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The Cavaliers struggled with a 4–6 start to the season, as [[Bob Sura]] went down with an ankle injury and only played just 46 games,<ref>{{cite news | last = Johnson | first = L.C. | title = Grant Hurt | work = Orlando Sentinel | date = November 20, 1997 | url = https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-1997-11-20-9711200230-story.html | access-date = November 7, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = Ankle in Cast, Cavaliers' Sura Out for Weeks | work = Times Leader | date = December 10, 1997 | url = https://www.timesleader.com/archive/924604/ankle-in-cast-cavaliers-sura-out-for-weeks | access-date = July 11, 2022}}</ref> and Butler was out for the remainder of the season with a neck injury after 18 games.<ref>{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = N.B.A.: YESTERDAY; Jordan's 47 Lead Bulls Into First | work = The New York Times | date = December 28, 1997 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1997/12/28/sports/nba-yesterday-jordan-s-47-lead-bulls-into-first.html | access-date = January 28, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = | first = | title = Around the NBA | work = The Washington Post | date = December 31, 1997 | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1997/12/31/around-the-nba/0ab0b936-d18a-4805-b7aa-6a485957c12d/ | access-date = October 3, 2022}}</ref> However, the team posted a ten-game winning streak between November and December,<ref>{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = N.B.A.: LAST NIGHT; Cleveland Wins It at the Line | work = The New York Times | date = December 12, 1997 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1997/12/12/sports/nba-last-night-cleveland-wins-it-at-the-line.html | access-date = October 22, 2021}}</ref> and later on held a 27–20 record at the All-Star break.<ref>{{cite news | title = NBA Games Played on February 5, 1998 | work = Basketball-Reference | date = | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/?month=2&day=5&year=1998 | access-date = July 19, 2022}}</ref> The Cavaliers played above .500 for the remainder of the season finishing 5th in the Central Division with a 47–35 record, qualifying for the playoffs after a one-year absence.<ref name="results">{{cite web|title=1997–98 Cleveland Cavaliers Schedule and Results|publisher=Basketball-Reference|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CLE/1998_games.html|access-date=June 21, 2021}}</ref> The Cavaliers had the best team defensive rating in the NBA.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/defense/?sort=DEF_RATING&dir=-1&Season=1997-98&SeasonType=Regular%20Season|title=Teams Defense|publisher=[[NBA.com]]|access-date=April 16, 2021}}</ref>
Kemp averaged 18.0 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game, and was selected for the [[1998 NBA All-Star Game]], which would be his sixth and final All-Star appearance,<ref>{{cite news | last = Armour | first = Terry | title = Jordan Top All-Star Vote-Getter; Bryant, 19, Youngest Ever Picked | work = Chicago Tribune | date = January 26, 1998 | url = https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1998-01-26-9801260059-story.html | access-date = December 27, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = | first = | title = 1997-98 All-Star Events and Contestants - in New York | work = Eskimo North | date = | url = https://www.eskimo.com/~pbender/misc/all-star98.txt | access-date = December 27, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = 1998 NBA All-Star Game: East 135, West 114 | work = Basketball-Reference | date = | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/allstar/NBA_1998.html | access-date = November 27, 2021}}</ref> while Person averaged 14.7 points and 1.6 steals per game, and also led the league with 192 three-point field goals. In addition, Ilgauskas averaged 13.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game, and won the MVP award in the [[Rising Stars Challenge|Rookie Game]] during the All-Star Weekend in [[New York City|New York]],<ref>{{cite news | last = Popper | first = Steve | title = N.B.A. ALL-STAR WEEKEND: Kids Slam and Ham, But a Grown-Up Shoots for Dough; Houston Pair Win in 2Ball | work = The New York Times | date = February 8, 1998 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1998/02/08/sports/nba-all-star-weekend-kids-slam-ham-but-grown-up-shoots-for-dough-houston-pair.html | access-date = January 15, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Howard-Cooper | first = Scott | title = Jordan Under the Weather, and Stern Is Under the Gun | work = Los Angeles Times | date = February 8, 1998 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-feb-08-sp-17068-story.html | access-date = December 5, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = 1998 NBA Rising Stars: East 85, West 80 | work = Basketball-Reference | date = | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/allstar/NBA_1998_rookie.html | access-date = January 15, 2022}}</ref> while Knight provided the team with 9.0 points, 8.2 assists, and led the league with 196 total steals, averaging 2.5 per game. Anderson contributed 11.7 points and 1.3 steals per game off the bench, playing 66 games due to a knee injury,<ref>{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = N.B.A.: LAST NIGHT; Ilgauskas Scores 32 to Lead the Cavs | work = The New York Times | date = February 1, 1998 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1998/02/01/sports/nba-last-night-ilgauskas-scores-32-to-lead-the-cavs.html | access-date = January 28, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Thompson | first = Jack | title = Cavs' Anderson Returns | work = Chicago Tribune | date = March 5, 1998 | url = https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1998-03-05-9803050363-story.html | access-date = October 5, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = Like Magic, Anderson Back and Orlando Gets a Victory | work = Los Angeles Times | date = March 5, 1998 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-mar-05-sp-25801-story.html | access-date = October 18, 2022}}</ref> while Henderson provided with 10.1 points per game, and second-year center [[Vitaly Potapenko]] averaged 7.1 points and 3.9 rebounds per game off the bench.<ref name="roster">{{cite web|title=1997–98 Cleveland Cavaliers Roster and Stats|publisher=Basketball-Reference|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CLE/1998.html|access-date=June 21, 2021}}</ref> Both Ilgauskas and Knight were selected to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, while Anderson and Henderson both made the NBA All-Rookie Second Team, and head coach [[Mike Fratello]] finished in third place in [[NBA Coach of the Year Award|Coach of the Year]] voting.<ref>{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = Bird Named Coach of the Year | work = The Washington Post | date = May 12, 1998 | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/nba/longterm/1998/finals/articles/coach12.htm | access-date = October 6, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | agency = Times Wire Services | title = Bird Draws Top Honor in His Rookie Season | work = Los Angeles Times | date = May 13, 1998 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-may-13-sp-49216-story.html | access-date = February 2, 2023}}</ref>
However, the Cavaliers would lose in four games in the Eastern Conference First Round of the [[1998 NBA Playoffs|playoffs]] to the [[1997–98 Indiana Pacers season|Indiana Pacers]],<ref>{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = N.B.A.: PLAYOFFS; Cleveland Ousted | work = The New York Times | date = May 1, 1998 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1998/05/01/sports/nba-playoffs-cleveland-ousted.html | access-date = July 2, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = Indiana Seizes the Opportunity to Oust Young, Pesky Opponent | work = Deseret News | date = May 1, 1998 | url = https://www.deseret.com/1998/5/1/19377532/indiana-seizes-the-opportunity-to-oust-young-pesky-opponent | access-date = June 3, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = Knicks, Heat Slug It Out Again | work = Los Angeles Times | date = May 1, 1998 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-may-01-sp-45244-story.html | access-date = November 25, 2022}}</ref> and they would not make it back to the postseason until [[2005–06 Cleveland Cavaliers season|2006]]. For the season, the team slightly redesigned their uniforms, which remained in use until 1999.<ref>{{cite news | title = Cleveland Cavaliers Uniform | work = Chris Creamer's Sports Logos Page - SportsLogos.Net. | date = | url = https://www.sportslogos.net/logos/view/efh95jn7e1eyl17u3ggg891bn/Cleveland_Cavaliers/1998/Home_Uniform | access-date = January 22, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = Cleveland Cavaliers Uniform | work = Chris Creamer's Sports Logos Page - SportsLogos.Net. | date = | url = https://www.sportslogos.net/logos/view/pgpqlgzzgnxhulcs2sncvd1hq/Cleveland_Cavaliers/1998/Road_Uniform | access-date = January 22, 2022}}</ref>
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