1997-98 NBA
Physical / Isolation Era
Chicago Bulls won the title.
- Teams
- 29
- Games per team
- 82
- Pace (poss. per 48 min)
- 90.3
- Points per team game
- 95.6
- League true shooting
- .524
- Share of shots from three
- 15.9%
Award winners
- MVPMichael Jordan
- Defensive Player of the YearDikembe Mutombo
- Rookie of the YearTim Duncan
- Sixth ManDanny Manning
- Most ImprovedAlan Henderson
Standings and postseason
East
| Team | W | L | SRS | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bulls | 62 | 20 | 7.24 | Won title |
| Indiana Pacers | 58 | 24 | 6.25 | Lost conf. finals |
| Miami Heat | 55 | 27 | 5.09 | Lost conf. finals |
| Charlotte Hornets | 51 | 31 | 2.45 | Lost conf. finals |
| Atlanta Hawks | 50 | 32 | 3.85 | Lost conf. finals |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 47 | 35 | 3.06 | Lost 2nd round |
| New Jersey Nets | 43 | 39 | 1.88 | Lost 1st round |
| New York Knicks | 43 | 39 | 2.74 | Lost conf. finals |
| Washington Wizards | 42 | 40 | 1.11 | Missed playoffs |
| Orlando Magic | 41 | 41 | -0.53 | Missed playoffs |
| Detroit Pistons | 37 | 45 | 1.95 | Missed playoffs |
| Boston Celtics | 36 | 46 | -1.96 | Missed playoffs |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 36 | 46 | -1.33 | Missed playoffs |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 31 | 51 | -1.89 | Missed playoffs |
| Toronto Raptors | 16 | 66 | -8.33 | Missed playoffs |
West
| Team | W | L | SRS | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utah Jazz | 62 | 20 | 5.73 | Lost Finals |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 61 | 21 | 6.88 | Lost conf. finals |
| Seattle SuperSonics | 61 | 21 | 6.33 | Lost conf. finals |
| Phoenix Suns | 56 | 26 | 4.44 | Lost conf. finals |
| San Antonio Spurs | 56 | 26 | 3.30 | Lost conf. finals |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 46 | 36 | 0.83 | Lost 2nd round |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | 45 | 37 | 0.17 | Lost conf. finals |
| Houston Rockets | 41 | 41 | -1.23 | Lost 1st round |
| Sacramento Kings | 27 | 55 | -5.83 | Missed playoffs |
| Dallas Mavericks | 20 | 62 | -6.33 | Missed playoffs |
| Golden State Warriors | 19 | 63 | -9.20 | Missed playoffs |
| Vancouver Grizzlies | 19 | 63 | -7.47 | Missed playoffs |
| Los Angeles Clippers | 17 | 65 | -7.53 | Missed playoffs |
| Denver Nuggets | 11 | 71 | -11.74 | Missed playoffs |
Rules in force
| Free-throw lane width | 16 ft |
|---|---|
| Restricted area arc | 4 ft arc |
| Three-point line | 23 ft 9 in (22 ft corners) |
| 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
Three-point line restored to 23 feet 9 inches
The line returns to its original distance for 1997-98.