# 1975–76 Seattle SuperSonics season

The 1975–76 Seattle SuperSonics season was the 9th season of the Seattle SuperSonics in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The SuperSonics finished the season in second place in the Western Conference with a 43–39 record, the same as the previous year and reached the playoffs for a second consecutive season, where they lost to the Phoenix Suns in the conference semifinals in six games.

## Offseason
### Draft picks

Note: only draft picks who participated in at least one game in the NBA are listed.
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College / Team |
| 1 | 12 | Frank Oleynick | Guard | United States | Seattle |
| 2 | 21 | Bruce Seals | Forward | United States | Utah Stars (ABA) |

## Regular season
### Season standings

| Pacific Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
| y-Golden State Warriors | 59 | 23 | .720 | – | 36–5 | 23–18 | 17–9 |
| x-Seattle SuperSonics | 43 | 39 | .524 | 16 | 31–10 | 12–29 | 12–14 |
| x-Phoenix Suns | 42 | 40 | .512 | 17 | 27–14 | 15–26 | 15–11 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 40 | 42 | .488 | 19 | 31–11 | 9–31 | 10–16 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 37 | 45 | .451 | 22 | 25–15 | 12–30 | 11–15 |
| # | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| 1 | z-Golden State Warriors | 59 | 23 | .720 | – |
| 2 | x-Seattle SuperSonics | 43 | 39 | .524 | 16 |
| 3 | x-Phoenix Suns | 42 | 40 | .512 | 17 |
| 4 | y-Milwaukee Bucks | 38 | 44 | .463 | 21 |
| 5 | x-Detroit Pistons | 36 | 46 | .439 | 23 |
| 6 | Los Angeles Lakers | 40 | 42 | .488 | 19 |
| 7 | Portland Trail Blazers | 37 | 45 | .451 | 22 |
| 8 | Kansas City Kings | 31 | 51 | .378 | 28 |
| 9 | Chicago Bulls | 24 | 58 | .293 | 35 |
* z – clinched division title
* y – clinched division title
* x – clinched playoff spot

### Record vs. opponents

1975–76 NBA records :
| Team | ATL | BOS | BUF | CHI | CLE | DET | GSW | HOU | KCK | LAL | MIL | NOJ | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SEA | WAS |
| Atlanta | — | 2–3 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 2–5 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–5 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–5 |
| Boston | 3–2 | — | 4–3 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 4–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 4–1 | 5–2 | 4–3 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–2 |
| Buffalo | 3–2 | 3–4 | — | 3–1 | 3–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 4–3 | 3–4 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–3 |
| Chicago | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | — | 0–4 | 3–4 | 1–4 | 1–3 | 1–6 | 3–2 | 3–4 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 0–4 |
| Cleveland | 5–2 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 4–0 | — | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 4–3 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 4–2 |
| Detroit | 3–1 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 4–3 | 2–2 | — | 0–5 | 2–2 | 5–2 | 1–4 | 3–4 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 2–2 |
| Golden State | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 5–0 | — | 2–2 | 4–1 | 5–2 | 5–0 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 4–3 | 3–1 |
| Houston | 5–2 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | — | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–4 |
| Kansas City | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 6–1 | 3–1 | 2–5 | 1–4 | 2–2 | — | 2–3 | 2–5 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–2 | 0–5 | 2–3 | 1–3 |
| Los Angeles | 3–1 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 4–1 | 2–5 | 3–1 | 3–2 | — | 2–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 3–4 | 3–3 | 1–3 |
| Milwaukee | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 4–3 | 0–4 | 4–3 | 0–5 | 2–2 | 5–2 | 3–2 | — | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 2–2 |
| New Orleans | 4–2 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 2–2 | 3–4 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | — | 2–3 | 1–4 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 4–3 |
| New York | 2–3 | 2–5 | 3–4 | 4–0 | 2–3 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–2 | — | 5–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 3–2 |
| Philadelphia | 3–2 | 3–4 | 4–3 | 4–0 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–1 | 2–5 | — | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–3 |
| Phoenix | 4–0 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 3–2 | 1–3 | 4–1 | 2–4 | 4–0 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | — | 5–2 | 4–3 | 0–4 |
| Portland | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–1 | 0–4 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 1–3 | 5–0 | 4–3 | 3–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 2–5 | — | 3–3 | 2–2 |
| Seattle | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 1–3 | 2–3 | 3–4 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 3–4 | 3–3 | — | 1–3 |
| Washington | 5–1 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 4–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–4 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | — |

### Game log

1975–76 game log Total: 43–39 (home: 31–10; road: 12–29) :
October: 3–2 (home: 2–0; road: 1–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
October 24
Portland
W 105–97
Fred Brown (29)
Seattle Center Coliseum 13,601
1–0
2
October 26
Phoenix
W 113–99
Leonard Gray (27)
Seattle Center Coliseum 13,288
2–0
3
October 28
@ Chicago
L 90–101
Slick Watts (28)
Chicago Stadium 5,115
2–1
4
October 29
@ Kansas City
W 92–91
Bruce Seals (25)
Kemper Arena 9,464
3–1
5
October 31
@ Los Angeles
L 104–120
Fred Brown (33)
The Forum 12,118
3–2 :
November
: 7–8 (home: 4–2; road: 3–6)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
6
November 2
Washington
L 85–94
Tommy Burleson (20)
Seattle Center Coliseum 14,096
3–3
7
November 5
@ Detroit
L 107–124
Slick Watts (25)
Cobo Arena 4,777
3–4
8
November 6
@ Washington
L 100–110
Fred Brown (29)
Capital Centre 7,732
3–5
9
November 8
@ Atlanta
L 94–107
Fred Brown (24)
Omni Coliseum 4,382
3–6
10
November 9
@ New Orleans
W 111–97
Fred Brown (41)
Louisiana Superdome 13,472
4–6
11
November 12
Kansas City
L 92–107
Fred Brown (19)
Seattle Center Coliseum 11,213
4–7
12
November 13
@ Phoenix
L 103–106
Bruce Seals (24)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 5,016
4–8
13
November 14
Cleveland
W 100–97 (OT)
Fred Brown (26)
Seattle Center Coliseum 11,969
5–8
14
November 16
Golden State
W 102–98
Fred Brown (30)
Seattle Center Coliseum 14,096
6–8
15
November 19
Chicago
W 97–87
Fred Brown (25)
Seattle Center Coliseum 13,114
7–8
16
November 23
Milwaukee
W 112–104
Tommy Burleson (28)
Seattle Center Coliseum 14,021
8–8
17
November 25
@ New York
W 128–127 (OT)
Tommy Burleson (35)
Madison Square Garden 15,548
9–8
18
November 26
@ Boston
W 110–109
Fred Brown (30)
Boston Garden 12,189
10–8
19
November 28
@ Philadelphia
L 94–113
Tommy Burleson (18)
The Spectrum 13,674
10–9
20
November 29
@ Cleveland
L 108–124
Fred Brown (30)
Coliseum at Richfield 10,151
10–10 :
December
: 8–7 (home: 6–4; road: 2–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
21
December 2
@ Kansas City
W 101–90
Fred Brown (31)
Kemper Arena 7,670
11–10
22
December 3
@ Houston
L 101–107
Bruce Seals (16)
The Summit 5,374
11–11
23
December 6
@ Golden State
L 94–104
Fred Brown (17)
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 12,677
11–12
24
December 7
Golden State
L 106–115
Fred Brown, Slick Watts (22)
Seattle Center Coliseum 14,096
11–13
25
December 10
Chicago
W 99–79
Fred Brown (17)
Seattle Center Coliseum 12,471
12–13
26
December 12
Detroit
W 97–95
Fred Brown (27)
Seattle Center Coliseum 12,859
13–13
27
December 14
Philadelphia
W 114–105
Fred Brown (31)
Seattle Center Coliseum 14,096
14–13
28
December 17
Cleveland
L 101–115
Rod Derline (16)
Seattle Center Coliseum 12,291
14–14
29
December 19
New Orleans
W 113–102
Herm Gilliam (24)
Seattle Center Coliseum 11,427
15–14
30
December 21
Milwaukee
L 101–103
Mike Bantom (20)
Seattle Center Coliseum 12,188
15–15
31
December 23
@ Portland
L 100–125
Tommy Burleson (23)
Memorial Coliseum 8,610
15–16
32
December 26
Kansas City
W 90–87
Bruce Seals (21)
Seattle Center Coliseum 13,673
16–16
33
December 27
Los Angeles
L 100–109
Tommy Burleson (25)
Seattle Center Coliseum 14,096
16–17
34
December 28
Houston
W 116–106
Fred Brown (23)
Seattle Center Coliseum 13,702
17–17
35
December 30
@ Los Angeles
W 112–100
Fred Brown (34)
The Forum 12,740
18–17 :
January
: 5–9 (home: 3–2; road: 2–7)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
36
January 2
Boston
L 98–102
Fred Brown (34)
Seattle Center Coliseum 14,096
18–18
37
January 4
Golden State
W 97–85
Fred Brown (20)
Seattle Center Coliseum 13,669
19–18
38
January 7
New York
W 91–89
Fred Brown (24)
Seattle Center Coliseum 14,096
20–18
39
January 9
@ Phoenix
W 112–110 (OT)
Tommy Burleson (25)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 5,774
21–18
40
January 11
Buffalo
L 104–125
Leonard Gray (20)
Seattle Center Coliseum 14,096
21–19
41
January 13
@ Milwaukee
L 108–114
Fred Brown (24)
MECCA Arena 10,496
21–20
42
January 14
@ Atlanta
W 112–110
Fred Brown (33)
Omni Coliseum 4,376
22–20
43
January 16
@ Washington
L 85–100
Slick Watts (19)
Capital Centre 9,425
22–21
44
January 17
@ Buffalo
L 101–110
Fred Brown (28)
Buffalo Memorial Auditorium 8,469
22–22
45
January 21
@ Detroit
L 104–111
Fred Brown (26)
Cobo Arena 3,612
22–23
46
January 22
@ Cleveland
L 99–109
Fred Brown (17)
Coliseum at Richfield 5,102
22–24
47
January 24
@ Houston
L 103–110
Fred Brown (37)
The Summit 5,027
22–25
48
January 28
@ Portland
L 104–124
Fred Brown (26)
Memorial Coliseum 10,930
22–26
49
January 30
Washington
W 123–100
Fred Brown (29)
Seattle Center Coliseum 14,096
23–26 :
February
: 8–5 (home: 6–2; road: 2–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
50
February 6
Portland
L 100–109
Leonard Gray (32)
Seattle Center Coliseum 13,419
23–27
51
February 7
@ Golden State
L 100–127
Tommy Burleson (26)
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 12,787
23–28
52
February 8
Phoenix
L 101–107 (OT)
Tommy Burleson (33)
Seattle Center Coliseum 13,039
23–29
53
February 11
New Orleans
W 93–90
Tommy Burleson (25)
Seattle Center Coliseum 13,595
24–29
54
February 13
Atlanta
W 119–102
Tommy Burleson, Herm Gilliam (20)
Seattle Center Coliseum 13,925
25–29
55
February 14
@ Portland
W 122–108
Bruce Seals (29)
Memorial Coliseum 11,347
26–29
56
February 15
Detroit
W 109–107
Herm Gilliam (22)
Seattle Center Coliseum 13,728
27–29
57
February 18
Boston
W 124–99
Fred Brown (29)
Seattle Center Coliseum 14,096
28–29
58
February 20
Philadelphia
W 111–92
Fred Brown (26)
Seattle Center Coliseum 14,096
29–29
59
February 22
Los Angeles
W 97–91
Fred Brown (27)
Seattle Center Coliseum 14,096
30–29
60
February 25
@ Buffalo
W 126–94
Fred Brown (31)
Buffalo Memorial Auditorium 8,691
31–29
61
February 27
@ Boston
L 118–122
Fred Brown (33)
Boston Garden 15,320
31–30
62
February 29
@ Philadelphia
L 115–130
Fred Brown (23)
The Spectrum 11,649
31–31 :
March
: 8–5 (home: 6–0; road: 2–5)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
63
March 2
@ New York
W 109–105
Bruce Seals (29)
Madison Square Garden 14,227
32–31
64
March 3
@ Detroit
L 110–114
Fred Brown (24)
Cobo Arena 3,096
32–32
65
March 5
@ Kansas City
L 93–111
Fred Brown (17)
Kemper Arena 5,852
32–33
66
March 7
@ New Orleans
L 106–124
Leonard Gray (16)
Louisiana Superdome 8,008
32–34
67
March 9
@ Chicago
L 101–102
Fred Brown (26)
Chicago Stadium 4,614
32–35
68
March 10
@ Milwaukee
W 110–105
Fred Brown (26)
MECCA Arena 9,587
33–35
69
March 14
New York
W 113–103
Fred Brown (20)
Seattle Center Coliseum 14,096
34–35
70
March 17
Buffalo
W 122–111
Fred Brown (37)
Seattle Center Coliseum 14,096
35–35
71
March 21
Houston
W 117–107
Fred Brown, Tommy Burleson (24)
Seattle Center Coliseum 14,096
36–35
72
March 23
@ Phoenix
L 97–104
Fred Brown (32)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 7,589
36–36
73
March 24
Milwaukee
W 135–110
Bruce Seals (27)
Seattle Center Coliseum 14,096
37–36
74
March 28
Atlanta
W 127–112
Fred Brown (27)
Seattle Center Coliseum 14,096
38–36
75
March 31
Los Angeles
W 120–109
Fred Brown, Herm Gilliam (22)
Seattle Center Coliseum 14,096
39–36 :
April
: 4–3 (home: 4–0; road: 0–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
76
April 2
@ Los Angeles
L 105–113
Tommy Burleson (32)
The Forum 10,784
39–37
77
April 3
@ Golden State
L 115–130
Willie Norwood (20)
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 12,787
39–38
78
April 4
Phoenix
W 117–89
Fred Brown (33)
Seattle Center Coliseum 14,096
40–38
79
April 7
Chicago
W 115–114
Willie Norwood (24)
Seattle Center Coliseum 14,096
41–38
80
April 9
Golden State
W 119–103
Fred Brown (26)
Seattle Center Coliseum 14,096
42–38
81
April 10
@ Phoenix
L 95–121
Herm Gilliam (22)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 9,577
42–39
82
April 11
Portland
W 132–131
Fred Brown (33)
Seattle Center Coliseum 14,096
43–39 :
1975–76 season schedule :

## Playoffs

1976 playoff game log :
Conference semifinals: 2–4 (home: 2–1; road: 0–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
April 13
Phoenix
W 102–99
Fred Brown (34)
Fred Brown (7)
Slick Watts (8)
Seattle Center Coliseum 12,408
1–0
2
April 15
Phoenix
L 111–116
Fred Brown (45)
Tommy Burleson (12)
Slick Watts (6)
Seattle Center Coliseum 14,096
1–1
3
April 18
@ Phoenix
L 91–103
Slick Watts (18)
three players tied (8)
Slick Watts (7)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 13,036
1–2
4
April 20
@ Phoenix
L 114–130
Fred Brown (33)
Tommy Burleson (20)
Herm Gilliam (7)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 13,036
1–3
5
April 25
Phoenix
W 114–108
Bruce Seals (28)
Willie Norwood (13)
Slick Watts (12)
Seattle Center Coliseum 14,096
2–3
6
April 24
@ Phoenix
L 112–123
Seals, Watts (24)
Bruce Seals (7)
Slick Watts (11)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 13,192
2–4 :
1976 schedule :

## Player statistics
### Season

| Player | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Zaid Abdul-Aziz | 27 | 8.3 | .467 | .552 | 2.8 | .6 | .3 | .6 | 3.2 |
| Mike Bantom | 66 | 22.8 | .471 | .675 | 5.6 | 1.5 | .4 | .4 | 8.4 |
| Fred Brown | 76 | 33.1 | .488 | .869 | 4.2 | 2.7 | 1.9 | .2 | 23.1 |
| Tommy Burleson | 82 | 32.3 | .481 | .750 | 9.0 | 2.2 | .9 | 1.8 | 15.6 |
| Al Carlson | 28 | 10.0 | .342 | .621 | 2.6 | .5 | .3 | .4 | 2.6 |
| Rod Derline | 49 | 6.9 | .403 | .804 | .6 | .5 | .2 | .0 | 3.9 |
| Herm Gilliam | 81 | 20.3 | .442 | .776 | 2.7 | 2.5 | 1.0 | .1 | 8.5 |
| Leonard Gray | 66 | 32.4 | .474 | .746 | 6.0 | 3.1 | 1.1 | .5 | 13.8 |
| John Hummer | 29 | 12.6 | .478 | .415 | 2.7 | .9 | .2 | .3 | 2.8 |
| Willie Norwood | 64 | 15.7 | .485 | .749 | 3.6 | .9 | .7 | .1 | 6.9 |
| Frank Oleynick | 52 | 12.5 | .402 | .688 | .9 | 1.0 | .4 | .1 | 5.9 |
| Bruce Seals | 81 | 30.1 | .436 | .678 | 6.3 | 1.5 | .8 | .5 | 11.8 |
| Gene Short | 7 | 5.3 | .545 | .500 | 1.0 | .3 | .0 | .0 | 1.9 |
| Talvin Skinner | 72 | 17.0 | .463 | .613 | 3.7 | .9 | .7 | .1 | 4.3 |
| Slick Watts | 82 | 33.9 | .427 | .578 | 4.5 | 8.1 | 3.2 | .2 | 13.0 |

### Playoffs

| Player | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Zaid Abdul-Aziz | 5 | 12.0 | .700 | .727 | 4.2 | .4 | .0 | 1.0 | 7.2 |
| Mike Bantom | 6 | 19.0 | .579 | .700 | 3.8 | 1.3 | .7 | .3 | 9.7 |
| Fred Brown | 6 | 39.3 | .511 | .795 | 4.7 | 2.8 | 2.2 | .0 | 28.5 |
| Tommy Burleson | 6 | 34.7 | .600 | .761 | 9.5 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 20.8 |
| Rod Derline | 4 | 10.3 | .200 | 1.000 | 1.0 | .3 | .3 | .0 | 1.5 |
| Herm Gilliam | 6 | 14.3 | .222 | .625 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 1.0 | .0 | 2.8 |
| John Hummer | 3 | 5.3 | .667 | | .3 | .0 | .0 | .0 | 1.3 |
| Willie Norwood | 6 | 35.8 | .414 | .611 | 6.3 | 1.3 | 1.2 | .2 | 9.8 |
| Bruce Seals | 6 | 30.2 | .441 | .692 | 6.0 | .5 | .8 | 1.0 | 13.0 |
| Talvin Skinner | 6 | 14.3 | .286 | .733 | 2.5 | 1.2 | .8 | .3 | 3.2 |
| Slick Watts | 6 | 32.8 | .435 | .478 | 3.0 | 8.2 | 2.0 | .3 | 11.8 |

## Awards and records

* Slick Watts led the league in totals in assists and steals, as well as assists per game and was selected to the NBA All-Defensive First Team. He was also presented with the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award.
* Fred Brown made his first All-Star appearance at the 1976 NBA All-Star Game.

## Transactions
### Overview

| Players Added | Players Lost |
| Via draft Frank Oleynick Bruce Seals Via trade Mike Bantom Herm Gilliam Gene Short (later waived) Via free agency Zaid Abdul-Aziz Al Carlson (later waived) Rod Derline Willie Norwood | Via trade Archie Clark Jim Fox Spencer Haywood Waived Wardell Jackson Dean Tolson |

### Trades

| September 24, 1975 | To Seattle SuperSonics | To Detroit Pistons |
| September 24, 1975 | 1978 first round pick | Archie Clark |
| October 22, 1975 | To Seattle SuperSonics | To Milwaukee Bucks |
| October 22, 1975 | 1976 second round pick | Jim Fox |
| October 22, 1975 | To Seattle SuperSonics | To Atlanta Hawks |
| October 22, 1975 | Herm Gilliam | 1976 third round pick |
| October 24, 1975 | To Seattle SuperSonics | To New York Knicks |
| October 24, 1975 | 1979 first round pick | Spencer Haywood |
| November 22, 1975 | To Seattle SuperSonics | To Phoenix Suns |
| November 22, 1975 | Mike Bantom | Cash considerations |