12 |- || 38 || January 17 || @ New Jersey Nets || L 81–97 || Continental Airlines Arena || 25–13 |- || 39 || January 20 || Milwaukee Bucks || W 103–89 || Georgia Dome || 26–13 |- || 40 || January 21 || @ San Antonio Spurs || L 76–90 || Alamodome || 26–14 |- || 41 || January 23 || Boston Celtics || L 85–89 || Georgia Dome || 26–15 |- || 42 || January 24 || Portland Trail Blazers || L 77–92 || Georgia Dome || 26–16 |- || 43 || January 26 || Phoenix Suns || L 91–96 || Georgia Dome || 26–17 |- || 44 || January 27 || @ Minnesota Timberwolves || L 96–113 || Target Center || 26–18 |- || 45 || January 29 || Philadelphia 76ers || W 109–99 (OT) || Alexander Memorial Coliseum || 27–18 |- || 46 || January 31 || @ Charlotte Hornets || W 103–83 || Charlotte Coliseum || 28–18

|| 47 || February 2 || @ Miami Heat || L 83–90 || Miami Arena || 28–19 |- || 48 || February 3 || @ Orlando Magic || L 90–91 || Orlando Arena || 28–20 |- || 49 || February 5 || @ Cleveland Cavaliers || W 108–94 || Gund Arena || 29–20 |- || 50 || February 10 || @ Milwaukee Bucks || W 108–100 || Bradley Center || 30–20 |- || 51 || February 13 || @ Chicago Bulls || L 110–112 || United Center || 30–21 |- || 52 || February 14 || Indiana Pacers || L 92–96 || Georgia Dome || 30–22 |- || 53 || February 16 || Orlando Magic || L 81–85 || Georgia Dome || 30–23 |- || 54 || February 18 || New Jersey Nets || W 114–104 || Alexander Memorial Coliseum || 31–23 |- || 55 || February 20 || Vancouver Grizzlies || W 115–92 || Alexander Memorial Coliseum || 32–23 |- || 56 || February 25 || @ Denver Nuggets || W 112–88 || McNichols Arena || 33–23 |- || 57 || February 27 || @ Seattle SuperSonics || L 88–90|| KeyArena at Seattle Center || 33–24

|| 58 || March 1 || @ Vancouver Grizzlies || W 101–76 || General Motors Place || 34–24 |- || 59 || March 6 || Denver Nuggets || W 115–94 || Alexander Memorial Coliseum || 35–24 |- || 60 || March 8 || Cleveland Cavaliers || W 101–96 || Alexander Memorial Coliseum || 36–24 |- || 61 || March 11 || @ Boston Celtics || W 110–105 || FleetCenter || 37–24 |- || 62 || March 13 || @ Philadelphia 76ers || L 86–107|| CoreStates Center || 37–25 |- || 63 || March 15 || Boston Celtics || W 93–77 || Alexander Memorial Coliseum || 38–25 |- || 64 || March 17 || @ Toronto Raptors || W 117–105 || SkyDome || 39–25 |- || 65 || March 19 || Milwaukee Bucks || W 84–81 || Alexander Memorial Coliseum || 40–25 |- || 66 || March 20 || @ New York Knicks || L 108–109 || Madison Square Garden || 40–26 |- || 67 || March 22 || @ Detroit Pistons || L 98–105 || The Palace of Auburn Hills || 40–27 |- || 68 || March 24 || Orlando Magic || W 85–73 || Georgia Dome || 41–27 |- || 69 || March 27 || Chicago Bulls || L 74–89 || Georgia Dome || 41–28 |- || 70 || March 29 || Detroit Pistons || W 118–95 || Georgia Dome || 42–28 |- || 71 || March 31 || @ New Jersey Nets || W 90–105 || Continental Airlines Arena || 42–29

|| 72 || April 1 || Toronto Raptors || W 105–91 || Georgia Dome || 43–29 |- || 73 || April 3 || Houston Rockets || W 107–87 || Georgia Dome || 44–29 |- || 74 || April 5 || Minnesota Timberwolves || L 96–97 || Georgia Dome || 44–30 |- || 75 || April 7 || New York Knicks || W 92–79 || Georgia Dome || 45–30 |- || 76 || April 9 || Indiana Pacers || L 102–105 (OT) || Georgia Dome || 45–31 |- || 77 || April 10 || @ Charlotte Hornets || W 99–87 || Charlotte Coliseum || 46–31 |- || 78 || April 12 || @ Washington Wizards || W 91–81 || MCI Center || 47–31 |- || 79 || April 14 || Philadelphia 76ers || W 95–94 || Georgia Dome || 48–31 |- || 80 || April 15 || @ Indiana Pacers || L 70–82 || Market Square Arena || 48–32 |- || 81 || April 17 || Charlotte Hornets || W 121–104 || Georgia Dome || 49–32 |- || 82 || April 19 || Miami Heat || W 101–89 || Georgia Dome || 50–32

Playoffs

| 1 | April 23