1997–98 Seattle SuperSonics season

1997–98 Seattle SuperSonics season
Division Champions
Head coach George Karl
General manager Wally Walker
Arena KeyArena at Seattle Center
Results
Record 61–21 (.744)
Place Division: 1st (Pacific)
Conference: 2nd (Western)
Playoff finish West Semifinals
(eliminated 1-4)

Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com

Local media
Television Fox Sports Northwest, KOMO-TV
Radio KOMO-AM and FM

The 1997–98 Seattle SuperSonics season was the 30th season of the Seattle SuperSonics in the National Basketball Association (NBA).[1] In the offseason, the Sonics acquired Vin Baker from the Milwaukee Bucks in a three team trade, while re-acquiring Dale Ellis from the Denver Nuggets and signing free agents Jerome Kersey and Greg Anthony. In his first year with the Sonics, Baker averaged 19.2 points per game and was selected for the 1998 NBA All-Star Game along with Gary Payton. The Sonics finished first place in the Pacific Division with a 61–21. In the first round of the playoffs, the Sonics struggled as they trailed 2–1 to the 7th-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves, but managed to win the series in five games. However, they would lose in five games to the Los Angeles Lakers in the semifinals after taking Game 1.

Following the season, George Karl left to coach the Milwaukee Bucks as his "favorite player" Nate McMillan retired. Also following the season, Sam Perkins signed as a free agent with the Indiana Pacers, Kersey signed with the San Antonio Spurs, Anthony signed with the Portland Trail Blazers, and Jim McIlvaine was traded to the New Jersey Nets.

Draft picks

Main article: 1997 NBA Draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
1 23 Bobby Jackson PG/SG  United States Minnesota
2 41 Ed Elisma F  United States Georgia Tech
2 55 Mark Blount C  United States Pittsburgh

Roster

Seattle SuperSonics roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB (YYYY–MM–DD) From
PG 2 United States Anthony, Greg 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 176 lb (80 kg) UNLV
PF 42 United States Baker, Vin 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 232 lb (105 kg) Hartford
SG 4 United States Cotton, James 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Long Beach State
SG 3 United States Ellis, Dale 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Tennessee
SG 33 United States Hawkins, Hersey 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Bradley
PF 44 United States Howard, Stephen 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 225 lb (102 kg) DePaul
SF 7 United States Kersey, Jerome 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Longwood
C 22 United States McIlvaine, Jim 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) 240 lb (109 kg) Marquette
SG 10 United States McMillan, Nate 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 195 lb (88 kg) North Carolina State
PG 20 United States Payton, Gary 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Oregon State
C 14 United States Perkins, Sam 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) North Carolina
SF 11 Germany Schrempf, Detlef 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 214 lb (97 kg) Washington
PF 15 United States Williams, Aaron 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Xavier
SF 25 United States Wingate, David 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Georgetown
Head coach
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured

Regular season

Season standings

Pacific Division W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Seattle SuperSonics 61 21 .744 – 35–6 26–15 19–5
x-Los Angeles Lakers 61 21 .744  – 33–8 28–13 16–8
x-Phoenix Suns 56 26 .683 5 30–11 26–15 17–7
x-Portland Trail Blazers 46 36 .561 15 26–15 20–21 14–10
Sacramento Kings 27 55 .329 34 21–20 6–35 6–18
Golden State Warriors 19 63 .232 42 12–29 7–34 6–18
Los Angeles Clippers 17 65 .207 44 11–30 6–35 6–18
# Western Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Utah Jazz 62 20 .756 –
2 y-Seattle SuperSonics 61 21 .744 1
3 x-Los Angeles Lakers 61 21 .744 1
4 x-Phoenix Suns 56 26 .683 6
5 x-San Antonio Spurs 56 26 .683 6
6 x-Portland Trail Blazers 46 36 .561 16
7 x-Minnesota Timberwolves 45 37 .549 17
8 x-Houston Rockets 41 41 .500 21
9 Sacramento Kings 27 55 .329 35
10 Dallas Mavericks 20 62 .244 42
11 Vancouver Grizzlies 19 63 .232 43
11 Golden State Warriors 19 63 .232 43
13 Los Angeles Clippers 17 65 .207 45
14 Denver Nuggets 11 71 .134 51

Record vs. opponents

1997-98 NBA Records
Team ATL BOS CHA CHI CLE DAL DEN DET GSW HOU IND LAC LAL MIA MIL MIN NJN NYK ORL PHI PHO POR SAC SAS SEA TOR UTA VAN WAS
Atlanta — 2–1 4–0 1–3 4–0 2–0 2–0 2–2 2–0 1–1 1–3 2–0 0–2 1–3 3–1 0–2 1–2 2–2 2–2 3–1 0–2 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 4–0 0–2 2–0 4–0
Boston 1–2 — 1–2 1–3 1–3 1–1 1–1 2–2 1–1 1–1 0–4 2–0 1–1 0–4 2–2 1–1 2–2 2–2 2–2 3–1 0–2 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 3–0 0–2 2–0 3–2
Charlotte 0–4 2–1 — 1–3 2–2 2–0 2–0 3–1 1–1 2–0 3–1 2–0 1–1 3–1 3–1 1–1 2–2 1–3 3–1 2–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 4–0 1–1 2–0 2–2
Chicago 3–1 3–1 3–1 — 2–2 1–1 2–0 3–1 2–0 2–0 2–2 2–0 1–1 2–1 4–0 1–1 4–0 4–0 3–1 2–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 1–1 4–0 0–2 2–0 3–1
Cleveland 0–4 3–1 2–2 2–2 — 1–1 2–0 3–1 2–0 1–1 2–2 2–0 1–1 1–3 2–2 2–0 3–1 1–2 2–2 3–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 0–2 0–2 3–1 1–1 2–0 1–2
Dallas 0–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 1–1 — 3–1 0–2 1–3 0–4 1–1 1–3 0–4 0–2 0–2 2–2 0–2 1–1 0–2 0–2 0–4 0–4 0–4 0–4 2–2 1–1 0–4 4–0 1–1
Denver 0–2 1–1 0–2 0–2 0–2 1–3 — 0–2 1–3 0–4 0–2 2–2 0–4 0–2 0–2 1–3 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–4 2–2 1–3 0–4 0–4 0–2 0–4 1–3 1–1
Detroit 2–2 2–2 1–3 1–3 1–3 2–0 2–0 — 2–0 1–1 1–3 2–0 0–2 1–2 2–2 0–2 2–2 2–2 1–2 3–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 1–1 0–2 4–0 0–2 0–2 2–2
Golden State 0–2 1–1 1–1 0–2 0–2 3–1 3–1 0–2 — 1–3 0–2 1–3 1–3 0–2 0–2 0–4 0–2 1–1 1–1 0–2 0–4 1–3 2–2 1–3 1–3 0–2 0–4 1–3 0–2
Houston 1–1 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 4–0 4–0 1–1 3–1 — 1–1 4–0 1–3 0–2 1–1 1–3 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 1–3 1–3 4–0 2–2 1–3 2–0 0–4 3–1 1–1
Indiana 3–1 4–0 1–3 2–2 2–2 1–1 2–0 3–1 2–0 1–1 — 2–0 0–2 3–1 4–0 2–0 2–1 2–1 3–1 4–0 1–1 1–1 2–0 0–2 0–2 4–0 1–1 2–0 4–0
L.A. Clippers 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–2 3–1 2–2 0–2 3–1 0–4 0–2 — 0–4 0–2 0–2 0–4 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 0–4 0–4 3–1 1–3 0–4 1–1 1–3 1–3 0–2
L.A. Lakers 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 4–0 4–0 2–0 3–1 3–1 2–0 4–0 — 1–1 2–0 4–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–2 2–2 2–2 4–0 4–0 1–3 2–0 3–1 4–0 1–1
Miami 3–1 4–0 1–3 1–2 3–1 2–0 2–0 2–1 2–0 2–0 1–3 2–0 1–1 — 3–1 1–1 3–1 2–2 3–1 4–0 0–2 2–0 2–0 0–2 0–2 4–0 1–1 2–0 2–2
Milwaukee 1–3 2–2 1–3 0–4 2–2 2–0 2–0 2–2 2–0 1–1 0–4 2–0 0–2 1–3 — 1–1 0–4 3–1 2–1 2–2 0–2 2–0 2–0 0–2 1–1 3–1 0–2 1–1 1–2
Minnesota 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–2 2–2 3–1 2–0 4–0 3–1 0–2 4–0 0–4 1–1 1–1 — 2–0 1–1 0–2 2–0 3–1 1–3 3–1 1–3 1–3 1–1 1–3 4–0 0–2
New Jersey 2–1 2–2 2–2 0–4 1–3 2–0 2–0 2–2 2–0 1–1 1–2 1–1 1–1 1–3 4–0 0–2 — 2–2 3–1 3–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 0–2 3–1 0–2 2–0 1–3
New York 2–2 2–2 3–1 0–4 2–1 1–1 2–0 2–2 1–1 1–1 1–2 2–0 1–1 2–2 1–3 1–1 2–2 — 4–0 2–2 2–0 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 3–1 0–2 2–0 1–3
Orlando 2–2 2–2 1–3 1–3 2–2 2–0 2–0 2–1 1–1 2–0 1–3 2–0 1–1 1–3 1–2 2–0 1–3 0–4 — 4–0 0–2 2–0 0–2 0–2 1–1 3–1 0–2 2–0 3–1
Philadelphia 1–3 1–3 1–2 1–2 1–3 2–0 2–0 1–3 2–0 1–1 0–4 1–1 2–0 0–4 2–2 0–2 1–3 2–2 0–4 — 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–2 0–2 2–2 0–2 2–0 3–1
Phoenix 2–0 2–0 1–1 1–1 0–2 4–0 4–0 1–1 4–0 3–1 1–1 4–0 2–2 2–0 2–0 1–3 1–1 0–2 2–0 1–1 — 2–2 3–1 3–1 2–2 2–0 1–3 4–0 1–1
Portland 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 1–1 4–0 2–2 2–0 3–1 3–1 1–1 4–0 2–2 0–2 0–2 3–1 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 2–2 — 3–1 2–2 0–4 2–0 3–1 2–2 1–1
Sacramento 0–2 1–1 1–1 0–2 0–2 4–0 3–1 1–1 2–2 0–4 0–2 1–3 0–4 0–2 0–2 1–3 0–2 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–3 1–3 — 0–4 1–3 1–1 2–2 2–2 1–1
San Antonio 1–1 2–0 1–1 0–2 2–0 4–0 4–0 1–1 3–1 2–2 2–0 3–1 0–4 2–0 2–0 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 2–0 1–3 2–2 4–0 — 2–2 2–0 1–3 4–0 1–1
Seattle 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–2 4–0 2–0 3–1 3–1 2–0 4–0 3–1 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–2 4–0 3–1 2–2 — 2–0 2–2 4–0 1–1
Toronto 0–4 0–3 0–4 0–4 1–3 1–1 2–0 0–4 2–0 0–2 0–4 1–1 0–2 0–4 1–3 1–1 1–3 1–3 1–3 2–2 0–2 0–2 1–1 0–2 0–2 — 0–2 1–1 0–3
Utah 2–0 2–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 4–0 4–0 2–0 4–0 4–0 1–1 3–1 1–3 1–1 2–0 3–1 2–0 2–0 2–0 2–0 3–1 1–3 2–2 3–1 2–2 2–0 — 4–0 0–2
Vancouver 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–4 3–1 2–0 3–1 1–3 0–2 3–1 0–4 0–2 1–1 0–4 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–4 2–2 2–2 0–4 0–4 1–1 0–4 — 1–1
Washington 0–4 2–3 2–2 1–3 2–1 1–1 1–1 2–2 2–0 1–1 0–4 2–0 1–1 2–2 2–1 2–0 3–1 3–1 1–3 1–3 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 3–0 2–0 1–1 —

Playoffs

West First Round

(2) Seattle SuperSonics vs. (7) Minnesota Timberwolves Last Playoff Meeting: This is the first meeting between the SuperSonics and Timberwolves.

Game Date Home Score Visitor Score Record

(SEA-MIN)

 Venue Box score Television
1 April 24 Seattle 108 Minnesota 83 1-0 KeyArena, Seattle 1 TBS 9:30et
2 April 26 Seattle 93 Minnesota 98 1-1 KeyArena, Seattle, Washington 2 TNT 9:00et
3 April 28 Minnesota 98 Seattle 90 1-2 Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota 3 TBS 9:30et
4 April 30 Minnesota 88 Seattle 92 2-2 Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota 4 TBS 9:30et
5 May 2 Seattle 97 Minnesota 84 3-2 KeyArena, Seattle, Washington 5 NBC 3:30et
Seattle wins series 3–2

West Conference Semifinals

(2) Seattle SuperSonics vs. (3) Los Angeles Lakers Last Playoff Meeting: 1995 Western Conference First Round (Los Angeles won 3-1)

Game Date Home Score Visitor Score Record

(SEA-LAL)

 Venue Box score Television
1 May 4 Seattle 106 Los Angeles 92 1-0 KeyArena, Seattle 1 TNT 9:00et
2 May 6 Seattle 68 Los Angeles 92 1-1 KeyArena, Seattle, Washington 2 TNT 10:30et
3 May 8 Los Angeles 119 Seattle 103 1-2 Great Western Forum, Los Angeles 3 TNT 10:30et
4 May 10 Los Angeles 112 Seattle 100 1-3 Great Western Forum, Los Angeles, California 4 NBC 3:00et
5 May 12 Seattle 95 Los Angeles 110 1-4 KeyArena, Seattle, Washington 5 TNT 10:30et
Los Angeles wins series 4–1

Player statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game

Season

Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Greg Anthony
Vin Baker
James Cotton
Dale Ellis
Hersey Hawkins
Stephen Howard
Jerome Kersey
Jim McIlvaine
Nate McMillan
Gary Payton
Sam Perkins
Detlef Schrempf
Eric Snow
Aaron Williams
David Wingate
George Zidek

Playoffs

Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Greg Anthony
Vin Baker
Dale Ellis
Hersey Hawkins
Jerome Kersey
Jim McIlvaine
Nate McMillan
Gary Payton
Sam Perkins
Detlef Schrempf
Eric Snow
Aaron Williams
David Wingate

Awards and records

Awards

Transactions

Free agents

Additions

Player Signed Former team

Subtractions

Player Left New team

See also

References

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