Last Updated on September 16, 2026 by Mat Diekhake
League Search Page > NBA > Cleveland Cavaliers > Roster & Statistics
The Cleveland Cavaliers 1997–98 featured a balanced attack led by Shawn Kemp, whose interior scoring and rebounding anchored the frontcourt, while Brevin Knight directed the offense as the team’s primary playmaker. Wesley Person provided dependable perimeter scoring and outside shooting, and Cedric Henderson added complementary production on the wing. The statistics reflect a team built on balanced scoring, solid rebounding, and efficient ball distribution, with offense shared across multiple key contributors.
Here is the 1997–98 Cleveland Cavaliers roster and player statistics — a season marked by youth, promising development, and the debut of Zydrunas Ilgauskas.
Roster
| NO. | PLAYER NAME | POS | HT | WT | DOB | COLLEGE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wesley Person | SG | 6-6 | 195 | March 28, 1971 | Auburn |
| 2 | Scott Brooks | PG | 5-11 | 165 | July 31, 1965 | TCU, University of California, Irvine |
| 3 | Bob Sura | SG | 6-5 | 200 | March 25, 1973 | Florida State |
| 4 | Shawn Kemp | PF | 6-10 | 230 | November 26, 1969 | Trinity Valley CC, Kentucky |
| 6 | Mitchell Butler | SG | 6-5 | 210 | December 15, 1970 | UCLA |
| 11 | Zydrunas Ilgauskas | C | 7-3 | 238 | June 5, 1975 | |
| 12 | Brevin Knight | PG | 5-10 | 173 | November 8, 1975 | Stanford |
| 20 | Greg Graham | SG | 6-4 | 174 | November 26, 1970 | Indiana |
| 23 | Derek Anderson | SF | 6-5 | 194 | July 18, 1974 | Ohio State, Kentucky |
| 27 | Tony Dumas | SG | 6-6 | 190 | August 25, 1972 | Missouri-Kansas City |
| 30 | Carl Thomas | SG | 6-4 | 175 | October 3, 1969 | Eastern Michigan |
| 32 | Henry James | PF | 6-8 | 220 | July 29, 1965 | South Plains College, St. Mary’s University |
| 35 | Danny Ferry | PF | 6-10 | 230 | October 17, 1966 | Duke |
| 44 | Shawnelle Scott | C | 6-10 | 250 | June 16, 1972 | St. John’s |
| 45 | Cedric Henderson | SF | 6-7 | 215 | March 11, 1975 | Memphis |
| 52 | Vitaly Potapenko | C | 6-10 | 280 | March 21, 1975 | Wright State University |
Regular Season Per Game
| Player | Pos | Age | GP | GS | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shawn Kemp | PF | 28 | 80 | 80 | 34.6 | 18.0 | 9.3 | 2.5 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 3.4 | 14.6 | 6.5 | .445 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .250 | 7.0 | 5.1 | .727 |
| Wesley Person | SG | 26 | 82 | 82 | 39.0 | 14.7 | 4.4 | 2.3 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 11.7 | 5.4 | .460 | 5.5 | 2.3 | .430 | 2.1 | 1.6 | .776 |
| Zydrunas Ilgauskas | C | 22 | 82 | 81 | 29.0 | 13.9 | 8.8 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 10.7 | 5.5 | .518 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .250 | 3.7 | 2.8 | .762 |
| Cedric Henderson | SF | 22 | 82 | 71 | 30.8 | 10.1 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 2.0 | 8.8 | 4.2 | .480 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 2.3 | 1.7 | .716 |
| Derek Anderson | SF | 23 | 66 | 13 | 27.9 | 11.7 | 2.8 | 3.4 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 1.9 | 8.9 | 3.6 | .408 | 1.3 | 0.3 | .202 | 4.8 | 4.2 | .873 |
| Brevin Knight | PG | 22 | 80 | 76 | 31.0 | 9.0 | 3.2 | 8.2 | 2.5 | 0.2 | 2.4 | 7.4 | 3.3 | .441 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .000 | 3.1 | 2.5 | .801 |
| Vitaly Potapenko | C | 22 | 80 | 0 | 17.7 | 7.1 | 3.9 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 1.7 | 6.1 | 2.9 | .480 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 1.8 | 1.3 | .708 |
| Danny Ferry | PF | 31 | 69 | 3 | 15.0 | 4.2 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 4.1 | 1.6 | .395 | 1.4 | 0.5 | .333 | 0.6 | 0.5 | .800 |
| Bob Sura | SG | 24 | 46 | 4 | 20.5 | 5.8 | 2.0 | 3.7 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 2.0 | 5.0 | 1.9 | .377 | 1.3 | 0.4 | .317 | 2.8 | 1.6 | .565 |
| Henry James | PF | 32 | 28 | 0 | 5.9 | 2.9 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 2.1 | 0.9 | .407 | 0.9 | 0.4 | .440 | 0.8 | 0.8 | .955 |
| Carl Thomas | SG | 28 | 29 | 0 | 9.4 | 2.7 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 2.4 | 0.9 | .386 | 1.3 | 0.5 | .395 | 0.4 | 0.3 | .615 |
| Scott Brooks | PG | 32 | 43 | 0 | 7.3 | 1.8 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 0.7 | .424 | 0.3 | 0.1 | .455 | 0.5 | 0.4 | .900 |
| Shawnelle Scott | C | 25 | 41 | 0 | 4.6 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 0.4 | .444 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.3 | .667 | |
| Mitchell Butler | SG | 27 | 18 | 0 | 11.4 | 2.1 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 2.6 | 0.8 | .319 | 0.3 | 0.1 | .167 | 0.6 | 0.3 | .600 |
| Greg Graham | SG | 27 | 6 | 0 | 9.3 | 2.7 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 1.2 | .583 | 0.5 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1.000 |
| Tony Dumas | SG | 25 | 7 | 0 | 6.7 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 0.9 | .500 | 0.6 | 0.3 | .500 | 0.4 | 0.0 | .000 |
| Team Totals | 82 | 82 | 241.8 | 92.5 | 40.1 | 23.1 | 9.9 | 5.1 | 17.3 | 75.7 | 34.4 | .454 | 9.8 | 3.6 | .372 | 26.7 | 20.2 | .756 |
Playoff Per Game
| Player | Pos | Age | GP | GS | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shawn Kemp | PF | 28 | 4 | 4 | 38.0 | 26.0 | 10.3 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 4.0 | 17.8 | 8.3 | .465 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 11.3 | 9.5 | .844 | |
| Zydrunas Ilgauskas | C | 22 | 4 | 4 | 36.8 | 17.3 | 7.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.3 | 2.5 | 12.3 | 7.0 | .571 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6.3 | 3.3 | .520 | |
| Derek Anderson | SF | 23 | 4 | 0 | 25.8 | 10.8 | 2.3 | 2.8 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 3.0 | 5.5 | 2.5 | .455 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6.5 | 5.8 | .885 | |
| Wesley Person | SG | 26 | 4 | 4 | 34.0 | 8.0 | 2.3 | 2.5 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 7.3 | 2.8 | .379 | 4.8 | 1.8 | .368 | 1.0 | 0.8 | .750 |
| Cedric Henderson | SF | 22 | 4 | 4 | 39.3 | 7.5 | 4.3 | 2.8 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 3.3 | 7.0 | 2.8 | .393 | 0.3 | 0.0 | .000 | 3.3 | 2.0 | .615 |
| Brevin Knight | PG | 22 | 4 | 4 | 33.0 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 5.8 | 2.5 | 0.3 | 2.0 | 5.3 | 1.5 | .286 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.5 | 1.5 | .600 | |
| Vitaly Potapenko | C | 22 | 4 | 0 | 17.5 | 4.3 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 3.8 | 1.5 | .400 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.5 | 1.3 | .500 | |
| Bob Sura | SG | 24 | 3 | 0 | 10.3 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 0.3 | .200 | 0.7 | 0.0 | .000 | 1.0 | 0.7 | .667 |
| Carl Thomas | SG | 28 | 1 | 0 | 11.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | .667 | |
| Scott Brooks | PG | 32 | 1 | 0 | 8.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.000 | |
| Shawnelle Scott | C | 25 | 1 | 0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | .500 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | ||
| Danny Ferry | PF | 31 | 3 | 0 | 3.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.7 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Team Totals | 4 | 4 | 240.0 | 80.8 | 34.5 | 18.5 | 8.5 | 3.0 | 18.3 | 61.5 | 26.8 | .435 | 6.0 | 1.8 | .292 | 35.3 | 25.5 | .723 |
Regular Season Per 36 Mins
| Player | Pos | Age | GP | GS | Min | PTS | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shawn Kemp | PF | 28 | 80 | 80 | 2769 | 18.7 | 9.7 | 2.6 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 3.5 | 15.1 | 6.7 | .445 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .250 | 7.2 | 5.3 | .727 |
| Zydrunas Ilgauskas | C | 22 | 82 | 81 | 2379 | 17.2 | 10.9 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 13.3 | 6.9 | .518 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .250 | 4.6 | 3.5 | .762 |
| Vitaly Potapenko | C | 22 | 80 | 0 | 1412 | 14.5 | 8.0 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 3.4 | 12.4 | 6.0 | .480 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 3.7 | 2.6 | .708 |
| Wesley Person | SG | 26 | 82 | 82 | 3198 | 13.6 | 4.1 | 2.1 | 1.5 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 10.8 | 5.0 | .460 | 5.0 | 2.2 | .430 | 1.9 | 1.5 | .776 |
| Derek Anderson | SF | 23 | 66 | 13 | 1839 | 15.1 | 3.7 | 4.4 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 2.5 | 11.5 | 4.7 | .408 | 1.6 | 0.3 | .202 | 6.2 | 5.4 | .873 |
| Cedric Henderson | SF | 22 | 82 | 71 | 2527 | 11.9 | 4.6 | 2.4 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 2.4 | 10.3 | 5.0 | .480 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .000 | 2.7 | 1.9 | .716 |
| Brevin Knight | PG | 22 | 80 | 76 | 2483 | 10.5 | 3.7 | 9.5 | 2.8 | 0.3 | 2.8 | 8.6 | 3.8 | .441 | 0.1 | 0.0 | .000 | 3.6 | 2.9 | .801 |
| Danny Ferry | PF | 31 | 69 | 3 | 1034 | 10.1 | 4.0 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 1.8 | 10.0 | 3.9 | .395 | 3.4 | 1.1 | .333 | 1.4 | 1.1 | .800 |
| Henry James | PF | 32 | 28 | 0 | 166 | 17.3 | 3.3 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 2.6 | 12.8 | 5.2 | .407 | 5.4 | 2.4 | .440 | 4.8 | 4.6 | .955 |
| Bob Sura | SG | 24 | 46 | 4 | 942 | 10.2 | 3.6 | 6.5 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 3.6 | 8.8 | 3.3 | .377 | 2.3 | 0.7 | .317 | 5.0 | 2.8 | .565 |
| Scott Brooks | PG | 32 | 43 | 0 | 312 | 9.1 | 3.5 | 5.7 | 2.1 | 0.3 | 1.4 | 7.6 | 3.2 | .424 | 1.3 | 0.6 | .455 | 2.3 | 2.1 | .900 |
| Shawnelle Scott | C | 25 | 41 | 0 | 188 | 8.4 | 11.3 | 1.5 | 1.1 | 1.5 | 1.9 | 6.9 | 3.1 | .444 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.4 | 2.3 | .667 | |
| Carl Thomas | SG | 28 | 29 | 0 | 272 | 10.2 | 4.9 | 1.2 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 9.3 | 3.6 | .386 | 5.0 | 2.0 | .395 | 1.7 | 1.1 | .615 |
| Mitchell Butler | SG | 27 | 18 | 0 | 206 | 6.5 | 3.8 | 3.1 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 1.4 | 8.2 | 2.6 | .319 | 1.0 | 0.2 | .167 | 1.7 | 1.0 | .600 |
| Tony Dumas | SG | 25 | 7 | 0 | 47 | 10.7 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.8 | 9.2 | 4.6 | .500 | 3.1 | 1.5 | .500 | 2.3 | 0.0 | .000 |
| Greg Graham | SG | 27 | 6 | 0 | 56 | 10.3 | 0.6 | 3.9 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 6.4 | 7.7 | 4.5 | .583 | 1.9 | 0.0 | .000 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.000 |
Playoff Per 36 Mins
| Player | Pos | Age | GP | GS | Min | PTS | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shawn Kemp | PF | 28 | 4 | 4 | 152 | 24.6 | 9.7 | 1.9 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 3.8 | 16.8 | 7.8 | .465 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 10.7 | 9.0 | .844 | |
| Zydrunas Ilgauskas | C | 22 | 4 | 4 | 147 | 16.9 | 7.3 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 2.4 | 12.0 | 6.9 | .571 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6.1 | 3.2 | .520 | |
| Derek Anderson | SF | 23 | 4 | 0 | 103 | 15.0 | 3.1 | 3.8 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 4.2 | 7.7 | 3.5 | .455 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 9.1 | 8.0 | .885 | |
| Wesley Person | SG | 26 | 4 | 4 | 136 | 8.5 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 5.0 | 1.9 | .379 | 5.0 | 1.9 | .368 | 1.1 | 0.8 | .750 |
| Cedric Henderson | SF | 22 | 4 | 4 | 157 | 6.9 | 3.9 | 2.5 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 6.4 | 2.5 | .393 | 0.2 | 0.0 | .000 | 3.0 | 1.8 | .615 |
| Brevin Knight | PG | 22 | 4 | 4 | 132 | 4.9 | 4.4 | 6.3 | 2.7 | 0.3 | 2.2 | 5.7 | 1.6 | .286 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.7 | 1.6 | .600 | |
| Vitaly Potapenko | C | 22 | 4 | 0 | 70 | 8.7 | 5.7 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 3.1 | 7.7 | 3.1 | .400 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5.1 | 2.6 | .500 | |
| Bob Sura | SG | 24 | 3 | 0 | 31 | 4.6 | 3.5 | 4.6 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 2.3 | 5.8 | 1.2 | .200 | 2.3 | 0.0 | .000 | 3.5 | 2.3 | .667 |
| Scott Brooks | PG | 32 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 9.0 | 0.0 | 9.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.5 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 1.000 | |
| Shawnelle Scott | C | 25 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 24.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 12.0 | 12.0 | 24.0 | 12.0 | .500 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | ||
| Carl Thomas | SG | 28 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 6.5 | 3.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.3 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 9.8 | 6.5 | .667 | |
| Danny Ferry | PF | 31 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 0.0 | 3.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 7.2 | 0.0 | .000 | 7.2 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Regular Season Totals
| Player | Pos | Age | GP | GS | Min | PTS | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shawn Kemp | PF | 28 | 80 | 80 | 2769 | 1442 | 745 | 197 | 108 | 90 | 271 | 1164 | 518 | .445 | 8 | 2 | .250 | 556 | 404 | .727 |
| Wesley Person | SG | 26 | 82 | 82 | 3198 | 1204 | 363 | 188 | 129 | 49 | 110 | 957 | 440 | .460 | 447 | 192 | .430 | 170 | 132 | .776 |
| Zydrunas Ilgauskas | C | 22 | 82 | 81 | 2379 | 1139 | 723 | 71 | 52 | 135 | 146 | 876 | 454 | .518 | 4 | 1 | .250 | 302 | 230 | .762 |
| Cedric Henderson | SF | 22 | 82 | 71 | 2527 | 832 | 325 | 168 | 96 | 45 | 165 | 725 | 348 | .480 | 4 | 0 | .000 | 190 | 136 | .716 |
| Derek Anderson | SF | 23 | 66 | 13 | 1839 | 770 | 187 | 227 | 86 | 13 | 128 | 586 | 239 | .408 | 84 | 17 | .202 | 315 | 275 | .873 |
| Brevin Knight | PG | 22 | 80 | 76 | 2483 | 723 | 253 | 656 | 196 | 18 | 194 | 592 | 261 | .441 | 7 | 0 | .000 | 251 | 201 | .801 |
| Vitaly Potapenko | C | 22 | 80 | 0 | 1412 | 570 | 313 | 57 | 27 | 28 | 132 | 488 | 234 | .480 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 144 | 102 | .708 |
| Danny Ferry | PF | 31 | 69 | 3 | 1034 | 291 | 114 | 59 | 26 | 17 | 53 | 286 | 113 | .395 | 99 | 33 | .333 | 40 | 32 | .800 |
| Bob Sura | SG | 24 | 46 | 4 | 942 | 267 | 94 | 171 | 44 | 7 | 93 | 231 | 87 | .377 | 60 | 19 | .317 | 131 | 74 | .565 |
| Henry James | PF | 32 | 28 | 0 | 166 | 80 | 15 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 59 | 24 | .407 | 25 | 11 | .440 | 22 | 21 | .955 |
| Scott Brooks | PG | 32 | 43 | 0 | 312 | 79 | 30 | 49 | 18 | 3 | 12 | 66 | 28 | .424 | 11 | 5 | .455 | 20 | 18 | .900 |
| Carl Thomas | SG | 28 | 29 | 0 | 272 | 77 | 37 | 9 | 16 | 5 | 12 | 70 | 27 | .386 | 38 | 15 | .395 | 13 | 8 | .615 |
| Shawnelle Scott | C | 25 | 41 | 0 | 188 | 44 | 59 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 36 | 16 | .444 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 12 | .667 | |
| Mitchell Butler | SG | 27 | 18 | 0 | 206 | 37 | 22 | 18 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 47 | 15 | .319 | 6 | 1 | .167 | 10 | 6 | .600 |
| Greg Graham | SG | 27 | 6 | 0 | 56 | 16 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 12 | 7 | .583 | 3 | 0 | .000 | 2 | 2 | 1.000 |
| Tony Dumas | SG | 25 | 7 | 0 | 47 | 14 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 12 | 6 | .500 | 4 | 2 | .500 | 3 | 0 | .000 |
| Team Totals | 82 | 82 | 19830 | 7585 | 3286 | 1894 | 814 | 419 | 1361 | 6207 | 2817 | .454 | 801 | 298 | .372 | 2187 | 1653 | .756 |
Playoff Totals
| Player | Pos | Age | GP | GS | Min | PTS | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shawn Kemp | PF | 28 | 4 | 4 | 152 | 104 | 41 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 16 | 71 | 33 | .465 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 38 | .844 | |
| Zydrunas Ilgauskas | C | 22 | 4 | 4 | 147 | 69 | 30 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 49 | 28 | .571 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 13 | .520 | |
| Derek Anderson | SF | 23 | 4 | 0 | 103 | 43 | 9 | 11 | 5 | 1 | 12 | 22 | 10 | .455 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 23 | .885 | |
| Wesley Person | SG | 26 | 4 | 4 | 136 | 32 | 9 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 29 | 11 | .379 | 19 | 7 | .368 | 4 | 3 | .750 |
| Cedric Henderson | SF | 22 | 4 | 4 | 157 | 30 | 17 | 11 | 6 | 0 | 13 | 28 | 11 | .393 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 13 | 8 | .615 |
| Brevin Knight | PG | 22 | 4 | 4 | 132 | 18 | 16 | 23 | 10 | 1 | 8 | 21 | 6 | .286 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 6 | .600 | |
| Vitaly Potapenko | C | 22 | 4 | 0 | 70 | 17 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 15 | 6 | .400 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 5 | .500 | |
| Bob Sura | SG | 24 | 3 | 0 | 31 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 1 | .200 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 3 | 2 | .667 |
| Carl Thomas | SG | 28 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | .667 | |
| Scott Brooks | PG | 32 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1.000 | |
| Shawnelle Scott | C | 25 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | .500 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Danny Ferry | PF | 31 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | |
| Team Totals | 4 | 4 | 960 | 323 | 138 | 74 | 34 | 12 | 69 | 246 | 107 | .435 | 24 | 7 | .292 | 141 | 102 | .723 |
HeatingUp Impact Index: Regular Season Team Impact Spotlight
| Player Name | Role Tier | MPG | Usage Tier | PPG | RPG | APG | STK (SPG + BPG) | Impact Index | Notes | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shawn Kemp | Primary Interior Offensive Engine (1.1) | 34.6 | High (1.2) | 18.0 | 9.3 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 88.18 | The Cavaliers’ primary interior force worked through power, face-up attacks and relentless activity around the rim, giving Cleveland a dependable half-court release valve alongside its young perimeter group. Kemp also made the 1998 All-Star team, while his 1.4 steals and 1.1 blocks showed that his defensive influence extended beyond scoring and rebounding. (The Washington Post) | NBA All-Star (1998) |
| Zydrunas Ilgauskas | Starting Rim-Protecting Centerpiece (1.05) | 29.0 | Medium (1.1) | 13.9 | 8.8 | 0.9 | 2.2 | 59.60 | Ilgauskas gave Cleveland a genuine low-post scoring option and a huge defensive presence in the paint, with his 7-foot-3 frame allowing the Cavaliers to play through the interior without abandoning rim protection. His 32-point, 13-rebound performance against Detroit was a particularly clear example of the rookie’s developing offensive confidence. (The Washington Post) | NBA All-Rookie First Team (1998); Rookie Challenge MVP (1998); Rookie Challenge (1998) |
| Brevin Knight | Ball-Pressure Floor General (1.05) | 31.0 | High (1.2) | 9.0 | 3.2 | 8.2 | 2.7 | 58.21 | Knight was the organizing guard in Cleveland’s young lineup, pushing tempo and consistently getting the ball into useful spots while applying unusually aggressive point-of-attack pressure. His 2.5 steals per game reflected how disruptive he could be, and he finished 11th in Defensive Player of the Year voting despite being a rookie-sized point guard. (NBA.com) | NBA All-Rookie First Team (1998); Defensive Player of the Year voting: 11th (1998); Rookie Challenge (1998) |
| Wesley Person | High-Volume Movement Shooter (1.05) | 39.0 | High (1.1) | 14.7 | 4.4 | 2.3 | 2.2 | 54.52 | Person was Cleveland’s perimeter spacing weapon, operating off the ball and punishing defenders who helped too aggressively on Kemp or the young interior players. The 6-foot-6 wing’s 2.3 made threes per game came on 5.5 attempts, giving the Cavaliers legitimate floor spacing at a time when three-point volume was still relatively modest. | — |
| Derek Anderson | Sixth Man Slashing Creator (1.05) | 27.9 | Medium (1.1) | 11.7 | 2.8 | 3.4 | 1.5 | 44.81 | Anderson supplied Cleveland with downhill athleticism and secondary playmaking from the bench, a useful contrast to Person’s stationary shooting and Knight’s controlled orchestration. His rookie season was interrupted by a knee injury, and he missed the 1998 Rising Stars Game because of it, limiting what could have been an even larger role. (NBA.com) | NBA All-Rookie Second Team (1998); Rookie Challenge selection (1998) |
| Cedric Henderson | Starting Defensive Wing (1.05) | 30.8 | Medium (1.1) | 10.1 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 41.12 | Henderson operated as the connective wing in Cleveland’s young starting group, bringing physical defense, straight-line drives and activity around the glass rather than demanding touches. His 71 starts and selection for the 1998 Rookie Challenge reflected how quickly he became a trusted part of the rotation. (NBA.com) | NBA All-Rookie Second Team (1998); Rookie Challenge (1998) |
| Vitaly Potapenko | Interior Bench Enforcer (1.0) | 17.7 | Low (1.0) | 7.1 | 3.9 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 24.80 | Potapenko gave Cleveland a physical second-unit center who could absorb contact, occupy the paint and keep the frontcourt from becoming too finesse-oriented. His 80-game availability made him a dependable reserve behind Ilgauskas, while his 1.4 offensive rebounds per game fit the bruising style the Cavaliers wanted from their backup interior minutes. (cavshistory.com) | — |
| Bob Sura | Reserve Playmaking Guard (1.0) | 20.5 | Low (1.0) | 5.8 | 2.0 | 3.7 | 1.2 | 25.40 | Sura functioned as a secondary ball-handler who could relieve Knight of some creation duties and push the ball without needing a high scoring workload. His 3.7 assists in only 20.5 minutes point to a useful distribution role, although inconsistent shooting kept him from becoming a bigger offensive piece. | — |
| Danny Ferry | Veteran Floor-Spacer Forward (1.0) | 15.0 | Low (1.0) | 4.2 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 14.80 | Ferry’s job was largely about experience, spacing and keeping the offense functional when the Cavaliers turned to their second unit. He was no longer a major scoring option, but his ability to operate away from the paint gave Cleveland a different frontcourt look behind the more physical Kemp and Ilgauskas pairing. | — |
| Carl Thomas | Situational Perimeter Defender (1.0) | 9.4 | Low (1.0) | 2.7 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 10.20 | Thomas occupied a limited perimeter role, with his minutes coming as a defensive and lineup-flexibility option rather than as a player Cleveland built offense around. His 29 appearances and low usage fit a roster where the main wing responsibilities were already concentrated among Person, Henderson and Anderson. | — |
| Mitchell Butler | Spot-Up Guard Reserve (1.0) | 11.4 | Low (1.0) | 2.1 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 9.40 | Butler was a low-volume reserve guard whose offensive responsibility was mostly opportunistic, allowing the primary creators to remain in control. The limited sample and 18 appearances make his season difficult to evaluate beyond that situational role, so independent contemporary coverage is sparse. | — |
| Greg Graham | Emergency Shooting Guard (1.0) | 9.3 | Low (1.0) | 2.7 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 8.20 | Graham’s six-game stint left him outside Cleveland’s regular rotation, making his role essentially emergency perimeter depth. His efficient small sample suggests he could contribute when called upon, but there is not enough season-specific independent reporting to support a larger characterization. | — |
| Scott Brooks | Veteran Backcourt Stabilizer (1.0) | 7.3 | Low (1.0) | 1.8 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 8.20 | Brooks provided veteran point-guard depth on a roster increasingly built around younger players, with his value coming from ball security, organization and experience rather than scoring volume. His 43 appearances were generally short stints, and contemporary season-specific coverage of his Cleveland role is limited. | — |
| Henry James | Stretch-Forward Reserve (1.0) | 5.9 | Low (1.0) | 2.9 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 7.20 | James was used sparingly as frontcourt depth, with his minutes coming in short bursts rather than as part of a stable rotation. The limited workload makes his role difficult to separate from emergency coverage, and independent reporting from the season provides little additional detail. | — |
| Tony Dumas | Deep-Cut Perimeter Reserve (1.0) | 6.7 | Low (1.0) | 2.0 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 6.80 | Dumas occupied the fringes of Cleveland’s backcourt rotation, appearing in only seven games and functioning primarily as reserve coverage. There is limited independent contemporary reporting on his Cavaliers stint, so the clearest conclusion is that he was a situational depth option rather than a regular rotation piece. | — |
| Shawnelle Scott | Deep Frontcourt Reserve (1.0) | 4.6 | Low (1.0) | 1.1 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 6.00 | Scott provided occasional size behind Cleveland’s established interior players, with his minutes concentrated in brief reserve appearances. His 1.4 rebounds in 4.6 minutes indicate an active presence when on the floor, but the small role and limited independent coverage prevent a stronger season-specific assessment. | — |
| Team Totals | — | 241.8 | — | 92.5 | 40.1 | 23.1 | 16.0 | — | Cleveland’s 1997-98 identity rested on an interior-heavy core of Kemp and Ilgauskas, with Knight directing the offense and Person providing the perimeter shooting that kept the floor workable around them. The four Cleveland rookies selected for the Rookie Challenge underscored how heavily the season depended on a developing young supporting cast. (NBA.com) | — |
HeatingUp Impact Index: Playoff Team Impact Spotlight
| Player Name | Role Tier | MPG | Usage Tier | PPG | RPG | APG | STK (SPG + BPG) | Impact Index | Notes | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shawn Kemp | Primary Interior Offensive Engine (1.1) | 38.0 | High (1.2) | 26.0 | 10.3 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 106.39 | Cleveland’s half-court offense repeatedly flowed through Kemp’s power game, particularly when the Cavaliers needed a reliable scorer against Indiana’s physical front line. His 31-point Game 3 performance kept Cleveland alive, and he followed it with 21 points and 12 rebounds in the elimination game, showing how heavily the offense depended on him. Washington Post — Kemp’s inspired play extends Cavs’ season | — |
| Zydrunas Ilgauskas | Starting Low-Post Scoring Anchor (1.05) | 36.8 | High (1.2) | 17.3 | 7.5 | 0.5 | 1.8 | 68.29 | Ilgauskas gave Cleveland a second interior scoring threat that Indiana could not simply ignore. The rookie repeatedly attacked Rik Smits inside, including 25-point efforts in Games 2 and 4, while his size also provided genuine rim protection; the series marked an early glimpse of why Cleveland viewed him as a cornerstone. Sports Illustrated — Cavs-Pacers, 1998 playoffs: A look back | NBA All-Rookie First Team (1998); Rookie Challenge MVP (1998) |
| Brevin Knight | Defensive Point-of-Attack General (1.05) | 33.0 | High (1.2) | 4.5 | 4.0 | 5.8 | 2.8 | 43.09 | Knight’s value in the series was tied more to pressure and organization than scoring. He harassed Indiana’s ball-handlers, generated 2.5 steals per game and helped Cleveland change the tone in Game 3, when his 11 points, seven rebounds and five assists supported the upset win that briefly extended the series. Washington Post — Kemp’s inspired play extends Cavs’ season | NBA All-Rookie First Team (1998); Rookie Challenge (1998) |
| Derek Anderson | Slashing Sixth-Man Creator (1.05) | 25.8 | Medium (1.1) | 10.8 | 2.3 | 2.8 | 1.6 | 40.43 | Anderson provided Cleveland with its most useful change-of-pace attack from the bench, using his athleticism to get downhill when the Pacers’ defense became static. He was especially important in Game 3, producing 11 points and five assists before his aggressive drives helped ignite the Cavaliers’ physical response during the second half. Sports Illustrated — Cavs-Pacers, 1998 playoffs: A look back | NBA All-Rookie Second Team (1998); Rookie Challenge (1998) |
| Cedric Henderson | Starting Defensive Wing Connector (1.05) | 39.3 | Medium (1.1) | 7.5 | 4.3 | 2.8 | 1.5 | 37.19 | Henderson was asked to soak up heavy wing minutes while doing the connective work around Cleveland’s stars, and his 39.3 minutes per game reflected that trust. He did not need many designed touches; instead, his value came through defensive activity, rebounding and opportunistic drives, including a useful 9-point, 6-rebound, 5-assist Game 3. Washington Post — Kemp’s inspired play extends Cavs’ season | NBA All-Rookie Second Team (1998); Rookie Challenge (1998) |
| Wesley Person | Perimeter Spacing Specialist (1.05) | 34.0 | Medium (1.1) | 8.0 | 2.3 | 2.5 | 0.8 | 31.42 | Person’s job was to stretch Indiana’s defense and punish help around Kemp and Ilgauskas, even when the jumper was not falling consistently. His four three-pointers in the series finale showed the shooting threat Cleveland continued to lean on, while his willingness to keep moving the ball helped preserve spacing around the two bigs. Sports Illustrated — Cavs-Pacers, 1998 playoffs: A look back | — |
| Vitaly Potapenko | Physical Backup Center (1.0) | 17.5 | Low (1.0) | 4.3 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 16.80 | Potapenko’s role was largely about absorbing interior minutes behind Ilgauskas and giving Cleveland a more physical option against Indiana’s frontcourt. He did not start, but his 17.5 minutes per game were meaningful in a four-game series, particularly when foul trouble forced the Cavaliers to protect their young starting center. | — |
| Scott Brooks | Veteran Emergency Point Guard (1.0) | 8.0 | Low (1.0) | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 8.00 | Brooks was essentially emergency backcourt insurance in this series, appearing for eight minutes in one game while Knight carried the primary point-guard workload. His veteran experience offered a stabilizing option when Cleveland needed another ball-handler, but the rotation clearly prioritized Knight’s defense and playmaking. | — |
| Bob Sura | Reserve Ball-Handling Guard (1.0) | 10.3 | Low (1.0) | 1.3 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 7.80 | Sura’s role was limited to brief spells behind Cleveland’s established guard rotation, with his main responsibility being to move the ball and keep the offense functional. He appeared in three games but never approached the workload of Knight or Anderson, underscoring how tightly Mike Fratello shortened the rotation. | — |
| Carl Thomas | Situational Perimeter Reserve (1.0) | 11.0 | Low (1.0) | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6.00 | Thomas was used only once, making his role essentially situational perimeter depth. His lone appearance came when Cleveland needed another body on the wing, and the tiny sample provides little evidence of a larger tactical responsibility during the Pacers series. | — |
| Shawnelle Scott | Deep Frontcourt Reserve (1.0) | 3.0 | Low (1.0) | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 6.00 | Scott’s playoff contribution was confined to a three-minute appearance, functioning as emergency frontcourt depth behind Kemp, Ilgauskas and Potapenko. With Cleveland’s rotation compressed for a four-game series, there was little opportunity for him to influence the matchup beyond that brief stint. | — |
| Danny Ferry | Veteran Spacing Reserve (1.0) | 3.3 | Low (1.0) | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.60 | Ferry was barely used once the playoffs began, appearing for only three brief outings and never establishing a regular rotation presence. His veteran shooting and experience gave Cleveland a theoretical spacing option, but Fratello’s postseason approach was built around the younger, more athletic core. | — |
| Team Totals | — | 240.0 | — | 80.8 | 34.5 | 18.5 | 11.5 | — | Cleveland’s 1998 playoff attack was overwhelmingly built around its young interior pairing and Kemp’s scoring presence, with Knight organizing the offense and Anderson providing athletic creation off the bench. The Cavaliers pushed the 58-win Pacers to four games, winning Game 3 behind Kemp’s 31 points before Indiana closed the series in Cleveland. Sports Illustrated — Cavs-Pacers, 1998 playoffs: A look back | — |