Best of the rest part II: The 1992-1998 Seattle Supersonics

Avg Wins per season: 59.5
Playoff Finishes:
1993: Lost in Western Finals to Suns in 7
1994: Lost in first round to Nuggets in 5
1995: Lost in first round to Lakers in 4
1996: Lost in NBA Finals to Bulls in 6
1997: Lost in 2nd round to Rockets in 7
1998: Lost in 2nd round to Lakers in 5

Between the 1989 and the 1990 drafts, the Seattle Supersonics picked up the two players who would form one of the best 1-2 punches of the decade. With the 17th pick in the 1989 draft, Seattle stole the 19 year old man-child Shawn Kemp. Coming straight from prep school, many teams had passed on him because of his age and inexperience. Though it would take a year, Kemp soon made those teams pay. The following year, the Sonics were rewarded with the number two pick, using it to pick up Gary Payton. Payton would take some time to mature into his role as floor general, his scoring average would steadily rise from his rookie year (7.2) until his fifth season, when he had his first 20+ ppg season.

It took some time for the duo to take over the team, but once they did, the Sonics would feature one of the league’s strongest defenses and most deadly fast breaks. Payton’s first year, the Sonics were ousted in the first round, and they followed this by falling to the Run-TMC warriors in 1992. By 1993, the Sonics were ready to roll, and thus began a six year stretch in which the Sonics would average 59.5 wins a season, placing themselves alongside the Jazz and Rockets as one of the elite teams of the West.

In 1993 saw the Sonics fell in a seven game classic to the Phoenix Suns, but the team stood ready to build on the success of their young duo. After Jordan retired for the first time, the Sonics were on the short list of contenders. 93-94 saw them post one of their finest regular seasons. Behind Payton, Kemp, and newly acquired big man Detlef Schrempf, the Sonics cruised to a league best 63 wins, and they matched up with the 42 win Denver Nuggets. What followed is one of the most told stories in the NBA’s annals. Up 2-0 in the series, the Sonics dropped the final three games, resulting in the biggest upset in NBA history.

Expectations were high for the Sonics, who finished fourth in the conference the following season. Led by Kemp and Payton, and joined by Schrempf and young star Kendall Gill, the Sonics were once again heavily favored in the first round against the LA Lakers. The Sonics barely won a game as they suffered yet another playoff collapse, ending their chance to win a title while Jordan was out of the league.

In 1996 these Sonics had inarguably their finest year. Both Kemp and Payton had perhaps among their best seasons. Kemp cemented his place next to Karl Malone and Charles Barkley as one of the league’s most unstoppable power forwards, averaging 19 points and 11 rebounds. Payton meanwhile, was all finesse on the offensive end, good for 19 points and 7 assists a game. Even more important, however were his almost three steals, which netted him defensive player of the year, and a reputation as one of the league’s finest perimeter defenders. Finishing with 64 wins, good for second best in the NBA, the Sonics swept the defending champion Houston Rockets, and frustrated the Utah Jazz in the Western Finals. Though they eventually lost to the legendary 1996 Bulls, the Sonics were undoubtedly the second best team in that 1995-1996 season.

The next year would be Kemp’s last with the team. Changes were underway within the organization. The team featured a much slower-paced half court offense, better suited for Patyon’s ability to create off the dribble. Kemp’s scoring dipped while Patyon’s rose. Still, the team finished with 57 wins, and was among the favorites to come out of the west. Eventually, the team lost in seven to the Houston Rockets, and Kemp was traded in the off-season. For one season, 1997-1998, Vin Baker would play the part of Shawn Kemp, and few could tell the difference. Displaying an affinity with Patyon on the court, Baker had one of his best seasons, helping guide the new, grind it out Sonics to 61 wins. The Sonics eventually lost once more in the second round, becoming victims of a Laker team that was led by Shaq and Kobe Bryant. The Sonics never again reclaimed the success that they had had earlier in the decade. They never made it out of the first round with Patyon again. Still, their annual regular season dominance, combined with a phenomenal 1995-1996 season cements them as one of the top teams of the era.


Highest High: While the Chicago Bulls stole the spotlight in 1995-1996 with 72 wins and a year long coronation of Michael Jordan as basketball’s messiah, the Sonics were running on all cylinders out west. Earlier in the decade their maturity issues had haunted them in the playoffs, but now their will to win had caught up with their talent, and all the pieces just seemed to come together. The fact that they cruised through a very tough western conference is evidence for just how good this team was.

Why didn’t they win? Well the presence of Michael Jordan for one, but mostly because of their two infamous playoff collapses. They were absolutely the best team in the regular season in 1993-1994, and were better than their record showed in 1994-1995. The fact that in 1996 they swept the Rockets shows that, had they made it out of the first round either of those years, they had a good chance to go all the way. Instead, they will go down as one of the best teams from the modern era to never win a title.

A Tribute to #20

Take your mind back for a moment. It is the summer of 1996, eleven years ago this June, and the best team in Basketball history, the '95-'96 Chicago Bulls are playing in the NBA championship. The Bulls were my Knicks eternal rivals, and naturally, I was rooting for whoever stood in their way… in this instance, the Seattle Supersonics. After he molested the Knicks in the second round, I was also pulling for whoever got the assignment of guarding Michael Jordan, that man was Gary Payton, who would go on to become my favorite player. Though the Bulls would win the first three, and then go on to win game 6 and the championship, Payton’s trademark defense was at its best, he held Jordan to 27 ppg, three below his average. I sat in awe throughout that series. Look at that swagger, that confidence! Look at how hard he works defending the ball (one of the best on-ball defenders of all time). How about that speed, the recklessness with which he penetrates, finishing ably with both right and left hands. And what about the passing, his terrific ability to stop, mid penetration, and make a quick pass to Shawn Kemp on a basket cut or to Detleff for a three. And of course, as my mom said, “he has that weird looking neck.”

Gary Payton was not the best point guard of all time, but he was among them. He captured my imagination as a kid and never let go. I’m eleven years older now, so is he. I have Gary Payton memorabilia coming out of my ass, 13 jerseys, around 100 cards, posters, and one (really cool) action figure. Payton has not had an all star season since around 2002, but I followed him nonetheless, routing for him on the Bucks, the Lakers, the Celtics, and (no!) the Heat. Now, the Heat are out of the playoffs (called it!), and Patyon’s storied career might be over. In that vein, I want to spend some time remembering him and how great of a player he was.

He was not the most memorable player of his generation. John Stockton was a better and more successful point guard, and like every other great player of the mid 90’s he perpetually lived in Michael’s shadow. Still, he is now universally recognized as one of the greatest players of the 90’s, and one of the NBA’s most underrated personalities. Gary was annoying. He didn’t just defend with his size and quickness, he defended with his mouth. There was no better trash talker in the league, no one was more capable of getting inside an opponent’s head than Payton, with his half smile and slightly off-putting northern Californian accent. His jaw was always moving, I’m convinced that he was talking even when we thought he was just chewing gum. Annoying? Sure. Effective? Most definitely.

Payton is a free agent and the rumor is that, having won his championship already, he is not coming back to pro basketball. Not that I blame him. It has been painful to watch his decline. The worst of it was in 2003-2004, when he was with the Lakers and his numbers and happiness dipped. I knew then I would not see the 1996 Payton ever again. His speed went first, no longer could he stay with the fastest player on the opposing team, instead being regulated to guarding the opponent’s shooting guard. His relentless drives to the hole were a thing of the past, Payton struggled to develop a jumper, to no avail. Unable to adapt his game to his age, Patyon’s minutes and usefulness decreased. What never changed was his fire, his desire to win, and his will to work as hard as he needed to get there.

I can’t say much is going to change without Payton. I’m going to miss his presence, but he hasn’t been the same for four years. I’ve found new players to idolize, Richard Hamilton, Shane Battier, and Tim Duncan come to mind, but no one player so captivated me and inflicted my love of basketball as the glove.

Because people seem to forget how good he was. Below are the numbers from Payton’s best season, 99-00, numbers that could have won him MVP and show exactly how spectacular this player used to be:

24.2 ppg; 49% fg; 8.9 apg; 6.4 rpg; 1.9 spg


Thanks for the memories Gary