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NBA professional basketball team season
The 1977–78 Seattle SuperSonics season was the 11th season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). With a disappointing 5–17 start, the Sonics replaced coach Bob Hopkins with future Hall of Famer Lenny Wilkens , who led the team to a 47–35 finish. After upsetting the defending champions Portland Trail Blazers in the Western Conference Semifinals , the Sonics made their first trip to the NBA Finals , where they fell to the Washington Bullets in 7 games.
Draft picks
Roster
Seattle SuperSonics roster
Players
Coaches
Pos.
#
Nat.
Name
Ht.
Wt.
DOB
From
G
32
Brown, Fred
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
182 lb (83 kg)
1948–08–07
Iowa
F
30
Fleming, Al
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
215 lb (98 kg)
1954–04–05
Arizona
G
10
Hassett, Joe
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
180 lb (82 kg)
1955–09–11
Providence
G
24
Johnson, Dennis
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
1954–09–18
Pepperdine
F
27
Johnson, John
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
200 lb (91 kg)
1947–10–18
Iowa
F
45
Seals, Bruce
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
210 lb (95 kg)
1953–06–18
Xavier (Louisiana)
F/C
43
Sikma, Jack
6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
230 lb (104 kg)
1955–11–14
Illinois Wesleyan
F/C
35
Silas, Paul
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
220 lb (100 kg)
1943–07–12
Creighton
F
42
Walker, Wally
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
190 lb (86 kg)
1954–07–18
Dayton
C
40
Webster, Marvin
7 ft 1 in (2.16 m)
225 lb (102 kg)
1952–04–13
Morgan State
G
1
Williams, Gus
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
175 lb (79 kg)
1953–10–10
South Carolina
Head coach
Legend
(DP) Unsigned draft pick(FA) Free agent(S) Suspended Injured
Depth chart
Regular season
Standings
Game log
Total: 47–35 (Home: 31–10; Road: 16–25)
1977–78 game log
October
: 1–6 (home: 1–2; road: 0–4)
November
: 5–11 (home: 3–5; road: 2–6)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Record
8
November 1
@ Atlanta
L 99–102
Mike Green 17
Omni Coliseum 7,782
1–7
9
November 2
@ Indiana
W 106–104 (OT)
Gus Williams 27
Market Square Arena 11,753
2–7
10
November 4
New York
L 92–95
Fred Brown 31
Seattle Center Coliseum 13,895
2–8
11
November 5
@ Portland
L 94–116
Marvin Webster 23
Memorial Coliseum 12,666
2–9
12
November 6
Kansas City
L 83–99
Fred Brown 14
Seattle Center Coliseum 11,276
2–10
13
November 11
Indiana
W 117–111
Fred Brown ,Gus Williams 20
Seattle Center Coliseum 9,349
3 10
14
November 13
New Orleans
W 117–83
Three players 20
Seattle Center Coliseum 9,637
4–10
15
November 15
@ Washington
L 109–111
Gus Williams 23
Capital Centre 5,593
4–11
16
November 16
@ Philadelphia
L 96–101
Marvin Webster ,Slick Watts 17
The Spectrum 13,314
4–12
17
November 17
@ New Orleans
L 116–127
Slick Watts 18
Louisiana Superdome 8,112
4–13
18
November 20
Cleveland
L 108–115
Fred Brown 31
Seattle Center Coliseum 10,005
4–14
19
November 23
L. A. Lakers
W 113–89
Fred Brown 21
Seattle Center Coliseum 9,373
5–14
20
November 25
Chicago
L 89–106
Gus Williams 20
Seattle Center Coliseum 9,384
5–15
21
November 27
New Jersey
L 96–99
Gus Williams 36
Seattle Center Coliseum 9,475
5–16
22
November 29
@ Denver
L 99–115
Wally Walker 18
McNichols Sports Arena 13,122
5–17
23
November 30
@ Kansas City
W 86–84
Gus Williams 24
Kemper Arena 7,692
6–17
December
: 11–3 (home: 7–1; road: 4–2)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Record
24
December 2
@ Boston
W 111–89
Dennis Johnson 24
Boston Garden 11,101
7–17
25
December 3
@ Buffalo
W 102–95
Gus Williams 29
Buffalo Memorial Auditorium 6,841
8–17
26
December 5
Atlanta
W 99–88
Gus Williams 26
Seattle Center Coliseum 10,285
9–17
27
December 9
Milwaukee
W 136–123
Gus Williams 33
Seattle Center Coliseum 12,946
10–17
28
December 11
Houston
W 116–84
Marvin Webster 17
Seattle Center Coliseum 12,154
11–17
29
December 13
@ Cleveland
L 104–116
Fred Brown 23
Coliseum at Richfield 6,666
11–18
30
December 14
@ Detroit
W 102–92
Gus Williams 37
Cobo Arena 4,503
12–18
31
December 16
@ L. A. Lakers
W 98–90
Fred Brown 24
The Forum 10,029
13–18
32
December 18
Washington
W 111–109 (OT)
Marvin Webster 21
Seattle Center Coliseum 13,563
14–18
33
December 20
Denver
W 93–88
Dennis Johnson , Fred Brown 18
Seattle Center Coliseum 11,825
15–18
34
December 22
Boston
W 132–99
Bruce Seals ,Jack Sikma 21
Seattle Center Coliseum 11,970
16–18
35
December 25
L. A. Lakers
L 96–111
John Johnson 22
Seattle Center Coliseum 14,096
16–19
36
December 27
@ Phoenix
L 105–131
Fred Brown 28
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 12,543
16–20
37
December 30
Phoenix
W 121–110
Dennis Johnson
Seattle Center Coliseum 14,098
17–20
January
: 10–2 (home: 8–1; road: 2–1)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Record
38
January 1
Chicago
W 114–96
Gus Williams 32
Seattle Center Coliseum 11,419
18–20
39
January 4
Kansas City
W 116–110
Fred Brown 20
Seattle Center Coliseum 9,979
19–20
40
January 8
Golden State
W 99–91
Marvin Webster 17
Seattle Center Coliseum 14,098
20–20
41
January 11
Detroit
W 106–100
Marvin Webster 21
Seattle Center Coliseum 10,127
21–20
42
January 13
Cleveland
W 104–98
Fred Brown 23
Seattle Center Coliseum 12,683
22–20
43
January 15
New York
W 108–102
Gus Williams 30
Seattle Center Coliseum 12,538
23–20
44
January 17
@ San Antonio
L 113–119
Jack Sikma 26
HemisFair Arena 8,677
23–21
45
January 18
@ Houston
W 106–104
Fred Brown 23
The Summit 7,046
24–21
46
January 22
@ Boston
W 103–92
Gus Williams 29
Boston Garden 12,058
25–21
47
January 25
Philadelphia
L 125–128
John Johnson 23
Seattle Center Coliseum 14,098
25–22
48
January 27
New Jersey
W 95–90
Fred Brown 25
Seattle Center Coliseum 13,013
26–22
49
January 29
Milwaukee
W 103–101
Gus Williams 22
Seattle Center Coliseum 14,098
27–22
February
: 7–5 (home: 3–1; road: 4–4)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Record
50
February 8
Washington
L 100–106
Gus Williams 21
Seattle Center Coliseum 12,126
27–23
51
February 10
Denver
W 126–123 (OT)
Marvin Webster 26
Seattle Center Coliseum 13,795
28–23
52
February 12
@ Philadelphia
L 99–109
Gus Williams 28
The Spectrum 16,101
28–24
53
February 14
@ Buffalo
L 100–101
Fred Brown 20
Buffalo Memorial Auditorium 4,127
28–25
54
February 16
@ New Jersey
L 92–101
Gus Williams 24
[[Louis Fred Brown Athletic Center|Rutgers Athletic Center]] 3,117
28–26
55
February 17
@ Chicago
W 106–98
Gus Williams 23
Chicago Stadium 17,211
29–26
56
February 19
@ Milwaukee
W 108–103
Gus Williams 23
MECCA Arena 10,938
30–26
57
February 21
@ New York
L 120–122
Gus Williams 24
Madison Square Garden 12,287
30–27
58
February 22
@ New Jersey
W 94–83
Gus Williams 31
[[Louis Fred Brown Athletic Center|Rutgers Athletic Center]] 2,789
31–27
59
February 25
Detroit
W 118–104
Gus Williams 22
Seattle Center Coliseum 14,098
32–27
60
February 26
Philadelphia
W 99–97
Fred Brown 32
Seattle Center Coliseum 14,098
33–27
61
February 28
@ Kansas City
W 114–107 (OT)
Gus Williams 27
Kemper Arena 5,371
34–27
March
: 9–7 (home: 5–0; road: 4–7)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Record
62
March 3
@ Indiana
L 111–115
Gus Williams 20
Market Square Arena 10,087
34–28
63
March 4
@ New Orleans
L 104–113
Dennis Johnson 23
Louisiana Superdome 16,232
34–29
64
March 5
@ Atlanta
L 94–101
Fred Brown ,Jack Sikma 20
Omni Coliseum 3,018
34–30
65
March 8
@ San Antonio
W 95–94
Dennis Johnson 27
HemisFair Arena 9,113
35–30
66
March 11
@ Houston
W 93–91
Fred Brown 25
The Summit 7,144
36–30
67
March 14
@ Washington
L 115–120
Dennis Johnson 26
Capital Centre 7,804
36–31
68
March 16
New Orleans
W 123–98
Gus Williams 19
Seattle Center Coliseum 14,098
37–31
69
March 17
@ L. A. Lakers
W 105–98
Dennis Johnson 23
The Forum 12,997
38–31
70
March 19
San Antonio
W 116–98
Fred Brown 20
Seattle Center Coliseum 14,098
39–31
71
March 21
@ Portland
L 96–102
John Johnson 26
Memorial Coliseum 12,666
39–32
72
March 22
Buffalo
W 97–92
Gus Williams 25
Seattle Center Coliseum 13,179
40–32
73
March 24
Indiana
W 104–102
Jack Sikma 28
Seattle Center Coliseum 14,098
41–32
74
March 26
Boston
W 112–101
Gus Williams 34
Seattle Center Coliseum 14,098
42–32
75
March 28
@ Cleveland
L 100–112
Dennis Johnson 21
Coliseum at Richfield 9,765
42–33
76
March 29
@ Detroit
L 116–121
Gus Williams 32
Cobo Arena 4,620
42–34
77
March 31
@ Denver
W 111–109
John Johnson 25
McNichols Sports Arena 17,270
43–34
April
: 4–1 (home: 4–0; road: 0–1)
1977–78 season schedule
Playoffs
West First Round
(4) Seattle SuperSonics vs. (5) Los Angeles Lakers : Sonics win series 2-1
Game 1 @ Seattle: Seattle 102 , Los Angeles 90
Game 2 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 105 , Seattle 99
Game 3 @ Seattle: Seattle 111 , Los Angeles 102
West Conference Semifinals
(1) Portland Trail Blazers vs. (4) Seattle SuperSonics : Sonics win series 4-2
Game 1 @ Portland: Seattle 104 , Portland 95
Game 2 @ Portland: Portland 96 , Seattle 93
Game 3 @ Seattle: Seattle 99 , Portland 84
Game 4 @ Seattle: Seattle 100 , Portland 98
Game 5 @ Portland: Portland 113 , Seattle 89
Game 6 @ Seattle: Seattle 105 , Portland 94
West Conference Finals
(2) Denver Nuggets vs. (4) Seattle SuperSonics : Sonics win series 4-2
Game 1 @ Denver: Denver 116 , Seattle 107
Game 2 @ Denver: Seattle 121 , Denver 111
Game 3 @ Seattle: Seattle 105 , Denver 91
Game 4 @ Seattle: Seattle 100 , Denver 94
Game 5 @ Seattle: Denver 123 , Seattle 114
Game 6 @ Denver: Seattle 123 , Denver 108
NBA Finals
(3) Washington Bullets vs. (4) Seattle SuperSonics : Bullets win series 4-3
Game 1 @ Seattle: Seattle 106 , Washington 102
Game 2 @ Washington: Washington 106 , Seattle 98
Game 3 @ Washington: Seattle 93 , Washington 92
Game 4 @ Seattle: Washington 120 , Seattle 116 (OT)
Game 5 @ Seattle: Seattle 98 , Washington 94
Game 6 @ Washington: Washington 117 , Seattle 82
Game 7 @ Seattle: Washington 105 , Seattle 99
Player statistics
Season
Playoffs
Awards and honors
Transactions
Trades
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(December 2012 )
References
Franchise Arenas Personnel NBA G League affiliate Retired numbers NBA championships Rivalries Culture and lore
1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s