SLAM Magazine Review - April 1998

Rebounds, protests, and basketball in the future (2019 version)

Jul 10, 2025

This was a really fun issue of SLAM to revisit. I was fully on the hype train of the late ‘90s New Jersey Nets (I was sure they were going to win at least one championship). I also remember the hubbub surrounding the cancellation of the dunk contest, but had never read the Li’l Penny manifesto.

Lots of great stuff to get to! Let’s do it!

The NBA should have rewarded them with an honorary championship just for this cover. Perfection.

Let’s take a look at the playoff history of this era of the New Jersey Nets. I do need to reiterate that I, too, thought this team would eventually win a chip.

1997-1998: 43-39 (third in Atlantic), swept out of the first round by the defending champion Chicago Bulls

1998-1999: 16-34 (seventh in Atlantic), missed playoffs

1999-2000: 31-51 (sixth in Atlantic) missed playoffs

2000-2001: 26-56 (sixth in Atlantic) missed playoffs - this is the year Byron Scott took over as head coach and slowly started turning things around

2001-2002: 52-30 (first in Atlantic), lost in the Finals to the Shaq/Kobe Lakers

2002-2003: 49-33 (first in Atlantic), lost 2-4 in the Finals to Duncan’s Spurs

2003-2004: 47-35 (first in Atlantic), lost in the second round to the eventual champion Pistons

Nice three-year run with two Finals appearances, but no trophy. Also, the run didn’t even start until the 2001-2002 season! Basketball is funny.