The 1997-98 NBA season marked the third year for the franchise known as the Vancouver Grizzlies, now the Memphis Grizzlies. The team continued to struggle, reflecting their ongoing challenges in establishing a competitive presence in the league. Under the leadership of head coach Brian Hill, who took over from Stu Jackson, the Grizzlies sought to improve upon their previous records. Despite efforts to bolster their lineup, the team finished the season with a disappointing 19-63 record.
One of the few bright spots for the Grizzlies was the performance of Shareef Abdur-Rahim. The forward continued to develop as a key player for the team, averaging 22.3 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, showcasing his potential as a future star. The team also saw contributions from Bryant Reeves, who added 16.3 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, although the overall roster struggled to consistently compete against stronger opponents.
The Grizzlies faced challenges both offensively and defensively, ranking near the bottom of the league in several key statistical categories. Despite these difficulties, the season provided valuable experience for the young team. The franchise continued to focus on building through the draft and developing their core talent in hopes of achieving more success in future seasons. The 1997-98 season was another step in the Grizzlies’ journey toward becoming a competitive team in the NBA.
- Regular Season Record: 19-63
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
Memphis Grizzlies Roster and Stats for 1997-98 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Shareef Abdur-Rahim | 82 | 22.3 | 7.1 | 2.6 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 41.2 | |||||||
| Bryant Reeves | 74 | 16.3 | 7.9 | 2.1 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Otis Thorpe | 47 | 11.2 | 7.9 | 3.4 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Sam Mack | 57 | 10.8 | 2.3 | 1.8 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 40.9 | |||||||
| Blue Edwards | 81 | 10.8 | 2.7 | 2.5 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 33.3 | |||||||
| Anthony Peeler | 8 | 9.9 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 26.3 | |||||||
| Antonio Daniels | 74 | 7.8 | 1.9 | 4.5 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 21.1 | |||||||
| George Lynch | 82 | 7.5 | 4.4 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 30.0 | |||||||
| Tony Massenburg | 61 | 6.5 | 3.8 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Michael Smith | 30 | 6.1 | 6.9 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Pete Chilcutt | 82 | 4.9 | 3.7 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 41.5 | |||||||
| Lee Mayberry | 79 | 4.6 | 1.4 | 4.4 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 35.0 | |||||||
| Bobby Hurley | 27 | 4.5 | 1.1 | 3.6 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 14.3 | |||||||
| Chris Robinson | 16 | 3.4 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 29.2 | |||||||
| Larry Robinson | 6 | 2.8 | 2.0 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 50.0 | |||||||
| Ivano Newbill | 28 | 2.1 | 2.5 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 100.0 | |||||||
Memphis Grizzlies 1997-98 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1997-98 season for the Memphis Grizzlies.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 31, 1997 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | W 90-88 | |
| Nov 01, 1997 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | L 97-96 | |
| Nov 04, 1997 | @ Dallas Mavericks | L 92-87 | |
| Nov 05, 1997 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 87-79 | |
| Nov 07, 1997 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | W 108-97 | |
| Nov 09, 1997 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | L 104-96 | |
| Nov 11, 1997 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | L 119-113 | |
| Nov 12, 1997 | @ Utah Jazz | L 98-80 | |
| Nov 15, 1997 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | L 109-94 | |
| Nov 16, 1997 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 121-95 | |
| Nov 18, 1997 | @ Denver Nuggets | W 100-87 | |
| Nov 19, 1997 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 107-87 | |
| Nov 21, 1997 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | L 99-96 | |
| Nov 23, 1997 | @ New York Knicks | L 104-84 | |
| Nov 26, 1997 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 101-82 | |
| Nov 27, 1997 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 106-85 | |
| Nov 29, 1997 | @ Minnesota Timberwolves | L 106-87 | |
| Nov 30, 1997 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 97-95 | |
| Dec 03, 1997 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | W 101-97 | |
| Dec 05, 1997 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | W 107-98 | |
| Dec 09, 1997 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 107-85 | |
| Dec 12, 1997 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | L 95-88 | |
| Dec 14, 1997 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | L 110-105 | |
| Dec 16, 1997 | @ Houston Rockets | L 118-91 | |
| Dec 17, 1997 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 98-87 | |
| Dec 19, 1997 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 96-91 | |
| Dec 21, 1997 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | L 88-86 | |
| Dec 26, 1997 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | W 118-100 | |
| Dec 28, 1997 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | W 89-88 | |
| Dec 30, 1997 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | W 124-115 | |
| Jan 01, 1998 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | W 115-104 | |
| Jan 02, 1998 | @ Sacramento Kings | L 94-80 | |
| Jan 04, 1998 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | W 120-108 | |
| Jan 06, 1998 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | W 100-87 | |
| Jan 07, 1998 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | L 110-102 | |
| Jan 09, 1998 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | W 98-90 | |
| Jan 11, 1998 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | W 96-90 | |
| Jan 13, 1998 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 107-89 | |
| Jan 15, 1998 | @ Boston Celtics | L 97-93 | |
| Jan 16, 1998 | @ Washington Wizards | L 112-110 | |
| Jan 20, 1998 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | L 88-77 | |
| Jan 23, 1998 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 88-80 | |
| Jan 24, 1998 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | L 107-96 | |
| Jan 27, 1998 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | W 103-85 | |
| Jan 29, 1998 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | W 112-106 | |
| Jan 31, 1998 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | W 116-106 | |
| Feb 02, 1998 | @ Dallas Mavericks | L 104-90 | |
| Feb 03, 1998 | @ Houston Rockets | L 110-97 | |
| Feb 05, 1998 | @ Charlotte Hornets | L 108-93 | |
| Feb 12, 1998 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | W 112-103 | |
| Feb 14, 1998 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | L 110-108 | |
| Feb 18, 1998 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | W 114-105 | |
| Feb 20, 1998 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 115-92 | |
| Feb 22, 1998 | @ Toronto Raptors | L 113-105 | |
| Feb 24, 1998 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 110-101 | |
| Feb 25, 1998 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 106-101 | |
| Mar 01, 1998 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | W 101-76 | |
| Mar 03, 1998 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | W 111-103 | |
| Mar 06, 1998 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | W 98-96 | |
| Mar 08, 1998 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | L 113-106 | |
| Mar 12, 1998 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 98-93 | |
| Mar 13, 1998 | @ Utah Jazz | L 110-101 | |
| Mar 15, 1998 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | W 119-110 | |
| Mar 17, 1998 | @ Orlando Magic | L 99-92 | |
| Mar 18, 1998 | @ Miami Heat | L 94-91 | |
| Mar 20, 1998 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 98-92 | |
| Mar 21, 1998 | @ Minnesota Timberwolves | L 102-88 | |
| Mar 23, 1998 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | L 106-95 | |
| Mar 26, 1998 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 108-102 | |
| Mar 27, 1998 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | W 97-89 | |
| Mar 29, 1998 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 106-98 | |
| Mar 31, 1998 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | W 104-101 | |
| Apr 03, 1998 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | W 138-98 | |
| Apr 05, 1998 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | W 99-93 | |
| Apr 07, 1998 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | W 110-94 | |
| Apr 08, 1998 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 113-102 | |
| Apr 11, 1998 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | L 105-96 | |
| Apr 12, 1998 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | W 129-106 | |
| Apr 14, 1998 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 110-98 | |
| Apr 16, 1998 | @ Vancouver Grizzlies | W 110-97 | |
| Apr 18, 1998 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 112-100 | |
| Apr 19, 1998 | @ Sacramento Kings | W 112-108 |