The 1994–95 Seattle SuperSonics season was the 27th season for the Seattle SuperSonics in the National Basketball Association.
Season summary
Off-season The SuperSonics received the eleventh overall pick in the 1994 NBA draft from the Charlotte Hornets via trade, and selected power forward Carlos Rogers out of Tennessee State University, but soon traded him to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for Šarūnas Marčiulionis and Byron Houston. During the off-season, the team signed free agent Bill Cartwright, who won three NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls in the early 1990s. For the duration of the regular season, the SuperSonics switched venues and played their home games at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Washington, while their original stadium, the Seattle Center Coliseum, was being rebuilt to keep pace with NBA standards.
Regular season The SuperSonics struggled with a 3–4 start to the regular season, but then won 13 of their next 16 games, posted a 10-game winning streak in January, and later on held a 33–12 record at the All-Star break. However, the team dealt with a few troubles during the season, and Cartwright only played just 29 games due to a groin injury. The SuperSonics posted a seven-game winning streak between March and April, finished in second place in the Pacific Division with a 57–25 record, and earned the fourth seed in the Western Conference; the team qualified for the NBA playoffs for the fifth consecutive year.
Gary Payton averaged 20.6 points, 7.1 assists and 2.5 steals per game, while Shawn Kemp averaged 18.7 points, 10.9 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game, and Detlef Schrempf provided the team with 19.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game; Payton and Kemp were both named to the All-NBA Second Team, while Schrempf was named to the All-NBA Third Team, and Payton was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team. In addition, Kendall Gill contributed 13.7 points and 1.6 steals per game, while Sam Perkins provided with 12.7 points and 4.9 rebounds per game, and led the SuperSonics with 136 three-point field goals. Off the bench, Vincent Askew contributed 9.9 points per game, while Marčiulionis contributed 9.3 points per game, defensive guard Nate McMillan averaged 5.2 points, 5.3 assists and 2.1 steals per game, and was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team, and second-year center Ervin Johnson provided with 3.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game, starting at center for half of the regular season.
During the NBA All-Star weekend at the America West Arena in Phoenix, Arizona, Payton, Kemp and Schrempf were all selected for the 1995 NBA All-Star Game, as members of the Western Conference All-Star team. Payton also finished in ninth place in Most Valuable Player voting, while McMillan finished in fourth place in Sixth Man of the Year voting, and both players finished tied in sixth place in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
The SuperSonics finished 18th in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 633,604 at the Tacoma Dome during the regular season. During the regular season, Gill and head coach George Karl both feuded with each other in public, as Gill dealt with clinical depression.
NBA playoffs In the Western Conference First Round of the 1995 NBA playoffs, the SuperSonics faced off against the 5th–seeded Los Angeles Lakers, who were led by the trio of All-Star forward Cedric Ceballos, second-year star Nick Van Exel, and Vlade Divac. The SuperSonics won Game 1 over the Lakers at home, 96–71 at the Tacoma Dome. However, after a shocking first-round exit against the 8th–seeded Denver Nuggets in last year's playoffs, the SuperSonics lost the next three games, which included a Game 4 loss to the Lakers on the road, 114–110 at the Great Western Forum, thus losing the series in four games.
Aftermath Following the season, Gill was traded back to his former team, the Charlotte Hornets, while Marčiulionis and Houston were both traded to the Sacramento Kings, and Cartwright retired.
Draft picks
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College/team 1 11 Carlos Rogers PF/C Tennessee State 2 37 Dontonio Wingfield SF Cincinnati 2 54 Željko Rebrača C KK Partizan
Roster
Regular season
Season standings
z – clinched division title y – clinched division title x – clinched playoff spot
Game log
| 1 | November 5 | Utah | 110–103 | Detlef Schrempf (26) | Detlef Schrempf (12) | Schrempf & Nate McMillan (4) | Tacoma Dome 16,324 | 1–0 |- | 2 | November 9 | Sacramento | 100–108 | Shawn Kemp (21) | Shawn Kemp (9) | Schrempf & McMillan (5) | Tacoma Dome 16,352 | 1–1 |- | 3 | November 11 | Phoenix | 129–123 | Shawn Kemp (26) | Ervin Johnson (9) | McMillan & Gary Payton (6) | Tacoma Dome 16,352 | 2–1 |- | 4 | November 13 | L.A. Clippers | 115–90 | Vincent Askew (20) | Shawn Kemp (11) | Nate McMillan (6) | Tacoma Dome 16,352 | 3–1 |- | 5 | November 15 | @ New Jersey | 106–112 | Shawn Kemp (26) | Shawn Kemp (13) | Gary Payton (6) | Brendan Byrne Arena 15,310 | 3–2 |- | 6 | November 16 | @ Boston | 93–120 | Detlef Schrempf (19) | Shawn Kemp (10) | Nate McMillan (7) | Boston Garden 14,890 | 3–3 |- | 7 | November 18 | @ Indiana | 87–94 | Gary Payton (21) | Detlef Schrempf (11) | Gary Payton (4) | Market Square Arena 16,627 | 3–4 |- | 8 | November 19 | @ Milwaukee | 120–96 | Gary Payton (25) | Shawn Kemp (11) | Gary Payton (7) | Bradley Center 18,633 | 4–4 |- | 9 | November 22 | New Jersey | 104–97 | Gary Payton (26) | Shawn Kemp (17) | Gary Payton (9) | Tacoma Dome 13,574 | 5–4 |- | 10 | November 23 | @ Utah | 103–113 | Šarūnas Marčiulionis (21) | Vincent Askew (6) | Gary Payton (8) | Delta Center 19,911 | 5–5 |- | 11 | November 25 | @ San Antonio | 114–94 | Gary Payton (21) | Shawn Kemp (10) | Gary Payton (7) | Alamodome 19,016 | 6–5 |- | 12 | November 26, 1994 5:30p.m. PST | @ Houston | W 98–94 | Kemp & Sam Perkins (22) | Kemp (12) | Payton (5) | The Summit 16,611 | 7–5 |- | 13 | November 28 | Indiana | 118–99 | Gary Payton (28) | Ervin Johnson (14) | Gary Payton (7) | Tacoma Dome 14,647 | 8–5 |- | 14 | November 30 | San Antonio | 109–100 | Gary Payton (21) | Detlef Schrempf (7) | Gary Payton (6) | Tacoma Dome 14,793 | 9–5
| 15 | December 3 | Milwaukee | 111–108 | Shawn Kemp (26) | Shawn Kemp (15) | Payton & McMillan (9) | Tacoma Dome 14,661 | 10–5 |- | 16 | December 6, 1994 5:00p.m. PST | Houston | W 103–90 | Payton (30) | Kemp (9) | Payton (8) | Tacoma Dome 13,017 | 11–5 |- | 17 | December 8 | @ Sacramento | 91–103 | Vincent Askew (17) | Shawn Kemp (19) | Detlef Schrempf (8) | ARCO Arena 17,317 | 11–6 |- | 18 | December 10 | @ L.A. Clippers | 132–127 (2 OT) | Shawn Kemp (42) | Shawn Kemp (14) | Gary Payton (14) | Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena 9,048 | 12–6 |- | 19 | December 14 | @ Phoenix | 93–111 | Gary Payton (16) | Shawn Kemp (14) | Gary Payton (6) | America West Arena 19,023 | 12–7 |- | 20 | December 15 | Portland | 114–103 | Shawn Kemp (26) | Shawn Kemp (8) | Gary Payton (9) | Tacoma Dome 13,151 | 13–7 |- | 21 | December 17 | Orlando | 124–84 | Gary Payton (31) | Shawn Kemp (14) | Gary Payton (7) | Tacoma Dome 16,832 | 14–7 |- | 22 | December 20 | L.A. Clippers | 110–79 | Shawn Kemp (23) | Shawn Kemp (13) | Gary Payton (9) | Tacoma Dome 11,952 | 15–7 |- | 23 | December 22 | Dallas | 103–101 | Gary Payton (28) | Shawn Kemp (10) | Gary Payton (8) | Tacoma Dome 14,763 | 16–7 |- | 24 | December 25 | @ Denver | 96–105 | Kendall Gill & Schrempf (21) | Detlef Schrempf (6) | Gary Payton (4) | McNichols Sports Arena 17,171 | 16–8 |- | 25 | December 26 | Sacramento | 123–103 | Sam Perkins (26) | Shawn Kemp (9) | Detlef Schrempf (8) | Tacoma Dome 15,780 | 17–8 |- | 26 | December 28 | Philadelphia | 121–102 | Kendall Gill (25) | Shawn Kemp (9) | Nate McMillan (10) | Tacoma Dome 15,787 | 18–8 |- | 27 | December 29 | @ L.A. Lakers | 95–96 | Detlef Schrempf (26) | Shawn Kemp (13) | Gary Payton (11) | Great Western Forum 17,505 | 18–9
| 28 | January 3 | @ Washington | 121–107 | Gary Payton (24) | Shawn Kemp (8) | Nate McMillan (9) | US Airways Arena 16,940 | 19–9 |- | 29 | January 4 | @ Cleveland | 116–85 | Gary Payton (32) | Schrempf, Johnson & Kemp (6) | Gary Payton & Detlef Schrempf (6) | Gund Arena 20,562 | 20–9 |- | 30 | January 6 | @ Chicago | 108–101 | Kemp & Schrempf (23) | Bill Cartwright & Kemp (9) | Gary Payton (13) | United Center 22,248 | 21–9 |- | 31 | January 10 | @ Golden State | 128–118 OT | Detlef Schrempf (33) | Detlef Schrempf (16) | McMillan & Payton (13) | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 15,025 | 22–9 |- | 32 | January 13 | L.A. Clippers | 108–101 | Detlef Schrempf (23) | Shawn Kemp (14) | Gary Payton (11) | Tacoma Dome 13,836 | 23–9 |- | 33 | January 15 | Portland | 131–124 | Gary Payton (29) | Sam Perkins (10) | Gary Payton (9) | Tacoma Dome 16,950 | 24–9 |- | 34 | January 17 | Cleveland | 115–91 | Detlef Schrempf (21) | Shawn Kemp (11) | Nate McMillan (7) | Tacoma Dome 12,914 | 25–9 |- | 35 | January 19 | @ Minnesota | 102–87 | Detlef Schrempf (22) | Shawn Kemp (13) | Gary Payton (8) | Target Center 13,396 | 26–9 |- | 36 | January 21 | @ Dallas | 117–91 | Gary Payton (22) | Detlef Schrempf (29) | Gary Payton (8) | Reunion Arena 17,502 | 27–9 |- | 37 | January 24 | Denver | 111–89 | Shawn Kemp (19) | Schrempf (9) | Gary Payton (8) | Tacoma Dome 16,352 | 28–9 |- | 38 | January 26 | Utah | 108–120 | Shawn Kemp (19) | Shawn Kemp (12) | Kemp, McMillan, Payton (5) | Tacoma Dome 14,835 | 28–10 |- | 39 | January 28 | L.A. Lakers | 121–128 (OT) | Detlef Schrempf (26) | Detlef Schrempf (10) | Gary Payton (13) | Tacoma Dome 17,426 | 28–11 |- | 40 | January 30 | @ Philadelphia | 109–104 | Sam Perkins (31) | Shawn Kemp (8) | McMillan & Payton (9) | CoreStates Spectrum 13,892 | 29–11
| 41 | February 2 | @ Orlando | 106–103 | Gary Payton (26) | Shawn Kemp (12) | Nate McMillan (8) | Orlando Arena 16,010 | 30–11 |- | 42 | February 3 | @ Atlanta | 121–98 | Gary Payton (22) | Kendall Gill (8) | Gary Payton (9) | Omni Coliseum 14,083 | 31–11 |- | 43 | February 5 | @ Miami | 136–109 | Shawn Kemp (26) | Shawn Kemp (11) | Nate McMillan (12) | Miami Arena 14,852 | 32–11 |- | 44 | February 7 | San Antonio | 103–106 | Kendall Gill (24) | Detlef Schrempf (14) | Gary Payton (10) | Tacoma Dome 15,083 | 32–12 |- | 45 | February 9 | Chicago | 126–118 OT | Shawn Kemp (30) | Sam Perkins (10) | Payton & Schrempf (8) | Tacoma Dome 16,079 | 33–12 |- align="center" |colspan="9" bgcolor="#bbcaff"|All-Star Break |- style="background:#cfc;" |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" |- | 46 | February 14 | Golden State | 118–108 | Gary Payton (26) | Sam Perkins (12) | Nate McMillan (10) | Tacoma Dome 13,918 | 34–12 |- | 47 | February 15 | @ L.A. Lakers | 96–102 | Gary Payton (24) | Shawn Kemp (12) | Kendall Gill (7) | Great Western Forum 14,936 | 34–13 |- | 48 | February 17 | @ Portland | 109–114 | Shawn Kemp (30) | Shawn Kemp (7) | Gary Payton (10) | Veterans Memorial Coliseum 12,888 | 34–14 |- | 49 | February 18 | @ Golden State | 129–117 | Detlef Schrempf (31) | Sam Perkins & Schrempf (9) | Gary Payton (7) | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 15,025 | 35–14 |- | 50 | February 20 | L.A. Lakers | 105–108 | Detlef Schrempf (26) | Shawn Kemp (14) | Gary Payton (9) | Tacoma Dome 16,502 | 35–15 |- | 51 | February 22 | Minnesota | 120–104 | Kendall Gill (34) | Shawn Kemp (13) | Gary Payton (13) | Tacoma Dome 13,012 | 36–15 |- | 52 | February 24 | Denver | 90–86 | Detlef Schrempf (22) | Detlef Schrempf (9) | Payton & Schrempf (8) | Tacoma Dome 18,056 | 37–15 |- | 53 | February 27 | Charlotte | 114–116 | Gary Payton (32) | Shawn Kemp (8) | Detlef Schrempf (9) | Tacoma Dome 16,379 | 37–16
| 54 | March 2 | @ L.A. Clippers | 116–88 | Kemp & Marčiulionis (21) | Kemp & Gill (7) | Gary Payton (7) | Arrowhead Pond 17,873 | 38–16 |- | 55 | March 3 | @ Phoenix | 118–122 (OT) | Detlef Schrempf (31) | Shawn Kemp (13) | McMillan, Payton, & Schrempf (8) | America West Arena 19,023 | 38–17 |- | 56 | March 6 | Golden State | 103–106 | Detlef Schrempf (23) | Shawn Kemp (16)