1996–97 Seattle SuperSonics season

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1996–97 Seattle SuperSonics season
Division champions
Head coachGeorge Karl
General managerWally Walker
ArenaKeyArena at Seattle Center
Results
Record57–25 (.695)
PlaceDivision: 1st (Pacific)
Conference: 2nd (Western)
Playoff finishWest Semi-finals
(Lost to Rockets 3–4)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionKSTW
Fox Sports Northwest
RadioKJR
< 1995–96 1997–98 >

The 1996–97 NBA season was the 29th season for the Seattle SuperSonics in the National Basketball Association.[1] The SuperSonics entered the season as runners-up in the 1996 NBA Finals, having lost to the Chicago Bulls in six games. During the off-season, the team signed free agents Jim McIlvaine,[2] Craig Ehlo,[3] and Larry Stewart, and then later on signed Terry Cummings in January.[4] Coming off their trip to the NBA Finals, the Sonics remained as one of the elite teams in the Western Conference posting an 11-game winning streak after losing two of their first three games. They later on posted a nine-game winning streak in January, then won seven straight games in February. The Sonics won their third Division title in four years with a 57–25 record, and entered the playoffs as the #2 seed in the Western Conference.[5] The SuperSonics had the sixth best team defensive rating in the NBA.[6]

Three members of the team, Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp and Detlef Schrempf were all selected for the 1997 NBA All-Star Game.[7] Payton averaged 21.8 points, 7.1 assists and 2.4 steals per game, and was named to the All-NBA Second Team, and NBA All-Defensive First Team, while Kemp averaged 18.7 points, 10.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game, and Schrempf provided the team with 16.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game. In addition, Hersey Hawkins contributed 13.9 points and 1.9 steals per game, while off the bench, sixth man Sam Perkins provided with 11.0 points per game, and Cummings averaged 8.2 points and 4.1 rebounds per game in 45 games.[8] Defensive guard Nate McMillan only played just 37 games this season due to a torn right abductor muscle.[9] Payton also finished in sixth place in Most Valuable Player voting, and in second place in Defensive Player of the Year voting.[10]

In the Western Conference First Round of the playoffs, the Sonics trailed 2–1 to the 7th-seeded Phoenix Suns,[11] but won the series in five games.[12] In the Western Conference Semi-finals, they faced the Houston Rockets, who had home court advantage in the series and defeated the Sonics in seven games.[13] This season was Kemp's final season with the SuperSonics, as he was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a three-team trade the following year.[14] Also following the season, Cummings signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia 76ers,[15] while Stewart was released to free agency, and Ehlo retired.

Draft picks[]

Main article: 1996 NBA draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
2 35 Joseph Blair C  United States Arizona
2 45 Joe Vogel C  United States Colorado State
2 47 Ron Riley SG/SF  United States Arizona State
2 57 Drew Barry PG  United States Georgia Tech

Roster[]

1996–97 Seattle SuperSonics roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB (YYYY-MM-DD) From
F/C 34 Cummings, Terry 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1961–03–15 DePaul
G 3 Ehlo, Craig 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1961–08–11 Washington State
G 21 Graham, Greg 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 174 lb (79 kg) 1970–11–26 Indiana
C 24 Harvey, Antonio 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 250 lb (113 kg) 1970–07–06 Pfeiffer College
G 33 Hawkins, Hersey 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1966–09–29 Bradley
F 40 Kemp, Shawn 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1969–11–26 Trinity Valley CC
C 22 McIlvaine, Jim 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1972–07–30 Marquette
G 10 McMillan, Nate 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1964–08–03 North Carolina State
G 20 Payton, Gary 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1968–07–23 Oregon State
F/C 14 Perkins, Sam 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1961–06–14 North Carolina
C 55 Scheffler, Steve 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 250 lb (113 kg) 1967–09–03 Purdue
F 11 Schrempf, Detlef 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 214 lb (97 kg) 1963–01–21 Washington
G 13 Snow, Eric 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1973–04–24 Michigan State
F 23 Stewart, Larry 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1968–09–21 Coppin State
G/F 25 Wingate, David 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1963–12–15 Georgetown
Head coach
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Regular season[]

Season standings[]

Pacific Division
W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Seattle SuperSonics 57 25 .695 – 31–10 26–15 16–8
x-Los Angeles Lakers 56 26 .683 1 31–10 25–16 18–6
x-Portland Trail Blazers 49 33 .598 8 29–12 20–21 15–9
x-Phoenix Suns 40 42 .488 17 25–16 15–26 13–11
x-Los Angeles Clippers 36 46 .439 21 21–20 15–26 10–14
Sacramento Kings 34 48 .415 23 22–19 12–29 8–16
Golden State Warriors 30 52 .366 27 18–23 12–29 4–20
1996–97 NBA West standings
# Western Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 c-Utah Jazz 64 18 .780 –
2 y-Seattle SuperSonics 57 25 .695 7
3 x-Houston Rockets 57 25 .695 7
4 x-Los Angeles Lakers 56 26 .683 8
5 x-Portland Trail Blazers 49 33 .598 15
6 x-Minnesota Timberwolves 40 42 .488 24
7 x-Phoenix Suns 40 42 .488 24
8 x-Los Angeles Clippers 36 46 .439 28
9 Sacramento Kings 34 48 .415 30
10 Golden State Warriors 30 52 .366 34
11 Dallas Mavericks 24 58 .293 40
12 Denver Nuggets 21 61 .256 43
13 San Antonio Spurs 20 62 .244 44
14 Vancouver Grizzlies 14 68 .171 50

Record vs. opponents[]

1996–97 NBA records
Team ATL BOS CHA CHI CLE DAL DEN DET GSW HOU IND LAC LAL MIA MIL MIN NJN NYK ORL PHI PHO POR SAC SAS SEA TOR UTA VAN WAS
Atlanta – 3–1 1–3 1–3 3–1 2–0 1–1 1–3 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 1–2 4–0 2–0 3–1 1–3 3–1 4–0 1–1 2–0 2–0 2–0 1–1 4–0 1–1 2–0 2–1
Boston 1–3 – 0–4 0–4 1–2 1–1 1–1 0–4 1–1 0–2 1–2 0–2 1–1 0–4 1–3 0–2 0–4 0–4 0–4 1–3 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 3–1 0–2 0–2 0–4
Charlotte 3–1 4–0 – 0–4 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–2 2–0 2–0 2–2 1–1 1–1 1–2 2–2 2–0 4–0 3–1 1–2 4–0 1–1 0–2 2–0 2–0 2–0 2–2 0–2 2–0 3–1
Chicago 3–1 4–0 4–0 – 3–1 2–0 2–0 3–1 2–0 1–1 4–0 2–0 1–1 2–2 4–0 2–0 3–1 2–2 3–0 4–0 2–0 2–0 2–0 2–0 2–0 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–1
Cleveland 1–3 2–1 1–3 1–3 – 2–0 1–1 2–2 1–1 0–2 3–1 2–0 1–1 0–4 2–2 2–0 4–0 1–3 2–2 3–0 1–1 1–1 2–0 0–2 0–2 3–1 1–1 2–0 1–3
Dallas 0–2 1–1 1–1 0–2 0–2 – 3–1 0–2 0–4 0–4 1–1 2–2 0–4 0–2 0–2 1–3 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–3 1–3 2–2 1–3 1–3 0–2 1–3 3–1 0–2
Denver 1–1 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 1–3 – 0–2 1–3 1–3 0–2 1–3 0–4 0–2 1–1 0–4 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 2–2 0–4 2–2 2–2 0–4 1–1 0–4 3–1 1–1
Detroit 3–1 4–0 2–2 1–3 2–2 2–0 2–0 – 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 0–4 3–1 2–0 4–0 1–2 2–2 2–1 0–2 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 3–1 1–1 2–0 4–0
Golden State 0–2 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 4–0 3–1 0–2 – 0–4 1–1 1–3 0–4 0–2 1–1 1–3 2–0 0–2 1–1 2–0 0–4 2–2 1–3 4–0 0–4 2–0 0–4 3–1 0–2
Houston 1–1 2–0 0–2 1–1 2–0 4–0 3–1 1–1 4–0 – 1–1 3–1 3–1 0–2 1–1 4–0 2–0 1–1 0–2 2–0 2–2 2–2 4–0 3–1 3–1 1–1 2–2 3–1 2–0
Indiana 1–3 2–1 2–2 0–4 1–3 1–1 2–0 1–3 1–1 1–1 – 2–0 1–1 1–3 2–2 2–0 2–2 1–3 1–3 3–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 4–0 0–2 2–0 1–3
L.A. Clippers 0–2 2–0 1–1 0–2 0–2 2–2 3–1 0–2 3–1 1–3 0–2 – 2–2 0–2 2–0 1–3 1–1 0–2 1–1 1–1 2–2 0–4 2–2 4–0 1–3 2–0 1–3 4–0 0–2
L.A. Lakers 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 4–0 4–0 1–1 4–0 1–3 1–1 2–2 – 1–1 2–0 3–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 2–0 4–0 1–3 4–0 2–2 3–1 1–1 1–3 4–0 2–0
Miami 2–1 4–0 2–1 2–2 4–0 2–0 2–0 4–0 2–0 2–0 3–1 2–0 1–1 – 4–0 1–1 3–1 1–3 2–2 3–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 2–0 0–2 3–1 0–2 2–0 3–1
Milwaukee 0–4 3–1 2–2 0–4 2–2 2–0 1–1 1–3 1–1 1–1 2–2 0–2 0–2 0–4 – 0–2 2–1 1–2 2–2 3–1 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 1–1 3–1 1–1 2–0 1–3
Minnesota 0–2 2–0 0–2 0–2 0–2 3–1 4–0 0–2 3–1 0–4 0–2 3–1 1–3 1–1 2–0 – 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 3–1 2–2 0–4 4–0 0–4 1–1 1–3 4–0 1–1
New Jersey 1–3 4–0 0–4 1–3 0–4 1–1 1–1 0–4 0–2 0–2 2–2 1–1 0–2 1–3 1–2 0–2 – 2–2 1–3 2–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 2–0 1–1 0–3 0–2 2–0 1–3
New York 3–1 4–0 1–3 2–2 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–1 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–1 1–1 2–2 – 3–1 3–2 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 0–2 3–0 1–1 2–0 4–0
Orlando 1–3 4–0 2–1 0–3 2–2 1–1 2–0 2–2 1–1 2–0 3–1 1–1 1–1 2–2 2–2 1–1 3–1 1–3 – 2–2 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 4–0 0–2 1–1 1–3
Philadelphia 0–4 3–1 0–4 0–4 0–3 0–2 1–1 1–2 0–2 0–2 0–3 1–1 0–2 1–3 1–3 1–1 2–2 2–3 2–2 – 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 1–3 0–2 2–0 1–3
Phoenix 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 3–1 2–2 2–0 4–0 2–2 1–1 2–2 0–4 0–2 1–1 1–3 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 – 1–3 4–0 3–1 2–2 0–2 1–3 2–2 1–1
Portland 0–2 1–1 2–0 0–2 1–1 3–1 4–0 1–1 2–2 2–2 1–1 4–0 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–2 2–0 1–1 0–2 1–1 3–1 – 2–2 4–0 1–3 0–2 2–2 4–0 0–2
Sacramento 0–2 2–0 0–2 0–2 0–2 2–2 2–2 1–1 3–1 0–4 1–1 2–2 0–4 0–2 2–0 4–0 1–1 0–2 1–1 2–0 0–4 2–2 – 3–1 1–3 1–1 0–4 4–0 0–2
San Antonio 0–2 1–1 0–2 0–2 2–0 3–1 2–2 0–2 0–4 1–3 1–1 0–4 2–2 0–2 1–1 0–4 0–2 0–2 1–1 1–1 1–3 0–4 1–3 – 0–4 1–1 1–3 1–3 0–2
Seattle 1–1 2–0 0–2 0–2 2–0 3–1 4–0 1–1 4–0 1–3 1–1 3–1 1–3 2–0 1–1 4–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 2–2 3–1 3–1 4–0 – 2–0 1–3 4–0 2–0
Toronto 0–4 1–3 2–2 1–3 1–3 2–0 1–1 1–3 0–2 1–1 0–4 0–2 1–1 1–3 1–3 1–1 3–0 0–3 0–4 3–1 2–0 2–0 1–1 1–1 0–2 – 1–1 1–1 2–2
Utah 1–1 2–0 2–0 1–1 1–1 3–1 4–0 1–1 4–0 2–2 2–0 3–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 2–0 3–1 2–2 4–0 3–1 3–1 1–1 – 4–0 2–0
Vancouver 0–2 2–0 0–2 0–2 0–2 1–3 1–3 0–2 1–3 1–3 0–2 0–4 0–4 0–2 0–2 0–4 0–2 0–2 1–1 0–2 2–2 0–4 0–4 3–1 0–4 1–1 0–4 – 1–1
Washington 1–2 4–0 1–3 1–2 3–1 2–0 1–1 0–4 2–0 0–2 3–1 2–0 0–2 1–3 3–1 1–1 3–1 0–4 3–1 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 2–0 0–2 2–2 0–2 1–1 —

Game log[]

Playoffs[]

1997 playoff game log
First round: 3–2 (Home: 2–1; Road: 1–1)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 April 25 Phoenix L 101–106 Gary Payton (23) Shawn Kemp (15) Gary Payton (9) KeyArena
17,072 		0–1
2 April 27 Phoenix W 122–78 Payton, Kemp (23) Shawn Kemp (15) Gary Payton (6) KeyArena
17,072 		1–1
3 April 29 @ Phoenix L 103–110 Gary Payton (34) Shawn Kemp (11) Gary Payton (6) America West Arena
19,023 		1–2
4 May 1 @ Phoenix W 122–115 (OT) Gary Payton (28) Shawn Kemp (20) Gary Payton (14) America West Arena
19,023 		2–2
5 May 3 Phoenix W 116–92 Detlef Schrempf (24) Shawn Kemp (11) Gary Payton (10) KeyArena
17,072 		3–2
Conference Semi-finals: 3–4 (Home: 1–2; Road: 2–2)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 May 5 @ Houston L 102–112 Shawn Kemp (24) Shawn Kemp (11) Eric Snow (7) The Summit
16,285 		0–1
2 May 7 @ Houston W 106–101 Shawn Kemp (22) Shawn Kemp (15) Gary Payton (9) The Summit
16,285 		1–1
3 May 9 Houston L 93–97 Payton, Kemp (28) Shawn Kemp (10) Payton, Kemp (5) KeyArena
17,072 		1–2
4 May 11 Houston L 106–110 (OT) Gary Payton (27) Kemp, Cummings (9) Gary Payton (11) KeyArena
17,072 		1–3
5 May 13 @ Houston W 100–94 Hersey Hawkins (23) Shawn Kemp (10) Gary Payton (11) The Summit
16,285 		2–3
6 May 15 Houston W 99–96 Shawn Kemp (22) Shawn Kemp (11) Gary Payton (13) KeyArena
17,072 		3–3
7 May 17 @ Houston L 91–96 Gary Payton (27) Shawn Kemp (10) Gary Payton (7) The Summit
16,285 		3–4
1997 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

NOTE: Please write the players statistics in alphabetical order by last name.

Season[]

Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Terry Cummings 45 3 18.4 .486 .600 .695 4.1 0.9 0.7 0.2 8.2
Craig Ehlo 62 0 13.7
Greg Graham 28 0 7.0
Antonio Harvey 6 0 4.3
Hersey Hawkins 82 82 33.6
Shawn Kemp 81 75 34.0
Jim McIlvaine 82 79 18.0
Nate McMillan 37 2 21.6
Gary Payton 82 82 39.2
Sam Perkins 81 4 24.4
Steve Scheffler 7 0 4.1
Detlef Schrempf 61 60 35.9
Eric Snow 67 0 11.6
Elmore Spencer 1 0 5.0
Larry Stewart 70 21 14.0
David Wingate 65 2 14.3

Playoffs[]

Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Terry Cummings
Greg Graham
Hersey Hawkins
Shawn Kemp
Jim McIlvaine
Nate McMillan
Gary Payton
Sam Perkins
Detlef Schrempf
Eric Snow
Larry Stewart
David Wingate

Awards and records[]

Awards[]

Records[]

Transactions[]

Trades[]

Free agents[]

References[]

  1. ^ 1996–97 Seattle SuperSonics
  2. ^ "Mcilvaine Solution in Middle?". Seattle Times. July 23, 1996. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
  3. ^ "Sonics sign free agent Craig Ehlo". UPI Archives. July 23, 1996. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  4. ^ "Sonics sign Terry Cummings". AP News. January 13, 1997. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  5. ^ "1996–97 Seattle SuperSonics Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  6. ^ "Teams Defense". NBA.com. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
  7. ^ "1997 NBA All-Star Game: East 132, West 120". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  8. ^ "1996–97 Seattle SuperSonics Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  9. ^ "Nate McMillan rejoins NBA team". AP News. February 11, 1997. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  10. ^ "1996–97 NBA Awards Voting". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  11. ^ "Sonics Fall In Familiar 2-1 Hole". New York Times. April 30, 1997. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  12. ^ "Hello, Houston". Kitsap Sun. May 4, 1997. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  13. ^ "Rockets Survive SuperSonic Scare". Los Angeles Times. May 18, 1997. Retrieved June 24, 2021.
  14. ^ "PRO BASKETBALL; Sonics' Kemp Gets Wish And Is Traded, to Cavs". New York Times. September 26, 1997. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
  15. ^ "Two Free Agents Sign". New York Times. September 5, 1997. Retrieved January 1, 2022.

See also[]

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