The 1997β98 NBA season was the 30th season for the
Seattle SuperSonics in the
National Basketball Association.[1] In the off-season, the Sonics acquired All-Star forward
Vin Baker from the
Milwaukee Bucks in a three-team trade.[2][3][4][5][6] The team also re-acquired former Sonics star and sharp shooter
Dale Ellis from the
Denver Nuggets,[7][8][9] and signed free agents
Jerome Kersey,[10][11] and
Greg Anthony.[12][13] The Sonics got off to a fast start with a 13β3 record after a 7-game winning streak in November, despite losing Kersey to a stress fracture in his left foot as he only played just 37 games.[14][15] The team posted an 8-game winning streak between December and January winning 29 of their first 35 games,[16] then later on holding the league's best record before the All-Star break with a 37β10 record.[17] as they finished first place in the Pacific Division tied with the
Los Angeles Lakers with a 61β21 record.[18]
Baker averaged 19.2 points and 8.0 rebounds per game, while
Gary Payton averaged 19.2 points, 8.3 assists and 2.3 steals per game, and was named to the All-NBA First Team, and the NBA All-Defensive First Team. Baker and Payton were both selected for the
1998 NBA All-Star Game, with head coach
George Karl coaching the Western Conference.[19][20][21][22][23] 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, averaging 11.8 points per game off the bench, while shooting .464 in three-point field goal percentage, and
Hersey Hawkins contributed 10.5 points and 1.8 steals per game.
Sam Perkins contributed 7.2 points per game off the bench, and starting center
Jim McIlvaine led the team with 1.8 blocks per game.[24] Payton finished in third place in
Most Valuable Player voting,[25] while Baker finished in eighth place. Payton also finished in second place in
Defensive Player of the Year voting,[26][27] and Ellis finished in third place in
Sixth Man of the Year voting.[28][29][30]
In the Western Conference First Round of the
playoffs, the Sonics struggled as they trailed 2β1 to the 7th-seeded
Minnesota Timberwolves,[31][32][33] but managed to win the series in five games.[34][35][36][37] In the Western Conference Semi-finals, the Sonics faced the 3rd-seeded Lakers, winning Game 1 at home, 106β92.[38][39][40] However, they would lose the next four games to the Lakers, thus the series.[41][42][43][44]
^Condotta, Bob (May 27, 1998).
"Walker Runs Karl Out of Seattle". The Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). (Tacoma News Tribune). p. C1. Retrieved May 9, 2022.
^Cour, Jim (May 27, 1998).
"Karl Fired as SuperSonics Coach". Wilmington Morning Star. (North Carolina). Associated Press. p. 1C. Retrieved May 9, 2022.
The 1997β98 NBA season was the 30th season for the
Seattle SuperSonics in the
National Basketball Association.[1] In the off-season, the Sonics acquired All-Star forward
Vin Baker from the
Milwaukee Bucks in a three-team trade.[2][3][4][5][6] The team also re-acquired former Sonics star and sharp shooter
Dale Ellis from the
Denver Nuggets,[7][8][9] and signed free agents
Jerome Kersey,[10][11] and
Greg Anthony.[12][13] The Sonics got off to a fast start with a 13β3 record after a 7-game winning streak in November, despite losing Kersey to a stress fracture in his left foot as he only played just 37 games.[14][15] The team posted an 8-game winning streak between December and January winning 29 of their first 35 games,[16] then later on holding the league's best record before the All-Star break with a 37β10 record.[17] as they finished first place in the Pacific Division tied with the
Los Angeles Lakers with a 61β21 record.[18]
Baker averaged 19.2 points and 8.0 rebounds per game, while
Gary Payton averaged 19.2 points, 8.3 assists and 2.3 steals per game, and was named to the All-NBA First Team, and the NBA All-Defensive First Team. Baker and Payton were both selected for the
1998 NBA All-Star Game, with head coach
George Karl coaching the Western Conference.[19][20][21][22][23] 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, averaging 11.8 points per game off the bench, while shooting .464 in three-point field goal percentage, and
Hersey Hawkins contributed 10.5 points and 1.8 steals per game.
Sam Perkins contributed 7.2 points per game off the bench, and starting center
Jim McIlvaine led the team with 1.8 blocks per game.[24] Payton finished in third place in
Most Valuable Player voting,[25] while Baker finished in eighth place. Payton also finished in second place in
Defensive Player of the Year voting,[26][27] and Ellis finished in third place in
Sixth Man of the Year voting.[28][29][30]
In the Western Conference First Round of the
playoffs, the Sonics struggled as they trailed 2β1 to the 7th-seeded
Minnesota Timberwolves,[31][32][33] but managed to win the series in five games.[34][35][36][37] In the Western Conference Semi-finals, the Sonics faced the 3rd-seeded Lakers, winning Game 1 at home, 106β92.[38][39][40] However, they would lose the next four games to the Lakers, thus the series.[41][42][43][44]
^Condotta, Bob (May 27, 1998).
"Walker Runs Karl Out of Seattle". The Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). (Tacoma News Tribune). p. C1. Retrieved May 9, 2022.
^Cour, Jim (May 27, 1998).
"Karl Fired as SuperSonics Coach". Wilmington Morning Star. (North Carolina). Associated Press. p. 1C. Retrieved May 9, 2022.