1998–99_Boston_Celtics_season

1998–99 Boston Celtics season

1998–99 Boston Celtics season

NBA basketball team season

The 1998–99 NBA season was the 53rd season for the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association.[1] On March 23, 1998, the owners of all 29 NBA teams voted 27–2 to reopen the league's collective bargaining agreement, seeking changes to the league's salary cap system, and a ceiling on individual player salaries. The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) opposed to the owners' plan, and wanted raises for players who earned the league's minimum salary. After both sides failed to reach an agreement, the owners called for a lockout, which began on July 1, 1998, putting a hold on all team trades, free agent signings and training camp workouts, and cancelling many NBA regular season and preseason games.[2][3][4][5][6] Due to the lockout, the NBA All-Star Game, which was scheduled to be played in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on February 14, 1999, was also cancelled.[7][8][9][10][11] However, on January 6, 1999, NBA commissioner David Stern, and NBPA director Billy Hunter finally reached an agreement to end the lockout. The deal was approved by both the players and owners, and was signed on January 20, ending the lockout after 204 days. The regular season began on February 5, and was cut short to just 50 games instead of the regular 82-game schedule.[12][13][14][15][16]

Quick Facts Boston Celtics season, Head coach ...

This season is most memorable when the Celtics selected future All-Star, and one-time champion Paul Pierce from the University of Kansas with the tenth overall pick in the 1998 NBA draft.[17][18][19][20][21][22] In the off-season, the team acquired second-year center Tony Battie from the Los Angeles Lakers.[23][24] Pierce would get off to a fast start as he was named Rookie of the Month in February. However, after a 7–7 start to the season, the Celtics struggled losing ten of their next eleven games, as they traded Andrew DeClercq to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Vitaly Potapenko.[25][26][27] The Celtics finished fifth in the Atlantic Division with a 19–31 record,[28] as fans began to get restless with head coach Rick Pitino's slow growth.[29]

Antoine Walker averaged 18.7 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game, while second-year star Ron Mercer averaged 17.0 points and 1.6 steals per game, and Pierce provided the team with 16.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, and finished in third place in Rookie of the Year voting.[30][31][32] In addition, Kenny Anderson contributed 12.1 points and 5.7 assists per game, while off the bench, sixth man Dana Barros provided with 9.3 points and 4.2 assists per game, and Battie averaged 6.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game.[33]

Following the season, Mercer was traded along with Popeye Jones to the Denver Nuggets,[34][35][36][37] and Bruce Bowen signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia 76ers.[38][39]

Draft picks

Main article: 1998 NBA draft
More information Round, Pick ...

Roster

More information Players, Coaches ...

Roster Notes

Regular season

Season standings

More information Atlantic Division, W ...
More information Eastern Conference, # ...
z - clinched division title
y - clinched division title
x - clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

More information Team, ATL ...

Game log

Player statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game

Awards and records

Transactions

References

  1. [1]
    1998-99 Boston Celtics
  2. [2]
    Wise, Mike (June 30, 1998). "BASKETBALL; It's Their Ball, and N.B.A. Owners Call for Lockout". The New York Times. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  3. [3]
    Heisler, Mark (June 30, 1998). "NBA Lockout". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  4. [4]
    "NBA Lockout Begins". CBS News. CBS News.com Staff. June 30, 1998. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  5. [5]
    Bembry, Jerry (June 30, 1998). "Billion-Dollar Question: NBA Facing Long Timeout? Rising Salaries Spur Basketball Owners to Lock Out Players". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  6. [6]
    Steele, David (June 30, 1998). "NBA Lockout Now a Certainty". SFGate. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  7. [7]
    "NBA Cancels All-Star Game". CBS News. CBS News.com Staff. December 8, 1998. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  8. [8]
    Wise, Mike (December 9, 1998). "PRO BASKETBALL; It's Official: N.B.A. Cancels Its All-Star Game". The New York Times. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  9. [9]
    Heisler, Mark (December 9, 1998). "NBA Dunks All-Star Game". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  10. [10]
    Asher, Mark (December 9, 1998). "NBA Cancels All-Star Game". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  11. [11]
    Steele, David (December 9, 1998). "NBA Drops All-Stars -- What's Left?; February Game in Philly Latest Casualty of Lockout". SFGate. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  12. [12]
    "NBA: Let The Games Begin!". CBS News. CBS News.com Staff. January 6, 1999. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  13. [13]
    Wise, Mike (January 7, 1999). "With Little Time on Clock, NBA and Players Settle". The New York Times. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  14. [14]
    Heisler, Mark (January 7, 1999). "NBA, Players Union Agree to End Lockout". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  15. [15]
    Justice, Richard; Asher, Mark (January 7, 1999). "NBA Labor Dispute Ends After 6 Months". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  16. [16]
    Bembry, Jerry (January 7, 1999). "Just Beating Buzzer, NBA Unlocks Season; With Only Day Left to Make Deal, Owners, Players Union Agree". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  17. [17]
    "Clippers Pick Olowokandi No. 1". CBS News. CBS News.com Staff. June 24, 1998. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  18. [18]
    Wise, Mike (June 25, 1998). "PRO BASKETBALL; 7 Feet 1 Inch of Potential at No. 1". The New York Times. Retrieved July 25, 2021.
  19. [19]
    "Olowokandi Is the Center of Attention". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. June 25, 1998. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
  20. [20]
    Mills, Roger (June 25, 1998). "Olowokandi Shoots to the Top". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  21. [21]
    Greenberg, Alan (February 5, 1999). "Celtics Being Pressed to Avoid Tired Traps". Hartford Courant. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  22. [22]
    "1998 NBA Draft". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  23. [23]
    "Knight's Out". Hartford Courant. January 20, 1999. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  24. [24]
    Wise, Mike (February 4, 1999). "PRO BASKETBALL; A Scrum for the Title". The New York Times. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  25. [25]
    "Cavs Trade Potapenko to Celtics". CBS News. Associated Press. March 11, 1999. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  26. [26]
    "Marbury Heads Home". Deseret News. March 12, 1999. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
  27. [27]
    Greenberg, Alan (March 17, 1999). "His Strength Is His Power". Hartford Courant. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
  28. [28]
    "1998–99 Boston Celtics Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  29. [29]
    Greenberg, Alan (March 28, 1999). "Pitino Losing Grip on His Team". Hartford Courant. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  30. [30]
    "Raptors' Carter Is Top Rookie". CBS News. Associated Press. May 26, 1999. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  31. [31]
    "Carter Is Runaway Rookie of the Year". Los Angeles Times. May 27, 1999. Retrieved September 30, 2022.
  32. [32]
    "1998–99 NBA Awards Voting". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  33. [33]
    "1998–99 Boston Celtics Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  34. [34]
    "Celtics Trade Mercer in Six-Player Deal". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. August 4, 1999. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
  35. [35]
    Greenberg, Alan (August 4, 1999). "Celts Cash Out on Mercer". Hartford Courant. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  36. [36]
    "NBA Teams Get Busy Trading and Signing". Deseret News. Associated Press. August 4, 1999. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  37. [37]
    "NBA Trade Roundup". Associated Press. August 4, 1999. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  38. [38]
    "Sixers Sign Rookie MacCulloch". CBS News. Associated Press. September 16, 1999. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  39. [39]
    Wise, Mike (October 31, 1999). "1999–2000 N.B.A. PREVIEW; The West Is Still the Best". The New York Times. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  40. [40]
    Greenberg, Alan (January 22, 1999). "NBA: Nothing But Activity". Hartford Courant. Retrieved October 18, 2022.

See also
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