1978–79 Seattle SuperSonics season

1978–79 Seattle SuperSonics season
NBA champions
Conference champions
Division champions
Head coachLenny Wilkens
General managerZollie Volchok
OwnersSam Schulman
ArenaKingdome
Results
Record52–30 (.634)
PlaceDivision: 1st (Pacific)
Conference: 1st (Western)
Playoff finishNBA champions
(Defeated Bullets 4–1)
Stats at Basketball Reference
Local media
TelevisionKTNT-TV
RadioKIRO

The 1978–79 Seattle SuperSonics season was the team's 12th since the franchise began, and their most successful, winning their only NBA title while being based in Seattle.

In the playoffs, the SuperSonics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in five games in the Semi-finals, then defeated the Phoenix Suns in seven games in the Conference Finals to reach the NBA Finals for a second consecutive season in a rematch of the 1978 NBA Finals, facing the defending NBA champion Washington Bullets whom they had lost to in seven games. The Sonics would go on to avenge their NBA Finals loss and defeat the Bullets in five games, winning their first and only NBA championship. Dennis Johnson was named the NBA Finals MVP.

They wouldn't reach another NBA Finals until 1996 in which they were led by Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp. They also would not win another until 2025 as the Oklahoma City Thunder.

This was Seattle's first professional sports championship since the Seattle Metropolitans victory in the Stanley Cup in 1917.

Offseason

Draft

Main article: 1978 NBA draft
Round Pick Player Nationality School/Club Team
2 39 James Lee  United States Kentucky
5 105 Ralph Drollinger  United States UCLA

Roster

1978–79 Seattle SuperSonics roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Player Height Weight DOB From
C 21 Dennis Awtrey 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1948–02–22 Santa Clara
G 32 Fred Brown 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 182 lb (83 kg) 1948–08–07 Iowa
G 10 Joe Hassett 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1955–09–11 Providence
G 24 Dennis Johnson 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1954–09–18 Pepperdine
F 27 John Johnson 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1947–10–18 Iowa
F/C 23 Tom LaGarde 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1955–02–10 North Carolina
F 22 Jackie Robinson 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1955–05–20 UNLV
F 8 Lonnie Shelton 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1955–10–19 Oregon State
F/C 43 Jack Sikma 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1955–11–14 Illinois Wesleyan
F/C 35 Paul Silas 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1943–07–12 Creighton
G/F 11 Dick Snyder 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 207 lb (94 kg) 1944–02–01 Davidson
F 42 Wally Walker 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1954–07–18 Virginia
G 1 Gus Williams 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1953–10–10 USC
Head coach
Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured

Roster
Updated: 1979–06–26

=Season standings

Pacific Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y- 52 30 .634 – 31–10 21–20 11–9
x-Phoenix Suns 50 32 .610 2 32–9 18–23 11–9
x-Los Angeles Lakers 47 35 .573 5 31–10 16–25 11–9
x-Portland Trail Blazers 45 37 .549 7 33–8 12–29 8–12
San Diego Clippers 43 39 .524 9 29–12 14–27 11–9
Golden State Warriors 38 44 .463 14 23–18 15–26 8–12
#
Western Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z- 52 30 .634 –
2 y-Kansas City Kings 48 34 .585 4
3 x-Phoenix Suns 50 32 .610 2
4 x-Denver Nuggets 47 35 .573 5
5 x-Los Angeles Lakers 47 35 .573 5
6 x-Portland Trail Blazers 45 37 .549 7
7 San Diego Clippers 43 39 .524 9
8 Indiana Pacers 38 44 .463 14
9 Milwaukee Bucks 38 44 .463 14
10 Golden State Warriors 38 44 .463 14
11 Chicago Bulls 31 51 .378 21

Game log

Regular season

1978–79 game log
Total: 52–30 (Home: –; Road: –)
October
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
1 October 13 Chicago W 104–86 1–0
2 October 15 Kansas City W 115–105 2–0
3 October 17 @ New York W 120–109 3–0
4 October 18 @ Indiana W 99–92 4–0
5 October 20 San Antonio W 133–117 5–0
6 October 25 Washington W 121–92 6–0
7 October 27 Milwaukee W 80–79 7–0
8 October 29 @ San Diego L 100–103 7–1
November
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
9 November 2 @ Detroit W 95–94 8–1
10 November 3 @ New Jersey W 102–81 9–1
11 November 8 New York L 100–104 9–2
12 November 10 Cleveland W 109–95 10–2
13 November 15 New Orleans W 135–118 11–2
14 November 17 Indiana W 126–115 12–2
15 November 18 @ Golden State L 104–112 12–3
16 November 19 Portland W 88–85 13–3
17 November 22 Chicago W 98–96 14–3
18 November 24 Denver L 100–103 14–4
19 November 25 @ Denver W 110–104 15–4
20 November 26 Houston L 103–108 15–5
21 November 29 New Jersey W 125–111 16–5
December
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
22 December 1 @ Boston L 80–87 16–6
23 December 2 @ Philadelphia W 100–97 17–6
24 December 8 Atlanta W 107–106 18–6
25 December 10 San Antonio W 112–99 19–6
26 December 13 Los Angeles W 117–107 20–6
27 December 15 @ Los Angeles L 98–100 20–7
28 December 17 @ Cleveland L 91–101 20–8
29 December 19 @ Milwaukee L 99–128 20–9
30 December 20 @ Kansas City L 95–114 20–10
31 December 22 Philadelphia L 95–103 20–11
32 December 25 San Diego L 118–123 20–12
33 December 27 New Orleans W 122–103 21–12
34 December 29 Phoenix W 119–92 22–12
January
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
35 January 1 Golden State L 97–110 22–13
36 January 2 @ Portland W 109–108 23–13
37 January 3 Boston W 123–116 24–13
38 January 5 Denver L 92–95 24–14
39 January 10 Indiana W 118–98 25–14
40 January 11 @ Phoenix W 109–106 26–14
41 January 14 Los Angeles L 99–108 26–15
42 January 17 @ Indiana W 112–102 27–15
43 January 20 @ Chicago W 107–101 28–15
44 January 23 @ Washington W 103–100 29–15
45 January 25 @ Atlanta W 100–98 30–15
46 January 26 @ San Antonio L 108–125 30–16
47 January 27 @ Houston W 99–94 31–16
48 January 31 Portland W 115–112 32–16
February
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
49 February 1 New Jersey W 107–102 33–16
50 February 2 Milwaukee W 104–102 34–16
51 February 6 @ New York L 99–108 34–17
52 February 7 @ Boston L 100–107 34–18
53 February 9 @ Milwaukee L 116–118 (OT) 34–19
54 February 10 @ Houston L 101–113 34–20
55 February 14 Atlanta W 116–104 35–20
56 February 16 Phoenix W 119–104 36–20
57 February 18 Washington L 94–105 36–21
58 February 20 @ San Antonio L 102–118 36–22
59 February 21 @ New Orleans W 96–94 37–22
60 February 23 @ Washington L 110–132 37–23
61 February 25 @ Kansas City L 106–114 37–24
62 February 27 @ Denver L 106–121 37–25
63 February 28 Philadelphia W 97–93 38–25
March
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
64 March 2 Cleveland L 109–111 38–26
65 March 4 Houston W 119–109 39–26
66 March 7 @ Detroit W 99–93 40–26
67 March 9 @ New Jersey W 108–100 41–26
68 March 11 @ Atlanta L 111–113 (OT) 41–27
69 March 14 @ Philadelphia W 99–96 42–27
70 March 15 @ Cleveland W 104–98 43–27
71 March 17 @ Chicago W 106–88 44–27
72 March 22 Boston W 112–110 45–27
73 March 25 Kansas City W 111–101 46–27
74 March 27 San Diego W 115–109 47–27
75 March 28 New York W 111–105 48–27
76 March 30 @ Phoenix L 111–113 (OT) 48–28
77 March 31 Detroit W 123–102 49–28
April
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
78 April 1 Golden State W 102–97 50–28
79 April 3 @ Portland W 106–102 50–29
80 April 4 @ San Diego W 115–107 51–29
81 April 6 @ Los Angeles W 113–93 52–29
82 April 8 @ Golden State L 86–89 52–30

Playoffs

The SuperSonics had a first round bye, then defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Semi-finals, the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference Finals, and the Washington Bullets in the NBA Finals.[1] Dennis Johnson of the SuperSonics was the Most Valuable Player of the Finals while teammate Gus Williams was the leading scorer, averaging 28.6 points per game.


1979 playoff game log
Conference Semi-finals: 4–1 (home: 3–0; road: 1–1)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 April 17 Los Angeles W 112–101 Dennis Johnson (26) Lonnie Shelton (12) John Johnson (9) Kingdome
26,377 		1–0
2 April 18 Los Angeles W 108–103 (OT) Gus Williams (38) Jack Sikma (10) Jack Sikma (8) Kingdome
26,862 		2–0
3 April 20 @ Los Angeles L 112–118 (OT) Gus Williams (29) Paul Silas (13) Paul Silas (4) The Forum
17,505 		2–1
4 April 22 @ Los Angeles W 117–115 Gus Williams (30) D. Johnson, Sikma (11) Dennis Johnson (7) The Forum
17,505 		3–1
5 April 25 Los Angeles W 106–100 Gus Williams (30) Jack Sikma (10) Jack Sikma (6) Seattle Center Coliseum
14,098 		4–1
Conference Finals: 4–3 (home: 3–1; road: 1–2)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 May 1 Phoenix W 108–93 Gus Williams (27) Jack Sikma (10) John Johnson (9) Seattle Center Coliseum
14,098 		1–0
2 May 4 Phoenix W 103–97 John Johnson (21) Lonnie Shelton (15) Gus Williams (6) Kingdome
31,964 		2–0
3 May 6 @ Phoenix L 103–113 Gus Williams (22) J. Johnson, Sikma (9) Gus Williams (6) Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
12,660 		2–1
4 May 8 @ Phoenix L 100–91 Gus Williams (22) Lonnie Shelton (10) three players tied (3) Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
12,660 		2–2
5 May 11 Phoenix L 93–99 Dennis Johnson (24) Jack Sikma (12) John Johnson (5) Kingdome
28,935 		2–3
6 May 13 @ Phoenix W 106–105 Dennis Johnson (23) Jack Sikma (10) Dennis Johnson (6) Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
12,660 		3–3
7 May 17 Phoenix W 114–110 Jack Sikma (33) Jack Sikma (11) Fred Brown (5) Kingdome
37,552 		4–3
NBA Finals: 4–1 (home: 2–0; road: 2–1)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 May 20 @ Washington L 97–99 Gus Williams (32) John Johnson (11) Dennis Johnson (7) Capital Centre
19,035 		0–1
2 May 24 @ Washington W 92–82 Gus Williams (23) Jack Sikma (13) D. Johnson, J. Johnson (6) Capital Centre
19,035 		1–1
3 May 27 Washington W 105–95 Gus Williams (31) Jack Sikma (17) Dennis Johnson (9) Kingdome
35,928 		2–1
4 May 29 Washington W 114–112 (OT) Gus Williams (36) Jack Sikma (17) John Johnson (13) Seattle Center Coliseum
14,098 		3–1
5 June 1 @ Washington W 97–93 Gus Williams (23) Jack Sikma (17) John Johnson (6) Capital Centre
19,035 		4–1
1979 schedule

Awards and records

References

  1. ^ "1979 NBA Finals - SuperSonics vs. Bullets". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
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