1987–88 Seattle SuperSonics season

The 1987–88 Seattle SuperSonics season was the 21st season for the Seattle SuperSonics in the National Basketball Association.

Season summary

Off-season The SuperSonics received the fifth overall pick in the 1987 NBA draft, and selected small forward Scottie Pippen from the University of Central Arkansas, but soon traded him to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for rookie center, and first-round draft pick Olden Polynice from the University of Virginia; the SuperSonics also had the ninth overall pick, and selected small forward Derrick McKey from the University of Alabama. During the off-season, the team acquired Sam Vincent from the Boston Celtics.

Regular season With the addition of McKey, the SuperSonics lost three of their first four games of the regular season, but later on posted a six-game winning streak in January, and held a 25–20 record at the All-Star break. At mid-season, the team traded Vincent to the Bulls in exchange for Sedale Threatt. Despite losing 9 of their 13 games in February, the SuperSonics finished in third place in the Pacific Division with a 44–38 record, and earned the seventh seed in the Western Conference; it was head coach Bernie Bickerstaff's first season with a record above .500 in winning percentage.

Dale Ellis led the SuperSonics in scoring averaging 25.8 points per game, and also led them with 107 three-point field goals, while Xavier McDaniel averaged 21.4 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, and Tom Chambers provided the team with 20.4 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. In addition, second-year guard Nate McMillan contributed 7.6 points, 8.6 assists and 2.1 steals per game, and Alton Lister provided with 5.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. Off the bench, McKey averaged 8.5 points and 4.0 rebounds per game, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team, while Kevin Williams contributed 6.3 points per game, Russ Schoene provided with 6.0 points per game, Polynice averaged 4.1 points and 4.0 rebounds per game, and Danny Young contributed 3.2 points and 2.8 assists per game.

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Chicago Stadium in Chicago, Illinois, McDaniel was selected for the 1988 NBA All-Star Game, as a member of the Western Conference All-Star team; it was his first and only All-Star appearance. Meanwhile, Ellis participated in the NBA Three-Point Shootout for the third consecutive year. McMillan finished tied in eighth place in Defensive Player of the Year voting.

The SuperSonics finished 16th in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 475,983 at the Seattle Center Coliseum during the regular season.

NBA playoffs In the Western Conference First Round of the 1988 NBA playoffs, the SuperSonics faced off against the 2nd–seeded, and Midwest Division champion Denver Nuggets, who were led by the trio of All-Star forward Alex English, All-Star guard Fat Lever, and sixth man Jay Vincent. The Nuggets took a 2–1 series lead, but the SuperSonics managed to win Game 4 at home, 127–117 at the Seattle Center Coliseum to even the series. However, the SuperSonics lost Game 5 to the Nuggets on the road, 115–96 at the McNichols Sports Arena, thus losing in a hard-fought five-game series.

Aftermath Following the season, Chambers signed as a free agent with the Phoenix Suns, while Williams was left unprotected in the 1988 NBA expansion draft, where he was selected by the Miami Heat expansion team, and Young signed with the Portland Trail Blazers.

Offseason

Draft picks

Seattle selected future hall of famer Scottie Pippen in the first round thanks to a pick acquired from the New York Knicks, but traded him on draft day to the Chicago Bulls for Olden Polynice and two future conditional draft picks. Round Pick Player Position Nationality College 1 5 Scottie Pippen SF Central Arkansas 1 9 Derrick McKey SF Alabama 3 55 Tommy Amaker G Duke 4 78 Todd Linder F Tampa 5 101 Michael Tait G Clemson 6 124 Tom Gneiting C BYU 7 147 Mike Giomi F NC State

Roster

1987–88 Salaries

Player 1987–88 Salary Tom Chambers$950,000 Xavier McDaniel$875,000 Alton Lister$835,000 Clemon Johnson$502,000 Derrick McKey$355,000 Olden Polynice$350,000 Dale Ellis$325,000 Sedale Threatt$270,000 Russ Schoene$250,000 Danny Young$130,000 Nate McMillan$129,000 Kevin Williams$125,000TOTAL$5,096,000

Sources: Basketball Reference: SEA Salaries

Regular season

Season standings

Game log

| Seattle Center Coliseum14,252 | 1–1 |- | 3 | November 10 | Dallas | L 101–117 | Dale Ellis (28) | Alton Lister (8) | Sam Vincent (6) | Seattle Center Coliseum10,447 | 1–2 |- | 4 | November 12 | @ San Antonio | L 118–123 | Xavier McDaniel (23)

| HemisFair Arena6,399 | 1–3 |- | 5 | November 13 | @ Dallas | W 103–95 | Dale Ellis (22) | Alton Lister (8) | Nate McMillan (11) | Reunion Arena17,007 | 2–3 |- | 6 | November 15 | @ Houston | L 106–108 | Dale Ellis (34)

| The Summit16,611 | 2–4 |- | 7 | November 18 | Portland | W 120–114 | Xavier McDaniel (32)

| Seattle Center Coliseum8,461 | 3–4 |- | 8 | November 20 | Milwaukee | W 99–97 | Xavier McDaniel (30)

| Seattle Center Coliseum14,601 | 4–4 |- | 9 | November 21 | Washington | W 124–103 | Xavier McDaniel (28)

| Seattle Center Coliseum13,437 | 5–4 |- | 10 | November 24 | L. A. Lakers | W 103–85 | Xavier McDaniel (34) | Alton Lister (13) | Nate McMillan (10) | Seattle Center Coliseum14,634 | 6–4 |- | 11 | November 27 | @ Boston | L 112–117 | Dale Ellis (37) | Dale Ellis (9) | Nate McMillan (10) | Boston Garden14,890 | 6–5 |- | 12 | November 28 | @ Indiana | L 115–131 | Dale Ellis (29)

| Market Square Arena11,538 | 6–6

| Madison Square Garden11,424 | 7–6 |- | 14 | December 2 | @ Cleveland | L 102–104 | Dale Ellis (25)

| Coliseum at Richfield6,207 | 7–7 |- | 15 | December 4 | @ Philadelphia | L 105–118 | Tom Chambers (24)

| The Spectrum13,115 | 7–8 |- | 16 | December 5 | @ Washington | W 115–99 | Xavier McDaniel (26)

| Capital Centre11,604 | 8–8 |- | 17 | December 8 | Cleveland | W 107–96 | Dale EllisXavier McDaniel(25)

| Seattle Center Coliseum8,520 | 9–8 |- | 18 | December 10 | @ L. A. Clippers | L 96–113 | Dale Ellis (20)

| Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena5,852 | 9–9 |- | 19 | December 12 | L. A. Clippers | W 116–95 | Xavier McDaniel (35)

| Seattle Center Coliseum10,623 | 10–9 |- | 20 | December 14 | @ Utah | L 95–116 | Dale Ellis (29)

| Salt Palace12,212 | 10–10 |- | 21 | December 15 | @ Portland | L 109–128 | Xavier McDaniel (22)

| Memorial Coliseum12,666 | 10–11 |- | 22 | December 17 | Sacramento | W 114–109 | Tom Chambers (42)

| Seattle Center Coliseum10,238 | 11–11 |- | 23 | December 19 | @ Golden State | W 129–102 | Xavier McDaniel (32)

| Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena12,998 | 12–11 |- | 24 | December 20 | @ L. A. Lakers | L 94–103 | Dale Ellis (24) | Xavier McDaniel (11) | Xavier McDaniel (7) | The Forum17,505 | 12–12 |- | 25 | December 23 | @ Phoenix | W 103–102 | Dale Ellis (35)

| Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum10,351 | 13–12 |- | 26 | December 26 | @ Denver | L 111–115 | Xavier McDaniel (26)

| McNichols Sports Arena12,403 | 13–13 |- | 27 | December 28 | Denver | W 108–100 | Xavier McDaniel (30)

| Seattle Center Coliseum13,007 | 14–13 |- | 28 | December 30 | Boston | W 111–105 | Tom Chambers (31) | Alton Lister (12) | Sam Vincent (9) | Seattle Center Coliseum14,850 | 15–13

| 29 | January 2 | Philadelphia || W 116–114 | Xavier McDaniel (35)

| Seattle Center Coliseum14,250 | 16–13 |- | 30 | January 5 | @ Portland | L 114–126 | Dale Ellis (32)

| Memorial Coliseum12,666 | 16–14 |- | 31 | January 6 | Houston | W 110–95 | Tom Chambers (46)

| Seattle Center Coliseum11,289 | 17–14 |- | 32 | January 9 | San Antonio | W 141–133 | Dale Ellis (47)

| Seattle Center Coliseum11,565 | 18–14 |- | 33 | January 10 | @ Sacramento | L 108–109 | Dale Ellis (30)

| ARCO Arena (I)10,333 | 18–15 |- | 34 | January 13 | Golden State | W 144–115 | Xavier McDaniel (30)

| Seattle Center Coliseum7,909 | 19–15 |- | 35 | January 15 | Utah | W 124–105 | Dale Ellis (39)

| Seattle Center Coliseum10,418 | 20–15

| Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena8,697 | 21–15 |- | 37 | January 18 | Indiana | W 115–105 | Dale Ellis (29)

| Seattle Center Coliseum10,151 | 22–15 |- | 38 | January 20 | New York | W 108–96 | Xavier McDaniel (41)

| Seattle Center Coliseum11,767 | 23–15 |- | 39 | January 22 | Detroit | W 109–106 | Dale Ellis (47) | Alton Lister (13) | Nate McMillan (14) | Seattle Center Coliseum14,737 | 24–15 |- | 40 | January 24 | L. A. Lakers | L 109–116 | Xavier McDaniel (35) | Tom Chambers (10) | Nate McMillan (11) | Seattle Center Coliseum14,739 | 24–16 |- | 41 | January 26 | @ Sacramento | W 116–100 | Dale Ellis (42)

| ARCO Arena (I)10,333 | 25–16 |- | 42 | January 29 | @ Dallas | L 109–117 | Dale Ellis (35) | Alton Lister (9) | Nate McMillan (10) | Reunion Arena17,007 | 25–17 |- | 43 | January 30 | @ San Antonio | L 102–112 (OT) | Xavier McDanielTom Chambers(27)

| HemisFair Arena8,319 | 25–18

| Salt Palace12,212 | 25–19 |- | 45 | February 4 | Atlanta | L 109–119 | Dale Ellis (36)

| Seattle Center Coliseum14,611 | 25–20 |- | 46 | February 9 | @ Portland | L 123–139 | Tom Chambers (21)

| Memorial Coliseum12,666 | 25–21 |- | 47 | February 11 | Houston | W 120–115 | Tom Chambers (36)

| Seattle Center Coliseum13,038 | 26–21 |- | 48 | February 13 | @ Golden State | W 109–95 | Dale Ellis (28)

| Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena13,502 | 26–22 |- | 49 | February 15 | Dallas | L 122–128 (OT) | Tom Chambers (29) | Xavier McDaniel (7) | Sam Vincent (12) | Seattle Center Coliseum13,492 | 26–23 |- | 50 | February 17 | @ Milwaukee | L 93–115 | Dale Ellis (26)

| MECCA Arena11,052 | 26–24 |- | 51 | February 18 | @ Detroit | L 95–108 | Tom Chambers (24) | Olden Polynice (6) | Nate McMillan (9) | Pontiac Silverdome24,482 | 26–25 |- | 52 | February 20 | @ New Jersey | W 113–101 | Dale Ellis (30)

| Brendan Byrne Arena11,137 | 27–25 |- | 53 | February 21 | @ Atlanta | L 113–129 | Dale Ellis (31)

| The Omni15,437 | 27–26 |- | 54 | February 23 | @ Chicago | L 97–104 (OT) | Dale Ellis (34)

| Chicago Stadium17,648 | 27–27 |- | 55 | February 26 | Sacramento | W 133–130 | Dale Ellis (37)

| Seattle Center Coliseum11,632 | 28–27 |- | 56 | February 27 | Golden State | W 114–111 | Dale Ellis (30)

| Seattle Center Coliseum10,752 | 29–27

| Seattle Center Coliseum11,268 | 30–28 |- | 59 | March 5 | Denver | L 102–115 | Dale Ellis (27)

| Seattle Center Coliseum13,287 | 30–29 |- | 60 | March 8 | @ Golden State | W 121–116 (OT) | Dale Ellis (29)

| Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena11,178 | 31–29 |- | 61 | March 9 | @ Sacramento | W 106–97 | Dale Ellis (24)

| ARCO Arena (I)10,333 | 32–29 |- | 62 | March 13 | New Jersey | W 115–102 | Tom Chambers (25)

| Seattle Center Coliseum9,040 | 33–29 |- | 63 | March 15 | @ Phoenix | L 90–111 | Dale Ellis (38)

| Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum11,159 | 33–30 |- | 64 | March 17 | @ Houston | L 106–115 | Tom Chambers (24)

| The Summit16,611 | 33–31 |- | 65 | March 18 | @ San Antonio | W 118–110 (OT) || Xavier McDaniel (31)

| HemisFair Arena7,353 | 34–31 |- | 66 | March 20 | @ Denver | L 95–108 | Dale Ellis (23)

| McNichols Sports Arena13,117 | 34–32 |- | 67 | March 23 | Portland | W 118–108 | Dale Ellis (35)

| Seattle Center Coliseum14,250 | 35–32 |- | 68 | March 26 | L. A. Clippers | W 131–98 | Dale Ellis (27)

| Seattle Center Coliseum11,650 | 36–32 |- | 69 | March 29 | Chicago | W 106–103 | Chambers (34)

1987–88 Seattle SuperSonics season

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