1996–97 Vancouver Grizzlies season

The 1996–97 Vancouver Grizzlies season was the second season for the Vancouver Grizzlies in the National Basketball Association.

Season summary

Off-season Coming off of finishing with a league-worst 15–67 record in their inaugural season, the Grizzlies received the third overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft, and selected small forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim from the University of California, and also selected power forward Roy Rogers from the University of Alabama with the 22nd overall pick. During the off-season, the team acquired Anthony Peeler and George Lynch from the Los Angeles Lakers, and signed free agents Lee Mayberry and Pete Chilcutt.

Regular season However, despite the addition of Abdur-Rahim, Peeler, Lynch and Rogers, the Grizzlies continued to struggle in their second season, losing their first seven games of the regular season, and then later on posting an eight-game losing streak in January. Head coach Brian Winters was fired after an 8–35 start to the season, and was replaced with General Manager Stu Jackson as an interim coach. Under Jackson, the Grizzlies held a 9–42 record at the All-Star break, suffered a 15-game losing streak between February and March, and then posted a nine-game losing streak between March and April, finishing in last place in the Midwest Division with a league-worst 14–68 record, which was their worst record in franchise history.

Abdur-Rahim averaged 18.7 points and 6.9 rebounds per game, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, while second-year star Bryant Reeves showed improvement averaging 16.2 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, and Peeler provided the team with 14.5 points, 3.6 assists and 1.5 steals per game, and led them with 128 three-point field goals. In addition, Greg Anthony contributed 9.5 points, 6.3 assists and 2.0 steals per game, while Lynch provided with 8.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game, but only played just 41 games due to an abdominal strain injury, and Blue Edwards provided with 7.8 points per game. Meanwhile second-year guard Lawrence Moten contributed 6.7 points per game, Rogers averaged 6.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game, Mayberry provided with 5.1 points and 4.1 assists per game, and rookie shooting guard, and second-round draft pick Chris Robinson contributed 4.6 points per game.

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Gund Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, Abdur-Rahim and Rogers were both selected for the NBA Rookie Game, as members of the Western Conference Rookie team. Abdur-Rahim scored 17 points despite the Western Conference losing to the Eastern Conference, 96–91. Abdur-Rahim also finished in third place in Rookie of the Year voting. The Grizzlies finished 17th in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 683,442 at General Motors Place during the regular season.

Aftermath Following the season, Anthony signed as a free agent with the Seattle SuperSonics, while Jackson was fired as head coach, Rogers was traded to the Boston Celtics, and Moten and Eric Mobley were both released to free agency.

Draft picks The Grizzlies first draft pick was Shareef Abdur-Rahim, which was the third overall pick in the draft.

Round Pick Player Position Nationality College 1 3 Shareef Abdur-Rahim Forward University of California 1 22 Roy Rogers Forward University of Alabama 2 51 Chris Robinson Guard Western Kentucky University

Roster

Roster notes Small forward Doug Edwards was on the injured reserve list due to compartment syndrome in both legs, and missed the entire regular season.

Regular season The Grizzlies would open the season with a seven-game losing streak before earning their first win, as they defeated the Phoenix Suns 92–89 in their eighth game. Wins would be few and far between for Vancouver, as they finished the season with a 14–68 record, which was one game worse than their expansion season. The Grizzlies also once again finished in last place in the league.

Highs The Grizzlies swept a season series for the first time in team history, as they won both of their games against the Boston Celtics. The win against the Celtics was also the only time the Grizzlies won consecutive games during the season, as they defeated the San Antonio Spurs the previous game. Vancouver scored a season high 121 points in their final game of the season, as they defeated the Phoenix Suns 121–107.

Lows The Grizzlies lose their first seven games of the season, including a double OT loss to the Los Angeles Clippers in their seventh game. Vancouver gives up a season high 127 points in a 127–80 loss to the Indiana Pacers on December 4, 1996. After a 95–76 loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves on January 23, 1997, Vancouver fires head coach Brian Winters and general manager Stu Jackson takes over for the remainder of the season. On March 19, 1997, the Grizzlies lose their season high fifteenth straight game, as the Minnesota Timberwolves defeat Vancouver 95–72.

Season standings

Game log # Date Opponent Score Record Attendance 1 November 1 Portland Trail Blazers 85–114 0–1 19,193 2 November 3 Golden State Warriors 95–105 0–2 15,781 3 November 5 @ Chicago Bulls 73–96 0–3 23,726 4 November 6 @ Milwaukee Bucks 89–105 0–4 13,689 5 November 8 @ Cleveland Cavaliers 72–88 0–5 13,691 6 November 10 New York Knicks 82–101 0–6 17,356 7 November 12 Los Angeles Clippers 92–99 (2OT) 0–7 14,259 8 November 14 Phoenix Suns 92–89 1–7 15,158 9 November 15 @ Utah Jazz 96–104 1–8 19,046 10 November 17 @ Seattle SuperSonics 81–91 1–9 17,072 11 November 18 Sacramento Kings 83–84 1–10 14,672 12 November 20 Miami Heat 75–94 1–11 15,054 13 November 24 San Antonio Spurs 96–91 2–11 15,874 14 November 26 @ Atlanta Hawks 80–101 2–12 6,957 15 November 27 @ Detroit Pistons 78–87 2–13 15,195 16 November 29 @ Indiana Pacers 94–104 2–14 15,488 17 November 30 @ Philadelphia 76ers 90–96 2–15 13,038 18 December 3 Indiana Pacers 80–127 2–16 15,699 19 December 6 @ San Antonio Spurs 105–89 3–16 13,646 20 December 7 @ Dallas Mavericks 85–96 3–17 15,102 21 December 9 Charlotte Hornets 91–107 3–18 15,780 22 December 12 @ Portland Trail Blazers 78–99 3–19 20,042 23 December 13 Orlando Magic 95–93 4–19 15,954 24 December 15 @ Phoenix Suns 84–103 4–20 19,023 25 December 17 Houston Rockets 93–92 5–20 16,205 26 December 19 Dallas Mavericks 98–105 5–21 15,049 27 December 20 @ Denver Nuggets 93–108 5–22 10,020 28 December 22 Washington Bullets 91–87 6–22 15,751 29 December 26 @ Sacramento Kings 88–111 6–23 17,317 30 December 28 Phoenix Suns 98–103 6–24 16,757 31 December 30 San Antonio Spurs 88–95 6–25 15,749 32 January 3 Seattle SuperSonics 94–108 6–26 19,193 33 January 5 Los Angeles Lakers 82–95 6–27 19,193 34 January 8 @ Golden State Warriors 109–95 7–27 12,819 35 January 9 Golden State Warriors 86–104 7–28 15,454 36 January 11 Sacramento Kings 101–109 7–29 16,092 37 January 14 @ Los Angeles Lakers 81–91 7–30 15,606 38 January 15 Detroit Pistons 79–103 7–31 16,059 39 January 17 Utah Jazz 68–106 7–32 15,173 40 January 19 Toronto Raptors 100–92 8–32 17,474 41 January 20 @ Seattle SuperSonics 96–112 8–33 17,072 42 January 22 @ Denver Nuggets 84–94 8–34 8,422 43 January 23 Minnesota Timberwolves 76–95 8–35 15,282 44 January 25 Denver Nuggets 82–83 8–36 17,102 45 January 27 @ Golden State Warriors 97–122 8–37 12,839 46 January 28 Chicago Bulls 96–111 8–38 19,193 47 January 30 @ Los Angeles Clippers 94–100 8–39 5,122 48 January 31 Atlanta Hawks 76–87 8–40 15,205 49 February 2 @ Boston Celtics 102–92 9–40 15,737 50 February 4 @ New Jersey Nets 105–111 9–41 10,990 51 February 6 @ Minnesota Timberwolves 86–103 9–42 14,277 52 February 11 @ Houston Rockets 97–106 9–43 16,285 53 February 12 @ San Antonio Spurs 106–101 10–43 12,463 54 February 14 Boston Celtics 109–106 11–43 17,434 55 February 17 Dallas Mavericks 95–100 11–44 15,540 56 February 19 Minnesota Timberwolves 73–84 11–45 15,729 57 February 21 @ Los Angeles Lakers 91–99 11–46 17,031 58 February 23 Cleveland Cavaliers 84–91 11–47 15,53659 February 26 Los Angeles Clippers 80–83 11–48 15,61960 February 28 Philadelphia 76ers 100–104 11–49 17,46361 March 2 Utah Jazz 86–93 11–50 16,41562 March 6 New Jersey Nets 96–102 11–51 16,67363 March 9 @ Toronto Raptors 77–81 11–52 19,18664 March 11 @ Charlotte Hornets 92–98 11–53 24,04265 March 12 @ Washington Bullets 82–104 11–54 11,00766 March 14 @ Miami Heat 82–88 11–55 14,72867 March 16 @ Orlando Magic 89–100 11–56 17,24868 March 18 @ New York Knicks 73–98 11–57 19,76369 March 19 @ Minnesota Timberwolves 72–95 11–58 13,36870 March 21 Denver Nuggets 108–101 12–58 19,19371 March 23 Seattle SuperSonics 92–106 12–59 17,64572 March 25 @ Los Angeles Clippers 104–110 (OT) 12–60 5,52873 March 27 Los Angeles Lakers 98–102 (OT) 12–61 18,72274 March 28 @ Portland Trail Blazers 81–115 12–62 20,86575 April 1 Milwaukee Bucks 91–102 12–63 17,19376 April 4 @ Utah Jazz 79–106 12–64 19,91177 April 6 Houston Rockets 85–94 12–65 17,35678 April 8 @ Sacramento Kings 93–109 12–66 17,31779 April 10 @ Houston Rockets 94–102 12–67 16,28580 April 12 @ Dallas Mavericks 96–85 13–67 14,06081 April 17 Portland Trail Blazers 73–105 13–68 19,19382 April 19 @ Phoenix Suns 121–107 14–68 19,023

Player statistics

Ragular season PlayerPF82 50 1,848 386 46 21 163 543 22.5 4.7 .6 .3 2.0 6.6PF 80 71 2,802 555 175 79 79 1,494 35.0 6.9 2.2 1.0 1.0 18.7PG 80 38 1,952 134 329 60 8 410 24.4 1.7 4.1 .8 .1 5.1C 75 75 2,777 610 160 29 67 1,213 37.0 8.1 2.1 .4 .9 16.2SG 72 57 2,291 247 256 105 17 1,041 31.8 3.4 3.6 1.5 .2 14.5SG 67 18 1,214 119 129 48 24 447 18.1 1.8 1.9 .7 .4 6.7PG 65 44 1,863 184 407 129 4 616 28.7 2.8 6.3 2.0 .1 9.5SF 61 12 1,439 189 114 38 20 478 23.6 3.1 1.9 .6 .3 7.8PF 54 1 662 156 47 26 17 182 12.3 2.9 .9 .5 .3 3.4SF 41 27 1,059 261 76 63 17 342 25.8 6.4 1.9 1.5 .4 8.3SG 41 6 681 71 65 28 9 188 16.6 1.7 1.6 .7 .2 4.6†PF 32 1 553 138 15 16 26 197 17.3 4.3 .5 .5 .8 6.2C 28 8 307 58 14 5 10 72 11.0 2.1 .5 .2 .4 2.6†C 19 1 115 35 4 3 2 34 6.1 1.8 .2 .2 .1 1.8†PF 16 1 128 23 2 3 1 44 8.0 1.4 .1 .2 .1 2.8PG 8 0 89 12 23 4 0 12 11.1 1.5 2.9 .5 .0 1.5

Awards and records Shareef Abdur-Rahim, First Team, NBA All-Rookie Team

Transactions Vancouver would make a trade with the Los Angeles Lakers, as the Grizzlies would acquire Anthony Peeler and George Lynch along with the Lakers second round draft choices in 1997 and 1998 for Vancouver's second round draft choices in 1997 and 1998. Peeler would start 57 games for the Grizzlies in the 1996–97 season and finish third in team scoring averaging 14.5 points per game.

References

Grizzlies on Basketball Reference