1997–98 Miami Heat season

The 1997–98 NBA season was the tenth season for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association.[1] In the offseason, the Heat signed free agent Eric Murdock and acquired Duane Causwell from the Sacramento Kings. Despite Alonzo Mourning missing the first 22 games of the season due to an offseason knee injury,[2] and Jamal Mashburn playing just 48 games due to a thumb injury, the Heat continued to play strong basketball as backup center Isaac Austin played strong coming off the bench. Mourning would eventually return as Austin was traded at midseason to the Los Angeles Clippers for Brent Barry, as the Heat posted a 13–2 record in February. The Heat finished first place in the Atlantic Division with a 55–27 record. Tim Hardaway was the only member of the team to be selected for the 1998 NBA All-Star Game.

1997–98 Miami Heat season
Division champions
Head coachPat Riley
General managerRandy Pfund
PresidentPat Riley
Owner(s)Micky Arison
ArenaMiami Arena
Results
Record55–27 (.671)
PlaceDivision: 1st (Atlantic)
Conference: 3rd (Eastern)
Playoff finishFirst Round
(Lost to Knicks 2–3)
Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionSunshine Network, WBFS
RadioWIOD

In the first round of the playoffs, the Heat faced the 7th-seeded New York Knicks. The Heat would take a 2–1 lead in the series. However, in Game 4, Mourning was suspended for fighting Larry Johnson, his former teammate of the Charlotte Hornets now playing for the Knicks. Without Mourning, the Heat would lose Game 5 at the Miami Arena, 98–81.[3] Following the season, Barry signed as a free agent with the Chicago Bulls, and Murdock signed with the New Jersey Nets.

Offseason

Draft picks
Main article: 1997 NBA Draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality School/Club Team
1 26 Charles Smith SG  United States University of New Mexico
2 30 Mark Sanford F  United States University of Washington

Roster
Roster listing
1997–98 Miami Heat roster
Players Coaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOB (YYYY-MM-DD)From
SF 2 Askins, Keith (C) 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 197 lb (89 kg) 1967-12-15 Alabama
SG 17 Barry, Brent  6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1971-12-31 Oregon State
F/C 42 Brown, P. J. 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1969-10-14 Louisiana Tech
C 31 Causwell, Duane 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1968-05-31 Temple
C 40 Conlon, Marty 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 224 lb (102 kg) 1968-01-19 Providence
PG 10 Hardaway, Tim 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1966-09-01 UTEP
F 22 Lang, Antonio  6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1972-05-15 Duke
SG 21 Lenard, Voshon 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1973-05-14 Minnesota
G/F 9 Majerle, Dan  6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1965-09-09 Central Michigan
SF 24 Mashburn, Jamal 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1972-11-29 Kentucky
PF 6 Mills, Terry 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1967-12-21 Michigan
C 33 Mourning, Alonzo (C) 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1970-02-08 Georgetown
PG 5 Murdock, Eric 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1968-06-14 Providence
PF 30 Strickland, Mark 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1970-07-14 Temple
G 23 Walters, Rex 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1970-03-12 Kansasb
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured

Roster
Last transaction: March 16, 1998

Regular season

Season standings
Atlantic Division W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Miami Heat 5527.671–30-1125–1618–6
x-New York Knicks 4339.5241228–1315–2613–11
x-New Jersey Nets 4339.5241226–1517–2412–12
Washington Wizards 4240.5121324–1718–2312–13
Orlando Magic 4141.5001424–1717–2411–13
Boston Celtics 3646.4391924–1712–2912–23
Philadelphia 76ers 3151.3782419–2212–297–17

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 —2–14–01–34–02–02–02–22–01–11–32–00–21–33–10–21–22–22–23–10–21–12–01–11–14–00–22–04–0
Boston 1–2—1–21–31–31–11–12–21–11–10–42–01–10–42–21–12–22–22–23–10–21–11–10–21–13–00–22–03–2
Charlotte 0–42–1—1–32–22–02–03–11–12–03–12–01–13–13–11–12–21–33–12–11–12–01–11–11–14–01–12–02–2
Chicago 3–13–13–1—2–21–12–03–12–02–02–22–01–12–14–01–14–04–03–12–11–11–12–02–01–14–00–22–03–1
Cleveland 0–43–12–22–2—1–12–03–12–01–12–22–01–11–32–22–03–11–22–23–12–01–12–00–20–23–11–12–01–2
Dallas 0–21–10–21–11–1—3–10–21–30–41–11–30–40–20–22–20–21–10–20–20–40–40–40–42–21–10–44–01–1
Denver 0–21–10–20–20–21–3—0–21–30–40–22–20–40–20–21–30–20–20–20–20–42–21–30–40–40–20–41–31–1
Detroit 2–22–21–31–31–32–02–0—2–01–11–32–00–21–22–20–22–22–21–23–11–10–21–11–10–24–00–20–22–2
Golden State 0–21–11–10–20–23–13–10–2—1–30–21–31–30–20–20–40–21–11–10–20–41–32–21–31–30–20–41–30–2
Houston 1–11–10–20–21–14–04–01–13–1—1–14–01–30–21–11–31–11–10–21–11–31–34–02–21–32–00–43–11–1
Indiana 3–14–01–32–22–21–12–03–12–01–1—2–00–23–14–02–02–12–13–14–01–11–12–00–20–24–01–12–04–0
L.A. Clippers 0–20–20–20–20–23–12–20–23–10–40–2—0–40–20–20–41–10–20–21–10–40–43–11–30–41–11–31–30–2
L.A. Lakers 2–01–11–11–11–14–04–02–03–13–12–04–0—1–12–04–01–11–11–10–22–22–24–04–01–32–03–14–01–1
Miami 3–14–01–31–23–12–02–02–12–02–01–32–01–1—3–11–13–12–23–14–00–22–02–00–20–24–01–12–02–2
Milwaukee 1–32–21–30–42–22–02–02–22–01–10–42–00–21–3—1–10–43–12–12–20–22–02–00–21–13–10–21–11–2
Minnesota 2–01–11–11–10–22–23–12–04–03–10–24–00–41–11–1—2–01–10–22–03–11–33–11–31–31–11–34–00–2
New Jersey 2–12–22–20–41–32–02–02–22–01–11–21–11–11–34–00–2—2–23–13–11–11–12–01–10–23–10–22–01–3
New York 2–22–23–10–42–11–12–02–21–11–11–22–01–12–21–31–12–2—4–02–22–01–11–10–21–13–10–22–01–3
Orlando 2–22–21–31–32–22–02–02–11–12–01–32–01–11–31–22–01–30–4—4–00–22–00–20–21–13–10–22–03–1
Philadelphia 1–31–31–21–21–32–02–01–32–01–10–41–12–00–42–20–21–32–20–4—1–11–11–10–20–22–20–22–03–1
Phoenix 2–02–01–11–10–24–04–01–14–03–11–14–02–22–02–01–31–10–22–01–1—2–23–13–12–22–01–34–01–1
Portland 1–11–10–21–11–14–02–22–03–13–11–14–02–20–20–23–11–11–10–21–12–2—3–12–20–42–03–12–21–1
Sacramento 0–21–11–10–20–24–03–11–12–20–40–21–30–40–20–21–30–21–12–01–11–31–3—0–41–31–12–22–21–1
San Antonio 1–12–01–10–22–04–04–01–13–12–22–03–10–42–02–03–11–12–02–02–01–32–24–0—2–22–01–34–01–1
Seattle 1–11–11–11–12–02–24–02–03–13–12–04–03–12–01–13–12–01–11–12–02–24–03–12–2—2–02–24–01–1
Toronto 0–40–30–40–41–31–12–00–42–00–20–41–10–20–41–31–11–31–31–32–20–20–21–10–20–2—0–21–10–3
Utah 2–02–01–12–01–14–04–02–04–04–01–13–11–31–12–03–12–02–02–02–03–11–32–23–12–22–0—4–00–2
Vancouver 0–20–20–20–20–20–43–12–03–11–30–23–10–40–21–10–40–20–20–20–20–42–22–20–40–41–10–4—1–1
Washington 0–42–32–21–32–11–11–12–22–01–10–42–01–12–22–12–03–13–11–31–31–11–11–11–11–13–02–01–1—

Playoffs

East First Round

(2) Miami Heat vs. (7) New York Knicks Last Playoff Meeting: 1997 Eastern Conference Semifinals (Miami won 4-3)

Game Date Home Score Visitor Score Record

(MIA-NYK)

 Venue Box score Television
1 April 24 Miami 94 New York 79 1-0 Miami Arena, Miami, Florida 1 TBS 7:00et
2 April 26 Miami 86 New York 96 1-1 Miami Arena, Miami, Florida 2 NBC 12:30et
3 April 28 New York 85 Miami 91 2-1 Madison Square Garden, New York, New York 3 TBS 7:00et
4 April 30 New York 90 Miami 85 2-2 Madison Square Garden, New York, New York 4 TNT 8:00et
5 May 3 Miami 81 New York 98 2-3 Miami Arena, Miami, Florida 5 NBC 12:30et
New York wins series 3–2

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

Awards and records

References
  1. 1997-98 Miami Heat
  2. "Mourning Returns in Heat Loss". Los Angeles Times. December 18, 1997. Retrieved July 17, 2017.
  3. "THE N.B.A. PLAYOFFS; Staying Serene Under Pressure, the Knicks Oust Miami". New York Times. May 4, 1998. Retrieved October 13, 2017.
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