The 1997–98 NBA season was the 30th season for the Seattle SuperSonics in the National Basketball Association. In the off-season, the Sonics acquired All-Star forward Vin Baker from the 1996–97 Milwaukee Bucks season, Milwaukee Bucks in a three-team trade. The team also re-acquired former Sonics star and sharp shooter Dale Ellis from the 1996–97 Denver Nuggets season, Denver Nuggets, and signed free agents Jerome Kersey, and Greg Anthony. The Sonics got off to a fast start with a 13–3 record after a 7-game winning streak in November, despite losing Kersey to a stress fracture in his left foot as he only played just 37 games. The team posted an 8-game winning streak between December and January winning 29 of their first 35 games, then later on holding the league's best record before the All-Star break with a 37–10 record. as they finished first place in the Pacific Division tied with the 1997–98 Los Angeles Lakers season, Los Angeles Lakers with a 61–21 record. Baker averaged 19.2 points and 8.0 rebounds per game, while Gary Payton averaged 19.2 points, 8.3 assists and 2.3 steals per game, and was named to the All-NBA First Team, and the NBA All-Defensive First Team. Baker and Payton were both selected for the 1998 NBA All-Star Game, with head coach George Karl coaching the Western Conference. In addition, Detlef Schrempf provided the team with 15.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game, while Ellis played a sixth man role, averaging 11.8 points per game off the bench, while shooting .464 in three-point field goal percentage, and Hersey Hawkins contributed 10.5 points and 1.8 steals per game. Sam Perkins contributed 7.2 points per game off the bench, and Jim McIlvaine led the team with 1.8 blocks per game. Payton finished in third place in NBA Most Valuable Player Award, Most Valuable Player voting, while Baker finished in eighth place. Payton also finished in second place in NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award, Defensive Player of the Year voting, and Ellis finished in third place in NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award, Sixth Man of the Year voting. In the Western Conference First Round of the 1998 NBA Playoffs, playoffs, the Sonics struggled as they trailed 2–1 to the 7th-seeded 1997–98 Minnesota Timberwolves season, Minnesota Timberwolves, but managed to win the series in five games. In the Western Conference Semi-finals, the Sonics faced the 3rd-seeded Lakers, winning Game 1 at home, 106–92. However, they would lose the next four games to the Lakers, thus the series. Two weeks after their elimination, Karl was fired as head coach in late May, then was hired three months later by the 1998–99 Milwaukee Bucks season, Milwaukee Bucks, while long-time Sonics guard Nate McMillan retired after only playing just 18 games this season due to knee surgery. Also following the season, Perkins signed as a free agent with the 1998–99 Indiana Pacers season, Indiana Pacers, while Kersey signed with the 1998–99 San Antonio Spurs season, San Antonio Spurs, Anthony signed with the 1998–99 Portland Trail Blazers season, Portland Trail Blazers, McIlvaine was traded to the 1998–99 New Jersey Nets season, New Jersey Nets, and David Wingate (basketball), David Wingate signed with the 1998–99 New York Knicks season, New York Knicks.

Draft picks

Roster

Regular season

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Game log

Playoffs

, - align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" , 1 , April 24 , 1997–98 Minnesota Timberwolves season, Minnesota
W 108–83
, Vin Baker (25) , Vin Baker (12) , Gary Payton (7) , KeyArena
17,072 , 1–0 , - align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" , 2 , April 26 , 1997–98 Minnesota Timberwolves season, Minnesota
L 93–98
, Gary Payton (32) , Detlef Schrempf (10) , Nate McMillan (6) , KeyArena
17,072 , 1–1 , - align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" , 3 , April 28 , @ 1997–98 Minnesota Timberwolves season, Minnesota
L 90–98
, Gary Payton (26) , Vin Baker (12) , three players tied (5) , Target Center
19,006 , 1–2 , - align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" , 4 , April 30 , @ 1997–98 Minnesota Timberwolves season, Minnesota
W 92–88
, Gary Payton, Payton, Hersey Hawkins, Hawkins (24) , Vin Baker (12) , Gary Payton (8) , Target Center
19,006 , 2–2 , - align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" , 5 , May 2 , 1997–98 Minnesota Timberwolves season, Minnesota
W 97–84
, Gary Payton (29) , Detlef Schrempf (11) , three players tied (4) , KeyArena
17,072 , 3–2 , - , - align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" , 1 , May 4 , 1997–98 Los Angeles Lakers season, L.A. Lakers
W 106–92
, Gary Payton (25) , Hersey Hawkins, Hawkins, Vin Baker, Baker (8) , Gary Payton (6) , KeyArena
17,072 , 1–0 , - align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" , 2 , May 6 , 1997–98 Los Angeles Lakers season, L.A. Lakers
L 68–92
, Vin Baker (13) , Detlef Schrempf (8) , Gary Payton (5) , KeyArena
17,072 , 1–1 , - align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" , 3 , May 8 , @ 1997–98 Los Angeles Lakers season, L.A. Lakers
L 103–119
, Detlef Schrempf (26) , Vin Baker (12) , Gary Payton (13) , Great Western Forum
17,505 , 1–2 , - align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" , 4 , May 10 , @ 1997–98 Los Angeles Lakers season, L.A. Lakers
L 100–112
, Gary Payton (31) , Gary Payton (8) , Gary Payton (13) , Great Western Forum
17,505 , 1–3 , - align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" , 5 , May 12 , 1997–98 Los Angeles Lakers season, L.A. Lakers
L 95–110
, Vin Baker (28) , Vin Baker (9) , Hersey Hawkins (6) , KeyArena
17,072 , 1–4 , -

Draft picks

Roster

Regular season

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Game log

Playoffs

Player statistics

Season

Playoffs

Awards and records

Awards

Records

Transactions

Trades

Free agents

Additions

Subtractions

See also

References