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Monday, November 10, 2025

Lenny Wilkens' Remarkable Legacy as Player, Player-Coach, and Coach

Lenny Wilkens, the only person who earned recognition as both one of the NBA's 50 greatest players and one of the NBA's 10 greatest coaches, passed away yesterday at the age of 88. He coached the Seattle SuperSonics to the 1979 NBA title, and he ranks third all-time on the NBA's regular season wins list with 1332, trailing only Gregg Popovich (1390) and Don Nelson (1335). Wilkens became the all-time wins leader in 1994 after he surpassed Red Auerbach, who had held the record (938) since the 1960s. Wilkens was the NBA's all-time wins leader from 1994-2010, when Nelson broke his record. Wilkens won the NBA's Coach of the Year award in 1994, and he finished in the top five in seven other seasons (1971-72, 1978-80, 1989, 1992). He led five different franchises to at least one playoff appearance (Seattle, Cleveland, Atlanta, Toronto, New York), winning at least 50 games in a season nine times with three different teams (Seattle, Cleveland, Atlanta).

Wilkens' coaching career was so long and successful that it is easy to forget how great he was as a player. He excelled at Providence, twice leading the Friars to the NIT during an era when the NIT was much more prestigious than it is now. Wilkens won the 1960 NIT MVP even though Providence lost to Bradley in the championship game. The St. Louis Hawks selected him sixth overall in the 1960 NBA Draft. As a rookie, Wilkens ranked fourth on the team in scoring (11.7 ppg) and fifth in assists (2.8 apg) as the Hawks reached the NBA Finals for the second year in a row and third time in four seasons. The Celtics defeated the Hawks 4-1 to claim their third straight NBA title en route to winning a record eight consecutive NBA championships and 11 championships in Bill Russell's 13 season career.

Wilkens averaged 18.2 ppg and 5.8 apg in his second season, but military service limited him to playing in just 20 games. In 1962-63, his third NBA season, Wilkens earned the first of three straight All-Star selections. Wilkens also made the All-Star team as a Hawk in 1967 and 1968, when he finished second in regular season MVP voting behind Wilt Chamberlain despite not making the All-NBA Team, which featured Oscar Robertson and Dave Bing on the First Team with Jerry West and Hal Greer earning Second Team honors.

On October 12, 1968, the Hawks traded Wilkens to Seattle for Walt Hazzard. Wilkens made the All-Star team in each of his first three seasons with Seattle while ranking second in the league in assists in 1969 (674; league rankings were then determined by totals and not averages, but he also ranked second with 8.2 apg). He led the league in assists in 1970 (683, with a 9.1 apg average that was nearly a full assist per game ahead of Walt Frazier). Wilkens ranked second in assists in 1971 (9.2 apg), the first season when rankings were determined by averages and not totals. He won the 1971 NBA All-Star Game MVP after scoring a game-high 21 points on 8-11 field goal shooting while leading the Western Conference to a 108-107 win over the Eastern Conference back when the All-Star Game was competitive. Wilkens ranked second in the league in assists in 1972 with a career-high 9.6 apg.

Wilkens began his coaching career by serving as Seattle's player-coach from 1970-72. The SuperSonics, a 1967-68 expansion team, won 30 games before acquiring Wilkens, and then won 36, 38, and 47 games during his three seasons as player-coach. Prior to the 1972-73 season, Seattle traded Wilkens and Barry Clemens to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Butch Beard. Seattle plummeted to 26 wins after Tom Nissalke and then Bucky Buckwalter replaced Wilkens as coach.

In his first season with Cleveland, Wilkens earned his ninth and final All-Star selection while averaging 20.5 ppg (the third best scoring average of his career) and 8.4 apg (again ranking second in the league). He also served as a great mentor for Austin Carr, who told me, "Lenny was very instrumental in me becoming a better guard. I was more of a shooting machine when I was in college. I had to learn how to conserve my energy because I had to play a lot of minutes. At the same time, I had to learn how to get the other four guys involved, because I was so used to everything coming to me. Lenny taught me a lot about how to make passes. I had a problem making backdoor passes and Lenny taught me how to do that and when to do it--little things like if I am going to pass the ball but don't quite have the angle, always pass the ball at the guy's head or at his ear, because he has to react to that. That gives you just enough time to get the pass through. I learned those kinds of little things from Lenny that really helped me throughout the rest of my career. Once I started having injuries, I had to start using my mind to stay successful because I lost a step. Once you lose a step in this game, you are in trouble."

Portland acquired Wilkens' rights prior to the 1974-75 season, and he finished his playing career as a player-coach for one year in Portland, averaging 6.5 ppg and 3.6 apg while guiding the squad to a 38-44 record, the best in the franchise's five year history up to that point. Rookie Bill Walton, who would later lead Portland to the 1977 NBA title, played in just 35 games. The 37 year old Wilkens retired as a player and spent one more year as Portland's coach, leading the Trail Blazers to a 37-45 record in 1975-76.

Seattle started the 1977-78 season 5-17 before hiring Wilkens to replace Coach Bob Hopkins. Wilkens led Seattle to a 42-18 record the rest of the way, and the SuperSonics reached the NBA Finals for the first time before losing 4-3 to the Washington Bullets in the NBA Finals. In 1978-79, Wilkens led Seattle to the best record in the Western Conference (52-30) and the second best overall record, trailing only the defending champion Bullets (54-28). In the first NBA Finals rematch since L.A.-New York in 1973, the SuperSonics defeated the Bullets 4-1. Dennis Johnson won the 1979 NBA Finals MVP, while Gus Williams scored a series-high 29.0 ppg on .500 field goal shooting. Williams scored at least 30 points in three of the five Finals games, including a series-high 36 in Seattle's 114-112 game four win.

Jack Sikma played a key role for those strong Seattle teams. I interviewed Wilkens during the 2008 NBA All-Star weekend, and he described Sikma's impact: "Jack never shied away. He stepped up. That is why we drafted him. We felt that he was a guy who could contribute and who would be consistent and when I took over as the coach of the Sonics I started him. He had been coming off of the bench. He made free throws at crucial times and was always in the game. When you have success early in your career it makes you that much more confident."

Paul Silas, who had previously been a key player for Boston's championship teams in 1974 and 1976, provided defense, rebounding, and veteran savvy for Seattle. Wilkens told me how important Silas was for young Sikma's development: "Paul was aggressive and he could play. Any time that I thought that another veteran team was trying to take advantage of Jack, I'd insert Paul. He was a wise veteran; he knew what to do and how to do it. That helped give Jack a reprieve, a chance to catch his breath before he had to go back in the game. In practice, Paul would go against Jack. I would match them up because I wanted Jack to learn from one of the best. Paul was huge in that respect."

Wilkens coached Seattle until the end of the 1984-85 season, and then he moved back to Cleveland, where he had enjoyed success as a player late in his career. Wilkens coached the Cavaliers from 1986-1993, highlighted by 57 win seasons in 1988-89 and 1991-92. In the latter season, the Cavaliers reached the Eastern Conference Finals for just the second time in franchise history before falling 4-2 to the Chicago Bulls, who then won the second of their sixth NBA titles in the 1990s. Brad Daugherty made the All-Star team five times with Wilkens coaching him in Cleveland, and Mark Price earned three All-Star selections plus three All-NBA Team selections during those years (Price earned his final All-Star selection and final All-NBA Team selection in 1993-94 after Mike Fratello replaced Wilkens).

Wilkens coached the Atlanta Hawks to a 57-25 record in 1993-94, tied with the New York Knicks for first in the Eastern Conference and tied with the 1986-87 Hawks for the best regular season record in franchise history; that mark stood until the 2014-15 Hawks went 60-22. Wilkens led the Hawks to the second round of the playoffs four times in seven years after the Hawks advanced that far just three times in the previous 13 seasons.

Wilkens' coaching career concluded with two playoff appearances in three seasons in Toronto, and one playoff berth in two seasons in New York.

In addition to his NBA coaching career, Wilkens was an assistant coach for Chuck Daly with the legendary Olympic gold medal winning 1992 Dream Team, and he was the head coach for Team USA’s 1996 gold medal winning squad.

Wilkens is one of five people inducted in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a player (1989) and as a coach (1998); the others on this special list are John Wooden (1960, 1973), Bill Sharman (1976, 2004), Tommy Heinsohn (1986, 2015), and Bill Russell (1975, 2021). Other honors that Wilkens received include being inducted in the FIBA Hall of Fame, the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, the College Basketball Hall of Fame, and the Providence Hall of Fame. He also appears on the Cleveland Cavaliers' Wall of Honor.

After hearing that Wilkens passed away, Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said, "I ended up following [Wilkens] as president [of the National Basketball Coaches Association]. He did a lot of things to further the profession; the pension, benefits, coaching salaries rose significantly during his time. He was a great representative to the league office, advocating for coaches and the things that coaches experience that a lot of people didn't know about. Lenny was a great communicator with things like that. The thing that I'll always remember, he was such a great gentleman, and such an eloquent human being, along with being a super competitive coach. He is still way up there in all-time victories. Very, very special man. He'll be missed, but he'll be remembered." 

There have been greater players than Wilkens, and greater coaches, but no one matches Wilkens' combined resumes as both an elite player and an elite coach. As Carlisle noted, Wilkens had a very positive impact on the sport because of the effective way that he communicated with players, fellow coaches, and the league office. 

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posted by David Friedman @ 2:36 PM

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Friday, January 17, 2025

Gus Williams Played a Key Role for Seattle's 1979 Championship Team

Gus Williams, who passed away on January 15 at the age of 71, was an explosive 6-2 guard who won at the highest level during an era when the NBA was dominated by big men. He was known as "The Wizard" because of the magical way that he used his athletic ability and speed. Williams averaged 17.1 ppg and 5.6 apg in 825 regular season games during his 11 year NBA career, and he averaged 19.5 ppg and 4.7 apg in 99 playoff games. He ranked third in ABA/NBA regular season career steals (1638) when he retired. Those numbers are very good, but they don't tell the full story of Williams' greatness and impact.

Williams averaged 18.4 ppg and 5.4 apg (first in the PAC-8) in his senior season at USC, earning consensus All-America Second Team honors in 1975. The Golden State Warriors selected him with the 20th overall pick in the 1975 NBA Draft, and he finished second in 1976 Rookie of the Year balloting to Alvan Adams after averaging 11.7 ppg, 3.1 apg, and 1.8 spg. The defending NBA champion Warriors posted the NBA's best regular season record (59-23) before losing 4-3 to the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference Finals.

After averaging 9.3 ppg in his second season, Williams signed as a free agent with the Seattle SuperSonics, and the Warriors received cash compensation under the free agency rules of that time. Young fans may not remember or know about the Seattle SuperSonics, because the franchise moved to Oklahoma City prior to the 2008-09 season. The Sonics started the 1977-78 season 5-17, but they took off after Lenny Wilkens replaced Bob Hopkins as the coach, finishing with a 47-35 record. Wilkens inserted Williams in the starting lineup, and Williams led the team in scoring (18.1 ppg) and steals (2.3 spg, second in the league behind Ron Lee). During the 1978 playoffs, Williams averaged 18.3 ppg to lead a balanced scoring attack (six players averaged double figures) as the Sonics defeated the L.A. Lakers, the defending NBA champion Portland Trail Blazers, and the Denver Nuggets to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since the franchise was founded in 1967. The Sonics had homecourt advantage versus the Washington Bullets, but lost game seven at home 105-99 as Hall of Famer Dennis Johnson shot 0-14 from the field. Williams averaged 16.3 ppg in the NBA Finals (third on the team behind Fred Brown and Dennis Johnson).

Williams led the Sonics in scoring (19.2 ppg) and steals (2.1 spg, eighth in the league) as they posted the best record in the Western Conference (52-30) in the 1978-79 season. The Sonics earned a first round bye, and then defeated the Lakers and Suns to set up an NBA Finals rematch with the league-leading 54-28 Bullets. Williams led the Sonics in playoff scoring (26.7 ppg, third in the league) and steals (2.0 spg, tied for fifth in the league), netting at least 30 points in seven of the team's 17 postseason games. He scored a series-high 29.0 ppg on .500 field goal shooting as the Sonics defeated the Bullets, 4-1. Williams scored at least 30 points in three of the five Finals games, including a series-high 36 in Seattle's 114-112 game four win. Dennis Johnson won Finals MVP honors. Hall of Famer Jack Sikma also had a strong series for the Sonics (15.8 ppg, 14.8 rpg, 3.2 bpg).

Williams' Seattle teammate Wally Walker recalled that Williams had a way with words: "He had a lot of sayings that were just funny. One of his was, 'There were only two kinds of people, the quick and the dead.' And of course, he was the quick. He was lightning quick and fast, both, and he was a one-man fast break. He got the ball and he weaved through traffic. He was just so fast. No one ever caught him."

In 1979-80, the Sonics set a franchise record by going 56-26 (a mark they did not surpass until the 1993-94 season), but that was only good enough for second place in the West behind the L.A. Lakers led by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and rookie sensation Magic Johnson. Larry Bird's Boston Celtics (61-20) and Julius Erving's Philadelphia 76ers (59-23) also had better records than the Sonics. Williams led the Sonics in scoring (22.1 ppg, 11th in the league) and steals (2.4 spg, fourth in the league) while earning an All-NBA Second Team selection. He finished eighth in MVP voting, but--oddly--was not selected as an All-Star. The Sonics defeated the Trail Blazers and the Milwaukee Bucks in the playoffs before losing 4-1 to the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. Williams led the Sonics in playoff scoring (23.7 ppg, fifth in the league) and steals (2.3 spg, third in the league) while shooting a team-high .514 from the field. In the Western Conference Finals, Williams led the team in scoring (23.6 ppg), assists (6.6 apg), and steals (2.6 spg) while shooting .495 from the field.

Williams sat out the 1980-81 season due to a contract dispute, and Seattle's record plummeted to 34-48; prior to that season, the Sonics traded Dennis Johnson to the Suns for Hall of Famer Paul Westphal, but Westphal played just 36 games due to injury.

Williams returned to the Sonics in style in 1981-82, averaging a career-high 23.4 ppg, winning the NBA's Comeback Player of the Year award, earning his only All-NBA First Team selection, and finishing fifth in regular season MVP voting. The Sonics went 52-30 and then defeated the Houston Rockets in the first round before falling 4-1 to the San Antonio Spurs. Williams led the Sonics in playoff scoring (26.3 ppg, second in the league) and steals (1.6 spg, 11th in the league).

The Sonics started the 1982-83 season 12-0, but they went 36-34 the rest of the way before being bounced in the first round by the Trail Blazers. Williams led the team in regular season scoring (20.0 ppg), assists (8.1 apg, sixth in the league), and steals (2.3 spg, seventh in the league).

In 1983-84, the Sonics slipped to 42-40, and Williams ranked second on the team in scoring (18.7 ppg) behind Sikma. Williams led the team in assists (8.4 apg, seventh in the league), and steals (2.4 spg, third in the league). After the season, the Sonics traded Williams to the Washington Bullets for Tim McCormick and Ricky Sobers.

Williams led the Bullets in scoring (20.0 ppg), assists (7.7 apg, 10th in the league), and steals (2.3 spg, seventh in the NBA) in 1984-85, but the team went 40-42 and lost to the 76ers in the first round. Williams averaged 13.5 ppg for the 39-43 Bullets in 1986-87, and then he signed with Atlanta as a veteran free agent in January 1987, finishing his career by averaging 4.2 ppg in 33 games with the 1987-88 Hawks.

Williams was durable and consistent; he played in at least 77 games in nine of his 11 NBA seasons, and he averaged at least 18.1 ppg in seven seasons. He was even better in the playoffs, scoring more points (19.5 ppg) on a higher field goal percentage (.476) than he did during the regular season (17.1, .461). Williams' teams went 11-9 in playoff series, including 1-1 in the NBA Finals. It is interesting to compare Williams' playoff record to the playoff records of several of the guards who were selected to the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team and are either already inducted in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame or are locks to be inducted as soon as they become eligible:

Nate Archibald: 6-4 playoff series record; 1-0 in NBA Finals

Dave Bing: 1-5 playoff series record; 0-0 in NBA Finals

George Gervin: 3-13 ABA/NBA playoff series record; 0-0 in ABA/NBA Finals

Hal Greer: 7-12 playoff series record; 1-0 in NBA Finals

James Harden: 15-15 playoff series record; 0-1 in NBA Finals

Allen Iverson: 6-8 playoff series record; 0-1 in NBA Finals

Jason Kidd: 16-16 playoff series record; 1-2 in NBA Finals

Damian Lillard: 4-9 playoff series record; 0-0 in NBA Finals

Reggie Miller: 14-15 playoff series record; 0-1 in NBA Finals

Chris Paul: 12-15 playoff series record; 0-1 in NBA Finals

Oscar Robertson: 8-9 playoff series record; 1-1 in NBA Finals

John Stockton: 17-19 playoff series record; 0-2 in NBA Finals 

Isiah Thomas: 16-7 playoff series record; 2-1 in NBA Finals

Jerry West: 16-12 playoff series record; 1-8 in NBA Finals

Russell Westbrook: 11-12 playoff series record; 0-1 in NBA Finals

Lenny Wilkens: 5-7 playoff series record; 0-1 in NBA Finals

From that distinguished group, only Isiah Thomas won more championships than Gus Williams, and only Nate Archibald, Isiah Thomas, and Jerry West posted a higher playoff series winning percentage. The point of comparing these numbers is not to say that Williams was as good or better than these players, but rather to highlight that Williams' impact on winning seems to be forgotten or overlooked. Williams is not in the Hall of Fame, and his name is not brought during discussions of all-time great guards. Williams' peak did not last as long as the peaks of some of the all-time great guards and his absolute peak was not quite as high as the absolute peaks of some of the guards listed above, but Williams was a key player on teams that consistently performed well in the playoffs.

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posted by David Friedman @ 10:27 PM

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Saturday, July 05, 2008

Memorable Moments and Milestones in Sonics' History

As a Cleveland Browns fan who lost his team in 1995 and had to endure three years in NFL exile followed by nearly a decade of on field ineptitude, I have great empathy for Seattle SuperSonics' fans. Here is a look back at some key moments from each of the 41 seasons of Sonics' basketball:

1967-68: The Sonics posted a 23-59 record in their first season, finishing fifth in the six team Western Division; the San Diego Rockets, also an expansion team, went 15-67. Walt Hazzard--a 6-2 guard who later converted to Islam and changed his name to Mahdi Abdul-Rahman--ranked seventh in the NBA in scoring (1894 points, 24.0 ppg) and fifth in assists (493, 6.2 apg). Hazzard became the first All-Star in Sonics' history, scoring nine points in the midseason classic.

1968-69: The Sonics traded Hazzard for Hall of Famer Lenny Wilkens, who ranked ninth in the NBA in scoring (1835 points, 22.4 ppg) and second in assists (674, 8.2 apg). Wilkens made the All-Star team. Second year center Bob Rule emerged as a big time player, ranking fourth in the NBA in scoring (1965 points, 24.0 ppg). The Sonics improved to 30-52.

1969-70: Rule and Wilkens both make the All-Star team as the Sonics finished 36-46 and missed qualifying for the playoffs by just three wins. Wilkens not only served as player-head coach but he also became the first Sonic to lead the NBA in a major statistical category (9.1 apg).

1970-71: The Sonics again missed the playoffs by just three wins (38-44). After prevailing in a case that went all the way to the Supreme Court and paved the way for underclassmen and high school players to sign with NBA teams, Spencer Haywood jumped from the ABA to the Sonics and averaged 20.6 ppg and 12.0 rpg in 33 games. Wilkens won the All-Star Game MVP and ranked second in the NBA in assists (9.2 apg).

1971-72: Haywood became the first Sonic to make the All-NBA Team, earning a First Team selection after ranking fourth in the NBA in scoring (26.2 ppg). The Sonics went 47-35 but again narrowly missed making the playoffs, this time by four wins. Wilkens ranked second in the NBA in assists (9.6 apg) in his final season as Seattle's player-head coach; the Sonics traded him to Cleveland after the season.

1972-73: The Sonics took a big step backwards without Wilkens, plummeting to 26-56 despite Haywood setting a franchise single season scoring record (29.2 ppg, third in the NBA) and earning a second straight All-NBA First Team selection.

1973-74: Hall of Famer Bill Russell became Seattle's coach and led the Sonics to a 36-46 record as Haywood ranked among the league leaders in scoring (23.5 ppg, eighth) and rebounding (13.4 rpg, seventh). Haywood made the All-NBA Second Team.

1974-75: Russell guided the Sonics to a 43-39 record and the franchise's first playoff berth; they fell 4-2 in the Western Conference semifinals to eventual champion Golden State. Haywood ranked ninth in the NBA in scoring (22.4 ppg) and made the All-NBA Second Team.

1975-76: Fred Brown emerged as the team's best player after the Sonics traded Haywood to the Knicks. Brown ranked fifth in the NBA in scoring (23.1 ppg). His backcourt partner Donald "Slick" Watts led the NBA in assists (8.1 apg) and steals (3.2 spg). The Sonics again went 43-39 and lost 4-2 in the Western Conference semifinals, this time to the Suns.

1976-77: Bill Russell resigned after the Sonics slipped to 40-42 and missed the playoffs.

1977-78: The Sonics fired Coach Bob Hopkins after a 5-17 start, paving the way for the triumphant return of Lenny Wilkens. Three years removed from his playing days and fresh off of a two year run as Portland's coach, Wilkens led the Sonics to a 42-18 record down the stretch. The Sonics made their first trip to the NBA Finals but lost 4-3 to the Washington Bullets.

1978-79: The Sonics finished with the best record in the Western Conference (52-30) and defeated the Bullets 4-1 in a Finals rematch, claiming the first and only championship in Sonics history. Dennis Johnson won the Finals MVP. Second year center Jack Sikma ranked fifth in the NBA in rebounding (12.4 rpg) and made the first of seven straight All-Star Game appearances.

1979-80: The Sonics won 56 games, setting a franchise record that stood until 1993-94, but the L.A. Lakers beat the Sonics 4-1 in the Western Conference Finals to end Seattle's quest to make a third straight trip to the Finals. Sikma again ranked fifth in the NBA in rebounding (11.1 rpg), while Dennis Johnson and his backcourt partner Gus Williams each made the All-NBA Second Team.

1980-81: The Sonics traded Dennis Johnson to Phoenix for Paul Westphal and Gus Williams sat out the entire season because of a contract dispute. The Sonics fell to 34-48, missing the playoffs for the first time since 1977. The always consistent Sikma ranked fifth in the NBA in rebounding (10.4 rpg).

1981-82: Gus Williams returned to action and made the All-NBA First Team, averaging 23.4 ppg (seventh in the NBA) and 2.2 spg (seventh in the NBA). Sikma ranked second in the NBA in rebounding (12.7 rpg) and the Sonics finished second in the West with a 52-30 record but lost 4-1 to San Antonio in the Western Conference semifinals.

1982-83: The Sonics won their first 12 games of the season but limped to a 48-34 record and a 2-0 loss to Portland in a first round miniseries. Sikma ranked sixth in the NBA in rebounding (11.4 rpg).

1983-84: Sikma ranked sixth in the NBA in rebounding (11.1 rpg) as the Sonics posted a great home record (32-9) and a lousy road record (10-31). The season ended with a 105-104 overtime loss to Dallas in the fifth game of a first round playoff series.

1984-85: The Sonics slipped to 31-51, missing the playoffs. After the season, Wilkens resigned as coach and accepted a front office position with the team. Bernie Bickerstaff became the new head coach.

1985-86: After another 31-51 season, Sikma requested to be traded to a contender and was shipped to the Milwaukee Bucks, who had gone 57-25 and made it to the Eastern Conference Finals. Rookie Xavier McDaniel provided hope for the future, averaging 17.1 ppg to finish second on the team behind Tom Chambers (18.5 ppg).

1986-87: Dale Ellis (24.9 ppg, eighth in the NBA), Tom Chambers (23.3 ppg, 13th in the NBA) and Xavier McDaniel (23.0 ppg, 14th in the NBA) each averaged at least 23 ppg as the Sonics posted a 39-43 record but got hot at the right time and advanced all the way to the Western Conference Finals before being swept by the Lakers. Chambers, a late addition to the All-Star team, won MVP honors after scoring a game-high 34 points in a 154-149 overtime victory for the West.

1987-88: The trip to the Western Conference Finals raised expectations but the Sonics won just five more games than they did in the previous season and fell to Denver 3-2 in the first round of the playoffs. Ellis (25.8 ppg, seventh in the NBA), McDaniel (21.4 ppg, 14th in the NBA) and Chambers (20.4 ppg, 18th in the NBA) each averaged at least 20 ppg.

1988-89: Chambers left to sign with Phoenix as a free agent but the Sonics added some muscle by acquiring 1988 rebounding champion Michael Cage. Ellis ranked third in the NBA in scoring (27.5 ppg) as the Sonics went 47-35 and beat Houston in the first round of the playoffs before being swept by the Lakers.

1989-90: The Sonics went 41-41 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 1985-86 as injuries limited Ellis to 55 games. Shawn Kemp, a 20 year old rookie forward who did not play major college basketball, averaged 6.5 ppg and 4.3 rpg and ranked second on the team with 70 blocked shots despite playing just 1120 minutes. After the season, the Sonics fired Bickerstaff, replacing him with Hall of Famer K.C. Jones, who coached the Celtics to championships in 1984 and 1986.

1990-91: The Sonics again went 41-41 but this time that was good enough to make the playoffs, where they lost 3-2 in the first round to number one seeded Portland. Early in the season the Sonics traded McDaniel to Phoenix for Eddie Johnson and then in February the Sonics sent Ellis to Milwaukee for Ricky Pierce. Kemp's playing time more than doubled and he averaged 15.0 ppg and 8.4 rpg. Rookie point guard Gary Payton averaged 7.2 ppg and led the team in assists (6.4 apg).

1991-92: The Sonics fired Jones after an 18-18 start. Interim Coach Bob Kloppenburg went 2-2 before George Karl took over and led the Sonics to a 27-15 mark in the second half of the season. The Sonics beat Golden State 3-1 in the first round before losing 4-1 to Utah. Pierce led the team in scoring (21.7 ppg). Kemp averaged 15.5 ppg and 10.4 rpg, increasing those numbers to 17.4 ppg and 12.2 rpg in the playoffs.

1992-93: The Sonics tied Houston for the second best record in the West (55-27), earned the second seed based on a 3-1 head to head record and beat the Rockets in overtime in game seven of the Western Conference semifinals. Number one seeded Phoenix defeated Seattle in game seven of the Western Conference Finals. Pierce again led the team in scoring (18.2 ppg) but the Sonics increasingly were becoming Kemp and Payton's team. Kemp averaged 17.8 ppg and 10.7 rpg to earn his first All-Star selection, while Payton averaged 13.5 ppg and 4.9 apg while ranking ninth in the NBA in steals (2.2 spg). Nate McMillan ranked fourth in the NBA in steals (2.4 spg) and was a steadying influence at both ends of the court.

1993-94: The best regular season yet in Sonics' history (63-19, best record in the NBA) came to a shocking ending with a 3-2 first round loss to eighth seeded Denver. Kemp led the team in scoring (18.1 ppg) and rebounding (10.8 rpg), while Payton ranked second in scoring (16.5 ppg) and led the Sonics in assists (6.0 apg). Both players made the All-Star team; Kemp also made the All-NBA Second Team and finished seventh in MVP voting, while Payton made the All-NBA Third Team and the All-Defensive First Team, the first of nine straight selections to that squad. Payton finished sixth in MVP voting. McMillan led the NBA in steals (2.97 spg), while Payton ranked seventh (2.3 spg). Newly acquired Detlef Schrempf and Kendall Gill provided depth.

1994-95: Another strong regular season (57-25) ended in first round failure, this time a 3-1 loss to the Lakers. Kemp (18.7 ppg, 10.9 rpg) and Payton (20.6 ppg, 7.1 apg) both made the All-Star team again. Kemp joined Payton on the All-NBA Second Team. Payton ranked third in the NBA in steals (2.5 spg), while McMillan slipped to fifth (2.1 spg).

1995-96: Seattle posted the best record in the West (64-18) and survived a tough seven game Western Conference Finals versus Utah to advance to the NBA Finals, where the 72-10 Chicago Bulls won the first three games en route to a 4-2 victory. Kemp (19.6 ppg, 11.4 rpg) and Payton (19.3 ppg, 7.5 apg, league-best 2.9 spg) both made the All-NBA Second Team. Payton also won the Defensive Player of the Year award and finished sixth in MVP voting.

1996-97: The Sonics tied for the second best record in the West (57-25) but this time the head to head tiebreaker favored the Rockets, who beat Seattle in seven games in the Western Conference semifinals. Payton finished sixth in MVP voting and made the All-NBA Second Team after ranking 10th in the NBA in scoring (21.8 ppg) and third in steals (2.4 spg). After the season the Sonics traded Kemp in a three way deal that brought Vin Baker to Seattle.

1997-98: The Sonics again tied for the second best record in the West (61-21) but suffered another second round playoff loss, this time a 4-1 thumping by the Lakers. Payton averaged 19.2 ppg, ranked seventh in the NBA in assists (8.3 apg) and finished fourth in steals (2.3 spg) to earn his first All-NBA First Team selection and claim third place in MVP voting. Baker averaged 19.2 ppg and 8.0 rpg, making the All-NBA Second Team and finishing eighth in MVP voting. After the season, George Karl left to become Milwaukee's head coach and was replaced by Paul Westphal.

1998-99: The Sonics missed the playoffs after posting a 25-25 record in the lockout shortened season. Payton ranked seventh in the NBA in scoring (21.7 ppg), fourth in assists (8.7 apg) and seventh in steals (2.2 spg). He made the All-NBA Second Team but Baker's numbers dropped precipitously (13.8 ppg, 6.2 rpg).

1999-2000: The Sonics improved to 45-37 but lost 3-2 to Utah in the first round of the playoffs. Payton returned to the All-NBA First Team after having the best all-around season of his career, ranking seventh in the NBA in scoring (career-high 24.2 ppg), fourth in assists (8.9 apg) and eighth in steals (1.9 spg).

2000-01: The Sonics posted a solid 44-38 record but missed the playoffs. Westphal was fired early in the season and replaced by Nate McMillan. Payton made the All-NBA Third Team after averaging 23.1 ppg (13th in the NBA) and 8.1 apg (fifth in the NBA). Third year forward Rashard Lewis finished second on the team in scoring (14.8 ppg).

2001-02: The Sonics squeaked into the playoffs with a 45-37 record but pushed San Antonio the distance in the first round before being blown out 101-78 in game five. Payton made the All-NBA Second Team after ranking 11th in the NBA in scoring (22.1 ppg) and third in assists (9.0 apg).

2002-03: Payton feuded with management during the first half of the season before being dealt to Milwaukee with Desmond Mason for Ray Allen, Kevin Ollie, Ronald Murray and a draft pick. The Sonics finished 40-42 and did not make the playoffs.

2003-04: Allen averaged 23.0 ppg but missed 26 games. The Sonics went 37-45 and did not qualify for the playoffs. Lewis averaged 17.8 ppg and scored a career-high 50 points in the second game of the season, a 124-105 victory over the Clippers in Tokyo, Japan.

2004-05: The Sonics won the newly formed Northwest Division with a 52-30 record and beat Sacramento 4-1 in the first round of the playoffs before falling to the eventual champion San Antonio Spurs in six games. Allen ranked 10th in the NBA in scoring (23.9 ppg) and made the All-NBA Second Team, while Lewis averaged 20.5 ppg (20th in the NBA) to earn his first and only All-Star selection. After the season, McMillan resigned and became Portland's coach. The Sonics replaced him with Bob Weiss.

2005-06: Weiss lasted just 30 games (13-17) before being fired and replaced by Bob Hill, who was not able to turn things around (22-30). The Sonics missed the playoffs despite another strong season from Allen (25.1 ppg, 10th in the NBA) and Lewis (20.1 ppg). An Oklahoma City based group bought the Sonics, prompting concerns that the team might relocate.

2006-07: The Sonics slipped to 31-51 and missed the playoffs but the bigger concern for Seattle fans was the declaration by majority owner Clay Bennett that he would move the team unless the city helped to finance construction of a new arena. Allen averaged a career-high 26.4 ppg but played in just 55 games. After the season, the Sonics replaced Hill with P.J. Carlesimo and traded Allen to the Celtics for fifth overall pick Jeff Green, Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West. The Sonics also drafted Kevin Durant with the second overall pick.

2007-08: The Sonics posted the worst record in the West (20-62). Durant struggled with his shot for most of the season but finished strongly and won the Rookie of the Year award after averaging 20.3 ppg. After the season, the team reached a settlement with the city of Seattle and finalized plans to move to Oklahoma City. NBA Commissioner David Stern--reversing his previous stance--left open the possibility that the city would get another NBA team to continue the Sonics' legacy.

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posted by David Friedman @ 12:47 AM

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