1996-97 NBA
Physical / Isolation Era
Chicago Bulls won the title.
- Teams
- 29
- Games per team
- 82
- Pace (poss. per 48 min)
- 90.1
- Points per team game
- 96.9
- League true shooting
- .536
- Share of shots from three
- 21.2%
Award winners
- MVPKarl Malone
- Defensive Player of the YearDikembe Mutombo
- Rookie of the YearAllen Iverson
- Sixth ManJohn Starks
- Most ImprovedIsaac Austin
Standings and postseason
East
| Team | W | L | SRS | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bulls | 69 | 13 | 10.70 | Won title |
| Miami Heat | 61 | 21 | 5.56 | Lost conf. finals |
| New York Knicks | 57 | 25 | 3.31 | Lost conf. finals |
| Atlanta Hawks | 56 | 26 | 5.52 | Lost conf. finals |
| Charlotte Hornets | 54 | 28 | 2.13 | Lost conf. finals |
| Detroit Pistons | 54 | 28 | 5.45 | Lost conf. finals |
| Orlando Magic | 45 | 37 | -0.07 | Lost 2nd round |
| Washington Bullets | 44 | 38 | 1.77 | Lost 1st round |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 42 | 40 | 2.32 | Missed playoffs |
| Indiana Pacers | 39 | 43 | 1.49 | Missed playoffs |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 33 | 49 | -1.38 | Missed playoffs |
| Toronto Raptors | 30 | 52 | -2.56 | Missed playoffs |
| New Jersey Nets | 26 | 56 | -3.89 | Missed playoffs |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 22 | 60 | -5.89 | Missed playoffs |
| Boston Celtics | 15 | 67 | -6.62 | Missed playoffs |
West
| Team | W | L | SRS | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utah Jazz | 64 | 18 | 7.97 | Lost Finals |
| Houston Rockets | 57 | 25 | 3.85 | Lost conf. finals |
| Seattle SuperSonics | 57 | 25 | 6.91 | Lost conf. finals |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 56 | 26 | 3.66 | Lost conf. finals |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 49 | 33 | 3.56 | Lost conf. finals |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | 40 | 42 | -1.82 | Lost 2nd round |
| Phoenix Suns | 40 | 42 | 0.21 | Lost conf. finals |
| Los Angeles Clippers | 36 | 46 | -2.66 | Lost 1st round |
| Sacramento Kings | 34 | 48 | -3.64 | Missed playoffs |
| Golden State Warriors | 30 | 52 | -4.90 | Missed playoffs |
| Dallas Mavericks | 24 | 58 | -6.47 | Missed playoffs |
| Denver Nuggets | 21 | 61 | -6.40 | Missed playoffs |
| San Antonio Spurs | 20 | 62 | -7.93 | Missed playoffs |
| Vancouver Grizzlies | 14 | 68 | -10.17 | Missed playoffs |
Rules in force
| Free-throw lane width | 16 ft |
|---|---|
| Three-point line | 22 ft uniform |
| Arm bar / forearm contact | allowed (source pending) |
| Hand-checking | restricted (source pending) |
| Zone defense | not permitted (source pending) |
| Flagrant fouls | flagrant 1 / flagrant 2 (source pending) |
| Team foul penalty (bonus) | bonus after team foul limit |
| Backcourt count | 10 seconds (source pending) |
| Shot clock | 24 seconds |
See how each rule changed over time on the rules timeline.
What changed this season
No league-wide rule or format changes recorded for this season.