1979–80 Seattle SuperSonics season

The 1979–80 NBA season was the SuperSonics' 13th season in the NBA. The SuperSonics entered the season as the defending NBA champions, having defeated the Washington Bullets in five games in the 1979 NBA Finals, winning their first and only NBA championship.

1979–80 Seattle SuperSonics season
Head coach	Lenny Wilkens
General manager	Zollie Volchok
Owner(s)	Sam Schulman
Arena	Kingdome Seattle Center Coliseum (playoffs) Hec Edmundson Pavilion (playoffs)
Results
Record	56–26 (.683)
Place	Division: 2nd (Pacific) Conference: 3rd (Western)
Playoff finish	Conference finals (lost to Lakers 1–4)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television	KIRO-TV
Radio	KIRO

In the playoffs, the SuperSonics defeated the Portland Trail Blazers in three games in the First Round, then defeated the Milwaukee Bucks in seven games in the Semi-finals, before losing to the eventual NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers in five games in the conference finals.

Draft picks

Main article: 1979 NBA draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College
1	6	James Bailey	PF/C	United States	Rutgers
1	7	Vinnie Johnson	SG	United States	Baylor
2	43	Johnny Moore	PG	United States	Texas
4	73	James Donaldson	C	United States	Washington State

Roster

1979–80 Seattle SuperSonics roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From PF 20 Bailey, James 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1957–05–21 Rutgers SG 32 Brown, Fred 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 182 lb (83 kg) 1948–08–07 Iowa SG 24 Johnson, Dennis 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1954–09–18 Pepperdine SF 27 Johnson, John 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1947–10–18 Iowa SG 15 Johnson, Vinnie 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1956–09–01 Baylor C 23 LaGarde, Tom 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1955–02–10 North Carolina PF 8 Shelton, Lonnie 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1955–10–19 Oregon State C 43 Sikma, Jack 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1955–11–14 Illinois Wesleyan PF 35 Silas, Paul 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1943–07–12 Creighton SF 42 Walker, Wally 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1954–07–18 Virginia PG 1 Williams, Gus 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1953–10–10 USC

Head coach Lenny Wilkens Assistant coach(es) Les Habegger Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured Roster Last transaction: October 11, 1979

Regular season

Season standings

Pacific Division	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Div
y-Los Angeles Lakers	60	22	.732	–	37–4	23–18	19–11
x-Seattle SuperSonics	56	26	.683	4	33–8	23–18	18–12
x-Phoenix Suns	55	27	.671	5	37–5	18–22	19–11
x-Portland Trail Blazers	38	44	.463	22	26–15	12–29	13–17
San Diego Clippers	35	47	.427	25	24–17	11–30	13–17
Golden State Warriors	24	58	.293	36	15–26	9–32	8–22

#	Western Conference
	Team	W	L	PCT	GB
1	c-Los Angeles Lakers	60	22	.732	–
2	y-Milwaukee Bucks	49	33	.598	11
3	x-Seattle SuperSonics	56	26	.683	4
4	x-Phoenix Suns	55	27	.671	5
5	x-Kansas City Kings	47	35	.573	13
6	x-Portland Trail Blazers	38	44	.463	22
7	San Diego Clippers	35	47	.427	25
8	Chicago Bulls	30	52	.366	30
9	Denver Nuggets	30	52	.366	30
10	Utah Jazz	24	58	.293	36
11	Golden State Warriors	24	58	.293	36

Record vs. opponents

1979-80 NBA Records
Team	ATL	BOS	CHI	CLE	DEN	DET	GSW	HOU	IND	KCK	LAL	MIL	NJN	NYK	PHI	PHO	POR	SAS	SDC	SEA	UTA	WAS
Atlanta	–	2–4	1–1	4–2	1–1	6–0	2–0	2–4	4–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	4–2	4–2	4–2	1–1	2–0	5–1	1–1	0–2	2–0	3–3
Boston	4–2	–	2–0	4–2	2–0	6–0	2–0	6–0	4–2	1–1	0–2	2–0	5–1	5–1	3–3	1–1	2–0	4–2	2–0	0–2	2–0	4–2
Chicago	1–1	0–2	–	2–0	2–4	1–1	4–2	1–1	0–2	3–3	1–5	1–5	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–5	3–3	0–2	4–2	2–4	2–4	0–2
Cleveland	2–4	2–4	0–2	–	1–1	6–0	2–0	2–4	2–4	2–0	1–1	0–2	3–3	3–3	1–5	1–1	0–2	4–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	3–3
Denver	1–1	0–2	4–2	1–1	–	1–1	3–3	1–1	1–1	0–6	1–5	3–3	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–5	2–4	1–1	3–3	1–5	3–3	1–1
Detroit	0–6	0–6	1–1	0–6	1–1	–	1–1	1–5	1–5	0–2	0–2	1–1	2–4	2–4	1–5	0–2	0–2	2–4	0–2	0–2	1–1	2–4
Golden State	0–2	0–2	2–4	0–2	3–3	1–1	–	1–1	1–1	3–3	1–5	0–6	2–0	0–2	0–2	2–4	2–4	0–2	3–3	0–6	3–3	0–2
Houston	4–2	0–6	1–1	4–2	1–1	5–1	1–1	–	4–2	0–2	0–2	1–1	3–3	3–3	2–4	1–1	1–1	3–3	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–4
Indiana	2–4	2–4	2–0	4–2	1–1	5–1	1–1	2–4	–	1–1	0–2	0–2	2–4	4–2	1–5	0–2	2–0	2–4	1–1	0–2	1–1	4–2
Kansas City	2–0	1–1	3–3	0–2	6–0	2–0	3–3	2–0	1–1	–	2–4	3–3	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–5	1–5	1–1	5–1	3–3	6–0	2–0
Los Angeles	1–1	2–0	5–1	1–1	5–1	2–0	5–1	2–0	2–0	4–2	–	3–3	2–0	2–0	1–1	3–3	2–4	2–0	5–1	4–2	6–0	1–1
Milwaukee	1–1	0–2	5–1	2–0	3–3	1–1	6–0	1–1	2–0	3–3	3–3	–	1–1	1–1	0–2	4–2	5–1	0–2	4–2	2–4	4–2	1–1
New Jersey	2–4	1–5	1–1	3–3	1–1	4–2	0–2	3–3	4–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	–	2–4	1–5	1–1	0–2	3–3	1–1	1–1	1–1	3–3
New York	2–4	1–5	2–0	3–3	1–1	4–2	2–0	3–3	2–4	1–1	0–2	1–1	4–2	–	0–6	2–0	2–0	4–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	3–3
Philadelphia	2–4	3–3	1–1	5–1	2–0	5–1	2–0	4–2	5–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	5–1	6–0	–	1–1	2–0	4–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	5–1
Phoenix	1–1	1–1	5–1	1–1	5–1	2–0	4–2	1–1	2–0	5–1	3–3	2–4	1–1	0–2	1–1	–	6–0	1–1	2–4	4–2	6–0	2–0
Portland	0–2	0–2	3–3	2–0	4–2	2–0	4–2	1–1	0–2	5–1	4–2	1–5	2–0	0–2	0–2	0–6	–	1–1	4–2	1–5	3–3	1–1
San Antonio	1–5	2–4	2–0	2–4	1–1	4–2	2–0	3–3	4–2	1–1	0–2	2–0	3–3	2–4	2–4	1–1	1–1	–	2–0	1–1	1–1	4–2
San Diego	1–1	0–2	2–4	1–1	3–3	2–0	3–3	0–2	1–1	1–5	1–5	2–4	1–1	1–1	1–1	4–2	2–4	0–2	–	3–3	5–1	1–1
Seattle	2–0	2–0	4–2	2–0	5–1	2–0	6–0	1–1	2–0	3–3	2–4	4–2	1–1	2–0	1–1	2–4	5–1	1–1	3–3	–	5–1	1–1
Utah	0–2	0–2	4–2	1–1	3–3	1–1	3–3	0–2	1–1	0–6	0–6	2–4	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–6	3–3	1–1	1–5	1–5	–	0–2
Washington	3–3	2–4	2–0	3–3	1–1	4–2	2–0	4–2	2–4	0–2	1–1	1–1	3–3	3–3	1–5	0–2	1–1	2–4	1–1	1–1	2–0	—

Game log

G	Date	@	Opponent	Score	W	L	Streak
1	10.14.1979	@	San Diego Clippers	93-98	0	1	L1
2	10.16.1979	@	Phoenix Suns	86-102	0	2	L2
3	10.17.1979		Los Angeles Lakers	112-110	1	2	W1
4	10.19.1979		San Diego Clippers	106-98	2	2	W2
5	10.21.1979	@	Los Angeles Lakers	97-106	2	3	L1
6	10.24.1979		Kansas City Kings	105-92	3	3	W1
7	10.26.1979		Phoenix Suns	86-92	3	4	L1
8	10.27.1979	@	San Diego Clippers	105-110	3	5	L2
9	10.28.1979		Chicago Bulls	108-97	4	5	W1
10	10.31.1979		Denver Nuggets	97-89	5	5	W2
11	11.02.1979		San Antonio Spurs	117-107	6	5	W3
12	11.04.1979	@	Milwaukee Bucks	114-101	7	5	W4
13	11.06.1979	@	Chicago Bulls	114-97	8	5	W5
14	11.07.1979	@	Denver Nuggets	92-113	8	6	L1
15	11.10.1979	@	Utah Jazz	88-87	9	6	W1
16	11.14.1979		Milwaukee Bucks	136-117	10	6	W2
17	11.16.1979		Cleveland Cavaliers	108-100	11	6	W3
18	11.17.1979	@	Golden State Warriors	108-103	12	6	W4
19	11.18.1979	@	Portland Trail Blazers	95-100	12	7	L1
20	11.21.1979		Los Angeles Lakers	119-110	13	7	W1
21	11.23.1979		Portland Trail Blazers	94-90	14	7	W2
22	11.28.1979		Phoenix Suns	127-116	15	7	W3
23	11.30.1979	@	Kansas City Kings	107-102 (OT)	16	7	W4
24	12.01.1979	@	Utah Jazz	95-97	16	8	L1
25	12.02.1979		Golden State Warriors	111-98	17	8	W1
26	12.05.1979		Utah Jazz	115-96	18	8	W2
27	12.08.1979	@	Golden State Warriors	125-100	19	8	W3
28	12.09.1979		Chicago Bulls	112-121	19	9	L1
29	12.11.1979	@	Milwaukee Bucks	103-99	20	9	W1
30	12.12.1979	@	Indiana Pacers	112-107	21	9	W2
31	12.14.1979		Houston Rockets	109-101	22	9	W3
32	12.16.1979		Denver Nuggets	123-121	23	9	W4
33	12.19.1979		New Jersey Nets	114-122	23	10	L1
34	12.21.1979		New York Knicks	121-102	24	10	W1
35	12.23.1979	@	Los Angeles Lakers	97-102	24	11	L1
36	12.26.1979		San Diego Clippers	124-104	25	11	W1
37	12.28.1979		Portland Trail Blazers	126-97	26	11	W2
38	12.30.1979	@	Portland Trail Blazers	107-100	27	11	W3
39	01.02.1980		Washington Bullets	134-139 (2OT)	27	12	L1
40	01.04.1980		Detroit Pistons	123-105	28	12	W1
41	01.05.1980	@	Golden State Warriors	121-112	29	12	W2
42	01.06.1980	@	San Diego Clippers	103-105	29	13	L1
43	01.08.1980		Indiana Pacers	120-111	30	13	W1
44	01.11.1980		Utah Jazz	100-90	31	13	W2
45	01.12.1980	@	Denver Nuggets	105-102	32	13	W3
46	01.13.1980		Golden State Warriors	109-101	33	13	W4
47	01.15.1980	@	Washington Bullets	120-100	34	13	W5
48	01.18.1980	@	New York Knicks	124-117	35	13	W6
49	01.20.1980	@	Boston Celtics	108-106 (2OT)	36	13	W7
50	01.23.1980	@	Atlanta Hawks	98-96	37	13	W8
51	01.25.1980	@	San Antonio Spurs	116-125	37	14	L1
52	01.26.1980	@	Houston Rockets	111-123	37	15	L2
53	01.30.1980		Kansas City Kings	97-99	37	16	L3
54	01.31.1980		Milwaukee Bucks	105-101	38	16	W1
55	02.05.1980	@	Cleveland Cavaliers	123-121	39	16	W2
56	02.07.1980	@	Detroit Pistons	119-102	40	16	W3
57	02.08.1980	@	Philadelphia 76ers	109-94	41	16	W4
58	02.10.1980	@	New Jersey Nets	122-107	42	16	W5
59	02.13.1980		Atlanta Hawks	93-86	43	16	W6
60	02.14.1980		Denver Nuggets	93-84	44	16	W7
61	02.17.1980		Boston Celtics	109-108	45	16	W8
62	02.19.1980	@	Chicago Bulls	106-115	45	17	L1
63	02.20.1980	@	Kansas City Kings	105-107	45	18	L2
64	02.23.1980	@	Utah Jazz	105-95	46	18	W1
65	02.26.1980	@	Los Angeles Lakers	108-131	46	19	L1
66	02.27.1980		Philadelphia 76ers	98-101 (OT)	46	20	L2
67	02.29.1980		Chicago Bulls	108-101	47	20	W1
68	03.02.1980		Utah Jazz	103-91	48	20	W2
69	03.04.1980	@	Portland Trail Blazers	98-97	49	20	W3
70	03.05.1980	@	Phoenix Suns	111-127	49	21	L1
71	03.08.1980	@	Denver Nuggets	104-97	50	21	W1
72	03.09.1980	@	Kansas City Kings	93-113	50	22	L1
73	03.12.1980	@	Milwaukee Bucks	103-112	50	23	L2
74	03.14.1980	@	Chicago Bulls	122-101	51	23	W1
75	03.19.1980		Milwaukee Bucks	106-108	51	24	L1
76	03.21.1980		San Diego Clippers	107-104	52	24	W1
77	03.22.1980		Los Angeles Lakers	92-97	52	25	L1
78	03.23.1980		Kansas City Kings	112-90	53	25	W1
79	03.25.1980		Phoenix Suns	104-95	54	25	W2
80	03.26.1980	@	Phoenix Suns	99-109	54	26	L1
81	03.28.1980		Golden State Warriors	108-82	55	26	W1
82	03.30.1980		Portland Trail Blazers	135-104	56	26	W2

Playoffs

1980 playoff game log
First round: 2–1 (home: 2–0; road: 0–1) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Series 1 April 2 Portland W 120–110 Gus Williams (35) three players tied (8) Gus Williams (6) Kingdome 26,412 1–0 2 April 4 @ Portland L 95–105 (OT) Dennis Johnson (24) Lonnie Shelton (12) Gus Williams (8) Memorial Coliseum 12,666 1–1 3 April 6 Portland W 103–86 Gus Williams (21) John Johnson (8) Williams, D. Johnson (6) Kingdome 23,546 2–1
Conference Semi-finals: 4–3 (home: 2–2; road: 2–1) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Series 1 April 8 Milwaukee W 114–113 (OT) Gus Williams (30) Jack Sikma (11) John Johnson (6) Seattle Center Coliseum 13,648 1–0 2 April 9 Milwaukee L 112–114 (OT) Lonnie Shelton (25) Lonnie Shelton (9) Williams, J. Johnson (7) Seattle Center Coliseum 14,050 1–1 3 April 11 @ Milwaukee L 91–95 Jack Sikma (20) Jack Sikma (13) Williams, J. Johnson (7) MECCA Arena 10,938 1–2 4 April 13 @ Milwaukee W 112–107 Gus Williams (32) Lonnie Shelton (15) John Johnson (7) MECCA Arena 10,938 2–2 5 April 15 Milwaukee L 97–108 Gus Williams (22) Jack Sikma (9) Dennis Johnson (7) Kingdome 40,172 2–3 6 April 18 @ Milwaukee W 86–85 Dennis Johnson (18) Paul Silas (14) John Johnson (7) MECCA Arena 10,938 3–3 7 April 20 Milwaukee W 98–94 Gus Williams (33) Lonnie Shelton (15) Dennis Johnson (5) Seattle Center Coliseum 14,050 4–3
Conference finals: 1–4 (home: 0–2; road: 1–2) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Series 1 April 22 @ Los Angeles W 108–107 Gus Williams (28) Lonnie Shelton (9) John Johnson (9) The Forum 17,505 1–0 2 April 23 @ Los Angeles L 99–108 Gus Williams (24) Jack Sikma (11) Jack Sikma (8) The Forum 17,505 1–1 3 April 25 Los Angeles L 100–104 Gus Williams (23) John Johnson (9) Gus Williams (11) Hec Edmundson Pavilion 8,524 1–2 4 April 27 Los Angeles L 93–98 Gus Williams (25) Dennis Johnson (9) Gus Williams (7) Hec Edmundson Pavilion 8,524 1–3 5 April 30 @ Los Angeles L 105–111 Dennis Johnson (29) Jack Sikma (9) Williams, J. Johnson (6) The Forum 17,505 1–4
1980 schedule

Player statistics

Legend

GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field-goal percentage	3P%	3-point field-goal percentage	FT%	Free-throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game

Season

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
James Bailey	67		10.8	.450		.673	2.9	.4	.3	.8	4.7
Fred Brown	80		21.3	.479	.443	.837	1.9	2.2	.8	.2	12.0
Dennis Johnson	81		36.3	.422	.207	.780	5.1	4.1	1.8	1.0	19.0
John Johnson	81		31.3	.488		.801	5.3	5.2	.9	.4	11.3
Vinnie Johnson	38		8.6	.391	.000	.795	1.4	1.4	.5	.1	3.2
Tom LaGarde	82		14.2	.477		.657	3.8	1.1	.2	.4	4.7
Lonnie Shelton	76		29.5	.530	.200	.763	7.7	1.9	1.2	1.0	13.6
Jack Sikma	82		34.1	.475	.000	.805	11.1	3.4	.8	.9	14.3
Paul Silas	82		19.5	.378		.654	5.3	.8	.3	.1	3.8
Wally Walker	70		12.1	.507		.750	2.4	.8	.3	.1	4.7
Gus Williams	82		36.2	.482	.194	.788	3.4	4.8	2.4	.5	22.1

Playoffs

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
James Bailey	12		11.5	.477	.000	.650	2.1	.4	.8	.8	4.6
Fred Brown	15		20.9	.440	.294	.857	2.5	2.1	.1	.1	12.5
Dennis Johnson	15		38.8	.410	.333	.839	4.3	3.8	1.8	.7	17.1
John Johnson	15		32.4	.494	.000	.811	6.8	5.7	.5	.2	12.4
Vinnie Johnson	5		2.4	.333			.4	.4	.2	.0	.4
Tom LaGarde	14		11.6	.370		.818	2.9	.9	.1	.0	3.1
Lonnie Shelton	15		31.3	.507	.000	.627	8.3	1.7	1.5	.8	12.0
Jack Sikma	15		35.6	.399	.000	.852	8.4	3.7	1.1	.3	11.7
Paul Silas	15		17.1	.302		.846	5.0	1.0	.6	.1	2.5
Wally Walker	13		12.1	.514		.750	2.2	.5	.1	.2	4.2
Gus Williams	15		37.6	.514	.200	.721	4.0	5.6	2.3	.5	23.7

Awards and records

• Dennis Johnson, All-NBA Second Team
• Gus Williams, All-NBA Second Team
• Dennis Johnson, NBA All-Defensive First Team

Transactions

October 19, 1979

• Waived Joe Hassett.
• Waived Jackie Robinson.

October 11, 1979

• Waived Dennis Awtrey.

See also

• 1979-80 NBA season