# 1978–79 Seattle SuperSonics season

The 1978–79 Seattle SuperSonics season was the team's 12th since the franchise began, and their most successful, winning their only NBA title.
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.
This was Seattle's first professional sports championship since the Seattle Metropolitans victory in the Stanley Cup in 1917.

## Draft picks

| Round | Pick | Player | Nationality | School/Club Team |
| 2 | 39 | James Lee | United States | Kentucky |
| 5 | 105 | Ralph Drollinger | United States | UCLA |

## Regular season
### Season standings

| Pacific Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
| y-Seattle SuperSonics | 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 Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| 1 | z-Seattle SuperSonics | 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 |

### Record vs. opponents

1978-79 NBA Records :
| Team | ATL | BOS | CHI | CLE | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | KCK | LAL | MIL | NJN | NOJ | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SAS | SDC | SEA | WAS |
| Atlanta | – | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 |
| Boston | 2–2 | – | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–4 |
| Chicago | 1–3 | 2–1 | – | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 0–3 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–3 |
| Cleveland | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | – | 1–2 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 |
| Denver | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | – | 2–2 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 |
| Detroit | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | – | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–3 | 1–3 |
| Golden State | 3–1 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 0–4 | 3–1 | – | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 |
| Houston | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | – | 0–4 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 |
| Indiana | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | – | 1–3 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–3 |
| Kansas City | 2–2 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | – | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–0 |
| Los Angeles | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | – | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 |
| Milwaukee | 0–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | – | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 |
| New Jersey | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | – | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 |
| New Orleans | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | – | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 0–3 | 0–4 |
| New York | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | – | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 |
| Philadelphia | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | – | 1–3 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 |
| Phoenix | 1–2 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | – | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 |
| Portland | 2–2 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 1–3 | – | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 |
| San Antonio | 1–3 | 4–0 | 3–0 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–2 | – | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 |
| San Diego | 1–3 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | – | 2–2 | 0–3 |
| Seattle | 3–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | – | 2–2 |
| Washington | 2–2 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 0–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 2–2 | — |

### Game log

| # | Date | City | @ | Opponent | Sonics score | Opponent score | OT | Record |
| 1 | October 13 | Seattle | | Chicago Bulls | 104 | 86 | | 1-0 |
| 2 | October 15 | Seattle | | Kansas City Kings | 115 | 105 | | 2-0 |
| 3 | October 17 | Manhattan | @ | New York Knicks | 120 | 109 | | 3-0 |
| 4 | October 18 | Indianapolis | @ | Indiana Pacers | 99 | 92 | | 4-0 |
| 5 | October 20 | Seattle | | San Antonio Spurs | 133 | 117 | | 5-0 |
| 6 | October 25 | Seattle | | Washington Bullets | 121 | 92 | | 6-0 |
| 7 | October 27 | Seattle | | Milwaukee Bucks | 80 | 79 | | 7-0 |
| 8 | October 29 | San Diego | @ | San Diego Clippers | 100 | 103 | | 7-1 |
| 9 | November 2 | Detroit | @ | Detroit Pistons | 95 | 94 | | 8-1 |
| 10 | November 3 | New Jersey | @ | New Jersey Nets | 102 | 81 | | 9-1 |
| 11 | November 8 | Seattle | | New York Knicks | 100 | 104 | | 9-2 |
| 12 | November 10 | Seattle | | Cleveland Cavs | 109 | 95 | | 10-2 |
| 13 | November 15 | Seattle | | New Orleans Jazz | 135 | 118 | | 11-2 |
| 14 | November 17 | Seattle | | Indiana Pacers | 126 | 115 | | 12-2 |
| 15 | November 18 | Oakland | @ | Golden State Warriors | 104 | 112 | | 12-3 |
| 16 | November 19 | Seattle | | Portland Trail Blazers | 88 | 85 | | 13-3 |
| 17 | November 22 | Seattle | | Chicago Bulls | 98 | 96 | | 14-3 |
| 18 | November 24 | Seattle | | Denver Nuggets | 100 | 103 | | 14-4 |
| 19 | November 25 | Denver | @ | Denver Nuggets | 110 | 104 | | 15-4 |
| 20 | November 26 | Seattle | | Houston Rockets | 103 | 108 | | 15-5 |
| 21 | November 29 | Seattle | | New Jersey Nets | 125 | 111 | | 16-5 |
| 22 | December 1 | Boston | @ | Boston Celtics | 80 | 87 | | 16-6 |
| 23 | December 2 | Philadelphia | @ | Philadelphia 76ers | 100 | 97 | | 17-6 |
| 24 | December 8 | Seattle | | Atlanta Hawks | 107 | 106 | | 18-6 |
| 25 | December 10 | Seattle | | San Antonio Spurs | 112 | 99 | | 19-6 |
| 26 | December 13 | Seattle | | Los Angeles Lakers | 117 | 107 | | 20-6 |
| 27 | December 15 | Los Angeles | @ | Los Angeles Lakers | 98 | 100 | | 20-7 |
| 28 | December 17 | Cleveland | @ | Cleveland Cavs | 91 | 101 | | 20-8 |
| 29 | December 19 | Milwaukee | @ | Milwaukee Bucks | 99 | 128 | | 20-9 |
| 30 | December 20 | Kansas City | @ | Kansas City Kings | 95 | 114 | | 20-10 |
| 31 | December 22 | Seattle | | Philadelphia 76ers | 95 | 103 | | 20-11 |
| 32 | December 25 | Seattle | | San Diego Clippers | 118 | 123 | | 20-12 |
| 33 | December 27 | Seattle | | New Orleans Jazz | 122 | 103 | | 21-12 |
| 34 | December 29 | Seattle | | Phoenix Suns | 119 | 92 | | 22-12 |
| 35 | January 1 | Seattle | | Golden State Warriors | 97 | 110 | | 22-13 |
| 36 | January 2 | Portland | @ | Portland Trail Blazers | 109 | 108 | | 23-13 |
| 37 | January 3 | Seattle | | Boston Celtics | 123 | 116 | | 24-13 |
| 38 | January 5 | Seattle | | Denver Nuggets | 92 | 95 | | 24-14 |
| 39 | January 10 | Seattle | | Indiana Pacers | 118 | 98 | | 25-14 |
| 40 | January 11 | Phoenix | @ | Phoenix Suns | 109 | 106 | | 26-14 |
| 41 | January 14 | Seattle | | Los Angeles Lakers | 99 | 108 | | 26-15 |
| 42 | January 17 | Indianapolis | @ | Indiana Pacers | 112 | 102 | | 27-15 |
| 43 | January 20 | Chicago | @ | Chicago Bulls | 107 | 101 | | 28-15 |
| 44 | January 23 | Washington D.C. | @ | Washington Bullets | 103 | 100 | | 29-15 |
| 45 | January 25 | Atlanta | @ | Atlanta Hawks | 100 | 98 | | 30-15 |
| 46 | January 26 | San Antonio | @ | San Antonio Spurs | 108 | 125 | | 30-16 |
| 47 | January 27 | Houston | @ | Houston Rockets | 99 | 94 | | 31-16 |
| 48 | January 31 | Seattle | | Portland Trail Blazers | 115 | 112 | | 32-16 |
| 49 | February 1 | Seattle | | New Jersey Nets | 107 | 102 | | 33-16 |
| 50 | February 2 | Seattle | | Milwaukee Bucks | 104 | 102 | | 34-16 |
| 51 | February 6 | Manhattan | @ | New York Knicks | 99 | 108 | | 34-17 |
| 52 | February 7 | Boston | @ | Boston Celtics | 100 | 107 | | 34-18 |
| 53 | February 9 | Milwaukee | @ | Milwaukee Bucks | 116 | 118 | OT | 34-19 |
| 54 | February 10 | Houston | @ | Houston Rockets | 101 | 113 | | 34-20 |
| 55 | February 14 | Seattle | | Atlanta Hawks | 116 | 104 | | 35-20 |
| 56 | February 16 | Seattle | | Phoenix Suns | 119 | 104 | | 36-20 |
| 57 | February 18 | Seattle | | Washington Bullets | 94 | 105 | | 36-21 |
| 58 | February 20 | San Antonio | @ | San Antonio Spurs | 102 | 118 | | 36-22 |
| 59 | February 21 | New Orleans | @ | New Orleans Jazz | 96 | 94 | | 37-22 |
| 60 | February 23 | Washington D.C. | @ | Washington Bullets | 110 | 132 | | 37-23 |
| 61 | February 25 | Kansas City | @ | Kansas City Kings | 106 | 114 | | 37-24 |
| 62 | February 27 | Denver | @ | Denver Nuggets | 106 | 121 | | 37-25 |
| 63 | February 28 | Seattle | | Philadelphia 76ers | 97 | 93 | | 38-25 |
| 64 | March 2 | Seattle | | Cleveland Cavs | 109 | 111 | | 38-26 |
| 65 | March 4 | Seattle | | Houston Rockets | 119 | 109 | | 39-26 |
| 66 | March 7 | Detroit | @ | Detroit Pistons | 99 | 93 | | 40-26 |
| 67 | March 9 | New Jersey | @ | New Jersey Nets | 108 | 100 | | 41-26 |
| 68 | March 11 | Atlanta | @ | Atlanta Hawks | 111 | 113 | OT | 41-27 |
| 69 | March 14 | Philadelphia | @ | Philadelphia 76ers | 99 | 96 | | 42-27 |
| 70 | March 15 | Cleveland | @ | Cleveland Cavs | 104 | 98 | | 43-27 |
| 71 | March 17 | Chicago | @ | Chicago Bulls | 106 | 88 | | 44-27 |
| 72 | March 22 | Seattle | | Boston Celtics | 112 | 110 | | 45-27 |
| 73 | March 25 | Seattle | | Kansas City Kings | 111 | 101 | | 46-27 |
| 74 | March 27 | Seattle | | San Diego Clippers | 115 | 109 | | 47-27 |
| 75 | March 28 | Seattle | | New York Knicks | 111 | 105 | | 48-27 |
| 76 | March 30 | Phoenix | @ | Phoenix Suns | 111 | 113 | OT | 48-28 |
| 77 | March 31 | Seattle | | Detroit Pistons | 123 | 102 | | 49-28 |
| 78 | April 1 | Seattle | | Golden State Warriors | 102 | 97 | | 50-28 |
| 79 | April 3 | Portland | @ | Portland Trail Blazers | 106 | 102 | | 50-29 |
| 80 | April 4 | San Diego | @ | San Diego Clippers | 115 | 107 | | 51-29 |
| 81 | April 6 | Los Angeles | @ | Los Angeles Lakers | 113 | 93 | | 52-29 |
| 82 | April 8 | Oakland | @ | Golden State Warriors | 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. 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.

### Game log

1979 playoff game log :
Conference Semi-finals: 4–1 (home: 3–0; road: 1–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
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)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
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)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
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

* Dennis Johnson, NBA All-Defensive First Team
* Dennis Johnson, NBA Finals Most Valuable Player