1978–79 Seattle SuperSonics season
The 1978–79 Seattle SuperSonics season was the team's 12th since the franchise began, and their most successful, winning their only NBA title.
| 1978–79 Seattle SuperSonics season | |
|---|---|
NBA champions | |
Conference champions | |
Division champions | |
| Head coach | Lenny Wilkens |
| General manager | Zollie Volchok |
| Owners | Sam Schulman |
| Arena | Kingdome |
| Results | |
| Record | 52–30 (.634) |
| Place | Division: 1st (Pacific) Conference: 1st (Western) |
| Playoff finish | NBA Champions (Defeated Bullets 4–1) |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
| Local media | |
| Television | KTNT-TV |
| Radio | KIRO |
In the playoffs, the SuperSonics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in five games in the Semi-finals, then defeated the Phoenix Suns in seven games in the Conference Finals to reach the NBA Finals for a second consecutive season in a rematch of the 1978 NBA Finals, facing the defending NBA champion Washington Bullets whom they had lost to in seven games. The Sonics would go on to avenge their NBA Finals loss and defeat the Bullets in five games, winning their first and only NBA championship. Dennis Johnson was named the NBA Finals MVP.
They wouldn't reach another NBA Finals Until 1996 in which they were led by Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp.
This was Seattle's first professional sports championship since the Seattle Metropolitans victory in the Stanley Cup in 1917.