# 1997–98 Portland Trail Blazers season

The 1997–98 Portland Trail Blazers season was the 28th season for the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association. During the off-season, the Trail Blazers signed free agents Brian Grant, and Vincent Askew, and hired former Milwaukee Bucks General Manager and head coach Mike Dunleavy as their new coach. After losing their season opener, the Trail Blazers went on a five-game winning streak, which ended with a 140–139 quadruple overtime home loss to the Phoenix Suns on November 14, 1997. The Trail Blazers continued to play above .500 for the remainder of the season, holding a 26–20 record at the All-Star break.
At mid-season, the team traded Kenny Anderson along with Gary Trent, and rookie guard Alvin Williams to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Damon Stoudamire, Carlos Rogers and Walt Williams; Anderson never played for the Raptors, as he was soon traded to the Boston Celtics. The Trail Blazers later on signed free agent Gary Grant in March, while Askew was released to free agency after 30 games. The Trail Blazers finished with a 46–36 record, fourth place in the Pacific Division and in sixth place in the Western Conference, making their sixteenth consecutive trip to the playoffs, and 21st in 22 years.
Isaiah Rider led the team in scoring with 19.7 points per game and 135 three-point field goals, while Arvydas Sabonis averaged 16.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game, Rasheed Wallace provided the team with 14.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, and Brian Grant contributed 12.1 points and 9.1 rebounds per game, despite only playing 61 games due to a leg injury.
For the second straight season, the Trail Blazers were pitted against the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference First Round of the NBA Playoffs, and the result was identical to that of the previous year, as Portland fell one game to three; it was also the sixth consecutive year that the Blazers lost in the opening round of the playoffs.
The Trail Blazers also set an ignominious record during a road game against the Indiana Pacers. The teams' February 27, 1998 game ended with a Pacer win by the embarrassing score of 124–59, the only time in NBA history where a team has had their score doubled.

## NBA draft

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | School/Club Team |
| 1 | 18 | Chris Anstey | C | Australia | |
| 2 | 48 | Alvin Williams | SG | United States | Villanova |

## Roster
### Roster Notes

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

## Regular season
### Season standings

| Pacific Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
| y-Seattle SuperSonics | 61 | 21 | .744 | – | 35–6 | 26–15 | 19–5 |
| x-Los Angeles Lakers | 61 | 21 | .744 | – | 33–8 | 28–13 | 16–8 |
| x-Phoenix Suns | 56 | 26 | .683 | 5 | 30–11 | 26–15 | 17–7 |
| x-Portland Trail Blazers | 46 | 36 | .561 | 15 | 26–15 | 20–21 | 14–10 |
| Sacramento Kings | 27 | 55 | .329 | 34 | 21–20 | 6–35 | 6–18 |
| Golden State Warriors | 19 | 63 | .232 | 42 | 12–29 | 7–34 | 6–18 |
| Los Angeles Clippers | 17 | 65 | .207 | 44 | 11–30 | 6–35 | 6–18 |
| # | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| 1 | z-Utah Jazz | 62 | 20 | .756 | – |
| 2 | y-Seattle SuperSonics | 61 | 21 | .744 | 1 |
| 3 | x-Los Angeles Lakers | 61 | 21 | .744 | 1 |
| 4 | x-Phoenix Suns | 56 | 26 | .683 | 6 |
| 5 | x-San Antonio Spurs | 56 | 26 | .683 | 6 |
| 6 | x-Portland Trail Blazers | 46 | 36 | .561 | 16 |
| 7 | x-Minnesota Timberwolves | 45 | 37 | .549 | 17 |
| 8 | x-Houston Rockets | 41 | 41 | .500 | 21 |
| 9 | Sacramento Kings | 27 | 55 | .329 | 35 |
| 10 | Dallas Mavericks | 20 | 62 | .244 | 42 |
| 11 | Vancouver Grizzlies | 19 | 63 | .232 | 43 |
| 11 | Golden State Warriors | 19 | 63 | .232 | 43 |
| 13 | Los Angeles Clippers | 17 | 65 | .207 | 45 |
| 14 | Denver Nuggets | 11 | 71 | .134 | 51 |
    z - clinched division title
    y - clinched division title
    x - clinched playoff spot

### 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
## Playoffs

1998 playoff game log :
First round: 1–3 (home: 1–1; road: 0–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
April 24
@ L.A. Lakers
L 102–104
Isaiah Rider (25)
Brian Grant (12)
Damon Stoudamire (10)
Great Western Forum 17,505
0–1
2
April 26
@ L.A. Lakers
L 99–108
Isaiah Rider (24)
three players tied (7)
Damon Stoudamire (14)
Great Western Forum 17,505
0–2
3
April 28
L.A. Lakers
W 99–94
Rider, Stoudamire (18)
Brian Grant (12)
Damon Stoudamire (6)
Rose Garden 21,558
1–2
4
April 30
L.A. Lakers
L 99–110
Damon Stoudamire (24)
Brian Grant (12)
Damon Stoudamire (8)
Rose Garden 21,558
1–3 :
1998 schedule :

## Player statistics
### Regular season

| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Rasheed Wallace | 77 | 77 | 37.6 | .533 | .205 | .662 | 6.2 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 14.6 |
| Isaiah Rider | 74 | 66 | 37.6 | .423 | .321 | .828 | 4.7 | 3.1 | .7 | .3 | 19.7 |
| Kelvin Cato | 74 | 8 | 13.6 | .428 | .000 | .688 | 3.4 | .3 | .4 | 1.3 | 3.8 |
| Arvydas Sabonis | 73 | 73 | 32.0 | .493 | .261 | .798 | 10.0 | 3.0 | .9 | 1.1 | 16.0 |
| Stacey Augmon | 71 | 23 | 20.4 | .414 | .143 | .603 | 3.3 | 1.2 | .8 | .5 | 5.7 |
| Brian Grant | 61 | 49 | 31.5 | .508 | .000 | .750 | 9.1 | 1.4 | .7 | .7 | 12.1 |
| Jermaine O'Neal | 60 | 9 | 13.5 | .485 | .000 | .506 | 3.4 | .3 | .3 | 1.0 | 4.5 |
| Kenny Anderson$^†$ | 45 | 40 | 32.7 | .387 | .353 | .772 | 3.0 | 5.4 | 1.4 | .0 | 12.6 |
| Gary Trent$^†$ | 41 | 13 | 24.5 | .493 | .444 | .693 | 5.7 | 1.4 | .7 | .5 | 11.5 |
| Alvin Williams$^†$ | 41 | 10 | 21.1 | .458 | .292 | .734 | 1.5 | 2.0 | .7 | .0 | 6.9 |
| Rick Brunson | 38 | 10 | 16.4 | .348 | .361 | .677 | 1.5 | 2.6 | .7 | .1 | 4.3 |
| Walt Williams$^†$ | 31 | 1 | 19.2 | .378 | .344 | .908 | 2.6 | 1.7 | .6 | .4 | 8.4 |
| Vincent Askew | 30 | 5 | 14.8 | .352 | .000 | .718 | 2.3 | 1.3 | .6 | .2 | 2.2 |
| John Crotty | 26 | 2 | 14.6 | .322 | .300 | .941 | 1.2 | 2.4 | .4 | .0 | 3.7 |
| Damon Stoudamire$^†$ | 22 | 22 | 36.6 | .364 | .263 | .787 | 3.7 | 8.2 | 1.5 | .1 | 12.4 |
| Gary Grant | 22 | 2 | 16.3 | .462 | .368 | .857 | 2.2 | 3.8 | .8 | .1 | 4.8 |
| Alton Lister | 7 | 0 | 6.3 | .375 | | | 1.6 | .1 | .1 | .1 | .9 |
| Carlos Rogers$^†$ | 3 | 0 | 8.3 | .500 | .000 | | .7 | .7 | .3 | .0 | 1.3 |
| Dontonio Wingfield | 3 | 0 | 3.0 | .000 | | .500 | 1.3 | .0 | .0 | .0 | .3 |
| Sean Higgins | 2 | 0 | 6.0 | .000 | .000 | | .0 | .0 | 1.0 | .0 | .0 |

### Playoffs

| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Isaiah Rider | 4 | 4 | 41.5 | .418 | .091 | .769 | 5.0 | 4.3 | 1.3 | .0 | 19.3 |
| Damon Stoudamire | 4 | 4 | 41.5 | .397 | .364 | 1.000 | 4.3 | 9.5 | 1.3 | .3 | 17.8 |
| Rasheed Wallace | 4 | 4 | 39.3 | .489 | .800 | .500 | 4.8 | 2.8 | .5 | .5 | 14.5 |
| Brian Grant | 4 | 4 | 33.8 | .528 | | .833 | 10.8 | 1.5 | 1.0 | .8 | 13.3 |
| Arvydas Sabonis | 4 | 4 | 26.8 | .450 | .500 | .857 | 7.8 | 1.5 | 1.8 | .8 | 12.3 |
| Walt Williams | 4 | 0 | 25.5 | .548 | .533 | .786 | 3.5 | 2.3 | .3 | .0 | 13.3 |
| Kelvin Cato | 4 | 0 | 14.5 | .529 | .000 | .727 | 3.0 | .3 | .3 | 1.8 | 6.5 |
| Stacey Augmon | 4 | 0 | 7.0 | .500 | | .500 | .8 | .3 | .5 | .3 | 1.3 |
| Gary Grant | 4 | 0 | 6.8 | .286 | .250 | | 1.3 | 1.8 | .3 | .3 | 1.3 |
| Alton Lister | 2 | 0 | 5.5 | .333 | | | 1.0 | .0 | .0 | .5 | 1.0 |
| Jermaine O'Neal | 1 | 0 | 3.0 | .000 | .000 | | 1.0 | .0 | .0 | 2.0 | .0 |
* $^†$ Denotes player spent time with another team in the season. Stats reflect time with the Trail Blazers only.
Player Statistics Citation: