1998-99 NBA
Physical / Isolation Era
San Antonio Spurs won the title.
- Teams
- 29
- Games per team
- 50
- Pace (poss. per 48 min)
- 88.9
- Points per team game
- 91.6
- League true shooting
- .511
- Share of shots from three
- 16.8%
Award winners
- MVPKarl Malone
- Defensive Player of the YearAlonzo Mourning
- Rookie of the YearVince Carter
- Sixth ManDarrell Armstrong
- Most ImprovedDarrell Armstrong
Standings and postseason
East
| Team | W | L | SRS | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana Pacers | 33 | 17 | 3.86 | Lost conf. finals |
| Miami Heat | 33 | 17 | 5.11 | Lost 1st round |
| Orlando Magic | 33 | 17 | 3.11 | Lost conf. finals |
| Atlanta Hawks | 31 | 19 | 2.82 | Lost conf. finals |
| Detroit Pistons | 29 | 21 | 3.97 | Lost conf. finals |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 28 | 22 | 1.66 | Lost 2nd round |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 28 | 22 | 2.56 | Lost conf. finals |
| New York Knicks | 27 | 23 | 1.45 | Lost Finals |
| Charlotte Hornets | 26 | 24 | 0.63 | Missed playoffs |
| Toronto Raptors | 23 | 27 | -1.32 | Missed playoffs |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 22 | 28 | -0.94 | Missed playoffs |
| Boston Celtics | 19 | 31 | -1.75 | Missed playoffs |
| Washington Wizards | 18 | 32 | -1.75 | Missed playoffs |
| New Jersey Nets | 16 | 34 | -3.20 | Missed playoffs |
| Chicago Bulls | 13 | 37 | -8.58 | Missed playoffs |
West
| Team | W | L | SRS | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Antonio Spurs | 37 | 13 | 7.12 | Won title |
| Utah Jazz | 37 | 13 | 5.54 | Lost conf. finals |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 35 | 15 | 5.67 | Lost conf. finals |
| Houston Rockets | 31 | 19 | 1.39 | Lost conf. finals |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 31 | 19 | 2.68 | Lost conf. finals |
| Phoenix Suns | 27 | 23 | 2.15 | Lost 2nd round |
| Sacramento Kings | 27 | 23 | -0.89 | Lost conf. finals |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | 25 | 25 | -0.17 | Lost 1st round |
| Seattle SuperSonics | 25 | 25 | -1.43 | Missed playoffs |
| Golden State Warriors | 21 | 29 | -2.63 | Missed playoffs |
| Dallas Mavericks | 19 | 31 | -2.50 | Missed playoffs |
| Denver Nuggets | 14 | 36 | -6.67 | Missed playoffs |
| Los Angeles Clippers | 9 | 41 | -8.94 | Missed playoffs |
| Vancouver Grizzlies | 8 | 42 | -8.94 | Missed playoffs |
Rules in force
| Free-throw lane width | 16 ft |
|---|---|
| Restricted area arc | 4 ft arc |
| Three-point line | 23 ft 9 in (22 ft corners) |
| Arm bar / forearm contact | allowed (source pending) |
| Hand-checking | restricted (source pending) |
| Zone defense | not permitted (source pending) |
| Flagrant fouls | flagrant 1 / flagrant 2 (source pending) |
| Team foul penalty (bonus) | bonus after team foul limit |
| Backcourt count | 10 seconds (source pending) |
| Shot clock | 24 seconds |
See how each rule changed over time on the rules timeline.
What changed this season
Lockout shortens season to 50 games
A labor dispute cuts the 1998-99 regular season to 50 games, affecting counting stats and award races.