1997–98 Seattle SuperSonics season

Off-season

During the off-season, the SuperSonics acquired All-Star forward Vin Baker from the Milwaukee Bucks in a three-team trade,^[2][3][4] re-acquired former SuperSonics All-Star guard Dale Ellis from the Denver Nuggets,^[5][6][7] and signed free agents Jerome Kersey,^[8][9] and Greg Anthony.^[10][11]

Regular season

With the addition of Baker and Ellis, the SuperSonics got off to a fast start with a 13–3 record, after posting a seven-game winning streak in November, despite losing Kersey to a stress fracture in his left foot, as he only played just 37 games.^[12][13] The team posted an eight-game winning streak between December and January, winning 29 of their first 35 games of the regular season,^[14] and then later on holding the league's best record at 37–10 before the All-Star break.^[15] The SuperSonics finished tied in first place in the Pacific Division along with the Los Angeles Lakers with a 61–21 record, and earned the second seed in the Western Conference;^[16] the team qualified for the NBA playoffs for the eighth consecutive year.^[1]

Baker averaged 19.2 points and 8.0 rebounds per game, and was named to the All-NBA Second Team, while Gary Payton averaged 19.2 points, 8.3 assists and 2.3 steals per game, led the SuperSonics with 134 three-point field goals, and was named to the All-NBA First Team, and to the NBA All-Defensive First Team. In addition, Detlef Schrempf provided the team with 15.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game, while Ellis played a sixth man role off the bench, averaging 11.8 points per game along 127 three-point field goals, while shooting .464 in three-point field goal percentage, and Hersey Hawkins contributed 10.5 points and 1.8 steals per game, along with 125 three-point field goals. Also off the bench, Sam Perkins contributed 7.2 points per game, while Kersey averaged 6.3 points and 3.6 rebounds per game, Anthony contributed 5.2 points and 2.6 assists per game, and starting center Jim McIlvaine provided with 3.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game.^[17]

During the NBA All-Star weekend at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York, Baker and Payton were both selected for the 1998 NBA All-Star Game, as members of the Western Conference All-Star team, while head coach George Karl was selected to coach the Western Conference for the third time in five years. It was Baker's fourth and final All-Star appearance.^[18][19][20] Meanwhile, Ellis participated in the NBA Three-Point Shootout for the second consecutive year.^[21][22] Payton finished in third place in Most Valuable Player voting, behind Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls, and Karl Malone of the Utah Jazz, while Baker finished in eighth place;^[23][24] Payton also finished in second place in Defensive Player of the Year voting, behind Dikembe Mutombo of the Atlanta Hawks,^[25][24] while Baker finished tied in eighth place in Most Improved Player voting,^[24] Ellis finished in third place in Sixth Man of the Year voting,^[26][24] and Karl finished tied in fifth place in Coach of the Year voting.^[27][24]

The SuperSonics finished 13th in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 699,952 at the KeyArena at Seattle Center during the regular season.^[17][28]

NBA playoffs

In the Western Conference First Round of the 1998 NBA playoffs, the SuperSonics faced off against the 7th–seeded Minnesota Timberwolves, a team that featured All-Star forward Kevin Garnett, second-year star Stephon Marbury, and Anthony Peeler. The Timberwolves were without All-Star forward Tom Gugliotta, who was out due to a season-ending ankle injury. The SuperSonics won Game 1 over the Timberwolves at home, 108–83 at the KeyArena at Seattle Center,^[29] but then struggled and faced elimination again, losing the next two games, which included a Game 3 road loss at the Target Center, 98–90 as the Timberwolves took a 2–1 series lead.^[30][31][32] However, the SuperSonics managed to win the next two games, including a Game 5 win over the Timberwolves at the KeyArena at Seattle Center, 97–84 to win in a hard-fought five-game series.^[33][34][35]

In the Western Conference Semi-finals, the team faced off against the 3rd–seeded Lakers, who were led by the All-Star quartet of Shaquille O'Neal, Eddie Jones, second-year star Kobe Bryant, and Nick Van Exel. Despite both teams finishing with the same regular-season record, the SuperSonics had home-court advantage in the series. The SuperSonics won Game 1 over the Lakers at home, 106–92 at the KeyArena at Seattle Center,^[36][37][38] but then lost Game 2 at home, 92–68 as the Lakers evened the series; the SuperSonics struggled only shooting .329 in field-goal percentage in Game 2.^[39] The SuperSonics lost the next two games on the road at the Great Western Forum, before losing Game 5 to the Lakers at the KeyArena at Seattle Center, 110–95, thus losing the series in five games.^[40][41][42]

Aftermath

Following the season, Karl was fired as head coach in late May,^[43][44][45] and was then hired three months later by the Milwaukee Bucks,^[46][47][48] while Perkins signed as a free agent with the Indiana Pacers,^[49][50][51] and long-time SuperSonics defensive guard Nate McMillan retired after only playing just 18 games this season due to knee surgery.^[52][53][54] Meanwhile, Kersey signed with the San Antonio Spurs,^[55] Anthony signed with the Portland Trail Blazers,^[56] McIlvaine was traded to the New Jersey Nets,^[57][58][59] and David Wingate signed with the New York Knicks.^[60]

Season standings

Game log

Season

Playoffs

Player statistics citation:^[17]

Awards

• Gary Payton, All-NBA First Team
• Gary Payton, NBA All-Defensive First Team
• Vin Baker, All-NBA Second Team

Records

Trades

Free agents