The 1975–76 Seattle SuperSonics season was the 9th season of the Seattle SuperSonics in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The SuperSonics finished the season in second place in the Western Conference with a 43–39 record, the same as the previous year and reached the playoffs for a second consecutive season, where they lost to the Phoenix Suns in the conference semifinals in six games.

Offseason

Draft

Round Pick Player Position Nationality College 1 12 Frank Oleynick G Seattle 2 21 Bruce Seals F Xavier (LA) 4 66 Jim Moore F Utah State 5 84 Dwain Govan G Bishop 6 102 Larry Smith F North Carolina A&T 7 120 Hollis Miller F Drury 8 138 Ken McKenzie C Montana 9 155 Rich Haws F Utah State 10 170 Jerry Bellotti F Santa Clara

Roster

Standings

Game log Regular season

| 1 | October 24 | Portland | W 105–97 | Fred Brown (29) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum13,601 | 1–0 |- | 2 | October 26 | Phoenix | W 113–99 | Leonard Gray (27) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum13,288 | 2–0 |- | 3 | October 28 | @ Chicago | L 90–101 | Slick Watts (28) | || || Chicago Stadium5,115 | 2–1 |- | 4 | October 29 | @ Kansas City | W 92–91 | Bruce Seals (25) | || || Kemper Arena9,464 | 3–1 |- | 5 | October 31 | @ Los Angeles | L 104–120 | Fred Brown (33) | || || The Forum12,118 | 3–2

| 6 | November 2 | Washington | L 85–94 | Tommy Burleson (20) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum14,096 | 3–3 |- | 7 | November 5 | @ Detroit | L 107–124 | Slick Watts (25) | || || Cobo Arena4,777 | 3–4 |- | 8 | November 6 | @ Washington | L 100–110 | Fred Brown (29) | || || Capital Centre7,732 | 3–5 |- | 9 | November 8 | @ Atlanta | L 94–107 | Fred Brown (24) | || || Omni Coliseum4,382 | 3–6 |- | 10 | November 9 | @ New Orleans | W 111–97 | Fred Brown (41) | || || Louisiana Superdome13,472 | 4–6 |- | 11 | November 12 | Kansas City | L 92–107 | Fred Brown (19) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum11,213 | 4–7 |- | 12 | November 13 | @ Phoenix | L 103–106 | Bruce Seals (24) | || || Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum5,016 | 4–8 |- | 13 | November 14 | Cleveland | W 100–97 (OT) | Fred Brown (26) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum11,969 | 5–8 |- | 14 | November 16 | Golden State | W 102–98 | Fred Brown (30) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum14,096 | 6–8 |- | 15 | November 19 | Chicago | W 97–87 | Fred Brown (25) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum13,114 | 7–8 |- | 16 | November 23 | Milwaukee | W 112–104 | Tommy Burleson (28) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum14,021 | 8–8 |- | 17 | November 25 | @ New York | W 128–127 (OT) | Tommy Burleson (35) | || || Madison Square Garden15,548 | 9–8 |- | 18 | November 26 | @ Boston | W 110–109 | Fred Brown (30) | || || Boston Garden12,189 | 10–8 |- | 19 | November 28 | @ Philadelphia | L 94–113 | Tommy Burleson (18) | || || The Spectrum13,674 | 10–9 |- | 20 | November 29 | @ Cleveland | L 108–124 | Fred Brown (30) | || || Coliseum at Richfield10,151 | 10–10

| 21 | December 2 | @ Kansas City | W 101–90 | Fred Brown (31) | || || Kemper Arena7,670 | 11–10 |- | 22 | December 3 | @ Houston | L 101–107 | Bruce Seals (16) | || || The Summit5,374 | 11–11 |- | 23 | December 6 | @ Golden State | L 94–104 | Fred Brown (17) | || || Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena12,677 | 11–12 |- | 24 | December 7 | Golden State | L 106–115 | Fred Brown, Slick Watts (22) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum14,096 | 11–13 |- | 25 | December 10 | Chicago | W 99–79 | Fred Brown (17) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum12,471 | 12–13 |- | 26 | December 12 | Detroit | W 97–95 | Fred Brown (27) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum12,859 | 13–13 |- | 27 | December 14 | Philadelphia | W 114–105 | Fred Brown (31) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum14,096 | 14–13 |- | 28 | December 17 | Cleveland | L 101–115 | Rod Derline (16) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum12,291 | 14–14 |- | 29 | December 19 | New Orleans | W 113–102 | Herm Gilliam (24) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum11,427 | 15–14 |- | 30 | December 21 | Milwaukee | L 101–103 | Mike Bantom (20) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum12,188 | 15–15 |- | 31 | December 23 | @ Portland | L 100–125 | Tommy Burleson (23) | || || Memorial Coliseum8,610 | 15–16 |- | 32 | December 26 | Kansas City | W 90–87 | Bruce Seals (21) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum13,673 | 16–16 |- | 33 | December 27 | Los Angeles | L 100–109 | Tommy Burleson (25) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum14,096 | 16–17 |- | 34 | December 28 | Houston | W 116–106 | Fred Brown (23) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum13,702 | 17–17 |- | 35 | December 30 | @ Los Angeles | W 112–100 | Fred Brown (34) | || || The Forum12,740 | 18–17

| 36 | January 2 | Boston | L 98–102 | Fred Brown (34) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum14,096 | 18–18 |- | 37 | January 4 | Golden State | W 97–85 | Fred Brown (20) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum13,669 | 19–18 |- | 38 | January 7 | New York | W 91–89 | Fred Brown (24) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum14,096 | 20–18 |- | 39 | January 9 | @ Phoenix | W 112–110 (OT) | Tommy Burleson (25) | || || Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum5,774 | 21–18 |- | 40 | January 11 | Buffalo | L 104–125 | Leonard Gray (20) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum14,096 | 21–19 |- | 41 | January 13 | @ Milwaukee | L 108–114 | Fred Brown (24) | || || MECCA Arena10,496 | 21–20 |- | 42 | January 14 | @ Atlanta | W 112–110 | Fred Brown (33) | || || Omni Coliseum4,376 | 22–20 |- | 43 | January 16 | @ Washington | L 85–100 | Slick Watts (19) | || || Capital Centre9,425 | 22–21 |- | 44 | January 17 | @ Buffalo | L 101–110 | Fred Brown (28) | || || Buffalo Memorial Auditorium8,469 | 22–22 |- | 45 | January 21 | @ Detroit | L 104–111 | Fred Brown (26) | || || Cobo Arena3,612 | 22–23 |- | 46 | January 22 | @ Cleveland | L 99–109 | Fred Brown (17) | || || Coliseum at Richfield5,102 | 22–24 |- | 47 | January 24 | @ Houston | L 103–110 | Fred Brown (37) | || || The Summit5,027 | 22–25 |- | 48 | January 28 | @ Portland | L 104–124 | Fred Brown (26) | || || Memorial Coliseum10,930 | 22–26 |- | 49 | January 30 | Washington | W 123–100 | Fred Brown (29) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum14,096 | 23–26

| 50 | February 6 | Portland | L 100–109 | Leonard Gray (32) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum13,419 | 23–27 |- | 51 | February 7 | @ Golden State | L 100–127 | Tommy Burleson (26) | || || Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena12,787 | 23–28 |- | 52 | February 8 | Phoenix | L 101–107 (OT) | Tommy Burleson (33) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum13,039 | 23–29 |- | 53 | February 11 | New Orleans | W 93–90 | Tommy Burleson (25) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum13,595 | 24–29 |- | 54 | February 13 | Atlanta | W 119–102 | Tommy Burleson, Herm Gilliam (20) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum13,925 | 25–29 |- | 55 | February 14 | @ Portland | W 122–108 | Bruce Seals (29) | || || Memorial Coliseum11,347 | 26–29 |- | 56 | February 15 | Detroit | W 109–107 | Herm Gilliam (22) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum13,728 | 27–29 |- | 57 | February 18 | Boston | W 124–99 | Fred Brown (29) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum14,096 | 28–29 |- | 58 | February 20 | Philadelphia | W 111–92 | Fred Brown (26) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum14,096 | 29–29 |- | 59 | February 22 | Los Angeles | W 97–91 | Fred Brown (27) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum14,096 | 30–29 |- | 60 | February 25 | @ Buffalo | W 126–94 | Fred Brown (31) | || || Buffalo Memorial Auditorium8,691 | 31–29 |- | 61 | February 27 | @ Boston | L 118–122 | Fred Brown (33) | || || Boston Garden15,320 | 31–30 |- | 62 | February 29 | @ Philadelphia | L 115–130 | Fred Brown (23) | || || The Spectrum11,649 | 31–31

| 63 | March 2 | @ New York | W 109–105 | Bruce Seals (29) | || || Madison Square Garden14,227 | 32–31 |- | 64 | March 3 | @ Detroit | L 110–114 | Fred Brown (24) | || || Cobo Arena3,096 | 32–32 |- | 65 | March 5 | @ Kansas City | L 93–111 | Fred Brown (17) | || || Kemper Arena5,852 | 32–33 |- | 66 | March 7 | @ New Orleans | L 106–124 | Leonard Gray (16) | || || Louisiana Superdome8,008 | 32–34 |- | 67 | March 9 | @ Chicago | L 101–102 | Fred Brown (26) | || || Chicago Stadium4,614 | 32–35 |- | 68 | March 10 | @ Milwaukee | W 110–105 | Fred Brown (26) | || || MECCA Arena9,587 | 33–35 |- | 69 | March 14 | New York | W 113–103 | Fred Brown (20) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum14,096 | 34–35 |- | 70 | March 17 | Buffalo | W 122–111 | Fred Brown (37) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum14,096 | 35–35 |- | 71 | March 21 | Houston | W 117–107 | Fred Brown, Tommy Burleson (24) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum14,096 | 36–35 |- | 72 | March 23 | @ Phoenix | L 97–104 | Fred Brown (32) | || || Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum7,589 | 36–36 |- | 73 | March 24 | Milwaukee | W 135–110 | Bruce Seals (27) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum14,096 | 37–36 |- | 74 | March 28 | Atlanta | W 127–112 | Fred Brown (27) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum14,096 | 38–36 |- | 75 | March 31 | Los Angeles | W 120–109 | Fred Brown, Herm Gilliam (22) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum14,096 | 39–36

| 76 | April 2 | @ Los Angeles | L 105–113 | Tommy Burleson (32) | || || The Forum10,784 | 39–37 |- | 77 | April 3 | @ Golden State | L 115–130 | Willie Norwood (20) | || || Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena12,787 | 39–38 |- | 78 | April 4 | Phoenix | W 117–89 | Fred Brown (33) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum14,096 | 40–38 |- | 79 | April 7 | Chicago | W 115–114 | Willie Norwood (24) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum14,096 | 41–38 |- | 80 | April 9 | Golden State | W 119–103 | Fred Brown (26) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum14,096 | 42–38 |- | 81 | April 10 | @ Phoenix | L 95–121 | Herm Gilliam (22) | || || Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum9,577 | 42–39 |- | 82 | April 11 | Portland | W 132–131 | Fred Brown (33) | || || Seattle Center Coliseum14,096 | 43–39

Playoffs

| 1 | April 13 | Phoenix | W 102–99 | Fred Brown (34) | Fred Brown (7) | Slick Watts (8) | Seattle Center Coliseum12,408 | 1–0 |- | 2 | April 15 | Phoenix | L 111–116 | Fred Brown (45) | Tommy Burleson (12) | Slick Watts (6) | Seattle Center Coliseum14,096 | 1–1 |- | 3 | April 18 | @ Phoenix | L 91–103 | Slick Watts (18) | three players tied (8) | Slick Watts (7) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum13,036 | 1–2 |- | 4 | April 20 | @ Phoenix | L 114–130 | Fred Brown (33) | Tommy Burleson (20) | Herm Gilliam (7) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum13,036 | 1–3 |- | 5 | April 25 | Phoenix | W 114–108 | Bruce Seals (28) | Willie Norwood (13) | Slick Watts (12) | Seattle Center Coliseum14,096 | 2–3 |- | 6 | April 24 | @ Phoenix | L 112–123 | Seals, Watts (24) | Bruce Seals (7) | Slick Watts (11) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum13,192 | 2–4

Player statistics

Regular season Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 27 8.3 .467 .552 2.8 .6 .3 .6 3.2 66 22.8 .471 .675 5.6 1.5 .4 .4 8.4 76 33.1 .488 .869 4.2 2.7 1.9 .2 23.1 82 32.3 .481 .750 9.0 2.2 .9 1.8 15.6 28 10.0 .342 .621 2.6 .5 .3 .4 2.6 49 6.9 .403 .804 .6 .5 .2 .0 3.9 81 20.3 .442 .776 2.7 2.5 1.0 .1 8.5 66 32.4 .474 .746 6.0 3.1 1.1 .5 13.8 29 12.6 .478 .415 2.7 .9 .2 .3 2.8 64 15.7 .485 .749 3.6 .9 .7 .1 6.9 52 12.5 .402 .688 .9 1.0 .4 .1 5.9 81 30.1 .436 .678 6.3 1.5 .8 .5 11.8 7 5.3 .545 .500 1.0 .3 .0 .0 1.9 72 17.0 .463 .613 3.7 .9 .7 .1 4.3 82 33.9 .427 .578 4.5 8.1 3.2 .2 13.0

Playoffs Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 5 12.0 .700 .727 4.2 .4 .0 1.0 7.2 6 19.0 .579 .700 3.8 1.3 .7 .3 9.7 6 39.3 .511 .795 4.7 2.8 2.2 .0 28.5 6 34.7 .600 .761 9.5 1.7 1.0 1.3 20.8 4 10.3 .200 1.000 1.0 .3 .3 .0 1.5 6 14.3 .222 .625 1.8 2.0 1.0 .0 2.8 3 5.3 .667 .3 .0 .0 .0 1.3 6 35.8 .414 .611 6.3 1.3 1.2 .2 9.8 6 30.2 .441 .692 6.0 .5 .8 1.0 13.0 6 14.3 .286 .733 2.5 1.2 .8 .3 3.2 6 32.8 .435 .478 3.0 8.2 2.0 .3 11.8

Awards and records Slick Watts led the league in totals in assists and steals, as well as assists per game and was selected to the NBA All-Defensive First Team. He was also presented with the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award. Fred Brown made his first All-Star appearance at the 1976 NBA All-Star Game.

Transactions

Overview Players Added Players Lost Via draft Frank Oleynick Bruce Seals Via trade Mike Bantom Herm Gilliam Gene Short