# 1997–98 Boston Celtics season

The 1997–98 NBA season was the 52nd season for the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association. In the 1997 NBA draft, the Celtics selected Chauncey Billups from the University of Colorado with the third overall pick, and selected Ron Mercer from the University of Kentucky with the sixth overall pick. Despite finishing with the NBA's second worst record in 1996–97, the Celtics were back in the headlines after hiring University of Kentucky head coach Rick Pitino as their new coach. In the off-season, the team signed free agent Chris Mills, but then sent him to the New York Knicks in exchange for second-year forward Walter McCarty in October, and also signed second-year center Travis Knight, Andrew DeClercq, Bruce Bowen and Tyus Edney.
Pitino's Celtics career had an auspicious beginning on opening night when the Celtics defeated Michael Jordan, and the 5-time defending NBA champion Chicago Bulls, 92–85 at the FleetCenter on October 31, 1997. After a slow 1–5 start to the season, the Celtics held a 16–14 record as of January 3, 1998, but then lost eight of their next nine games.
At mid-season, the team traded Billups along with Dee Brown to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Kenny Anderson, Popeye Jones and Žan Tabak; the Raptors had acquired Anderson from the Portland Trail Blazers. The Celtics held a 22–25 record at the All-Star break, and continued to struggle as they later on posted a six-game losing streak in March. Although the team did not make the playoffs, they improved their win total by 21 games from the previous season, finishing in sixth place in the Atlantic Division with a 36–46 record.
Second-year star Antoine Walker averaged 22.4 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game, and was selected for the 1998 NBA All-Star Game in New York City, New York, while Mercer averaged 15.3 points and 1.6 steals per game, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. In addition, McCarty provided the team with 9.6 points and 1.3 steals per game, and Dana Barros contributed 9.8 points and 3.6 assists per game off the bench. On the defensive side, Knight averaged 6.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, and DeClercq provided with 5.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. Walker finished in twelfth place in Most Valuable Player voting, and also finished tied in eighth place in Most Improved Player voting, while Pitino finished tied in seventh place in Coach of the Year voting.
Following the season, Knight was traded back to his former team, the Los Angeles Lakers, after just one season with the Celtics, and Edney and Tabak were both released to free agency.

## Draft picks

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
| 1 | 3 | Chauncey Billups | PG | United States | Colorado |
| 1 | 6 | Ron Mercer | SF/SG | United States | Kentucky |
| 2 | 56 | Ben Pepper | C | Australia | Newcastle Falcons |

## Roster
### Roster Notes

* Power forward Popeye Jones was acquired by the Celtics from the Toronto Raptors in a mid-season trade, but did not play for the Celtics this season due to a knee injury he sustained with the Raptors.

## Regular season
### Season standings

| Atlantic Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
| y-Miami Heat | 55 | 27 | .671 | – | 30-11 | 25–16 | 18–6 |
| x-New York Knicks | 43 | 39 | .524 | 12 | 28–13 | 15–26 | 13–11 |
| x-New Jersey Nets | 43 | 39 | .524 | 12 | 26–15 | 17–24 | 12–12 |
| Washington Wizards | 42 | 40 | .512 | 13 | 24–17 | 18–23 | 12–13 |
| Orlando Magic | 41 | 41 | .500 | 14 | 24–17 | 17–24 | 11–13 |
| Boston Celtics | 36 | 46 | .439 | 19 | 24–17 | 12–29 | 12–12 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 31 | 51 | .378 | 24 | 19–22 | 12–29 | 7–17 |
| # | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| 1 | c-Chicago Bulls | 62 | 20 | .756 | – |
| 2 | y-Miami Heat | 55 | 27 | .671 | 7 |
| 3 | x-Indiana Pacers | 58 | 24 | .707 | 4 |
| 4 | x-Charlotte Hornets | 51 | 31 | .622 | 11 |
| 5 | x-Atlanta Hawks | 50 | 32 | .610 | 12 |
| 6 | x-Cleveland Cavaliers | 47 | 35 | .573 | 15 |
| 7 | x-New York Knicks | 43 | 39 | .524 | 19 |
| 8 | x-New Jersey Nets | 43 | 39 | .524 | 19 |
| 9 | Washington Wizards | 42 | 40 | .512 | 20 |
| 10 | Orlando Magic | 41 | 41 | .500 | 21 |
| 11 | Detroit Pistons | 37 | 45 | .451 | 25 |
| 12 | Boston Celtics | 36 | 46 | .439 | 26 |
| 12 | Milwaukee Bucks | 36 | 46 | .439 | 26 |
| 14 | Philadelphia 76ers | 31 | 51 | .378 | 31 |
| 15 | Toronto Raptors | 16 | 66 | .195 | 46 |

### 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
## Player statistics
### Regular season

Boston Celtics statistics :
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Kenny Anderson$^†$ | 16 | 16 | 24.1 | .435 | .370 | .837 | 2.4 | 6.3 | 1.6 | .0 | 11.2 |
| Dana Barros | 80 | 15 | 21.1 | .461 | .407 | .847 | 1.9 | 3.6 | 1.0 | .1 | 9.8 |
| Chauncey Billups$^†$ | 51 | 44 | 25.4 | .390 | .339 | .817 | 2.2 | 4.3 | 1.5 | .0 | 11.1 |
| Bruce Bowen | 61 | 9 | 21.4 | .409 | .339 | .623 | 2.9 | 1.3 | 1.4 | .5 | 5.6 |
| Dee Brown$^†$ | 41 | 10 | 19.8 | .427 | .381 | .679 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 1.1 | .1 | 6.8 |
| Andrew DeClercq | 81 | 49 | 18.8 | .497 | .000 | .601 | 4.8 | .7 | 1.0 | .6 | 5.4 |
| Tyus Edney | 52 | 7 | 12.0 | .431 | .300 | .793 | 1.1 | 2.7 | 1.0 | .0 | 5.3 |
| Pervis Ellison | 33 | 8 | 13.5 | .571 | | .588 | 3.3 | .9 | .6 | .9 | 3.0 |
| Reggie Hanson | 8 | 0 | 3.3 | .500 | | | .8 | .1 | .3 | .1 | .8 |
| Dontae' Jones | 15 | 0 | 6.1 | .333 | .261 | | .6 | .3 | .1 | .2 | 2.9 |
| Travis Knight | 74 | 21 | 20.3 | .441 | .273 | .786 | 4.9 | 1.4 | .7 | 1.1 | 6.5 |
| Walter McCarty | 82 | 64 | 28.5 | .404 | .309 | .742 | 4.4 | 2.2 | 1.3 | .5 | 9.6 |
| Ron Mercer | 80 | 62 | 33.3 | .450 | .107 | .839 | 3.5 | 2.2 | 1.6 | .2 | 15.3 |
| Greg Minor | 69 | 16 | 16.3 | .436 | .194 | .686 | 2.2 | 1.3 | .8 | .2 | 5.0 |
| Roy Rogers$^†$ | 9 | 0 | 4.1 | .375 | | .500 | .6 | .1 | .2 | .4 | .8 |
| Žan Tabak$^†$ | 18 | 5 | 12.9 | .473 | | .538 | 3.2 | .7 | .3 | .6 | 3.3 |
| John Thomas$^†$ | 33 | 2 | 11.2 | .513 | | .788 | 2.1 | .4 | .6 | .3 | 3.3 |
| Antoine Walker | 82 | 82 | 39.9 | .423 | .312 | .645 | 10.2 | 3.3 | 1.7 | .7 | 22.4 |
* $^†$ Denotes player spent time with another team in the season. Stats reflect time with the Celtics only.
Player Statistics Citation:

## Awards and records

* Ron Mercer, NBA All-Rookie Team 1st Team