1997–98 Boston Celtics season
The 1997–98 Boston Celtics season was the 52nd season of the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association (NBA).[1] In the 1997 NBA Draft, the Celtics selected Chauncey Billups out of the University of Colorado with the third pick. Billups only spent half of his rookie season in Boston, and was traded to the Toronto Raptors at midseason. They also had the sixth pick in the draft and selected Ron Mercer from the University of Kentucky.
Despite finishing with the NBA's second worst record in 1996-97, the Celtics were back in the headlines after hiring Rick Pitino as head coach. Pitino's Celtics career had an auspicious beginning on opening night when the Celtics upset the 5-time defending NBA Champion Chicago Bulls in the FleetCenter. Although the Celtics did not make the playoffs, they improved their win total by 21 games from the previous season, finishing sixth in the Atlantic Division with a 36-46 record. Scoring leader Antoine Walker was selected for the 1998 NBA All-Star Game.
Draft picks
Main article:
1997 NBA Draft
Roster
Boston Celtics roster |
Players | Coaches |
Pos. | No. | Name | Height | Weight | DOB (YYYY–MM–DD) | From |
1.0 !PG |
7 |
USA !![United States](../I/m/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png) |
Anderson, Kenny |
7000182880000000000♠6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
168 lb (76 kg) |
|
Georgia Tech |
1.0 !PG |
11 |
USA !![United States](../I/m/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png) |
Barros, Dana |
7000180340000000000♠5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
163 lb (74 kg) |
|
Boston College |
3.0 !SF |
12 |
USA !![United States](../I/m/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png) |
Bowen, Bruce |
7000200659999999999♠6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) |
185 lb (84 kg) |
|
Cal State Fullerton |
6.0 !C |
45 |
USA !![United States](../I/m/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png) |
DeClercq, Andrew |
7000208279999999999♠6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) |
230 lb (104 kg) |
|
Florida |
1.0 !PG |
20 |
USA !![United States](../I/m/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png) |
Edney, Tyus |
7000177800000000000♠5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
152 lb (69 kg) |
|
UCLA |
4.5 !PF |
29 |
USA !![United States](../I/m/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png) |
Ellison, Pervis |
7000205740000000000♠6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
210 lb (95 kg) |
|
Louisville |
3.0 !SF |
34 |
USA !![United States](../I/m/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png) |
Hanson, Reggie |
7000203200000000000♠6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
195 lb (88 kg) |
|
Kentucky |
3.0 !SF |
13 |
USA !![United States](../I/m/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png) |
Jones, Dontae' |
7000203200000000000♠6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
220 lb (100 kg) |
|
Mississippi State |
4.5 !PF |
4 |
USA !![United States](../I/m/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png) |
Jones, Popeye ![](../I/m/Cruz_Roja.svg.png) |
7000203200000000000♠6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
250 lb (113 kg) |
|
Murray State |
6.0 !C |
40 |
USA !![United States](../I/m/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png) |
Knight, Travis |
7000213360000000000♠7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) |
235 lb (107 kg) |
|
Connecticut |
3.0 !SF |
0 |
USA !![United States](../I/m/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png) |
McCarty, Walter |
7000208279999999999♠6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) |
230 lb (104 kg) |
|
Kentucky |
2.0 !SG |
5 |
USA !![United States](../I/m/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png) |
Mercer, Ron |
7000200659999999999♠6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) |
210 lb (95 kg) |
|
Kentucky |
3.0 !SF |
9 |
USA !![United States](../I/m/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png) |
Minor, Greg |
7000198120000000000♠6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
210 lb (95 kg) |
|
Louisville |
6.0 !C |
55 |
CRO !![Croatia](../I/m/Flag_of_Croatia.svg.png) |
Tabak, Žan |
7000213360000000000♠7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) |
245 lb (111 kg) |
|
Croatia |
4.5 !PF |
8 |
USA !![United States](../I/m/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png) |
Walker, Antoine |
7000203200000000000♠6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
224 lb (102 kg) |
|
Kentucky |
|
- Head coach
- Assistant coach(es)
- Legend
- (C) Team captain
- (DP) Unsigned draft pick
- (FA) Free agent
- (S) Suspended
Injured
Roster • Transactions |
Regular season
Season standings
Player statistics
Awards and records
References
See also
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