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The Trail Blazers finished third in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 852,798 at the Rose Garden Arena during the regular season.[{{cite web | title = 1996–97 NBA Season Summary | publisher = Basketball-Reference | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_1997.html | access-date = October 10, 2025}}] Following the season, head coach [[P. J. Carlesimo]] was fired after three seasons with the Trail Blazers,[{{cite news | title = Blazers Fire Carlesimo, Newspaper, Radio Station Report | work = Associated Press | date = May 8, 1997 | url = https://apnews.com/article/02b231991b27be55b7fa48db7fd03ccb | access-date = June 6, 2023 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230606215537/https://apnews.com/article/02b231991b27be55b7fa48db7fd03ccb | archive-date = June 6, 2023 | url-status = dead}}][{{cite news | agency = Tribune News Services | title = Trail Blazers Fire Too-Slow Carlesimo | work = Chicago Tribune | date = May 9, 1997 | url = https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1997-05-09-9705090084-story.html | access-date = January 2, 2023}}][{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = Dunleavy Named Blazers' Coach | work = The New York Times | date = May 14, 1997 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1997/05/14/sports/dunleavy-named-blazers-coach.html | access-date = May 12, 2022}}] while Robinson signed as a free agent with the [[1997–98 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix Suns]] after eight seasons in Portland,[{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = Robinson Joins Suns | work = The New York Times | date = August 26, 1997 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1997/08/26/sports/robinson-joins-suns.html | access-date = June 24, 2023}}][{{cite news | agency = Staff and Wire Reports | title = Robinson Takes Pay Cut to Sign with Suns | work = Los Angeles Times | date = August 26, 1997 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-aug-26-sp-25918-story.html | access-date = July 17, 2022}}][{{cite news | last = Thompson | first = Jack | title = Suns Sign Clifford Robinson | work = Chicago Tribune | date = August 26, 1997 | url = https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1997-08-26-9708260145-story,amp.html | access-date = October 12, 2021}}] Dudley was traded to the [[1997–98 New York Knicks season|New York Knicks]] in a three-team trade,[{{cite news | last = Shapiro | first = Mark | title = Dudley's Trade to Knicks Approved | work = Chicago Tribune | date = September 8, 1997 | url = https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1997-09-08-9709080160-story.html | access-date = July 2, 2023}}][{{cite news | last = Roberts | first = Selena | title = PRO BASKETBALL; Knicks Finally Get Wish: Dudley | work = The New York Times | date = October 10, 1997 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1997/10/10/sports/pro-basketball-knicks-finally-get-wish-dudley.html | access-date = October 7, 2022}}] and Butler signed with the [[1997–98 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland Cavaliers]]. |
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The Trail Blazers finished third in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 852,798 at the Rose Garden Arena during the regular season.[{{cite web | title = 1996–97 NBA Season Summary | publisher = Basketball-Reference | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_1997.html | access-date = October 10, 2025}}] Following the season, head coach [[P. J. Carlesimo]] was fired after three seasons with the Trail Blazers,[{{cite news | title = Blazers Fire Carlesimo, Newspaper, Radio Station Report | work = Associated Press | date = May 8, 1997 | url = https://apnews.com/article/02b231991b27be55b7fa48db7fd03ccb | access-date = June 6, 2023 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230606215537/https://apnews.com/article/02b231991b27be55b7fa48db7fd03ccb | archive-date = June 6, 2023 | url-status = dead}}][{{cite news | agency = Tribune News Services | title = Trail Blazers Fire Too-Slow Carlesimo | work = Chicago Tribune | date = May 9, 1997 | url = https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1997-05-09-9705090084-story.html | access-date = January 2, 2023}}][{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = Dunleavy Named Blazers' Coach | work = The New York Times | date = May 14, 1997 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1997/05/14/sports/dunleavy-named-blazers-coach.html | access-date = May 12, 2022}}] while Robinson signed as a free agent with the [[1997–98 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix Suns]] after eight seasons in Portland,[{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = Robinson Joins Suns | work = The New York Times | date = August 26, 1997 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1997/08/26/sports/robinson-joins-suns.html | access-date = June 24, 2023}}][{{cite news | agency = Staff and Wire Reports | title = Robinson Takes Pay Cut to Sign with Suns | work = Los Angeles Times | date = August 26, 1997 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-aug-26-sp-25918-story.html | access-date = July 17, 2022}}][{{cite news | last = Thompson | first = Jack | title = Suns Sign Clifford Robinson | work = Chicago Tribune | date = August 26, 1997 | url = https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1997-08-26-9708260145-story,amp.html | access-date = October 12, 2021}}] Dudley was traded to the [[1997–98 New York Knicks season|New York Knicks]] in a three-team trade,[{{cite news | last = Shapiro | first = Mark | title = Dudley's Trade to Knicks Approved | work = Chicago Tribune | date = September 8, 1997 | url = https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1997-09-08-9709080160-story.html | access-date = July 2, 2023}}][{{cite news | last = Roberts | first = Selena | title = PRO BASKETBALL; Knicks Finally Get Wish: Dudley | work = The New York Times | date = October 10, 1997 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1997/10/10/sports/pro-basketball-knicks-finally-get-wish-dudley.html | access-date = October 7, 2022}}] and Butler signed with the [[1997–98 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland Cavaliers]]. |
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A forgotten highlight of the regular season occurred on April 16, 1997, in which the Trail Blazers defeated the [[1996–97 Denver Nuggets season|Denver Nuggets]] at the Rose Garden Arena, 107–63. The Trail Blazers held the Nuggets to only eight points in the first quarter, and later on held a 53–22 lead at halftime; the Nuggets only shot .284 in field-goal percentage.[{{cite newspaper | title = Bulls Look for 70th, But Heat Find 60th | newspaper = The Spokesman-Review | date = April 17, 1997 | page = C5 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=sYA1AAAAIBAJ&pg=PA32&dq=1997+Portland+Trail+Blazers+Denver+Nuggets+107-63&article_id=6672,5011230&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjgkbuMuvqSAxU16ckDHQidF-cQ6AF6BAgIEAM#v=onepage&q=1997%20Portland%20Trail%20Blazers%20Denver%20Nuggets%20107-63&f=false | access-date = February 27, 2026}}][{{cite web | title = Denver Nuggets at Portland Trail Blazers Box Score, April 16, 1997 | publisher = Basketball-Reference | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/199704160POR.html | access-date = February 27, 2026}}] |
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A forgotten highlight of the regular season occurred on April 16, 1997, in which the Trail Blazers defeated the [[1996–97 Denver Nuggets season|Denver Nuggets]] at home by a 44-point margin, 107–63 at the Rose Garden Arena. The Trail Blazers held the Nuggets to only just eight points in the first quarter, and later on held a 53–22 lead at halftime; the Nuggets only shot .284 in field-goal percentage.[{{cite newspaper | title = Bulls Look for 70th, But Heat Find 60th | newspaper = The Spokesman-Review | date = April 17, 1997 | page = C5 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=sYA1AAAAIBAJ&pg=PA32&dq=1997+Portland+Trail+Blazers+Denver+Nuggets+107-63&article_id=6672,5011230&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjgkbuMuvqSAxU16ckDHQidF-cQ6AF6BAgIEAM#v=onepage&q=1997%20Portland%20Trail%20Blazers%20Denver%20Nuggets%20107-63&f=false | access-date = February 27, 2026}}][{{cite web | title = Denver Nuggets at Portland Trail Blazers Box Score, April 16, 1997 | publisher = Basketball-Reference | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/199704160POR.html | access-date = February 27, 2026}}] |
