Brooklyn Nets 1997-98 Roster and Statistics

Last Updated on September 16, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

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The Brooklyn Nets 1997-98 were powered by Keith Van Horn’s scoring and rebounding, while Sam Cassell directed the offense as the primary playmaker and added consistent perimeter scoring. Jayson Williams anchored the frontcourt with elite rebounding and interior defense, and Kerry Kittles contributed complementary scoring from the wing. The statistics reflect a balanced team that combined strong rebounding, reliable backcourt creation, and multiple offensive contributors rather than relying on a single dominant scorer.

Roster

NO.	PLAYER NAME	POS	HT	WT	DATE OF BIRTH	COLLEGE
2	David Benoit	SF	6-8	220	May 9, 1968	Alabama
2	Rony Seikaly	C	6-11	230	May 10, 1965	Syracuse
10	Sam Cassell	PG	6-3	185	November 18, 1969	Florida State
11	Brian Evans	SF	6-8	220	September 13, 1973	Indiana
12	Lucious Harris	SG	6-5	190	December 18, 1970	Cal State Long Beach
13	Kendall Gill	SF	6-5	195	May 25, 1968	Illinois
15	Chris Gatling	PF	6-10	220	September 3, 1967	Old Dominion
20	Sherman Douglas	PG	6-0	180	September 15, 1966	Syracuse
21	Kevin Edwards	SG	6-3	190	October 30, 1965	DePaul
24	Don MacLean	SF	6-10	235	January 16, 1970	UCLA
30	Kerry Kittles	SG	6-5	179	June 12, 1974	Villanova
33	Yinka Dare	C	7-0	265	October 10, 1972	George Washington
34	Xavier McDaniel	SF	6-7	205	June 4, 1963	Wichita State
42	David Vaughn	PF	6-9	240	March 23, 1973	Memphis
44	Keith Van Horn	PF	6-10	220	October 23, 1975	Utah
45	Michael Cage	C	6-9	224	January 28, 1962	San Diego State
54	Jack Haley	C	6-10	240	January 27, 1964	UCLA
55	Jayson Williams	C	6-9	240	February 22, 1968	St. John’s

Regular Season Per Game

Player	Pos	Age	GP	GS	MP	PTS	TRB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	FGA	FGM	FG%	3PA	3PM	3P%	FTA	FTM	FT%
Sam Cassell	PG	28	75	72	34.7	19.6	3.0	8.0	1.6	0.3	3.6	15.4	6.8	.441	1.1	0.2	.188	6.8	5.8	.860
Kerry Kittles	SG	23	77	76	36.5	17.2	4.7	2.3	1.7	0.5	1.4	15.0	6.6	.440	3.4	1.4	.418	3.2	2.6	.808
Keith Van Horn	PF	22	62	62	37.5	19.7	6.6	1.7	1.0	0.4	2.6	16.9	7.2	.426	3.6	1.1	.308	4.9	4.2	.846
Kendall Gill	SF	29	81	81	33.7	13.4	4.8	2.5	1.9	0.8	1.5	12.0	5.2	.429	1.2	0.3	.257	4.0	2.8	.688
Jayson Williams	C	29	65	65	36.0	12.9	13.6	1.0	0.7	0.8	1.5	9.9	4.9	.498	0.1	0.0	.000	4.5	3.0	.666
Chris Gatling	PF	30	57	16	23.8	11.5	5.9	0.9	0.9	0.5	1.7	9.6	4.4	.455	0.1	0.0	.250	4.6	2.8	.600
Sherman Douglas	PG	31	80	11	21.2	8.0	1.7	4.0	0.7	0.1	1.4	6.4	3.2	.495	0.6	0.2	.304	2.2	1.4	.669
David Benoit	SF	29	53	0	15.1	5.3	2.7	0.3	0.5	0.3	0.7	5.1	1.9	.379	2.2	0.8	.345	0.8	0.7	.841
Lucious Harris	SG	27	50	0	13.4	3.8	1.0	0.8	0.8	0.1	0.4	3.5	1.4	.390	0.8	0.2	.308	1.1	0.8	.745
Brian Evans	SF	24	28	1	11.9	4.1	1.9	0.9	0.3	0.2	0.5	3.8	1.6	.434	1.5	0.6	.405	0.3	0.2	.667
Michael Cage	C	36	79	17	15.2	1.3	3.9	0.4	0.6	0.6	0.3	1.1	0.5	.512	0.0	0.0	.000	0.5	0.3	.556
Kevin Edwards	SG	32	27	5	13.0	3.4	1.3	1.0	0.8	0.0	0.7	3.9	1.4	.349	0.4	0.1	.364	0.6	0.5	.867
David Vaughn	PF	24	15	2	10.7	2.9	3.3	0.1	0.3	0.3	0.6	2.2	1.3	.576	0.0	0.0		0.6	0.4	.667
Rony Seikaly	C	32	9	2	16.9	4.7	4.0	0.9	0.3	0.4	1.3	4.6	1.4	.317	0.0	0.0		3.0	1.8	.593
Xavier McDaniel	SF	34	20	0	9.0	1.3	1.6	0.5	0.2	0.1	0.4	1.5	0.5	.333	0.0	0.0		0.4	0.3	.625
Jack Haley	C	34	16	0	3.2	1.4	0.9	0.0	0.0	0.1	0.3	1.1	0.3	.278	0.1	0.0	.000	1.3	0.8	.571
Yinka Dare	C	25	10	0	6.0	1.2	1.7	0.1	0.0	0.2	0.2	1.8	0.4	.222	0.0	0.0		0.8	0.4	.500
Don MacLean	SF	28	9	0	4.7	0.3	0.6	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.2	1.1	0.1	.100	0.2	0.1	.500	0.0	0.0
Team Totals			82	82	242.4	99.6	42.5	20.5	9.5	3.8	14.4	84.5	37.3	.441	11.4	3.8	.331	28.7	21.3	.744

Playoff Per Game

Player	Pos	Age	GP	GS	MP	PTS	TRB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	FGA	FGM	FG%	3PA	3PM	3P%	FTA	FTM	FT%
Sherman Douglas	PG	31	3	2	41.7	18.3	2.7	8.3	2.0	0.0	4.3	14.7	7.7	.523	1.7	0.7	.400	3.3	2.3	.700
Kerry Kittles	SG	23	3	3	42.0	16.3	5.0	2.7	1.3	0.7	2.3	13.3	5.7	.425	4.3	1.7	.385	3.7	3.3	.909
Chris Gatling	PF	30	3	1	27.0	15.3	3.3	0.7	0.7	0.7	1.0	12.7	6.3	.500	0.0	0.0		4.0	2.7	.667
Kendall Gill	SF	29	3	3	33.3	14.3	4.3	1.0	1.3	0.3	1.3	13.3	6.0	.450	0.0	0.0		2.7	2.3	.875
Keith Van Horn	PF	22	3	3	25.7	12.7	3.0	0.3	0.0	0.0	0.7	9.7	4.3	.448	0.7	0.0	.000	5.0	4.0	.800
Jayson Williams	C	29	3	2	38.7	7.0	14.0	1.7	0.7	1.0	0.7	7.0	3.0	.429	0.0	0.0		2.0	1.0	.500
Rony Seikaly	C	32	3	0	12.3	6.0	3.0	0.0	0.3	0.0	1.3	3.0	2.3	.778	0.0	0.0		2.0	1.3	.667
Lucious Harris	SG	27	3	0	17.3	3.0	2.7	0.3	0.7	0.0	0.7	2.0	0.7	.333	0.7	0.0	.000	2.0	1.7	.833
Sam Cassell	PG	28	3	1	8.7	2.0	1.0	1.7	0.0	0.3	0.7	3.0	1.0	.333	0.0	0.0		0.0	0.0
Brian Evans	SF	24	3	0	1.3	0.0	0.3	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0		0.0	0.0		0.0	0.0
David Vaughn	PF	24	1	0	1.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.0	0.0		0.0	0.0		0.0	0.0
Team Totals			3	3	248.3	95.0	39.3	16.7	7.0	3.3	13.3	78.7	37.0	.470	7.3	2.3	.318	24.7	18.7	.757

Regular Season Per 36 Mins

Player	Pos	Age	GP	GS	MP	PTS	TRB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	FGA	FGM	FG%	3PA	3PM	3P%	FTA	FTM	FT%
Sam Cassell	PG	28	75	72	2606	20.3	3.1	8.3	1.7	0.3	3.7	16.0	7.0	.441	1.1	0.2	.188	7.0	6.0	.860
Kerry Kittles	SG	23	77	76	2814	17.0	4.6	2.3	1.7	0.5	1.4	14.8	6.5	.440	3.4	1.4	.418	3.2	2.6	.808
Keith Van Horn	PF	22	62	62	2325	18.9	6.3	1.6	1.0	0.4	2.5	16.2	6.9	.426	3.5	1.1	.308	4.7	4.0	.846
Kendall Gill	SF	29	81	81	2733	14.3	5.2	2.6	2.1	0.8	1.6	12.8	5.5	.429	1.3	0.3	.257	4.3	3.0	.688
Jayson Williams	C	29	65	65	2343	12.9	13.6	1.0	0.7	0.8	1.5	9.9	4.9	.498	0.1	0.0	.000	4.5	3.0	.666
Chris Gatling	PF	30	57	16	1359	17.4	8.8	1.4	1.4	0.8	2.6	14.4	6.6	.455	0.1	0.0	.250	7.0	4.2	.600
Sherman Douglas	PG	31	80	11	1699	13.5	2.9	6.8	1.2	0.1	2.3	10.9	5.4	.495	1.0	0.3	.304	3.6	2.4	.669
David Benoit	SF	29	53	0	799	12.7	6.4	0.8	1.2	0.7	1.8	12.1	4.6	.379	5.4	1.8	.345	2.0	1.7	.841
Lucious Harris	SG	27	50	0	671	10.2	2.8	2.3	2.3	0.3	1.1	9.5	3.7	.390	2.1	0.6	.308	3.0	2.2	.745
Brian Evans	SF	24	28	1	332	12.5	5.6	2.6	0.8	0.5	1.5	11.5	5.0	.434	4.6	1.8	.405	1.0	0.7	.667
Kevin Edwards	SG	32	27	5	352	9.3	3.5	2.7	2.1	0.0	2.0	10.8	3.8	.349	1.1	0.4	.364	1.5	1.3	.867
David Vaughn	PF	24	15	2	161	9.8	11.0	0.4	1.1	0.9	2.0	7.4	4.2	.576	0.0	0.0		2.0	1.3	.667
Rony Seikaly	C	32	9	2	152	9.9	8.5	1.9	0.7	0.9	2.8	9.7	3.1	.317	0.0	0.0		6.4	3.8	.593
Jack Haley	C	34	16	0	51	15.5	10.6	0.0	0.0	0.7	2.8	12.7	3.5	.278	0.7	0.0	.000	14.8	8.5	.571
Yinka Dare	C	25	10	0	60	7.2	10.2	0.6	0.0	1.2	1.2	10.8	2.4	.222	0.0	0.0		4.8	2.4	.500
Xavier McDaniel	SF	34	20	0	180	5.0	6.2	1.8	0.6	0.4	1.6	6.0	2.0	.333	0.0	0.0		1.6	1.0	.625
Michael Cage	C	36	79	17	1201	3.2	9.2	1.0	1.3	1.3	0.7	2.5	1.3	.512	0.0	0.0	.000	1.1	0.6	.556
Don MacLean	SF	28	9	0	42	2.6	4.3	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.7	8.6	0.9	.100	1.7	0.9	.500	0.0	0.0

Playoff Per 36 Mins

Player	Pos	Age	GP	GS	MP	PTS	TRB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	FGA	FGM	FG%	3PA	3PM	3P%	FTA	FTM	FT%
Chris Gatling	PF	30	3	1	81	20.4	4.4	0.9	0.9	0.9	1.3	16.9	8.4	.500	0.0	0.0		5.3	3.6	.667
Keith Van Horn	PF	22	3	3	77	17.8	4.2	0.5	0.0	0.0	0.9	13.6	6.1	.448	0.9	0.0	.000	7.0	5.6	.800
Rony Seikaly	C	32	3	0	37	17.5	8.8	0.0	1.0	0.0	3.9	8.8	6.8	.778	0.0	0.0		5.8	3.9	.667
Sherman Douglas	PG	31	3	2	125	15.8	2.3	7.2	1.7	0.0	3.7	12.7	6.6	.523	1.4	0.6	.400	2.9	2.0	.700
Kendall Gill	SF	29	3	3	100	15.5	4.7	1.1	1.4	0.4	1.4	14.4	6.5	.450	0.0	0.0		2.9	2.5	.875
Kerry Kittles	SG	23	3	3	126	14.0	4.3	2.3	1.1	0.6	2.0	11.4	4.9	.425	3.7	1.4	.385	3.1	2.9	.909
Sam Cassell	PG	28	3	1	26	8.3	4.2	6.9	0.0	1.4	2.8	12.5	4.2	.333	0.0	0.0		0.0	0.0
Jayson Williams	C	29	3	2	116	6.5	13.0	1.6	0.6	0.9	0.6	6.5	2.8	.429	0.0	0.0		1.9	0.9	.500
Lucious Harris	SG	27	3	0	52	6.2	5.5	0.7	1.4	0.0	1.4	4.2	1.4	.333	1.4	0.0	.000	4.2	3.5	.833
Brian Evans	SF	24	3	0	4	0.0	9.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0		0.0	0.0		0.0	0.0
David Vaughn	PF	24	1	0	1	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	36.0	0.0	0.0	0.0		0.0	0.0		0.0	0.0

Regular Season Totals

Player	Pos	Age	GP	GS	MP	PTS	TRB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	FGA	FGM	FG%	3PA	3PM	3P%	FTA	FTM	FT%
Sam Cassell	PG	28	75	72	2606	1471	228	603	121	20	269	1156	510	.441	80	15	.188	507	436	.860
Kerry Kittles	SG	23	77	76	2814	1328	362	176	132	37	106	1154	508	.440	263	110	.418	250	202	.808
Keith Van Horn	PF	22	62	62	2325	1219	408	106	64	25	164	1047	446	.426	224	69	.308	305	258	.846
Kendall Gill	SF	29	81	81	2733	1087	391	200	156	64	124	974	418	.429	101	26	.257	327	225	.688
Jayson Williams	C	29	65	65	2343	837	883	67	45	49	95	645	321	.498	4	0	.000	293	195	.666
Chris Gatling	PF	30	57	16	1359	656	334	53	52	29	99	545	248	.455	4	1	.250	265	159	.600
Sherman Douglas	PG	31	80	11	1699	639	135	319	55	7	110	515	255	.495	46	14	.304	172	115	.669
David Benoit	SF	29	53	0	799	282	141	17	26	16	39	269	102	.379	119	41	.345	44	37	.841
Lucious Harris	SG	27	50	0	671	191	52	42	42	5	21	177	69	.390	39	12	.308	55	41	.745
Brian Evans	SF	24	28	1	332	115	52	24	7	5	14	106	46	.434	42	17	.405	9	6	.667
Michael Cage	C	36	79	17	1201	106	308	32	45	44	23	84	43	.512	1	0	.000	36	20	.556
Kevin Edwards	SG	32	27	5	352	91	34	26	21	0	20	106	37	.349	11	4	.364	15	13	.867
David Vaughn	PF	24	15	2	161	44	49	2	5	4	9	33	19	.576	0	0		9	6	.667
Rony Seikaly	C	32	9	2	152	42	36	8	3	4	12	41	13	.317	0	0		27	16	.593
Xavier McDaniel	SF	34	20	0	180	25	31	9	3	2	8	30	10	.333	0	0		8	5	.625
Jack Haley	C	34	16	0	51	22	15	0	0	1	4	18	5	.278	1	0	.000	21	12	.571
Yinka Dare	C	25	10	0	60	12	17	1	0	2	2	18	4	.222	0	0		8	4	.500
Don MacLean	SF	28	9	0	42	3	5	0	0	0	2	10	1	.100	2	1	.500	0	0
Team Totals			82	82	19880	8170	3481	1685	777	314	1121	6928	3055	.441	937	310	.331	2351	1750	.744

Playoff Totals

Player	Pos	Age	GP	GS	MP	PTS	TRB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	FGA	FGM	FG%	3PA	3PM	3P%	FTA	FTM	FT%
Sherman Douglas	PG	31	3	2	125	55	8	25	6	0	13	44	23	.523	5	2	.400	10	7	.700
Kerry Kittles	SG	23	3	3	126	49	15	8	4	2	7	40	17	.425	13	5	.385	11	10	.909
Chris Gatling	PF	30	3	1	81	46	10	2	2	2	3	38	19	.500	0	0		12	8	.667
Kendall Gill	SF	29	3	3	100	43	13	3	4	1	4	40	18	.450	0	0		8	7	.875
Keith Van Horn	PF	22	3	3	77	38	9	1	0	0	2	29	13	.448	2	0	.000	15	12	.800
Jayson Williams	C	29	3	2	116	21	42	5	2	3	2	21	9	.429	0	0		6	3	.500
Rony Seikaly	C	32	3	0	37	18	9	0	1	0	4	9	7	.778	0	0		6	4	.667
Lucious Harris	SG	27	3	0	52	9	8	1	2	0	2	6	2	.333	2	0	.000	6	5	.833
Sam Cassell	PG	28	3	1	26	6	3	5	0	1	2	9	3	.333	0	0		0	0
Brian Evans	SF	24	3	0	4	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	0		0	0
David Vaughn	PF	24	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0		0	0		0	0
Team Totals			3	3	745	285	118	50	21	10	39	236	111	.470	22	7	.318	74	56	.757

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
Sam Cassell	Franchise Floor General (1.1)	34.7	High (1.2)	19.6	3.0	8.0	1.9	85.80	As the Nets’ floor general, Cassell controlled the tempo and organized almost every important possession, giving the young roster a veteran creator who could also score. His 8.0 assists reflected more than table-setting; contemporary coverage repeatedly showed him directing the offense while pairing with Kittles in the backcourt.
Keith Van Horn	Primary Scoring Forward (1.1)	37.5	High (1.2)	19.7	6.6	1.7	1.4	77.62	Van Horn was the young scoring focal point, asked to create from the forward spot while learning the physical demands of an NBA schedule. A January Washington Post report showed both sides of that development: he had just played 49 minutes against Chicago before struggling badly the next night, while Jayson Williams was already acting as a veteran mentor. Washington Post coverage	Rookie of the Year Voting: 2nd (1998); NBA All-Rookie First Team (1998); Rookie Challenge (1998)
Jayson Williams	Rebounding Defensive Anchor (1.1)	36.0	Medium (1.1)	12.9	13.6	1.0	1.5	70.18	Williams was the Nets’ interior heartbeat, generating extra possessions through relentless offensive rebounding while anchoring the paint defensively. His 6.8 offensive rebounds per game were especially important to a roster built around perimeter creators, and late-season reporting showed how badly New Jersey missed his physical presence when injuries removed him from the lineup. Washington Post game coverage	NBA All-Star (1998)
Kerry Kittles	Starting Two-Way Shooting Guard (1.05)	36.5	High (1.2)	17.2	4.7	2.3	2.2	60.98	Kittles was the complementary perimeter scorer who made the Cassell-led offense work without needing to dominate the ball. His movement and shooting gave the Nets a natural backcourt partner for Cassell, and a January win over the Lakers illustrated the balance of the group, with Kittles scoring 24 while Cassell supplied 11 assists. Washington Post coverage	—
Kendall Gill	Defensive Playmaking Wing (1.05)	33.7	Medium (1.1)	13.4	4.8	2.5	2.7	54.05	Gill’s role was built around pressure, anticipation and transition rather than high-volume scoring. He could attack passing lanes, defend multiple perimeter assignments and turn steals into immediate offense, which made his defensive activity particularly valuable beside Cassell and Kittles. Contemporary AP coverage also captured his emotional, physical style during a tense late-season game. CBS News AP archive	Defensive Player of the Year Voting: 11th (1998)
Chris Gatling	Sixth Man Scoring Big (1.05)	23.8	Medium (1.1)	11.5	5.9	0.9	1.4	41.37	Gatling supplied the Nets with an aggressive scoring option from the frontcourt, attacking inside rather than functioning as a passive reserve big. His ability to manufacture points in limited minutes made him a natural sixth-man weapon, and the late-season playoff opener against Chicago showed his importance when he became New Jersey’s main scoring outlet during a depleted fourth-quarter comeback. Los Angeles Times playoff coverage	—
Sherman Douglas	Veteran Backup Point Guard (1.05)	21.2	Low (1.0)	8.0	1.7	4.0	0.8	30.45	Douglas gave the Nets a second experienced organizer behind Cassell, with enough scoring ability to punish defenses when opponents ignored him. His 4.0 assists in a reserve role mattered because New Jersey could keep a genuine point guard on the floor without changing its basic offensive structure.
Rony Seikaly	Injured Interior Scoring Option (1.0)	16.9	Low (1.0)	4.7	4.0	0.9	0.7	20.60	Seikaly never had enough healthy time to become the interior scorer New Jersey acquired at the trade deadline. Contemporary reporting revealed that a stress fracture in his right foot had already complicated the trade process, and he was still unable to play immediately after joining the Nets. Deseret News coverage	—
David Benoit	Stretch Forward Reserve (1.0)	15.1	Low (1.0)	5.3	2.7	0.3	0.8	18.20	Benoit functioned as a perimeter-oriented reserve forward, giving the Nets another shooting option without demanding touches. His season was interrupted by the February trade that sent him to Orlando, where contemporary coverage showed him stepping directly into a larger emergency role when Nick Anderson was injured. Washington Post coverage	—
Brian Evans	Developmental Wing Forward (1.0)	11.9	Low (1.0)	4.1	1.9	0.9	0.5	14.80	Evans was essentially a developmental forward caught behind more established frontcourt and wing pieces. His trade from Orlando to New Jersey in the Seikaly deal gave the Nets another young body, but the crowded rotation meant his minutes remained sporadic rather than developing into a defined offensive assignment.
David Vaughn	Situational Interior Finisher (1.0)	10.7	Low (1.0)	2.9	3.3	0.1	0.6	13.80	Vaughn’s minutes were built around interior positioning, offensive rebounding and finishing close to the basket rather than perimeter creation. With Williams and Van Horn consuming most of the frontcourt workload, his opportunities were largely matchup- and injury-dependent.
Michael Cage	Veteran Interior Stabilizer (1.0)	15.2	Low (1.0)	1.3	3.9	0.4	1.2	13.60	Cage provided veteran rebounding and positional defense while playing a much smaller offensive role than earlier in his career. His experience mattered more than his scoring, and the Nets leaned on him as a stabilizing interior presence when injuries disrupted their preferred frontcourt combinations.
Lucious Harris	Perimeter Rotation Scorer (1.0)	13.4	Low (1.0)	3.8	1.0	0.8	0.9	13.00	Harris was a low-usage perimeter reserve whose job was to enter, space the floor and take open opportunities without disrupting the primary Cassell-Kittles creation structure. His limited minutes reflected a roster in which the established backcourt absorbed most of the meaningful offensive responsibility.
Kevin Edwards	Veteran Backcourt Reserve (1.0)	13.0	Low (1.0)	3.4	1.3	1.0	0.8	13.00	Edwards supplied veteran guard depth but was increasingly a situational piece rather than a major offensive option. His season ended with the February trade to Orlando, part of the transaction that brought Seikaly and Evans to New Jersey.
David Vaughn	Situational Interior Finisher (1.0)	10.7	Low (1.0)	2.9	3.3	0.1	0.6	13.80	Vaughn’s minutes were built around interior positioning, offensive rebounding and finishing close to the basket rather than perimeter creation. With Williams and Van Horn consuming most of the frontcourt workload, his opportunities were largely matchup- and injury-dependent.
Xavier McDaniel	Veteran Frontcourt Enforcer (1.0)	9.0	Low (1.0)	1.3	1.6	0.5	0.3	7.40	McDaniel’s role was almost entirely veteran depth, with his physical reputation offering the Nets an experienced body for difficult stretches. By this stage he was no longer a featured offensive player, so his value came from toughness, positional defense and familiarity with NBA game situations.
Yinka Dare	Reserve Rim Protector (1.0)	6.0	Low (1.0)	1.2	1.7	0.1	0.2	6.40	Dare was used almost exclusively as emergency center depth, with his enormous frame giving New Jersey a physical presence around the basket. His offensive responsibilities were extremely narrow, and his role disappeared after the February trade that sent him to Orlando.
Jack Haley	Emergency Center Depth (1.0)	3.2	Low (1.0)	1.4	0.9	0.0	0.1	4.80	Haley was an end-of-rotation center whose primary value was experience and size when the Nets needed another body inside. With Williams and Cage ahead of him, his appearances were brief and highly situational rather than part of a regular offensive rotation.
Don MacLean	Spot-Minutes Stretch Forward (1.0)	4.7	Low (1.0)	0.3	0.6	0.0	0.0	1.80	MacLean was reduced to spot minutes in a crowded New Jersey frontcourt, with his perimeter shooting offering a different look but little opportunity to establish rhythm. His season ended as a peripheral rotation piece rather than a consistent contributor.
Team Totals	—	242.4	—	99.6	42.5	20.5	13.3	—	The 1997-98 Nets were a balanced playoff team built around Cassell’s organization, Van Horn and Kittles’ scoring, Williams’ rebounding and Gill’s perimeter defense. The roster finished 43-39 and returned to the playoffs, but injuries became decisive against Chicago; contemporary reporting described a Game 1 lineup missing or limiting several key players while still pushing the Bulls into overtime. Los Angeles Times playoff report	NBA Playoff Appearance (1998)

HeatingUp Impact Index: Playoff Team Impact Spotlight

Player Name	Role Tier	MPG	Usage Tier	PPG	RPG	APG	STK (SPG + BPG)	Impact Index	Notes	Awards
Sherman Douglas	Veteran Playmaking Catalyst (1.05)	41.7	High (1.2)	18.3	2.7	8.3	2.0	78.88	Douglas became the emergency offensive organizer when Sam Cassell’s back injury made his availability uncertain, and his veteran control kept New Jersey competitive against Chicago. In Game 1 he hit the late floater that cut the deficit to two, while his willingness to take over the point helped the Nets push the defending champions into overtime. (The Washington Post)	—
Kerry Kittles	High-Volume Perimeter Creator (1.05)	42.0	High (1.2)	16.3	5.0	2.7	2.0	60.06	Kittles was asked to handle a much larger offensive burden than his regular-season role suggested, playing 42 minutes a night against Chicago. His series swung sharply from a rough opening game to 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting in Game 2, showing the value of his movement shooting and ability to attack closeouts even when Chicago’s defense took away clean perimeter looks. (The Washington Post)	—
Jayson Williams	Offensive Rebounding Anchor (1.1)	38.7	High (1.1)	7.0	14.0	1.7	1.7	59.05	Williams was the physical backbone of the series, repeatedly extending possessions against Chicago’s larger frontcourt. He grabbed 21 rebounds in Game 1, including 11 offensive boards, while playing through a broken thumb; the Nets’ confidence never really wavered because his rebounding kept giving them extra chances against the heavily favored Bulls. (The Washington Post)	NBA All-Star (1998)
Kendall Gill	Defensive Pressure Wing (1.05)	33.3	Medium (1.1)	14.3	4.3	1.0	1.6	48.97	Gill remained the Nets’ primary perimeter stopper, drawing difficult assignments while also carrying meaningful shot creation responsibilities. His series ended with a revealing late sequence: Scottie Pippen blocked his attempt in Game 1, illustrating how Chicago could turn Gill’s aggressive attacking style into transition opportunities when New Jersey’s offense became predictable. (The Washington Post)	—
Chris Gatling	Interior Scoring Spark (1.05)	27.0	Medium (1.1)	15.3	3.3	0.7	1.4	47.82	Gatling supplied the Nets with their most reliable interior scoring burst from the reserve group, attacking the basket rather than waiting for perimeter opportunities. He scored 24 points in Game 1 and helped New Jersey nearly steal home-court advantage from Chicago, with the Los Angeles Times noting that the Nets pushed the Bulls despite Kittles shooting just 3-for-17. (Los Angeles Times)	—
Keith Van Horn	Young Frontcourt Creator (1.05)	25.7	Low (1.0)	12.7	3.0	0.3	0.0	33.60	Van Horn entered his first playoff series as one of New Jersey’s headline young pieces, but Chicago’s physical defense sharply reduced his offensive freedom. The Nets still trusted him enough to start all three games, yet his minutes fell to 25.7 as the series progressed and the Bulls repeatedly forced him away from the clean scoring opportunities he had enjoyed during the regular season. (The Washington Post)	—
Rony Seikaly	Veteran Interior Counter (1.0)	12.3	Low (1.0)	6.0	3.0	0.0	0.3	18.60	Seikaly served as a veteran interior counter when New Jersey needed another legitimate center against Chicago’s size. His limited minutes were highly situational, but he was remarkably efficient in Game 2, going 5-for-6 from the field in 18 minutes as the Nets searched for offense beyond Williams and Gatling. (Basketball Reference)	—
Lucious Harris	Perimeter Relief Guard (1.0)	17.3	Low (1.0)	3.0	2.7	0.3	0.7	13.40	Harris was used primarily to relieve the heavy workload on the Nets’ main perimeter players, entering as a low-usage spacer rather than a creator. His opportunities were limited against Chicago’s disciplined defense, leaving him with a narrowly defined role built around defending, moving the ball and taking the occasional open shot.	—
Sam Cassell	Injured Lead Guard (1.05)	8.7	Low (1.0)	2.0	1.0	1.7	0.3	10.50	Cassell’s playoff role was dictated almost entirely by injury, with a back problem preventing him from functioning as the lead guard who had driven New Jersey’s regular-season offense. He was still important enough for the Nets to test him as a reserve, but his 8.7 minutes per game show how dramatically the injury altered the backcourt hierarchy against Chicago. (The Washington Post)	—
David Vaughn	Emergency Frontcourt Depth (1.0)	1.0	Low (1.0)	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	2.00	Vaughn’s role was essentially emergency frontcourt insurance, with only one minute of action across the series. His lone defensive statistic came without any meaningful offensive responsibility, reflecting how tightly John Calipari shortened the rotation against the defending champions.	—
Brian Evans	End-of-Rotation Forward (1.0)	1.3	Low (1.0)	0.0	0.3	0.0	0.0	0.60	Evans received only token postseason minutes and was never part of the Nets’ functional playoff rotation. With the series demanding heavy workloads from Kittles, Gill, Williams and Douglas, there was little opportunity for a developmental forward to make an offensive or defensive impact.	—
Team Totals	—	248.3	—	95.0	39.3	16.7	10.3	—	New Jersey was swept 3-0 by Chicago, but the series was considerably more competitive than the final result suggests. The Nets took Game 1 into overtime and led deep into the fourth quarter before Michael Jordan’s late steal and scoring burst rescued the Bulls; Chicago’s players openly acknowledged that New Jersey’s relentless pace and attacking style made the series uncomfortable. (The Washington Post)	Eastern Conference First Round (1998)