1996–97 Charlotte Hornets season

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1996–97 Charlotte Hornets season
Head coachDave Cowens
OwnersGeorge Shinn
ArenaCharlotte Coliseum
Results
Record54–28 (.659)
PlaceDivision: 4th (Central)
Conference: 5th (Eastern)
Playoff finishFirst Round
(Lost to Knicks 0–3)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionFox Sports South, WJZY, WFVT
RadioWBT
< 1995–96 1997–98 >

The 1996–97 NBA season was the 9th season for the Charlotte Hornets in the National Basketball Association.[1] During the offseason, the Hornets acquired Anthony Mason from the New York Knicks,[2] and Vlade Divac from the Los Angeles Lakers.[3] Under new head coach Dave Cowens, the new-look Hornets played better than expected: Divac and Matt Geiger provided the best center combo in the league, Mason averaged a double-double and earned All-NBA Third Team honors, and Glen Rice had the finest season of his career, finishing third in the league in scoring with a career high of 26.8 points per game, and earning All-NBA Second Team honors. Rice also set several scoring records in the 1997 NBA All-Star Game, and was selected the game's MVP.[4] At midseason, the Hornets traded Scott Burrell to the Golden State Warriors while acquiring Ricky Pierce from the Denver Nuggets. The Hornets went on a nine-game winning streak in April, and finished fourth in the Central Division with a franchise best record at 54–28, making it back to the playoffs after a one-year absence.

In the first round of the playoffs, they were swept by the New York Knicks in three straight games. The Hornets led the NBA in attendance for the eighth and final time during their history in Charlotte. They also had the best three-point percentage in NBA history shooting 42.8% from beyond the arch. Following the season, Pierce re-signed as a free agent with the Milwaukee Bucks.

NBA Draft

Main article: 1996 NBA Draft

In the 1996 NBA Draft, the Hornets selected Kobe Bryant with the 13th overall pick. Before he was chosen by the Hornets, the 17-year-old Bryant had made a lasting impression on then-Lakers general manager Jerry West, who immediately foresaw potential in Bryant's basketball ability during pre-draft workouts. West even went on to state that Bryant's workouts were some of the best he had seen. Immediately after the draft, Dave Cowens expressed that the Hornets had no use for him. Fifteen days later, West traded his starting center, Vlade Divac to the Hornets for the young Kobe Bryant.

Round Pick Player Position Nationality School
1 13 Kobe Bryant SG  United States Lower Merion HS

Roster

Dave Cowens started his first year coaching the Hornets in the 1996-97 season.

Note: Statistics are correct through the end of the 2015–16 season.

Charlotte Hornets roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
SF 7 United States Addison, Rafael 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Syracuse
PG 1 United States Bogues, Muggsy 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m) 136 lb (62 kg) Wake Forest
SG 30 United States Curry, Dell 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Virginia Tech
PG 00 United States Delk, Tony 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 189 lb (86 kg) Kentucky
C 12 Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Divac, Vlade 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) 243 lb (110 kg) Yugoslavia
C 52 United States Geiger, Matt 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 243 lb (110 kg) Georgia Tech
PF 14 United States Mason, Anthony 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 250 lb (113 kg) Tennessee State
SG 21 United States Pierce, Ricky 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Rice
SF 41 United States Rice, Glen 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Michigan
PF 31 United States Rose, Malik 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 250 lb (113 kg) Drexel
SF 5 United States Royal, Donald 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Notre Dame
SG 34 United States Smith, Tony 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Marquette
Head coach
Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Regular season

Season standings

Central Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Chicago Bulls 69 13 .841 – 39–2 30–11 24–4
x-Atlanta Hawks 56 26 .683 13 36–5 20–21 17–11
x-Detroit Pistons 54 28 .659 15 30–11 24–17 17–11
x-Charlotte Hornets 54 28 .659 15 30–11 24–17 14–14
Cleveland Cavaliers 42 40 .512 27 25–16 17–24 13–15
Indiana Pacers 39 43 .476 30 21–20 18–23 11–17
Milwaukee Bucks 33 49 .402 36 20–21 13–28 10–18
Toronto Raptors 30 52 .366 39 18–23 12–29 6–22
1996–97 NBA East standings
#
Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Chicago Bulls 69 13 .841 –
2 y-Miami Heat 61 21 .744 8
3 x-New York Knicks 57 25 .695 12
4 x-Atlanta Hawks 56 26 .683 13
5 x-Detroit Pistons 54 28 .659 15
6 x-Charlotte Hornets 54 28 .659 15
7 x-Orlando Magic 45 37 .549 24
8 x-Washington Bullets 44 38 .537 25
9 Cleveland Cavaliers 42 40 .512 27
10 Indiana Pacers 39 43 .476 30
11 Milwaukee Bucks 33 49 .402 36
12 Toronto Raptors 30 52 .366 39
13 New Jersey Nets 26 56 .317 43
14 Philadelphia 76ers 22 60 .268 47
15 Boston Celtics 15 67 .183 54

Record vs. opponents

1996-97 NBA Records
Team ATL BOS CHA CHI CLE DAL DEN DET GSW HOU IND LAC LAL MIA MIL MIN NJN NYK ORL PHI PHO POR SAC SAS SEA TOR UTA VAN WAS
Atlanta — 3–1 1–3 1–3 3–1 2–0 1–1 1–3 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 1–2 4–0 2–0 3–1 1–3 3–1 4–0 1–1 2–0 2–0 2–0 1–1 4–0 1–1 2–0 2–1
Boston 1–3 — 0–4 0–4 1–2 1–1 1–1 0–4 1–1 0–2 1–2 0–2 1–1 0–4 1–3 0–2 0–4 0–4 0–4 1–3 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 3–1 0–2 0–2 0–4
Charlotte 3–1 4–0 — 0–4 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–2 2–0 2–0 2–2 1–1 1–1 1–2 2–2 2–0 4–0 3–1 1–2 4–0 1–1 0–2 2–0 2–0 2–0 2–2 0–2 2–0 3–1
Chicago 3–1 4–0 4–0 — 3–1 2–0 2–0 3–1 2–0 1–1 4–0 2–0 1–1 2–2 4–0 2–0 3–1 2–2 3–0 4–0 2–0 2–0 2–0 2–0 2–0 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–1
Cleveland 1–3 2–1 1–3 1–3 — 2–0 1–1 2–2 1–1 0–2 3–1 2–0 1–1 0–4 2–2 2–0 4–0 1–3 2–2 3–0 1–1 1–1 2–0 0–2 0–2 3–1 1–1 2–0 1–3
Dallas 0–2 1–1 1–1 0–2 0–2 — 3–1 0–2 0–4 0–4 1–1 2–2 0–4 0–2 0–2 1–3 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–3 1–3 2–2 1–3 1–3 0–2 1–3 3–1 0–2
Denver 1–1 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 1–3 — 0–2 1–3 1–3 0–2 1–3 0–4 0–2 1–1 0–4 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 2–2 0–4 2–2 2–2 0–4 1–1 0–4 3–1 1–1
Detroit 3–1 4–0 2–2 1–3 2–2 2–0 2–0 — 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 0–4 3–1 2–0 4–0 1–2 2–2 2–1 0–2 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 3–1 1–1 2–0 4–0
Golden State 0–2 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 4–0 3–1 0–2 — 0–4 1–1 1–3 0–4 0–2 1–1 1–3 2–0 0–2 1–1 2–0 0–4 2–2 1–3 4–0 0–4 2–0 0–4 3–1 0–2
Houston 1–1 2–0 0–2 1–1 2–0 4–0 3–1 1–1 4–0 — 1–1 3–1 3–1 0–2 1–1 4–0 2–0 1–1 0–2 2–0 2–2 2–2 4–0 3–1 3–1 1–1 2–2 3–1 2–0
Indiana 1–3 2–1 2–2 0–4 1–3 1–1 2–0 1–3 1–1 1–1 — 2–0 1–1 1–3 2–2 2–0 2–2 1–3 1–3 3–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 4–0 0–2 2–0 1–3
L.A. Clippers 0–2 2–0 1–1 0–2 0–2 2–2 3–1 0–2 3–1 1–3 0–2 — 2–2 0–2 2–0 1–3 1–1 0–2 1–1 1–1 2–2 0–4 2–2 4–0 1–3 2–0 1–3 4–0 0–2
L.A. Lakers 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 4–0 4–0 1–1 4–0 1–3 1–1 2–2 — 1–1 2–0 3–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 2–0 4–0 1–3 4–0 2–2 3–1 1–1 1–3 4–0 2–0
Miami 2–1 4–0 2–1 2–2 4–0 2–0 2–0 4–0 2–0 2–0 3–1 2–0 1–1 — 4–0 1–1 3–1 1–3 2–2 3–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 2–0 0–2 3–1 0–2 2–0 3–1
Milwaukee 0–4 3–1 2–2 0–4 2–2 2–0 1–1 1–3 1–1 1–1 2–2 0–2 0–2 0–4 — 0–2 2–1 1–2 2–2 3–1 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 1–1 3–1 1–1 2–0 1–3
Minnesota 0–2 2–0 0–2 0–2 0–2 3–1 4–0 0–2 3–1 0–4 0–2 3–1 1–3 1–1 2–0 — 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 3–1 2–2 0–4 4–0 0–4 1–1 1–3 4–0 1–1
New Jersey 1–3 4–0 0–4 1–3 0–4 1–1 1–1 0–4 0–2 0–2 2–2 1–1 0–2 1–3 1–2 0–2 — 2–2 1–3 2–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 2–0 1–1 0–3 0–2 2–0 1–3
New York 3–1 4–0 1–3 2–2 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–1 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–1 1–1 2–2 — 3–1 3–2 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 0–2 3–0 1–1 2–0 4–0
Orlando 1–3 4–0 2–1 0–3 2–2 1–1 2–0 2–2 1–1 2–0 3–1 1–1 1–1 2–2 2–2 1–1 3–1 1–3 — 2–2 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 4–0 0–2 1–1 1–3
Philadelphia 0–4 3–1 0–4 0–4 0–3 0–2 1–1 1–2 0–2 0–2 0–3 1–1 0–2 1–3 1–3 1–1 2–2 2–3 2–2 — 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 1–3 0–2 2–0 1–3
Phoenix 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 3–1 2–2 2–0 4–0 2–2 1–1 2–2 0–4 0–2 1–1 1–3 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 — 1–3 4–0 3–1 2–2 0–2 1–3 2–2 1–1
Portland 0–2 1–1 2–0 0–2 1–1 3–1 4–0 1–1 2–2 2–2 1–1 4–0 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–2 2–0 1–1 0–2 1–1 3–1 — 2–2 4–0 1–3 0–2 2–2 4–0 0–2
Sacramento 0–2 2–0 0–2 0–2 0–2 2–2 2–2 1–1 3–1 0–4 1–1 2–2 0–4 0–2 2–0 4–0 1–1 0–2 1–1 2–0 0–4 2–2 — 3–1 1–3 1–1 0–4 4–0 0–2
San Antonio 0–2 1–1 0–2 0–2 2–0 3–1 2–2 0–2 0–4 1–3 1–1 0–4 2–2 0–2 1–1 0–4 0–2 0–2 1–1 1–1 1–3 0–4 1–3 — 0–4 1–1 1–3 1–3 0–2
Seattle 1–1 2–0 0–2 0–2 2–0 3–1 4–0 1–1 4–0 1–3 1–1 3–1 1–3 2–0 1–1 4–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 2–2 3–1 3–1 4–0 — 2–0 1–3 4–0 2–0
Toronto 0–4 1–3 2–2 1–3 1–3 2–0 1–1 1–3 0–2 1–1 0–4 0–2 1–1 1–3 1–3 1–1 3–0 0–3 0–4 3–1 2–0 2–0 1–1 1–1 0–2 — 1–1 1–1 2–2
Utah 1–1 2–0 2–0 1–1 1–1 3–1 4–0 1–1 4–0 2–2 2–0 3–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 2–0 3–1 2–2 4–0 3–1 3–1 1–1 — 4–0 2–0
Vancouver 0–2 2–0 0–2 0–2 0–2 1–3 1–3 0–2 1–3 1–3 0–2 0–4 0–4 0–2 0–2 0–4 0–2 0–2 1–1 0–2 2–2 0–4 0–4 3–1 0–4 1–1 0–4 — 1–1
Washington 1–2 4–0 1–3 1–2 3–1 2–0 1–1 0–4 2–0 0–2 3–1 2–0 0–2 1–3 3–1 1–1 3–1 0–4 3–1 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 2–0 0–2 2–2 0–2 1–1 —

Game log

Playoffs

1997 playoff game log
First round: 0–3 (home: 0–1; road: 0–2)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 April 24 @ New York L 99–109 Vlade Divac (27) Anthony Mason (13) Anthony Mason (5) Madison Square Garden
19,763 		0–1
2 April 26 @ New York L 93–100 Glen Rice (39) Vlade Divac,
Anthony Mason (12) 		4-way tie (2) Madison Square Garden
19,763 		0–2
3 April 28 New York L 95–104 Glen Rice (22) Anthony Mason (11) Glen Rice (9) Charlotte Coliseum
24,042 		0–3
1997 playoff schedule

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

Season

Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Rafael Addison 41 3 8.7 .402 .400 .786 1.1 0.8 0.2 0.1 3.1
Muggsy Bogues 65 65 28.9 .460 .417 .844 2.2 7.2 1.3 0.0 8.0
Scott Burrell 28 2 17.2 .344 .345 .792 2.8 1.4 0.5 0.4 5.4
Tom Chambers 12 5 6.9 .226 .667 .750 1.2 0.3 0.1 0.0 1.6
Dell Curry 68 20 30.6 .459 .426 .803 3.1 1.7 0.9 0.2 14.8
Tony Delk 61 1 14.2 .465 .464 .824 1.6 1.6 0.6 0.1 5.4
Vlade Divac 81 80 35.1 .494 .234 .683 9.0 3.7 1.3 2.2 12.6
Jamie Feick 3 0 3.3 .500 1.000 .000 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 1.7
Matt Geiger 49 13 21.3 .489 .300 .701 5.3 0.8 0.4 0.6 8.9
Anthony Goldwire 33 9 17.5 .403 .439 .750 1.2 2.8 0.6 0.0 5.8
Eric Leckner 1 0 11.0 .000 1.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Anthony Mason 73 73 43.1 .525 .333 .745 11.4 5.7 1.0 0.5 16.2
Ricky Pierce 27 17 24.1 .502 .536 .889 2.5 1.8 0.5 0.1 12.0
Glen Rice 79 78 42.6 .477 .470 .867 4.0 2.0 0.9 0.3 26.8
Malik Rose 54 1 9.7 .477 .000 .613 3.0 0.6 0.5 0.3 3.0
Donald Royal 25 2 12.8 .525 .800 2.3 0.4 0.5 0.1 2.8
Tony Smith 69 39 18.7 .409 .323 .644 1.4 2.2 0.7 0.3 5.0
George Zidek 36 2 8.0 .388 .000 .781 1.8 0.3 0.1 0.1 2.5

Playoffs

Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Muggsy Bogues 2 2 29.0 .579 .857 1.000 1.5 2.5 0.5 0.0 16.0
Dell Curry 3 1 16.7 .294 .250 1.000 0.3 1.7 1.3 0.0 4.7
Tony Delk 3 1 28.3 .419 .385 3.3 2.0 0.7 0.0 10.3
Vlade Divac 3 3 38.7 .457 .000 .800 8.7 3.3 1.0 2.0 18.0
Matt Geiger 3 0 10.3 .667 1.000 2.7 0.7 0.7 0.3 2.0
Anthony Mason 3 3 43.7 .421 .538 12.0 3.0 0.3 0.3 13.0
Ricky Pierce 3 2 29.0 .458 .143 2.7 1.3 0.7 0.0 7.7
Glen Rice 3 3 45.7 .491 .375 .913 3.7 3.7 1.3 0.3 27.7
Malik Rose 2 0 6.0 .500 2.5 0.5 0.0 0.0 2.0
Donald Royal 1 0 4.0 .000 2.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Tony Smith 2 0 4.5 .000 .000 .500 0.5 1.0 0.5 0.0 0.5

Awards and records

Transactions

  • July 11, 1996

Released Michael Adams.

Traded Kobe Bryant to the Los Angeles Lakers for Vlade Divac.

Released Robert Parish.

  • July 14, 1996

Traded Larry Johnson to the New York Knicks for Brad Lohaus and Anthony Mason.

  • October 3, 1996

Signed Bob McCann as a free agent.

October 19, 1996

Signed Tony Smith as a free agent.

  • October 31, 1996

Waived Brad Lohaus.

  • January 6, 1997

Signed Jamie Feick to the first of two 10-day contracts.

  • January 28, 1997

Signed Eric Leckner to a 10-day contract.

  • January 30, 1997

Signed Tom Chambers to a contract for the rest of the season.

  • February 20, 1997

Traded Scott Burrell to the Golden State Warriors for Donald Royal.

Traded Anthony Goldwire and George Zidek to the Denver Nuggets for Ricky Pierce.

  • April 8, 1997

Waived Tom Chambers.

References

  1. ^ 1996-97 Charlotte Hornets
  2. ^ "Johnson-for-Mason Said to Be Complete". Los Angeles Times. July 13, 1996. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
  3. ^ "A New Day for Vlade". Los Angeles Times. July 21, 1996. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
  4. ^ "Rice Stages His Own Shootout in East's Victory". New York Times. February 10, 1998. Retrieved July 26, 2017.
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