# 1981–82 Seattle SuperSonics season

The 1981–82 NBA season was the SuperSonics' 15th season in the NBA.
In the playoffs, the SuperSonics defeated the Houston Rockets in three games in the First Round, before losing to the San Antonio Spurs in five games in the Semi-finals.

## Draft picks

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
| 1 | 5 | Danny Vranes | PF | United States | Utah |
| 3 | 53 | Mark Radford | PG/SG | United States | Oregon State |

## Regular season
### Season standings

| Pacific Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
| y-Los Angeles Lakers | 57 | 25 | .695 | – | 30–11 | 27–14 | 21–9 |
| x-Seattle SuperSonics | 52 | 30 | .634 | 5.0 | 31–10 | 21–20 | 18–12 |
| x-Phoenix Suns | 46 | 36 | .561 | 11.0 | 31–10 | 15–26 | 14–16 |
| Golden State Warriors | 45 | 37 | .549 | 12.0 | 28–13 | 17–24 | 15–15 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 42 | 40 | .512 | 15.0 | 27–14 | 15–26 | 15–15 |
| San Diego Clippers | 17 | 65 | .207 | 40.0 | 11–30 | 6–35 | 7–23 |
| # | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| 1 | c-Los Angeles Lakers | 57 | 25 | .695 | – |
| 2 | y-San Antonio Spurs | 48 | 34 | .585 | 9 |
| 3 | x-Seattle SuperSonics | 52 | 30 | .634 | 5 |
| 4 | x-Denver Nuggets | 46 | 36 | .561 | 11 |
| 5 | x-Phoenix Suns | 46 | 36 | .561 | 11 |
| 6 | x-Houston Rockets | 46 | 36 | .561 | 11 |
| 7 | Golden State Warriors | 45 | 37 | .549 | 12 |
| 8 | Portland Trail Blazers | 42 | 40 | .512 | 15 |
| 9 | Kansas City Kings | 30 | 52 | .366 | 27 |
| 10 | Dallas Mavericks | 28 | 54 | .341 | 29 |
| 11 | Utah Jazz | 25 | 57 | .305 | 32 |
| 12 | San Diego Clippers | 17 | 65 | .207 | 40 |

### Record vs. opponents

1981-82 NBA Records :
| Team | ATL | BOS | CHI | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | KCK | LAL | MIL | NJN | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SAS | SDC | SEA | UTA | WAS |
| Atlanta | – | 1–5 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–4 |
| Boston | 5–1 | – | 4–2 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 6–0 |
| Chicago | 3–2 | 2–4 | – | 5–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–6 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 |
| Cleveland | 2–4 | 0–5 | 1–5 | – | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–6 | 0–6 | 0–6 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–5 |
| Dallas | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | – | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–5 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 3–3 | 1–1 |
| Denver | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | – | 1–1 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 5–0 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 2–0 |
| Detroit | 4–2 | 0–6 | 6–0 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | – | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 |
| Golden State | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 2–3 | 0–2 | – | 1–4 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 1–1 |
| Houston | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 4–1 | – | 2–0 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 6–0 | 2–0 |
| Indiana | 2–4 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | – | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–6 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–5 |
| Kansas City | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 1–1 | – | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 0–5 | 1–5 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 0–2 |
| Los Angeles | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | – | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 5–0 | 2–0 |
| Milwaukee | 3–3 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | – | 4–1 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–2 |
| New Jersey | 2–3 | 1–5 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 | – | 4–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 4–2 |
| New York | 1–5 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 2–4 | – | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–5 |
| Philadelphia | 3–3 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 5–1 | – | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 6–0 |
| Phoenix | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | – | 3–3 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 1–1 |
| Portland | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | – | 3–2 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 0–2 |
| San Antonio | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 5–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 2–3 | – | 3–2 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 |
| San Diego | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 2–3 | – | 1–5 | 1–4 | 0–2 |
| Seattle | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 5–1 | – | 5–0 | 1–1 |
| Utah | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 0–5 | – | 1–1 |
| Washington | 4–2 | 0–6 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — |

### Game log

| # | Date | Opponent | Score | High points | Record |
| 1 | October 31 | Phoenix | 94–84 | Gus Williams (28) | 1–0 |
| 2 | November 1 | @ Portland | 94–104 | Gus Williams (21) | 1–1 |
| 3 | November 4 | @ Los Angeles | 103–106 | Gus Williams (29) | 1–2 |
| 4 | November 6 | Denver | 105–109 | Walker, Sikma (20) | 1–3 |
| 5 | November 10 | @ Golden State | 123–113 | Gus Williams (33) | 2–3 |
| 6 | November 11 | Dallas | 107–79 | Lonnie Shelton (18) | 3–3 |
| 7 | November 13 | San Antonio | 112–119 | Jack Sikma (39) | 3–4 |
| 8 | November 18 | @ San Antonio | 93–111 | Shelton, Sikma (19) | 3–5 |
| 9 | November 20 | Dallas | 90–89 | Gus Williams (22) | 4–5 |
| 10 | November 22 | New Jersey | 109–92 | Lonnie Shelton (22) | 5–5 |
| 11 | November 25 | Portland | 110–103 | Fred Brown (23) | 6–5 |
| 12 | November 27 | Houston | 117–110 | Gus Williams (33) | 7–5 |
| 13 | November 28 | @ San Diego | 120–122 | Jack Sikma (29) | 7–6 |
| 14 | December 1 | Chicago | 103–87 | Gus Williams (25) | 8–6 |
| 15 | December 2 | Los Angeles | 104–96 | Jack Sikma (27) | 9–6 |
| 16 | December 4 | @ Kansas City | 109–112 | Jack Sikma (30) | 9–7 |
| 17 | December 5 | @ Atlanta | 92–85 | Gus Williams (22) | 10–7 |
| 18 | December 8 | @ Houston | 107–96 | Gus Williams (29) | 11–7 |
| 19 | December 9 | @ San Antonio | 99–110 | Jack Sikma (28) | 11–8 |
| 20 | December 12 | Detroit | 117–111 | Gus Williams (33) | 12–8 |
| 21 | December 13 | San Diego | 98–74 | Gus Williams (18) | 13–8 |
| 22 | December 15 | Denver | 126–120 | Gus Williams (33) | 14–8 |
| 23 | December 17 | @ San Diego | 106–92 | Gus Williams (24) | 15–8 |
| 24 | December 19 | @ Utah | 115–103 | Gus Williams (30) | 16–8 |
| 25 | December 23 | Utah | 113–99 | Lonnie Shelton (27) | 17–8 |
| 26 | December 25 | @ Portland | 94–99 | Gus Williams (25) | 17–9 |
| 27 | December 28 | Golden State | 104–100 | Sikma, Williams (26) | 18–9 |
| 28 | December 30 | Philadelphia | 99–102 | Gus Williams (31) | 18–10 |
| 29 | January 2 | @ Phoenix | 97–120 | Gus Williams (22) | 18–11 |
| 30 | January 3 | @ Los Angeles | 110–90 | Gus Williams (27) | 19–11 |
| 31 | January 6 | Dallas | 107–100 | Jack Sikma (25) | 20–11 |
| 32 | January 7 | Houston | 116–107 | Jack Sikma (25) | 21–11 |
| 33 | January 9 | @ Denver | 125–110 | Gus Williams (39) | 22–11 |
| 34 | January 13 | Indiana | 106–86 | Gus Williams (19) | 23–11 |
| 35 | January 15 | Utah | 115–103 | Gus Williams (42) | 24–11 |
| 36 | January 17 | Golden State | 122–97 | Lonnie Shelton (22) | 25–11 |
| 37 | January 19 | @ Cleveland | 99–97 | Jack Sikma (28) | 26–11 |
| 38 | January 20 | @ Washington | 95–106 | Sikma, Williams (21) | 26–12 |
| 39 | January 22 | @ Boston | 118–106 | Lonnie Shelton (37) | 27–12 |
| 40 | January 23 | @ Philadelphia | 87–100 | Jack Sikma (23) | 27–13 |
| 41 | January 25 | @ New York | 113–99 | Gus Williams (25) | 28–13 |
| 42 | January 27 | @ Kansas City | 110–103 | Gus Williams (31) | 29–13 |
| 43 | February 3 | Kansas City | 97–87 | Gus Williams (28) | 30–13 |
| 44 | February 5 | @ Golden State | 108–99 | Jack Sikma (30) | 31–13 |
| 45 | February 6 | Utah | 129–103 | Jack Sikma (20) | 32–13 |
| 46 | February 7 | San Diego | 99–97 | Gus Williams (21) | 33–13 |
| 47 | February 9 | New York | 114–105 | Jack Sikma (25) | 34–13 |
| 48 | February 11 | @ Houston | 100–117 | Sikma, Williams, Donaldson (16) | 34–14 |
| 49 | February 12 | @ Dallas | 100–103 | Jack Sikma (30) | 34–15 |
| 50 | February 14 | @ San Antonio | 94–114 | Jack Sikma (22) | 34–16 |
| 51 | February 16 | @ Los Angeles | 101–108 | Gus Williams (30) | 34–17 |
| 52 | February 18 | Washington | 105–87 | Gus Williams (26) | 35–17 |
| 53 | February 19 | Atlanta | 122–127 (4OT) | Williams, Brown (24) | 35–18 |
| 54 | February 21 | Boston | 103–100 | Gus Williams (34) | 36–18 |
| 55 | February 25 | Los Angeles | 98–104 | Wally Walker (18) | 36–19 |
| 56 | February 26 | @ Utah | 98–97 | Jack Sikma (24) | 37–19 |
| 57 | February 28 | Phoenix | 98–103 | Jack Sikma (33) | 37–20 |
| 58 | March 3 | Cleveland | 136–107 | Greg Kelser (19) | 38–20 |
| 59 | March 5 | Dallas | 98–97 | Gus Williams (38) | 39–20 |
| 60 | March 7 | San Diego | 144–106 | Gus Williams (30) | 40–20 |
| 61 | March 9 | @ Chicago | 104–109 | Gus Williams (25) | 40–21 |
| 62 | March 12 | @ Milwaukee | 112–110 | Gus Williams (30) | 41–21 |
| 63 | March 14 | @ New Jersey | 98–97 | Gus Williams (23) | 42–21 |
| 64 | March 16 | @ Indiana | 96–109 | Gus Williams (18) | 42–22 |
| 65 | March 18 | @ Detroit | 115–119 | Gus Williams (33) | 42–23 |
| 66 | March 19 | @ Kansas City | 109–103 | Gus Williams (27) | 43–23 |
| 67 | March 21 | @ Phoenix | 115–105 | Gus Williams (41) | 44–23 |
| 68 | March 24 | Milwaukee | 99–97 | Jack Sikma (22) | 45–23 |
| 69 | March 26 | Houston | 97–99 | Gus Williams (26) | 45–24 |
| 70 | March 28 | Portland | 109–101 | Jack Sikma (25) | 46–24 |
| 71 | March 30 | @ Denver | 142–145 (OT) | Gus Williams (32) | 46–25 |
| 72 | March 31 | Kansas City | 109–116 | Lonnie Shelton (23) | 46–26 |
| 73 | April 2 | San Antonio | 111–86 | Gus Williams (33) | 47–26 |
| 74 | April 4 | Denver | 140–116 | Jack Sikma (29) | 48–26 |
| 75 | April 6 | Phoenix | 102–91 | Gus Williams (27) | 49–26 |
| 76 | April 8 | @ San Diego | 117–115 (OT) | Gus Williams (41) | 50–26 |
| 77 | April 10 | @ Phoenix | 99–116 | Gus Williams (21) | 50–27 |
| 78 | April 11 | @ Los Angeles | 104–107 | Jack Sikma (26) | 50–28 |
| 79 | April 13 | Portland | 88–86 | Jack Sikma (22) | 51–28 |
| 80 | April 14 | Golden State | 93–104 | Gus Williams (23) | 51–29 |
| 81 | April 17 | @ Golden State | 95–94 | Jack Sikma (28) | 52–29 |
| 82 | April 19 | @ Portland | 114–119 | James Donaldson (23) | 52–30 |

## Playoffs

1982 playoff game log :
First round: 2–1 (home: 2–0; road: 0–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
April 21
Houston
W 102–87
Gus Williams (27)
Jack Sikma (13)
Gus Williams (12)
Kingdome 14,071
1–0
2
April 23
@ Houston
L 70–91
Gus Williams (18)
Jack Sikma (11)
four players tied (3)
The Summit 15,676
1–1
3
April 25
Houston
W 104–83
Jack Sikma (30)
Jack Sikma (17)
Gus Williams (12)
Kingdome 14,071
2–1 :
Conference Semi-finals: 1–4 (home: 1–2; road: 0–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
April 27
San Antonio
L 93–95
Jack Sikma (26)
Jack Sikma (12)
Hanzlik, Brown (4)
Kingdome 14,457
0–1
2
April 28
San Antonio
W 114–99
Gus Williams (34)
G. Johnson, Corzine (8)
Gus Williams (9)
Kingdome 19,403
1–1
3
April 30
@ San Antonio
L 97–99
Gus Williams (25)
Jack Sikma (15)
Gus Williams (11)
HemisFair Arena 14,019
1–2
4
May 2
@ San Antonio
L 113–115
Gus Williams (33)
James Donaldson (16)
Gus Williams (7)
HemisFair Arena 15,002
1–3
5
May 5
San Antonio
L 103–109
Gus Williams (36)
Jack Sikma (11)
Gus Williams (9)
Kingdome 23,180
1–4 :
1982 schedule :

## Player statistics

Legend :
| GP | Games played | RPG | Rebounds per game | BPG | Blocks per game |
| MIN | Minutes played | APG | Assists per game | TPG | Turnovers per game |
| PPG | Points per game | SPG | Steals per game | FPG | Field goals per game |

### Playoffs

Notes:
* Mark Radford did not play due to injury.

## Awards and records

* Gus Williams, All-NBA First Team, NBA Comeback Player of the Year
* Lonnie Shelton, NBA All-Defensive Second Team
* Jack Sikma, NBA All-Defensive Second Team