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1996–97 Seattle SuperSonics Season
The 1996–97 NBA season was the 29th season for the Seattle SuperSonics in the National Basketball Association. The SuperSonics entered the season as runners-up in the 1996 NBA Finals, having lost to the Chicago Bulls in six games. During the off-season, the team signed free agents Jim McIlvaine, Craig Ehlo, and Larry Stewart, and then later on signed Terry Cummings in January. Coming off their trip to the NBA Finals, the Sonics remained as one of the elite teams in the Western Conference posting an 11-game winning streak after losing two of their first three games. They later on posted a nine-game winning streak in January, then won seven straight games in February, and held a 32–15 record at the All-Star break. The Sonics won their third Division title in four years with a 57–25 record, and entered the playoffs as the #2 seed in the Western Conference. The SuperSonics had the sixth best team defensive rating in the NBA. Three members of the team, Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
George Karl
George Matthew Karl (born May 12, 1951) is an American former professional basketball coach and player. After spending five years as a player for the San Antonio Spurs, Karl became an assistant with the team before getting the chance to become a head coach in 1981 with the Continental Basketball Association. Three years later, he became one of the youngest NBA head coaches in history when he was named coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers at age 33. By the time his coaching career came to an end in 2016, Karl would coach for nine different teams in three different leagues (CBA, NBA, Liga ACB), which included being named Coach of the Year three combined times (twice in the CBA and once in the NBA) with one championship in the FIBA Saporta Cup. He is one of nine coaches in NBA history to have won List of National Basketball Association head coaches with 400 games coached, 1,000 NBA games (which included twelve seasons with fifty or more wins) and was named NBA Coach of the Year Award, NBA ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Western Conference (NBA)
The Western Conference is one of two Athletic conference, conferences that make up the National Basketball Association (NBA), the other being the Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern Conference. Both conferences consist of 15 teams organized into three Division (sport), divisions. The current divisional alignment was adopted at the start of the 2004–05 NBA season, 2004–05 season, when the now Charlotte Hornets began play as the NBA's 30th franchise. This necessitated the move of the New Orleans Pelicans from the Eastern Conference's Central Division (NBA), Central Division to the newly created Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference. The NBA first started awarding a Western Conference championship trophy during the 2000–01 NBA season, 2000–01 season, renaming it after Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson in the 2021–22 NBA season, 2021–22 season. Also in 2021–22, the league began awarding the Earvin "Magic" Johnson Trophy to the NBA Conference ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1997–98 Philadelphia 76ers Season
The 1997–98 NBA season was the 76ers 49th season in the National Basketball Association, and 35th season in Philadelphia. The 76ers selected Keith Van Horn from the University of Utah with the second overall pick in the 1997 NBA draft, but soon traded him to the New Jersey Nets in exchange for Jim Jackson, Eric Montross and top draft pick Tim Thomas, and signed free agent and former All-Star forward Terry Cummings during the off-season. In November, the Sixers acquired former All-Star forward Tom Chambers from the Phoenix Suns. However, after only playing just one game for the team, Chambers retired in December. Under new head coach Larry Brown, the Sixers got off to a rough start losing their first five games. In late December, the team traded Montross along with Jerry Stackhouse to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Theo Ratliff and Aaron McKie, then later on acquired Eric Snow from the Seattle SuperSonics in exchange for a draft pick. At midseason, they traded Jackson al ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1997–98 Cleveland Cavaliers Season
The 1997–98 NBA season was the 28th season of the National Basketball Association in Cleveland, Ohio. In the off-season, the Cavaliers acquired All-Star forward Shawn Kemp from the Seattle SuperSonics in a three-team trade, acquired Wesley Person from the Phoenix Suns in another three-team trade, and signed free agent Mitchell Butler. The Cavaliers struggled with a 4–6 start to the season, as Bob Sura went down with an ankle injury and only played just 46 games, and Butler was out for the remainder of the season with a neck injury after 18 games. However, the team posted a ten-game winning streak between November and December, and later on held a 27–20 record at the All-Star break. The Cavaliers played above .500 for the remainder of the season finishing 5th in the Central Division with a 47–35 record, qualifying for the playoffs after a one-year absence. The Cavaliers had the best team defensive rating in the NBA. Kemp averaged 18.0 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.4 steals per ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1996–97 Houston Rockets Season
The 1996–97 NBA season was the Rockets' 30th season in the National Basketball Association, and 26th season in Houston. During the off-season, the Rockets acquired All-Star forward Charles Barkley from the Phoenix Suns, and signed free agents Kevin Willis, Brent Price, undrafted rookie guard Matt Maloney, and re-signed former Rockets forward and three-point specialist Matt Bullard, who was a member of the championship team from the 1994 NBA Finals. The Rockets began the season with a 21–2 start, but later on struggled posting a six-game losing streak between January and February, and held a 32–16 record at the All-Star break. At midseason, the team signed free agents Eddie Johnson and Sedale Threatt, as the Rockets won 14 of their final 17 games, finishing second in the Midwest Division with a 57–25 record. Hakeem Olajuwon averaged 23.2 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game, and was named to the All-NBA First Team, NBA All-Defensive Second Team, and finished in sev ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1996–97 Phoenix Suns Season
The 1996–97 NBA season was the 29th season for the Phoenix Suns in the National Basketball Association. During the off-season, the Suns acquired Sam Cassell, Robert Horry, Mark Bryant and Chucky Brown from the Houston Rockets, and signed free agent Rex Chapman. However, the team struggled losing their first 13 games of the season, as Kevin Johnson missed the first eleven games with a hernia injury. After an 0–8 start, head coach Cotton Fitzsimmons resigned and was replaced by former Suns guard Danny Ainge, who led the team to a 40–34 finish. Along the way, there were many in-season moves such as trading Cassell, second-year star Michael Finley and A. C. Green, to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for All-Star guard Jason Kidd, second-year center Loren Meyer and Tony Dumas, sending Horry along with Joe Kleine to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for former Suns forward Cedric Ceballos and Rumeal Robinson, who was released to free agency after a short stint with the team, an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
NBA Defensive Player Of The Year Award
The NBA's Defensive Player of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1982–83 NBA season to the best defensive player of the regular season. The winner is selected by a panel of 124 sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada, each of whom casts a vote for first, second and third place selections. Each first-place vote is worth five points, second-place votes are worth three points, and a third-place vote is worth one. The player with the highest point total, regardless of the number of first-place votes, wins the award. Starting in the 2022–23 NBA season, the winner of this award will receive the Hakeem Olajuwon trophy, named after the two–time defensive player of the year winner. Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace have each won the award a record four times. Rudy Gobert and Dwight Howard have won the award three times, with Howard having won it in three consecutive seasons. Sidney Moncrief, Mark ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
NBA Most Valuable Player Award
The National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1955–56 season to the best performing player of the regular season. Starting with the 2022–23 season, winners receive the Michael Jordan Trophy, named for the five-time MVP often considered the best player in NBA history. Prior to 2021, the winner received the Maurice Podoloff Trophy, which was named in honor of the first commissioner (then president) of the NBA, who served from 1946 until 1963. With the switch to the Michael Jordan Trophy, his name was moved to a new Maurice Podoloff Trophy given to the team with the best regular season record. Until the , the MVP was selected by a vote of NBA players. Since the , the award is decided by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. Each member of the voting panel casts a vote for first to fifth place selections. Each first-place vote is wor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nate McMillan
Nathaniel McMillan (born August 3, 1964) is an American basketball coach and former player who serves as head coach of the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He coached the Seattle SuperSonics from 2000 to 2005, the Portland Trail Blazers from 2005 to 2012, and the Indiana Pacers from 2016 to 2020. He spent his entire 12-year NBA playing career with the SuperSonics, then served as an assistant coach for one-and-a-half years and as head coach for almost five years. His long tenure as a player and coach in Seattle earned him the nickname "Mr. Sonic". High school and college career McMillan grew up in the heart of North Carolina's basketball country and attended Raleigh's William G. Enloe High School, where he went unnoticed by major college scouts. After playing for two years at Chowan College (then a two-year school) in Murfreesboro, North Carolina, he returned to Raleigh to play for Jim Valvano at North Carolina State. McMillan helped lead NC State to a fi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sam Perkins
Samuel Bruce Perkins (born June 14, 1961) is an American former professional basketball player and executive. Perkins was a three-time college All-American, was a member of the 1982 national champion North Carolina Tar Heels, and won a gold medal with the 1984 United States men's Olympic basketball team. Perkins played professionally in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 17 seasons. High school career Born in Brooklyn, New York, Perkins attended Samuel J. Tilden High School. He later attended and graduated from Shaker High School in Latham, New York. He was named large-school player of the year (high school) by the New York State Sportswriters Association in 1980 and was also named to the 35 Greatest Boys McDonald's All Americans team. College career Perkins attended college at the University of North Carolina and played basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels from 1980 to 1984. He was named ACC Rookie of the Year in 1981 and starred alongside future NBA Hall ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hersey Hawkins
Hersey R. Hawkins Jr. (born September 29, 1966) is an American former professional basketball player. After starring at Chicago's Westinghouse High School, the 6'3" (1.90 m) shooting guard attended Bradley University. Hawkins played for 4 teams throughout his 12-year National Basketball Association career. Hersey was given his nickname, “The Big Kiss”, by David Gborie. College Hersey spent four seasons as the starting shooting guard at Bradley University, starting all 125 games the Braves played and finishing with 3,008 points. At the time of his graduation in 1988, he was the fourth-leading scorer in NCAA Division I history and is currently 10th. In 1986–87, he finished fifth in NCAA Division I in scoring with 27.2 points per game, following that season with a historic campaign, averaging 36.3 points per game in 1987–88. Before being drafted into the NBA, he was a member of the last collegiate USA men's national basketball team at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul coac ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1997 NBA All-Star Game
The 1997 NBA All-Star Game was the 47th edition of the All-Star Game and commemorated the 50th anniversary of NBA. The game was played on February 9, 1997, at Gund Arena (now known as Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse) in Cleveland. The winner of the MVP award was Glen Rice of the Charlotte Hornets who played 25 minutes and scored 26 points while breaking two records in the process, 20 points in the third quarter and 24 points in the second half. Rice's 20 points in the period broke Hal Greer's record (19), set in 1968. Rice's 24 points in a half surpassed the previous mark of 23, owned by Wilt Chamberlain and Tom Chambers. Michael Jordan's 14 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists were the first and until the 2011 NBA All-Star Game the only triple-double in NBA All-Star Game history; LeBron James (2011), Dwyane Wade (2012), and Kevin Durant (2017) have also achieved this. Five players (Charles Barkley, Alonzo Mourning, Patrick Ewing, Clyde Drexler, Shaquille O'Neal) who were voted or sel ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
