# NBA 1997/98

Die NBA-Saison 1997/98 war die 52. Spielzeit der National Basketball Association.
An der regulären Saison nahmen insgesamt 29 Mannschaften teil. Jedes Team absolvierte 82 Spiele. Die acht besten jeder Conference qualifizierten sich für die NBA Playoffs.
Die Chicago Bulls besiegten in den NBA Finals die Utah Jazz mit 4:2 und wurden damit zum dritten Mal in Folge und zum sechsten Mal in acht Jahren NBA-Meister. Mit dieser Saison und dem Rücktritt von Michael Jordan sowie dem Weggang von Scottie Pippen und Dennis Rodman endete die Dominanz der Bulls und in den Augen vieler Beobachter eine Goldene Ära des Basketballs.

## Saisonnotizen

* Das NBA All-Star Game fand im Madison Square Garden statt, der Heimat der New York Knicks. Die Eastern Conference gewann mit 135:114. Michael Jordan von den Chicago Bulls wurde zum MVP gewählt. Kobe Bryant war mit 19 Jahren der jüngste All-Star der NBA-Geschichte.
* Die Washington Bullets benannten sich um in Washington Wizards.
* Um das Spiel spektakulärer zu machen, wurde unter dem Korb die „restricted area“ eingeführt, in der ein Offensivfoul nur unter speziellen Umständen geahndet wird.

## Endstände

S = Siege, N = Niederlagen, PCT = prozentualer Sieganteil, P = Rückstand auf Divisionsführenden
In Klammern sind die Platzierungen in den Setzlisten der jeweiligen Conference-Playoffs aufgeführt.
Eastern Conference :
| Atlantic Division ||||||
| # | Team | S | N | PCT | P |
| 1 | Miami Heat (2) | 55 | 27 | .671 | - |
| 2 | New York Knicks (7) | 43 | 39 | .524 | 12 |
| 3 | New Jersey Nets (8) | 43 | 39 | .524 | 12 |
| 4 | Washington Wizards | 42 | 40 | .512 | 13 |
| 5 | Orlando Magic | 41 | 41 | .500 | 14 |
| 6 | Boston Celtics | 36 | 46 | .430 | 19 |
| 7 | Philadelphia 76ers | 31 | 51 | .378 | 24 |
| Central Division ||||||
| # | Team | S | N | PCT | P |
| 1 | Chicago Bulls (1) | 62 | 20 | .756 | - |
| 2 | Indiana Pacers (3) | 58 | 24 | .707 | 4 |
| 3 | Charlotte Hornets (4) | 51 | 31 | .622 | 11 |
| 4 | Atlanta Hawks (5) | 50 | 32 | .610 | 12 |
| 5 | Cleveland Cavaliers (6) | 47 | 35 | .573 | 15 |
| 6 | Detroit Pistons | 37 | 45 | .451 | 25 |
| 7 | Milwaukee Bucks | 36 | 46 | .439 | 26 |
| 8 | Toronto Raptors | 16 | 66 | .195 | 46 |
Western Conference :
| Midwest Division ||||||
| # | Team | S | N | PCT | P |
| 1 | Utah Jazz (1) | 62 | 20 | .756 | - |
| 2 | San Antonio Spurs (5) | 56 | 26 | .683 | 6 |
| 3 | Minnesota Timberwolves (7) | 45 | 37 | .549 | 17 |
| 4 | Houston Rockets (8) | 41 | 41 | .500 | 20 |
| 5 | Dallas Mavericks | 20 | 62 | .244 | 42 |
| 6 | Vancouver Grizzlies | 19 | 63 | .232 | 43 |
| 7 | Denver Nuggets | 11 | 71 | .134 | 51 |
| Pacific Division ||||||
| # | Team | S | N | PCT | P |
| 1 | Seattle SuperSonics (2) | 61 | 21 | .744 | - |
| 2 | Los Angeles Lakers (3) | 61 | 21 | .744 | - |
| 3 | Phoenix Suns (4) | 56 | 26 | .683 | 5 |
| 4 | Portland Trail Blazers (6) | 46 | 36 | .561 | 15 |
| 5 | Sacramento Kings | 27 | 55 | .329 | 34 |
| 6 | Golden State Warriors | 19 | 63 | .232 | 42 |
| 7 | Los Angeles Clippers | 17 | 65 | .207 | 44 |

## Ehrungen

* Most Valuable Player: Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls
* Rookie of the Year: Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs
* Defensive Player of the Year: Dikembe Mutombo, Atlanta Hawks
* Sixth Man of the Year: Danny Manning, Phoenix Suns
* Most Improved Player: Alan Henderson, Atlanta Hawks
* Coach of the Year: Larry Bird, Indiana Pacers
* All-NBA First Team:
** F – Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs
** F – Karl Malone, Utah Jazz
** C – Shaquille O’Neal, Los Angeles Lakers
** G – Gary Payton, Seattle SuperSonics
** G – Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls
* All-NBA Second Team:
** F – Vin Baker, Seattle SuperSonics
** F – Grant Hill, Detroit Pistons
** C – David Robinson, San Antonio Spurs
** G – Tim Hardaway, Miami Heat
** G – Rod Strickland, Washington Wizards
* All-NBA Third Team:
** F – Scottie Pippen, Chicago Bulls
** F – Glen Rice, Charlotte Hornets
** C – Dikembe Mutombo, Atlanta Hawks
** G – Mitch Richmond, Sacramento Kings
** G – Reggie Miller, Indiana Pacers
* NBA All-Defensive First Team:
** F – Scottie Pippen, Chicago Bulls
** F – Karl Malone, Utah Jazz
** C – Dikembe Mutombo, Atlanta Hawks
** G – Gary Payton, Seattle SuperSonics
** G – Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls
* NBA All-Defensive Second Team:
** F – Charles Oakley, New York Knicks
** F – Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs
** C – David Robinson, San Antonio Spurs
** G – Eddie Jones, Los Angeles Lakers
** G – Mookie Blaylock, Atlanta Hawks
* All-NBA Rookie First Team:
** Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs
** Keith Van Horn, New Jersey Nets
** Žydrūnas Ilgauskas, Cleveland Cavaliers
** Ron Mercer, Boston Celtics
** Brevin Knight, Cleveland Cavaliers
* All-NBA Rookie Second Team:
** Maurice Taylor, Los Angeles Clippers
** Cedric Henderson, Cleveland Cavaliers
** Tim Thomas, Philadelphia 76ers
** Bobby Jackson, Denver Nuggets
** Derek Anderson, Cleveland Cavaliers

## Play-offs 1998

Die erste Play-off-Runde wurde im Best-of-Five-Format ausgetragen. Alle weiteren Runden waren Best-of-Seven-Serien.
| Erste Runde | Erste Runde | Erste Runde | | | Conference Semifinals | Conference Semifinals | Conference Semifinals | Conference Finals | Conference Finals | Conference Finals | | | NBA Finals | NBA Finals | NBA Finals |
| 1 | Utah | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Houston | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Houston | 2 | | | 1 | Utah | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 5 | San Antonio | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Phoenix | 1 | | | 5 | San Antonio | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | San Antonio | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | San Antonio | 3 | | | | | | 1 | Utah | 4 | | | | | |
| Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | 3 | L.A. Lakers | 0 | | | | | |
| 3 | L.A. Lakers | 3 | | | | | | | | 3 | L.A. Lakers | 0 | | | | | |
| 6 | Portland | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Portland | 1 | | | 3 | L.A. Lakers | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 2 | Seattle | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Seattle | 3 | | | 2 | Seattle | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Minnesota | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Minnesota | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | W1 | Utah | 2 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | E1 | Chicago | 4 |
| 1 | Chicago | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | E1 | Chicago | 4 |
| 8 | New Jersey | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | New Jersey | 0 | | | 1 | Chicago | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 4 | Charlotte | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Charlotte | 3 | | | 4 | Charlotte | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Atlanta | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Atlanta | 1 | | | | | | 1 | Chicago | 4 | | | | | |
| Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | 3 | Indiana | 3 | | | | | |
| 3 | Indiana | 3 | | | | | | | | 3 | Indiana | 3 | | | | | |
| 6 | Cleveland | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Cleveland | 1 | | | 3 | Indiana | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 7 | New York | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Miami | 2 | | | 7 | New York | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | New York | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

### NBA Finals 1998

| Spiel | Datum | Heimteam | Auswärtsteam | Ergebnis | Stand |
| 1 | 3. Juni | Utah | Chicago | 88:85 (n. V.) | 1:0 |
| 2 | 5. Juni | Utah | Chicago | 88:93 | 1:1 |
| 3 | 7. Juni | Chicago | Utah | 96:54 | 2:1 |
| 4 | 10. Juni | Chicago | Utah | 86:82 | 3:1 |
| 5 | 12. Juni | Chicago | Utah | 81:83 | 3:2 |
| 6 | 14. Juni | Utah | Chicago | 86:87 | 2:4 |
* Michael Jordan wurde zum Finals MVP gewählt.