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The 1996–97 NBA season was the 51st season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The league used this season to celebrate its 50th anniversary, which included the unveiling of the league's list of its 50 greatest players .
The 1997 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) 1996–97 season and conclusion of the season's playoffs.The Western Conference champion Utah Jazz took on the defending NBA champion and Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls for the title, with the Bulls holding home court advantage.
The 1997 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1996–97 season.The tournament concluded with the defending NBA champion and Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls defeating the Western Conference champion Utah Jazz 4 games to 2.
After 18 games, head coach Bob Hill was fired and replaced with general manager Gregg Popovich. [14] [15] [16] As of the 2023–24 NBA season, Popovich still remains as head coach of the Spurs. Sean Elliott only played just 39 games due to a knee injury, [17] [18] and Charles D. Smith only appeared in just 19 games also with a knee injury. [19]
Off the bench, Bryant contributed 7.6 points per game, and Knight averaged 4.8 points and 4.5 rebounds per game; Bryant and Knight were both named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. [35] During the All-Star Weekend in Cleveland, Ohio, O'Neal and Jones were both selected for the 1997 NBA All-Star Game, but O'Neal did not play due to injury.
The Bulls entered the season as defending NBA champions, having defeated the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1996 NBA Finals in six games, winning their fourth NBA championship. During the off-season, the Bulls signed 43-year old free agent All-Star center Robert Parish, who won three championships with the Boston Celtics in the 1980s.
The 1996–97 NBA season was the Magic's eighth season in the National Basketball Association. [1] After losing Shaquille O'Neal via free agency to the Los Angeles Lakers in the off-season, the Magic acquired Felton Spencer from the Utah Jazz, [2] [3] [4] and signed free agents Gerald Wilkins, [5] [6] [7] Derek Strong, [8] [9] and Danny Schayes ...
The Chicago Bulls entered the NBA playoffs with a record of 72–10 (the best regular season record until the 2016 Golden State Warriors went 73–9), eclipsing the 1972 Los Angeles Lakers record of 69–13, helped by Michael Jordan's first full season back from his mid-1990's retirement and the addition of another future Hall of Famer to the Bulls, Dennis Rodman.