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1998–99 Seattle SuperSonics season

NBA professional basketball team season

NBA professional basketball team season

Fox Sports Northwest (Kevin Calabro, Marques Johnson) (Kevin Calabro, Marques Johnson)

The 1998–99 Seattle SuperSonics season was the 32nd season for the Seattle SuperSonics in the National Basketball Association. Due to a lockout, the regular season began on February 5, 1999, and was cut from 82 games to 50. During the off-season, the SuperSonics signed free agents Billy Owens and former Sonics center Olden Polynice, and acquired Don MacLean from the New Jersey Nets.

The SuperSonics got off to a strong start under new head coach Paul Westphal, winning their first six games of the regular season. However, the team soon fell apart losing nine of their next twelve games, as Vin Baker only played 34 games due to thumb and knee injuries; Owens and MacLean both missed large parts of the regular season also due to injuries. From there, the SuperSonics would play around .500 in winning percentage for the remainder of the season, finishing in fifth place in the Pacific Division with a 25–25 record, losing a tie-breaker for the #8 seed in the Western Conference to the Minnesota Timberwolves, and missing the NBA playoffs for the first time since the 1989–90 season.

Gary Payton averaged 21.7 points, 8.7 assists and 2.2 steals per game, contributed 83 three-point field goals, and was named to the All-NBA Second Team, and to the NBA All-Defensive First Team, while Detlef Schrempf averaged 15.0 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, and Baker provided the team with 13.8 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. In addition, sixth man Dale Ellis contributed 10.3 points per game, and led the SuperSonics with 94 three-point field goals off the bench, while Hersey Hawkins provided with 10.3 points and 1.6 steals per game, MacLean contributed 10.9 points per game in only just 17 games, Owens provided with 7.8 points in only just 21 games, and Polynice averaged 7.7 points and 8.9 rebounds per game.

Payton finished in ninth place in Most Valuable Player voting, and also finished in third place in Defensive Player of the Year voting. The SuperSonics finished 14th in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 426,800 at the KeyArena at Seattle Center during the regular season.

Following the season, Schrempf signed as a free agent with the Portland Trail Blazers, while Hawkins was traded to the Chicago Bulls, Polynice signed with the Utah Jazz, and Ellis, Owens and MacLean were all traded to the Orlando Magic; however, all three players would never play for the Magic, as Ellis was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks, Owens was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, and MacLean was dealt to the Houston Rockets in a three-team trade, but was released to free agency, and would later on sign with the Phoenix Suns near the end of the next season.

Draft picks

Main article: 1998 NBA draft

RoundPickPlayerPositionNationalityCollege
127Vladimir StepaniaCKK Olimpija
232Rashard LewisSFUnited StatesAlief Elsik High School
233Jelani McCoyPF/CUnited StatesUCLA

Roster

  • Paul Westphal
  • Dwane Casey
  • Bob Weiss

Regular season

Season standings

:z – clinched division title :y – clinched division title :x – clinched playoff spot

Game log

Player statistics

Season

PlayerGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
505040.2.434.295.7214.98.72.2.221.7
503935.3.472.395.8237.43.7.8.515.0
503432.9.419.306.9024.02.51.6.410.3
484730.9.4721.000.3098.9.9.4.67.7
48525.7.441.433.7572.4.8.5.110.3
40211.5.423.000.7303.2.6.4.64.0
343134.2.453.000.4506.21.6.91.013.8
26012.7.737.5003.0.2.4.85.1
†24015.1.405.371.8511.32.4.4.06.1
23613.6.424.000.5253.3.5.41.05.5
211921.5.394.455.8003.81.8.6.27.8
2077.3.365.167.5711.3.2.4.12.4
171021.5.396.273.6253.8.9.3.310.9
17010.8.313.333.6921.21.7.4.12.2
12011.7.325.400.3751.72.0.6.03.2
1005.9.333.000.7221.0.0.3.02.5

Player statistics citation:

Awards and records

Awards

  • Gary Payton, All-NBA Second Team
  • Gary Payton, NBA All-Defensive First Team

References

References

  1. [https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/SEA/1999.html 1998–99 Seattle SuperSonics]
  2. (January 6, 1999). "NBA: Let The Games Begin!". CBS News.
  3. Wise, Mike. (January 21, 1999). "PRO BASKETBALL; The Business of Basketball Now Begins in Earnest". The New York Times.
  4. (January 23, 1999). "Around the NBA". Los Angeles Times.
  5. (January 23, 1999). "SONICS: Owens Signs Three-Year Deal". Kitsap Sun.
  6. Broussard, Chris. (January 19, 1999). "BASKETBALL; Nets Obtain McIlvaine to Shore Up Defense". The New York Times.
  7. Gardner, Kris. (January 21, 1999). "Knicks Acquiring Sprewell Highlights Six-Deal Day". The Houston Roundball Review.
  8. (June 17, 1998). "THE NBA: Reports: Sonics to Hire Westphal as New Head Coach". Kitsap Sun.
  9. (June 18, 1998). "BASKETBALL; Westphal Hired as Sonic Coach". The New York Times.
  10. (June 18, 1998). "After Considering Jackson, SuperSonics Hire Westphal". Los Angeles Times.
  11. (April 22, 1999). "Sonics' Baker Out with Injury". CBS News.
  12. (June 26, 1999). "Sonics' Baker Opts for Free Agency". Associated Press.
  13. (August 19, 1999). "PLUS: PRO BASKETBALL -- SEATTLE; Sonics Sign Baker". The New York Times.
  14. "1998–99 Seattle SuperSonics Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference.
  15. "1998–99 Seattle SuperSonics Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference.
  16. (May 20, 1999). "Around the NBA". Los Angeles Times.
  17. "1998–99 NBA Awards Voting". Basketball-Reference.
  18. "1998–99 NBA Season Summary". Basketball-Reference.
  19. (August 2, 1999). "Blazers Capture Schrempf". CBS News.
  20. Wise, Mike. (August 3, 1999). "PRO BASKETBALL; Trading Begins in the N.B.A. Bazaar". The New York Times.
  21. (August 3, 1999). "Around the NBA". Los Angeles Times.
  22. (August 12, 1999). "Bulls Send Barry to Sonics". CBS News.
  23. Nelson, Glenn. (August 12, 1999). "SONICS -- Hawkins and Cotton Traded for Brent Barry -- Deal with Chicago Also Nets "Cap" Space". The Seattle Times.
  24. (August 13, 1999). "N.B.A.: Notebook". The New York Times.
  25. (August 31, 1999). "Polynice Signs Two-Year Deal". CBS News.
  26. Buckley, Tim. (October 4, 1999). "Chilcutt Just Happy to Play for a Winner; Veteran Said That Joining the Jazz Was a "No-Brainer"". Deseret News.
  27. (July 1, 1999). "SuperSonics Send Maggette to the Magic". Los Angeles Times.
  28. Povtak, Tim. (July 1, 1999). "Magic Trade Grant to Seattle". Orlando Sentinel.
  29. Wise, Mike. (October 31, 1999). "1999–2000 N.B.A. PREVIEW; The West Is Still the Best". The New York Times.
  30. (August 20, 1999). "PLUS: N.B.A. -- MILWAUKEE; Manning and Ellis Headed to Bucks". The New York Times.
  31. (August 20, 1999). "Magic Trades Ellis, Manning to Bucks". Los Angeles Times.
  32. Nidetz, Stephen. (August 20, 1999). "Bucks, Magic in 4-Player Swap". Chicago Tribune.
  33. Povtak, Tim. (August 14, 1999). "Magic Trade Owens for Sixers' Grant, Parker". Orlando Sentinel.
  34. Fry, Darrell. (October 3, 1999). "Questions Abound for New-Look Magic". Tampa Bay Times.
  35. (August 28, 1999). "PRO BASKETBALL: ROUNDUP -- HOUSTON; Rockets Get Francis in 3-Team Deal". The New York Times.
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