![]() ![]() Brown flipped Charlie Ward on the hardwood, inciting a bench brawl between the two. * The rivalry between the New York Knicks and the Miami Heat got underway in Game 5 of the Conference Semifinals with a brawl at Miami Arena. * Following a last-second three-point shot by John Stockton in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals, the Utah Jazz made their first ever NBA Finals appearance. ![]() It was the last time until the 2017-18 NBA season a regular-season game has served as a direct play-in game to the postseason. As for the Bullets, this was their final playoff appearance until 2005 where the team was renamed the "Wizards". Had Cleveland won, the Cavaliers would have qualified instead. * In the last game of the regular season for both teams, the Washington Bullets defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers to obtain the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. * Dennis Rodman was suspended for 11 games after kicking a cameraman in a road game against the Minnesota Timberwolves after tripping over him. Following the season, the renovated arena became known as The Arena in Oakland, and was later renamed after the Oracle software company. * Due to extensive renovations at Oakland Coliseum Arena, the Golden State Warriors played their home games at the San Jose Arena (later the HP Pavilion at San Jose, now known as the SAP Center at San Jose), home of the NHL's San Jose Sharks. * Allen Iverson set a rookie record scoring with forty points or more in five successive games. However, a media created feud would eventually lead to O'Neal being traded to Miami in 2004. Along with the addition of Kobe Bryant, the duo would become a fixture on the team for eight years, winning three championships together. * The Los Angeles Lakers signed free-agent center Shaquille O'Neal. * The Philadelphia 76ers played their first game at the Core States Center (later First Union and Wachovia Center, now Wells Fargo Center). * The New Jersey Nets and Orlando Magic both played two games against each other in Tokyo, Japan early into the season. * The 1997 NBA All-Star Game was played at Gund Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, with the East defeating the West 132–120. Glen Rice of the Charlotte Hornets was named the game's MVP after scoring a record 20 points in the third quarter, and 24 in the second half. Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Garnett became the youngest player to play in the All-Star Game. ![]() This loss also prevented the Bulls from tying the best home record of 40–1, set by the 1985–86 Boston Celtics, finishing 39–2 at the United Center. ![]() In the final game of the regular season, the Bulls lost to the Knicks 103–101 as Scottie Pippen missed a three-pointer that would have given the Bulls back-to-back 70-win seasons. With four games to play, the Bulls' record stood at 68–10, only needing a 2–2 split however, they went 1–3 in those games. * The Chicago Bulls missed back-to-back 70-win seasons, going 69–13, tying the second best all-time record (with the 1971–72 Los Angeles Lakers season). The season ended with the Chicago Bulls defeating the Utah Jazz 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals to win the franchise's 5th championship. This particular season featured what has since been acknowledged as one of the most talented rookie-classes, featuring the debuts of Allen Iverson, Ray Allen, Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Jermaine O'Neal, Ben Wallace and Stephon Marbury. The league used this season to mark its 50th anniversary, which included the unveiling of the league's list of its 50 greatest players. The 1996–97 NBA season was the 51st season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). ![]()
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